Year: 1897

page_text: I, THOMAS WILLIAMS; of Beachley House, Mill Hill Park, County of Middlesex.
Civil Engineer. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object, to enable a wheel to revolve freely and clear of
friction or nearly so, and to prevent all tendency to wobble or rattle during the
running, the axle being also the better able to withstand the weight of the load
at what is proved to be the weakest part and so prevent fracture at or near the
shoulder.
For the purpose of my invention, I take an ordinary axle or axle arm such as
those made for Road Vehicles and remove from along its under surface a portion
of the metal gradually diminishing the amount so removed up to about half the
axle's original diameter. I drill a hole lengthwise in the under part from the
end into the square or clip portion, said hole terminating at a suitable distance
beyond the ordinary back collar. I recess said under part at intervals for the
reception of rollers or ferrules, the lower peripheries of which project slightly so
that their exposed portions coincide with what was the original diameter of said
axle or axle arm. These rollers or ferrules are threaded on a steel bolt which fits
within the longitudinal hole, said rollers or ferrules being so arranged as to be in
touch with the box or bush of the wheel at the bottom, the bottom of the axle
being clear.
The untouched upper part of the axle is in contact with the box or bush for its
half diameter or perhaps slightly more than half and the contact surfaces are so
arranged that they glide in conjunction with each other with the smallest possible
amount of friction consequently the wheel runs smoothly and without a tendency
to rattle, or cause shocks, or a knocking noise, such as is common with Road
Vehicles having no springs to which my invention is applicable as well as to those
provided with springs.
The steel bolt which fills the longitudinal hole has its outer end chamfered and
cut with a screw thread coinciding with the thread on the outer end of the axle or
axle arm and to ensure the thread of the nut or collet engaging truly, I may
employ a set screw pin to fix the steel bolt.
The lower solid parts of the axle or axle arm between the recesses may be cut
away, the upper parts acting as bearers.
001 1
P
1007
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said:-Thomas Williams.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Wheel Axles.'
I, THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Beachley House, Mill Hill Park, County of Middlesex.
Civil Engineer. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention has for object, to enable a wheel to revolve freely and clear of
friction, or nearly so, and to prevent all tendency to wobble or rattle during the
running, the axle being also the better able to withstand the weight of the load at
what is known to be its weakest part and tend to prevent fracture at or near the
shoulder.
For the purpose of my invention, I take an ordinary axle or axle arm such as
those made for Road Vehicles or other Vehicles having fixed arms or axles and
remove from along its under surface a portion of the metal gradually diminishing
the amount so removed up to about half the axle's original diameter. I drill a
hole lengthwise in the under part from the end, said hole terminating within or
beyond the ordinary back collar. I recess said under part at intervals for the
reception of rollers or ferrules, the lower peripheries of which project slightly, so
that their exposed portions coincide with what was the original periphery of said
axle or axle arm. These rollers or ferrules are carried on a steel bolt which fits
within the longitudinal hole, said rollers or ferrules being so arranged as to be in
touch with the box or bush of the wheel at the bottom, the bottom half of the axle
being clear.
The upper part of the axle is as usual merely in contact with the box or bush for
its half diameter (or perhaps slightly more than half), consequently the wheel
runs smoothly and without a tendency to rattle or cause unsteady motion.
The steel bolt which fills the longitudinal hole may have its outer end chamfered
and cut with a screw thread coinciding with the thread on the outer end of the axle
or axle arm, and to ensure the thread of the nut or collect engaging truly, I may
employ a set screw pin to fix the steel bolt.
My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 longitudinal section of an axle arm with my improvement specially
represented.
Figure 2 transverse section of same through the line a, a, of Figure 1, and
Figure 3 transverse section through the line y, y, of Figure 1.
The important feature of my said invention is produced from so shaping the
lower half portion of the axle A from a to b on either side of the vertical centre,
clear of the box B, so that the axle A is in contact with the box B in its upper half
alone for the full semi-circular portion from to b, the other contact portions with
the box B being by rollers C, three of which are shown for equalization of bearing
at the point a on and in the box B, said rollers taking the weight of the load and
offering the least amount of friction and resistance to the progress or rotation of
the wheel, in the hub of which the box B is fitted. The touch of the axle at the
points b, b, with the box B prevents shocks or rattling and produces smooth easy
running.
The rollers C are placed so that they freely run upon the pin D, this being fitted
for the purpose in a longitudinal hole bored lengthwise in the axle from the end E
to the back collar F, where the proved weakest part of the axle is strengthened by
the existence of the pin or bolt D which can be of steel and consequently be of
stronger metal than that of the axle itself.
The box or bush B is of the usual construction and is held to the axle A by the

page_text: screw threaded nut G which also locates the pin D and bears against the washer H,
said nut being prevented from back action by the cottar I passed through the pro-
jecting end of the axle A.
The rollers C are within recesses K, K, at the parts of the axle A which they
occupy, such as is shown at K, K, Figure 3, so that they are clear of the roof L of
recesses K, K, and have no rotative motion except by contact with the box B. M is
the usual cover cap.
I am aware that rollers C and a pin 1), such as I show have been already
employed in or connected with Road Vehicle axles and substantially the same
manner and for the same purpose, but these have been introduced into an axle of
less diameter than the internal diameter of the box or bush, or into a corresponding
diameter of axle to that of the bush by simply cutting away horizontally a very
limited lower portion of the axle's metal transversely to permit of the rollers being
in touch with the box B, the other part of the axle peripherally being left intact,
so that the axle remained otherwise in contact with the box for very nearly the
whole of its circumference and little or no advantage could in practical use be
gained by the use of rollers when so placed.
Now by my invention I reduce friction to a minimum, I prevent rattling noise
while the wheel is travelling, I reduce or entirely obviate shocks between axle and
box, and destroy the tendency of the wheel wobbling, and I increase the strength
of the axle at the known weakest part. The reduced circumferential lower half of
the axle as by my invention constitutes what may be termed the perimetrical
method of supporting a load and producing a rotative action of one body to the
other with a minimum of friction."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Reducing the diameter of a Road Vehicle axle from the bottom of its circum-
ference to about the horizontal axial line b, b, from either side, as and for the
purpose or purposes set forth and substantially as represented.
2. In combination with a wheel axle having the lower half of its circumference
reduced gradually upwards from the bottom to the axial line b, b, so as to be clear
of the box or bush which it otherwise fits, a set of rollers C in recesses K, K, in
such reduced semi-circular portion, and pin D, all arranged and acting as and for
the purpose described.
3. Removing from the lower surface or lower half of an axle of a Road Vehicle,
a portion of the metal, gradually diminishing the quantity so removed from the
bottom upwards on either side to about half way of the circumference as set forth.
The fith date of Natambor 100%
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said :-Thomas Williams.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said :-Thomas Williams.