IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS AND AXLES OF ROAD CARTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM PARSONAGE 53 Balaclava Street Saint Thomas Swansea Glamorgan-
shire Foreman of Railway Carriage & Wagon Department do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS AND AXLES OF ROAD
CARTS to be as follows: -
The axles & Wheels are made of iron or steel and the Wheels are made fast to
the Axles and revolve together in axle boxes secured to the shafts or framing of
the vehicle by axle guards. The axle being in two parts is joined in the centre &
supported by a cylinder or coupling box, and secured therein, by caps or rings,
which clip an enlarged end of the axle thus providing free radiation & securing
the axles from seperating.
The coupling box is made to fit the ends of the axles, and is provided with
annular spaces to contain Lubricant.
By this arrangement the wheels Axles and coupling box all revolve together
when on a straight course At the same time allowing independent action of each.
wheel and axle when turning.
The wheels are made as follows
The tyre is of wrought or cast iron or steel the section of which is T shape
and the centre web is on the internal circumference The boss or nave is an
enlargement of the axle itself or may be a casting keyed or cast on the axle.
Two grooves are provided equidistant from the centre and on the circumference
of the boss to receive the spokes and such grooves are of sufficient space between
them to give the necessary rake to the spokes The spokes are of flat bar iron or
steel and are fixed opposite to each other and turned up at one end to form a foot
The foot being of such length as to fill up the width of the groove in the boss and
the number of spokes on each side will just fill up the circumference and the
thickness the depth of the groove.
These are then secured to the boss by shrinking a hot band of iron on each set
thus securing them firmly to Boss or axle The outer ends of the spokes are
riveted to the tyre the extreme ends abutting on the body of same, thus securing
a strong and light Wheel and virtually in one piece with the axle.

page_text: Springs are fitted in the usual way or in the case of a cart for tipping its load
the springs are placed in a line with the axle & immediately above it one end of
which is secured to a cross bar and the other bearing on the axle boxes by passing
through the centre of Axle guards. The axle box is enlarged in the under part
to contain oil for lubricating the journal by a syphon There is also a shield at
each end of Axle box to keep the Journal clean..
This arrangement greatly reduces the friction & consequently wear & tear of
Horseflesh & is nearly Noiseless in Working & although designed for heavy road
traffic can be adapted to the lightest vehicles.

page_text: I WILLIAM PARSONAGE 53 Balaclava Street Saint Thomas Swansea Glamorgan-
shire Foreman of Carriage and Wagon Department do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS AND AXLES OF ROAD CARTS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The axles and wheels are made of iron or steel and the wheels are made fast to
the axles and revolve together in Axleboxes secured to the shafts or framing.of
the vehicle by axleguards. The axle being in two parts are joined together in the
centre and supported by a cylinder or coupling box which is of sufficient length
and internal diameter to receive the enlarged ends of the axle and is screwed at
each end to receive a cap or socket. Such sockets are bored out at one end to
pass over the enlarged ends of the axles. A washer in two halves, and whose
external diameter fits the socket and the internal diameter the reduced size of axle
is screwed home against the end of the coupling box preventing the axles from
separating.
By this arrangement the wheels axles and coupling box all revolve together when
on a straight course at the same time allowing independent action of each wheel
and axle when turning.
The wheels are made as follows
The tyre is of wrought or cast iron or steel, the section is T shape and centre
web is on the internal part of the tyre. The boss or nave is an enlargement of the
axle itself or may be a casting, keyed or cast on the axle, two grooves are provided
equidistant from the centre and on the circumference of the boss to receive the
spokes and such grooves are of sufficient space between them to give the required
rake to the spokes. The spokes are of flat bar iron or steel and turned at one
end to nearly right angle to form a foot, such foot being of sufficient length to fill
up the width of the groove in the boss and the number of spokes on each side
will just fill up the circumference, and the thickness the depth of the groove.
These are then secured to the axle or boss by shrinking a hot iron band on the
feet of each set of spokes, the outer ends being rivetted to the web of the tyre, the
ends abutting on the body of same, thus securing a strong wheel of great durability
and virtually in one piece with the axle.
Springs are fitted in the usual way for light vehicles and the axleguards can
then be dispensed with, but in the case of a weight carrying vehicle one spring
is used and this is placed in a line with the axle and immediately over it, the
middle is bolted to a crossbar and the ends bear one on each axlebox.
The axlebox is of cast iron, brass or steel and when of iron or steel is fitted
with a bearing of brass or other bearing metal and is lubricated with oil contained
in a small tank or recess in the under cap by pad or syphon and secured from dirt
by a shield at each end of the axleboxes, which are provided with grooves for
their reception.
The drawings show this arrangement as fitted to a strong tippingcart.
A is the axle and B the coupling box C the caps or sockets and D the devised
washer in position in the socket which when screwed home against the coupling
box prevents the axles from separating, but leaving them free to revolve either way.
M is the Tyre and I the spoke and J is the wrought iron ring shrunk on the
feet of spokes. F is axlebox G metal bearing and H shield. The recess in
undercap of axlebox is to receive oil for lubrication by pad or syphon. E is the
Axleguard K the spring and L the shaft.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
nvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is:
1. The novel method substantially as described and illustrated of securing the
wheels to outer ends of axles and the coupling of the inner ends at the
centre, thus making both wheels and axles to revolve as one body, with
great lateral rigidity and reduced friction and noise in travelling.
2. The application of axleboxes of the before mentioned discription to road
vehicles.
3. The arrangement of the spring substantially as described one only being 1
required by this system, for vehicles carrying heavy loads.
Dated this twentieth day of September 1884.