IMPROVEMENTS IN JOURNAL BEARINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN JOURNAL BEARINGS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AXLES." A communication
from abroad by David Arnold Hopkins (Manufacturer), of Park Ridge, Bergen
County, State of New Jersey, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN JOURNAL BEARINGS FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGE AXLES." A communication from abroad by David Arnold Hopkins
(Manufacturer), of Park Ridge, Bergen County, State of New Jersey, United
States of America.
The object of this Invention is to render journal bearings thoroughly yielding
and self fitting to the journals to which they are applied so as to prevent the
heating of the journals while the bearings are being fitted thereto through the
revolutions of the journal; to prevent also the lubricating matter which I apply
to the concave surface of the bearing from becoming unduly displaced by pressure
or heat, and also to enable an attendant to ascertain readily without removing the
bearing whether or not the same has been worn to such an extent as to require its
removal and replacement.
To this end the Invention consists, 1st., in constructing the concave surface of
the journal side of the bearing of alternate weak ridges or projections and
depressions which depressions are for the partial reception of the substance of the
ridges and projections whenever such ridges and projections are crushed down by
the operation of the journal. The ridges should be so weak that when the journal
is revolved under ordinary conditions of load pressure upon the bearing they will
be readily crushed down and spread out laterally into the grooves or depressions
until the amount of bearing surface brought into contact with the journal shall
be sufficient under ordinary conditions of lubrication to ensure its cool running,

page_text: The fit of the bearing to the different parts of the journal is obtained by the
crushing of the ridges into the depressions whereever the pressure upon the bearing
is greatest.
Secondly. The Invention consists in introducing into the afore mentioned grooves
or depressions lubricating substance of the nature of tallow or other substance that
is somewhat stiff when cold but fluid when hot, such as tallow, or tallow mixed
with blacklead, tale, or sulphur, or blacklead or tale with sulphur and tallow, the
same being applied while in a plastic condition. The ridges protect this lubricant
against accidental removal from the cavities, and when crushed down into said
cavities in manner above stated they force the lubricant out of the cavities, thus
ensuring the lubrication and cool running of the journals without their being oiled
when first used after the application of now bearings thereto.
Thirdly. The Invention consists in the use of cross ridges which extend laterally
across the depressions or grooves above referred to and which prevent the lubri-
cating substance in said grooves from flowing out along the grooves under pressure
or heat.
Finally. The Invention consists in constructing the front end of the bearing
when it is joined to a pendant lip that constitutes the stop bar with an aperture
or apertures extending into the space which is left between the end of the bearing
and the stop bar for the reception of the collar of the journal. Through such
aperture or apertures the upper edge of the collar may be seen when it arrives
near the top of said space, and the attendant may therefore without further work
ascertain whether the bearing is or is not so far worn away as to render its
removal from the journal desirable or necessary.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a bottom-view-of-the-
improved journal bearing showing its journal surface partly supplied with
lubricating substance above referred to; Figure 2 is a cross section of the same on
the line c, c, Figure 1. Figure 3, another cross section of the same on the line k, l,
Figure 1. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
The letter A represents the journal bearing. Its concave bearing surface is
provided with alternate ridges 1, 2, and grooves m, m, clearly shown in Figure 3.
The bearing may be made of a substance considerably harder than lead, but the
ridges should be weak enough to permit them to be readily crushed by the rotating
of the journal under load pressure; the direction of the ridges and grooves may
either be parallel to the axis of the bearing, as indicated in Figure 1, or diagonal
thereto, or more or less curved, as may be desired. a, a, are cross ridges extending
laterally across the grooves above referred to to prevent the lubricating substance
that fills the grooves from flowing lengthwise therein and out of the same under.
pressure or heat.
The lubricating substance b should be filled into the grooves.as
far as the edges of the ridges extend, said lubricating substance being stiff, as
already stated, when cold. is the pendant lip forming the stop bar of the bearing.
Between this lip and the front end of the journal proper is formed the usual
recess e for receiving the collar of the journal. Into this recess leads an aperture g
which extends from the front upper part of the bearing into the said space or
recess e, through which aperture the attendant may observe the collar of the
journal as soon as it reaches the top of the space or recess e, thereby knowing that
it is necessary to remove the bearing and have it replaced; as long however as the
collar cannot be perceived through the aperture g it is not necessary to remove the
bearing because it has not yet quite worn out.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,
1st. A journal bearing having its concave surface grooved so that it is provided
with alternate weak ridges and depressions m, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Ond A icurnal hearing
Adad
TH
1

page_text: lower surface and combined with stiff lubricating substance b, essentially of the
nature specified, which is filled into said grooves, substantially as specified.
3rd. A journal bearing constructed on its wearing surface with alternato
grooves and weak ridges, and provided with cross ridges a, substantially as
specified.
."
4th. A journal bearing having a pendant lip d and the recess e and the aperture
leading from the front upper part of the bearing into said recess, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
5th. A series of bands of soft metal projecting from the body of the bearing from
the concave face or journal side thereof.
6th. A bearing having its journal side grooved to form ridges of such con-
struction, composition, and nature that by the operation of load pressure applied
to the bearing and the revolution of the journal they will be crushed down and
spread.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of October, A.D. 1881.