AN IMPROVED MODE OF OILING JOURNALS OR AXLES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City.
of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF OILING JOURNALS OR AXLES."-A communication from
abroad by Henry Wood, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America.
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 13th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the, said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1863.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Påtent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF OILING JOURNALS OR AXLES," (a communication to
me from abroad by Henry Wood, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
of America,) to be as follows:-
In the axle and journal boxes now generally in use, particularly on railroad
cars, there is an oil receptacle below the journals which is generally filled with
cotton waste. This Invention relates to this well known character of box, in
which the oil is supplied to the axle or journal by capillary attraction.
The Inventor has discovered by experiment and experience that the fine
fibres of cotton waste in contact with the journal become abraded in conse-

page_text: quence of the gummy nature of the oil and the quick revolution of the journal,
hence, that the said fibres of cotton are carried between the journal and box,
greatly to the detriment of the parts, because these cotton fibres become ground
into the oil, making it thick and gummy, and under the speed and compression
become charred so that the surface of the cotton waste in contact with the
journal will be found after use to be coated with a black carbonaceous sub-
stance, and the journal to be exceedingly dirty. The consequence is an undue
wear upon the journal and box, and often they become highly heated from the
friction.
This Invention consists in substituting wood shavings for the cotton waste
or other similar fibrous material hitherto employed, such. wood shavings acting
by capillary attraction in the same manner as the cotton waste does, but at the
same time keeping the journal or axle perfectly bright and clean.
Another advantage is that shavings from wood, particularly those from deals,
pines, spruces, and other similar trees, possess great elasticity and hence always
press up into contact with the under side of the journal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, and
No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Davies, Her special licence that I, the said George
Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AŃ
IMPROVED MODE OF OILING JOURNALS OR AXLES," being a communication to me
from abroad by Henry Wood, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of

page_text: America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Davies, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe.
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, that is to say:-
In the axle and journal boxes now generally in use, particularly on railroad
cars, there is an oil receptacle below the journals which is generally fitted with
cotton waste.
This Invention relates to this well known character of box, in which the oil
is supplied to the axle or journal by capillary attraction.
The Inventor has discovered by experiment and experience that the fine
fibres of cotton waste in contact with the journal become abraded in conse-
quence of the gummy nature of the oil and the quick revolution of the journal,
hence that the said fibres of cotton are carried between the journal and box,
greatly to the detriment of the parts, because these cotton fibres become ground
into the oil, making it thick and gummy, and under the speed and compression
become charred, so that the surface of the cotton waste in contact with the
journal will be found after use to be coated with a black carbonaceous sub-
stance; and the journal to be exceedingly dirty. The consequence is an undue
wear upon the journals and box, and often they become highly heated from the
friction.
The Inventor has discovered that wood shavings, when saturated with oil,
and brought in contact with the bearing or journal to be lubricated, will
supply, in consequence of capillary attraction, sufficient oil to a journal for the
purposes of lubrication, and will prevent heating and save oil, and that when
shavings are substituted for the cotton waste or other fibrous material hereto-
fore used, the journal becomes perfectly smooth and bright, because the oil is
supplied in just the quantity required to form a thin film upon the journal,
instead of in such a quantity as constantly to be coming upon and passing off
the journal, and the dirt and carbonaceous matter ordinarily found in axle and
journal boxes are almost entirely prevented. The foregoing are practically the
results attained by thorough and prolonged experiments.
Shavings from wood, particularly those from deals, pines, spruces, &c.,

page_text: possess great elasticity, and hence always press up into contact with the under
side of the journal.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for "An
Improved Mode of Oiling Journals," together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark in conclusion, that I claim as the Invention (communicated to me by
Henry Wood), the manner herein specified of supplying oil or lubricating
material to journals by the employment of the material described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.S.)