IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARING AND WEARING SURFACES FOR SPINDLES, AXLES, AND OTHER SHAFTING, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF SUCH SURFACES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARING AND
WEARING SURFACES FOR SPINDLES, AXLES, AND OTHER SHAFTING, AND IN THE
PREPARATION OF SUCH SURFACES."-A communication from abroad by
Eliza Dexter Murfey, of the City and State of New York, United
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th March 1875.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engincer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARING AND
WEARING SURFACES FOR SPINDLES, AXLES, AND OTHER SHAFTING, AND IN THE PRE-
PARATION OF SUCH SURFACES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to bearing and wearing surfaces for different
purposes, including, among others, bolsters and steps of spindles,

page_text: the lining of the axle boxes and journal boxes of railroad cars, wagons,
drays, carriages, and other axle and journal boxes, the packing of
stuffing boxes, the guides of machinery, and pickers for looms.
The first part of the Invention consists in a tube or hollow body of
cylindrical or other form, composed of a roll or coil of paper or other
soft and fibrous or filamentary material or materials treated with
plumbago or other lubricating substance or compound in the form of
powder, paste, or solution, and compressed in an axial or longitudinal
direction; or if desired, in other directions to give it a compact and firm
character.
The second part of the Invention consists in the preparation of bearing
and wearing surfaces for spindles and other purposes, made of paper,
paper pulp, or other soft and fibrous or filamentary material or materials,
by the treatment of the paper or its fibrous or filamentary substitute of
which the bearing or wearing surface is composed with a hardening
solution, whereby the material of the bearing or wearing surface when
pressed into shape is made to retain its firmness and density.
In carrying out the Invention I take tissue or other paper in strips of
the required length and width, or cord or roll made of paper, and (to
make the bearing self-lubricating) I apply to the one end a portion of
the strip for a given distance, or to the whole strip if desired, any suitable
lubricating compound or solution, but preferably one in which plumbago
forms a leading ingredient. In addition to applying the lubricating
compound or solution to the strips of paper, it is desirable to treat the
strip with some suitable hardening solution. The prepared paper is
coiled or rolled on a mandril, and the whole then placed in a tube or
mould, which should be perforated to allow of the expulsion of moisture
from the paper, which should be more or less saturated, either with
water or an adhesive liquid. Power is then applied to either or both
ends of the tube or hollow body of paper composing the bolster or
bearing or other article by means of one or more compressing rings or
pistons, actuated by any suitable means, and serving to compress the
paper bearing or body in direction of its axis or length, which gives a
firm and compact character to the bearing, resembling in solidity that of
a metal bearing, but which may be self-lubricating, and is cheaper and
lighter than a metal bearing.
The hardening compound or solution may consist of alum, with or
without other ingredients, and water. It is found that about two ounces

page_text: of alum dissolved in one pint of water forms a good hardening solution
for the purpose; likewise that about two ounces of equal parts, alum
and borax, dissolved in two quarts of water is very efficient; also a
solution in which a limited quantity of dissolved silex is used with the
alum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lanc, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton, Her
special licence that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Edward
Newton, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARING AND WEARING SURFACES FOR SPINDLES, AXLES, AND
OTHER SHAFTING, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF SUCH SURFACES," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by Eliza Dexter Murfey, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, 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

page_text: 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 Henry Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
This Invention relates to bearing and wearing surfaces for different 1
purposes, including (amongst others) bolsters and steps of spindles,
the lining of the axle boxes and journal boxes of railroad cars, wagons,
drays, carriages, and other axles and journal boxes, the packing of
stuffing boxes, the guides of machinery, and pickers for looms.
The first part of the Invention consists in a tube or hollow body of 1
cylindrical or other form, composed of a roll or coil of paper or other
soft and fibrous or filamentary material or materials treated withi
plumbago or other lubricating substance or compound in the form of
powder, paste, or solution, and compressed in an axial or longitudinal
or other direction to give it a compact and firm character.
The second part of the Invention consists in the preparation of these
bearing and wearing surfaces made of paper, paper pulp, or other soft
and fibrous or filamentary material or materials, by treating the paper or
its substitute with a hardening solution, whereby the material of the
bearing or wearing surface when pressed into shape is made to retain its
firmness and density.
To facilitate description these two parts of the Invention will be com-
bined, and in the example here selected by way of illustration paper only
will be referred to as the material of which the body of the bearing or
wearing surface is composed.
In carrying out the Invention take tissue or other paper in strips
of the required length and width, or a cord or roll made of paper, and
(to make the bearing self-lubricating) apply to one end or portion of the
strip for a given distance, or to the whole strip if desired, any suitable
lubricating compound or solution, but preferably one in which plumbago
forms a leading ingredient. This lubricating compound or solution may

page_text: be applied if desired to a sheet or sheets of paper, which may be pressed
and rolled into the required shape of the bearing, but it is preferred to
use a strip or strips of paper, as above described. In addition to the
lubricating compound or solution it is found desirable to treat the whole
or part of the strip or strips of paper with some suitable hardening
solution. The prepared paper is coiled or rolled on a mandril, and the
whole then placed in a tube or mould, which should be perforated to
allow of the expulsion of moisture from the paper, which even if not
treated as herein-before described should be more or less saturated cither
with water or an adhesive liquid. Power is then applied to either or
both ends of the tube or hollow body of paper composing the bolster or
bearing or other article by means of one or more compressing rings or
pistons actuated by any suitable means, and serving to compress the
paper bearing or body in direction of its axis or length, which gives a
firm and compact character to the bearing, resembling in solidity that
of a metal bearing, but which may be self-lubricating, and is cheaper
and lighter than a metal bearing. To give increased solidity the
pressure may also be applied in transverse relation with the axis, and in
some cases it will be found convenient to have the bearings divided
longitudinally into halves.
The hardening compound or solution consists of alum, with or without
other ingredients, and water, and the paper is immersed in a bath of this
solution, or otherwise saturated therewith. Without restricting the
Invention to any precise proportion for the ingredients of this hardening
solution or compound, it is found that about two ounces of alum dissolved
in one pint of water forms a good hardening solution; also that about
two ounces of equal parts, alum and borax, dissolved in two quarts of
water is very efficient for the purpose; also a solution in which a limited
quantity of dissolved silex is used with the alum.
The object of the hardening solution applied either in part or whole to
the
paper is to ensure solidity and the holding of the coils of the tube
together after compression.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 a transverse section of a spindle bolster embodying the Inven-
5tion. 6 represents the paper coiled or rolled, and subsequently com-
pressed as described to form a spindle bolster, and c the lubricating
compound applied to that part of the paper which forms the inner
portion or wearing surface of said bearing, while the hardening solution

page_text: may either be applied to the whole of the paper or to that part of the
paper which forms the outer portion of the bearing.
Heat may be used or not, either as applied to the material of which
the bearing or wearing surface is composed, or to the lubricating or
hardening compounds or solutions, which may either be hot or cold.
If desired the journals and axle boxes themselves, as well as the
linings of such boxes, may be made of paper, treated as above described.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention for "Improve-
ments in Bearing and Wearing Surfaces for Spindles, Axles, and other
Shafting, and in the Preparation of such Surfaces," and having explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,--
First. A bearing or wearing surface for spindles, axles, and other
shafting composed of paper or other soft and fibrous or filamentary
material or materials, treated with plumbago, and compressed, sub-
stantially as described.
Second. The preparation of bearing and wearing surfaces for spindles,
axles, and other shafting, composed of paper or other soft and fibrous
or filamentary material by treating the paper or its substitute with a
hardening solution, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.