IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, TRAM CARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Friedrich Carl Glaser at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1880. A communication
from Georg Drouven, of Utrecht, in the Kingdom of Holland.
FRIEDRICH CARL GLASER, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia and Empire of
Germany, Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, TRAM CARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
A communication from Georg Drouven, of Utrecht, in the Kingdom of Holland.
This Invention relates to the use of wheel tires in one or in several pieces, and
to the mode of attaching them to wheel centres of any suitable form and material,
as also to the use of such attachment in the case of tires not pieced for all kinds of
wheeled vehicles, especially for railway rolling stock, both for main lines and lines
of less importance.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show this fastening or
mode of attachment adapted to three railway wheels; in other cases, including
wheels for tramway carriages, the treatment would be similar.
This method of construction differs from the wheel tire fastenings hitherto
employed chiefly in the following points:-
1. In the use of a long rolled metal bar for forming the pieced wheel tire; in
addition to this a ring may be employed made in one piece, but cut through for
the purpose of attachment to the central part.
Those wheeled tires that are made with bevil or otherwise shaped surfaces of
attachment are so bent to or on that they pass around the central part which is
made with corresponding surfaces of attachment, and the tires may be pressed
close against the central part; the ends then meet at any desired point in the
circumference of the wheel, butt against each other, and are fished by the periphery
of the central part, as hereinafter mentioned.
Both portions are then slid against each other until the corresponding attachment
surfaces of the same come close together. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawing this locking together is effected on one side; but in the methods of
construction similar to that shown, Fig. 3, it is effected on both sides. In the
latter case the periphery of the central part and the spokes are made in two parts,
their attachment being effected by pins which may be replaced by rivets or screws,
or by other methods; whilst in the case of two part disc wheels with exterior
covering at the wheel tire, the rivets or screws which effect the connection are
made use of.

page_text: The vacant space existing between each two corresponding attachment surfaces
is filled in with a molten metal composition, or other substance; this may be
arranged at the flange side or at the opposite side of the wheel tire, or it may be
distributed on both sides.
With methods of construction similar to Fig. 3, instead of rivets or screws a
filling in of the space between the parts of the periphery of the central part or
both together could be effected.
In no case is the use of screws excluded for the further attachment of the wheel
tire with the central part as heretofore customary. When the central parts of the
wheels of a different form or of cast iron are used, the attachment of the pieced 1
wheel tiro to the former may be carried out in a manner similar to that above.
described.
2. In the practicability of a symmetrical arrangement of the bevil or otherwise
formed attachment surfaces of the wheel tires, and central parts of wheels in the
case of any desired method of constructing the central part, the usual fastening |
screws for both parts being then done away with.
In the case of this symmetrical arrangement, which however need not strictly be
kept to, the strength of the parts to be attached may be better calculated, according
to requirement, than is- usually done in the case of the wheel tiro attachments
hitherto employed, as with respect to these latter it is necessary to drive the
wheel tire on, on one side, when the locking on at the opposite side is effected by
means of packing pieces or spring rings. Here the dimensions must be so chosen
as to render the driving on practicable, which cannot be attained without injury to
strength and durability.
The filling in of the vacant spaces, as above described, has a less prejudicial effect
on the durability of the attachment than the use of spring rings or other packing
pieces, because the effect of the cast material on the attachment, as part of the
wheel tire or of the wheel centre, can be seen and examined.
3. In the prevention of the springing of the pieced wheel tire, even when made
of harder material than hitherto, because such wheel tires can follow the variations
of shape occasioned by shrinking better than those which are not pieced.
A cheaper material may therefore be employed for the pieced wheel tires, and
also chilled castings without lessening their durability; but in the event of a too
brittle material being chosen for such wheel tires and springing arising there-
from, then by the before described method of attachment the slacking of the
parts of the wheel tiro will lessen it moro surely than has hitherto been the case, so
that a spring wheel tire fastened in the manner shown on the Drawing may
usually remain in uso until other causes necessitates its renewal.
In the use of chilled iron castings, fluid iron, or molten steel for wheel tires; the
latter may also be cast round the central part of the wheel after the periphery of
the central part shall have been provided with the before described or otherwise
formed surfaces of attachment; then a non-pieced wheel tire with the before
mentioned special fastening on the central part is the result.
4. In the non liability to injury of wheel tires pieced and fastened, as shown on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, by reason of variations of form and displace-
ment occurring through changes of temperature and constant expansion whilst in
use, with reference to the connection with the central part of the wheel and to the
durability of both of the parts.
As the said attachment gives way to theso variations of form and displacement,
and the strain on the tire is therefore less than has been the case hitherto, there
are thus fewer flaws in it, and the durability of such wheel tires is increased, as
compared with those constructed by the present methods.
The action also of pieced whicel tires on the central part is less than in the case
of those which are not picced and forced on by pressure, so that in the former case
the use of central parts of cast iron is less dangerous and more often permissible
than in the latter.
5. In the practicability of being able to make use of the greater portion of

page_text: existing and already used wheel centres of any suitable material for tho new wheel
tire attachment; as also in the greater freedom of choice for the shape and
inclination of the surfaces of attachment of both parts, as compared with the
methods of construction hitherto employed; and further, in the more convenient
method of loosening the attachment of both parts, than has hitherto generally been
the case with spring rings for wheel attachments.
When the cast metal or metal composition is removed from the space between
the corresponding surfaces of attachment, etc., and when the rivets or other means
of attachment aro removed, the wheel tire may be removed from the wheel centre,
the first when necessary by cutting through, and the latter released. The wheel
centre may then if still serviceable be again used in the same manner.
In the case of non-pieced wheel tires the wheel centre may also be cast in if the
before described special form of attachment surfaces are employed.