Improvements in Tramway and other Wheels and Axles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1899
Improvements in Tramway and other Wheels and Axles.
I, EDWARD EVANS, of The Fox & Hounds, Troedyrhiw, in the County of
Glamorgan, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to wheels and axles for corves, tramcars and other vehicles
and to that class of wheels provided with reservoirs or receptacles for containing
a lubricant (such for instance as described in the Specification of Rowbotham
No. 10118 of 1889) so that the said wheels can run for a long time without
attention, the object of my invention being to simplify the construction of such
wheels and axles and to provide for adjustment for wear and against the escape
of oil.
According to my invention a wheel is constructed with a box hub closed on
the outer side except through a small hole which is left for the purpose of intro-
ducing the lubricant into the said hub, and is adapted to have screwed into its
inner end a sleeve provided at its outer end with a hole or aperture through which
the axle passes. This sleeve on its inner surface is bored out conically, the end
of larger diameter being towards the outer or closed end of the hub and between
this conical surface and the surface of the shaft conical rollers are inserted a
collar being arranged near the end of the shaft in order to prevent the said rollers
from moving longitudinally relatively with the shaft. The end of the shaft
itself abuts against a nipple or socket on the closed end of the hub, the said nipple
or socket being made hollow and having communicating with it the hole through
which the lubricant is introduced into the hub and also lateral openings through
which lubricant escapes from the inside of the said nipple into the interior of
the hub.
In assembling the parts the sleeve is first placed upon the axle and then the
conical rollers are inserted between the sleeve and the axle, the said sleeve is then
screwed into the hub until the end of the axle is brought to bear against the
nipple.
It will be understood that with this arrangement the screwing up of the sleeve
serves to hold the wheel and axle together.
It will also be obvious that when, owing to the wear of the rollers or of the
surfaces upon which the rollers run, the wheel is more or less loose upon the axle
the screwing up of the sleeve will serve to take up any slack. A set screw is
provided in connection with the sleeve for holding it in position after adjustment.
Instead of using conical rollers I may use parallel rollers: in this case the
sleeve instead of being bored out conically is bored out parallel and a flange is
formed near the inner end of the bush in order to prevent the longitudinal move-
ment of the wheel relatively with the axle.
Suitable recesses for oil are formed in the bush and in the sleeve and the spaces
between the rollers afford additional space for containing oil. With the arrange-
ment hereinbefore described it will be understood that, even should there be any

page_text: wear between the axle and the hole in the sleeve through which the said axle
passes, very little oil will escape, which is not the case when a plain bushing is
employed as heretofore. The rotation of the rollers will serve, by running in the
oil which is below the level of the shaft, to provide an ample supply of lubricant
between the shaft and the rollers.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Tramway and other Wheels and Axles.
I, EDWARD EVANS, of The Fox & Hounds, Troedyrhiw, in the County of
Glamorgan, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
―:
My invention relates to wheels and axles for corves, tramcars and other vehicles
and to that class of wheels provided with reservoirs or receptacles for containing
a lubricant (such for instance as described in the Specification of Rowbotham's
Patent No. 10118 of 1889) so that the said wheels can run for a long time without
attention, the object of my invention being to simplify the construction of such
wheels and axles and to provide for adjustment for wear and against the escape
of oil.
To enable the invention to be understood I will describe it by reference to the
accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel having my improvements applied
thereto :
Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof; and
Figure 3 is a vertical section illustrating a modification.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 a is the rim of the wheel and is the box
hub thereof, the said hub being closed on the outer side by a cap except
through a small hole 62 which is left for the purpose of introducing the lubricant
into the said hub; c is a sleeve which is screwed into the inner end of the hub
and is provided at its outer end with a hole or aperture e through which the
axle d passes. This sleeve on its inner surface is bored out conically as clearly
shewn, the end of larger diameter being towards the outer or closed end b of
the hub and between this conical surface and the surface of the axle or shaft d
conical rollers e, e are inserted, a collar f being arranged near the end of the shaft
in order to prevent the said rollers from moving longitudinally relatively with
the shaft. The end of the shaft itself abuts against a nipple or socket g on
the closed end 6 of the hub, the said nipple or socket 9 being made hollow and
having communicating with it the hole through which the lubricant. is intro-
duced into the hub and also lateral openings g' through which lubricant escapes
from the inside of the said nipple into the interior of the hub.
In assembling the parts the sleeve is first placed upon the axle d, the conical
roller c, e are inserted between the sleeve c and the axle d, and the said sleeve
is then screwed into the hub b until the end of the axle is brought to bear against
the nipple g.
It will be understood that with this arrangement the screwing up of the sleeve
serves to hold the wheel and axle together."
It will also be obvious that when, owing to the wear of the rollers or of the

page_text: surfaces upon which the rollers run, the wheel is more or less loose upon the axle
the screwing up of the sleeve will serve to take up any slack. A set screw his
provided in connection with the sleeve for holding it in position after adjustment.
Instead of using conical rollers I may use parallel rollers; in this case (see
Figure 3) the sleeve e instead of being bored out conically is bored out parallel
and a flange is formed near its inner end in order to prevent the longitudinal
movement of the wheel relatively with the axle.
and the spaces between
With the arrangement
Suitable recesses ; for oil are formed in the sleeve
the rollers afford additional space for containing oil.
hereinbefore described it will be understood that, even should there be any wear
between the axle and the hole in the sleeve through which the said axle passes,
very little oil will escape, which is not the case when a plain bushing is employed
as heretofore. The rofation of the rollers will serve, by running in the oil which
is below the level of the shaft, to provide an ample supply of lubricant between
the shaft and the rollers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In tramway and other wheels of the kind referred to the employment of a
box hub having a cap at one end provided with a hole and a nipple or socket
against which the axle bears, of a sleeve which fits on the axle and is screwed into
the hub, of rollers arranged between the sleeve and axle and of a collar or collars
for holding the wheel in position on the axle, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. Tramway and other wheels and axles, constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated respectively in Figures 1 and 2 and 3 of the accompany-
ing drawing.
Dated the 17th day of W... 1000
.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.