IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES." A communication
from abroad by Richard Norton Allen, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR RAILWAY
VEHICLES." A communication from abroad by Richard Norton Allen, of Chicago,
Illinois, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of wheels in which the tyre and hub are
made separately instead of being formed in one piece, and are united by means of
circular plates secured to the tyre and the hub, and forming in connection with an
interposed disc or core, the part of the wheel lying between the tyre and the hub,
and its object is to provide a strong and durable wheel, in which the blows or
shocks arising from the impact of the tyre upon the rails will be uniformly
distributed, and from which the tyre can be readily removed when worn or broken,
and a new one substituted.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a central sectional view of the said improved wheel on the line x, x,
Figure 2.
'
Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the front side of the same, and
Figure 3 is a view in elevation of the rear side of the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a modified form of construction.
A represents a tyre preferably formed without weld or joint by forging and
rolling from an ingot of steel or iron; B is an annular web projecting from the
inner wall of the rim or tread of the tyre, and preferably located about midway
thereof, and provided with a series of bolt holes; C, C, are circular plates, preferably
of wrought iron or steel, extending from the hub to the inner wall of the tyre, and
having their outer edges or peripheries provided with flanges b, b. These plates
D •

page_text: are so constructed and arranged that the parts of their faces adjacent to their
flanged edges will closely fit against the face of the web B, and the flanges b, b, fit
the inner wall of the tyre adjacent to the said web, while their inner edges or
peripheries are fitted to the hub. D is a circular core or disc of prepared paper
(preferably compressed paper) or equivalent material, in thickness about equal to
the thickness of the web B, and having its outer periphery in close contact with
the edge of the said web-B, and its inner periphery in contact with the surface of
the hub, and located between the plates C, C. The plates C, C, are provided with
a series of bolt holes near. their outer peripheries corresponding with the holes in
the web B, and both the plates and the disc D are provided with a series of bolt
holes near their inner peripheries corresponding with holes in the flange E on the
hub F; d, d, are a series of bolts furnished with nuts e, e, by means of which the
plates C, C, are drawn and held closely in contact with the web B on the one
hand, while on the other hand they are secured to the hub by the bolts f, f,
furnished with nuts g,.g, the disc or core D being clamped between them.
Instead of making the core or disc D of prepared paper it may be formed of iron,
steel, wood, or other material, which will fill the space between the plates C, C, and
have its edge bearings upon the web of the tyre and the hub.
The above described parts may be conveniently brought together and secured in
place in the following way:-The plates C, C, with the interposed disc D may be
first forced into their respective positions within the tyre, and secured by the
bolts d, d, and nuts e, e, and then the hub F may be forced into the circular opening
through the centre of the plates and the disc until the flange E is brought into
contact with its adjacent plate, and the inner edges of the plates and disc are in
close contact with the surface of the hub, when the parts are firmly secured by the
bolts f, f, and nuts g, g.
The series of bolt-holes instead of being made in the separate parts before they
are put in place, which would involve some difficulty in making the holes register,
may be drilled through the required parts in the required places after the wheel
has been partly or wholly built up, as above described or otherwise.
In constructing this wheel the flanges b, b, should be shaped to perfectly conform
to the surfaces of the tyre with which they are in contact, and the same condition
should be present between any of the contact-surfaces of the adjacent parts, for
instance, between the inner edges of the plates and disc and the surface of the hub,
and the outer edge of the disc and the edge of the web, so that the shocks and
blows caused by the impact of the tyre upon the rails will be communicated
directly to the flanges b, b, and to the outer edge of the disc D, and thence uniformly
distributed throughout the wheel. In this respect the present construction differs
materially from that set forth in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted
to George Haseltine, and dated August 14th, A.D. 1874, No. 2810, in which the
edges of the circular plates were not in close contact with the tyre, and which
permitted the main force of the shock to be communicated directly to the central
disc of prepared paper, instead of distributing it between the plates and the disc, as
is the case in the present construction.
Instead of flanging the outer edges of the circular plates C, C, one or both of
these edges without being flanged may be fitted against the interior wall of the
tyre, and in such case what is known as the “Mansell" retaining ring in some
convenient form may be used, as shown in Figure 4 of the Drawing, and designated
by the letter M.
°
It will be seen that a portion of the interior wall or surface of this ring is drawn
and held by the bolts d and nuts e in close contact with the outer surface of the
plate C, while the laterally projecting portion of its interior surface is in close
contact with the inner surface of the tyre, so that when thus united to the plate C
these parts perform the same functions as if the plate C were flanged, as before
described. The part of the ring M which overlies the edge of the tyre will tend
to prevent the tyre from lateral displacement.
It will be readily understood that a wheel constructed as herein described and

page_text: shewn can be made to possess great strength and durability for the weight of
metal used, and that the tyre can be readily removed when worn or, broken, and a
new one substituted.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
The combination with the tyre and hub of a wheel for railway purposes of
flanged plates or their equivalents, and a disc or core D, the several parts being
arranged and united substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)