AN IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER OR ANTIFRICTION JOURNAL BOXES OR BEARINGS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE HUBS OF WHEELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER OR ANTIFRICTION
JOURNAL BOXES OR BEARINGS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE HUBS OF WHEELS."-A
communication from abroad by Edward Wadhams, of Yorkville, in the
State of New York United States of America.
Sealed the 9th April 1868, and dated the 5th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1867.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER OR ANTI-
FRICTION JOURNAL BOXES OR BEARINGS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE HUBS OF WHEELS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the diminution of friction in bearings to
axles, shafts, and wheels, or other like bodies having a rotary or turning motion
about an axis, and consists in a combination of a journal box provided with a .
series of antifriction rollers arranged around and within the box, that together
with its rollers is hung free to turn or rotate on or around a central axle shaft,
trunnion, or gudgeon, and is surrounded externally by a box or bush having an
interior bearing surface between which and the axle or shaft the rollers lie,

page_text: and with both of which they form bearing contact. Where the central shaft
or axle rotates, and this improvement is designed to act as a bearing thereto,
then the outer box or external bearing to the rollers of the intermediate and
loose or rolling journal box is or may be stationary, but where the shaft or
axle is stationary or otherwise forms a bearing or support to a surrounding
body as in the application of the Invention to bearings for wheels, then
the outer box or bush may be bung to rotate together with the wheel.
The Invention in fact in these respects may be varied according to the purpose
to which it is designed to apply it, but in any case the same principle of action
is carried out, namely, that of a roller box forming the journal or bearing
and hung loose or free so as to turn or rotate independently of the shaft and
outer box, and whereby a general or perfect rolling contact is secured which
largely diminishes friction and relieves the rollers of strain on their journals.
And the Invention further consists in constructing such loose roller journal
box with solid or close sides grooved or otherwise equivalently constructed
internally to receive the ends or gudgeons of the rollers; whereby while strength
is secured dust or dirt is excluded from the interior of the box or bearing
generally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER OR ANTIFRICTION JOURNAL BOXES OR BEARINGS APPLICABLE

page_text: ALSO TO THE HUBS OF WHEELS," being a communication to me from Edward
Wadhams, of Yorkville, in the County and State of New York, United
States, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent
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 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 Alfred Vincent 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 has for its object the diminution of friction in bearings to
axles, shafts, and wheels, or other like bodies having a rotary or turning
motion about an axis, and consists in a combination of a journal box provided
with a series of antifriction rollers arranged around and within the box that,
together with its rollers is hung free to turn or rotate on or around a central
axle, shaft, trunnion, or gudgeon, and is surrounded externally by a box or
bush having an interior bearing surface, between which and the axle or shaft.
the rollers lie, and with both of which they form bearing contact. Where the
central shaft or axle rotates, and this improvement is designed to act as a
bearing thereto, then the outer box or external bearing to the rollers of the.
intermediate and loose or rolling journal box is or may be stationary, but
where the shaft or axle is stationary or otherwise forms a bearing or support.
to a surrounding body, as in; the application of the Invention to bearings for.
wheels, then the outer box or bush may be hung to rotate together, with the
wheel. The Invention in fact in these respects may be varied according to
the purpose to which it is designed to apply it, but in any case the same
principle of action is carried out, namely, that of a roller box forming the
journal or bearing, and hung loose or free so as to turn or rotate independently
of the shaft and outer box, and whereby a general or perfect rolling contact
is secured which largely diminishes friction and relieves the rollers of strain.
on their journals. And the Invention further consists in constructing such
loose roller journal box with solid or close sides grooved or otherwise
equivalently constructed internally to receive the ends or gudgeons of the
rollers, whereby while strength is secured, dust or dirt is excluded from the
interior of the box or bearing generally.

page_text: Having thus specified the object and nature of the Invention its description
will now be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying Drawing in
which Fig. 1 represents a transverse section of a roller journal box or bearing
ás applied to carry a revolving shaft, and as constructed according to the
Invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section thereof; and Fig. 3 a plan of the
same with the gland or one portion of the outer box removed; Fig. 4
represents a transverse section of the like device as constructed and applied
to form a bearing to or for the hub of a revolving wheel.
Referring in the first instance to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawing A is
a revolving axle or shaft; B, B, are sides or ends of a loose or free journal
box arranged on the shaft or axle A, and turning independently of the latter,
and in close relationship to or within a stationary outer box or bearing C, D,
which may be carried by any suitable pedestal or support. These sides or
ends B, B, are preferably made of a solid or close ring form united by tie
bolts or connecting pieces a, a, and provided on their inner faces with channels
or grooves b, b, running say in a radial direction for reception of the ends or
journals c, c, of rollers E, E, lying parallel or thereabouts to the axle A, and
of such diameter as that they have a bearing contact with or on the shaft A
and outer box or bearing. Instead of grooves b, b, the ends of the rollers
may work in mere holes or apertures or on pins or projections from the sides
or ends B, B. To prevent end or lateral play of the loose or turning journal
box the bearing portion d of the shaft A may be reduced in diameter the:
length of the rollers E, E, so as to form collars at either end of the same. The
outer box or bearing though here shewn as made up of two parts constituting
a cap piece C and base D may be made entire, and so that it either wholly or
only partially encircles the loose roller box. The same or a like construction
and combination of parts is equally applicable to a vertical as to a horizontal
or other position of the shaft.A. From this description it will be perceived
that a general rolling action is secured to the bearing of the shaft not simply
of the rollers on their own axes, but of the roller box itself independently of
the shaft which it serves to carry, and that the rollers have bearing contact
both upon or against the shaft and outer box or bearing, whereby the
gudgeons or ends of the rollers are relieved from strain or pressure, the slots
or openings in which they lie merely or mainly serving to keep the rollers in
place, and the friction generally of the shafts bearing is materially reduced
much more so than if the rollers had fixed axles of rotation relatively to the
revolving shaft or body they serve to carry. By making the sides or ends of
the loose or revolving journal box of a close character and merely grooving:
or channelling, or otherwise equivalently constructing their inside faces to:

page_text: hold in place the rollers at their ends or gudgeons, not only is strength secured,
but dust and dirt excluded from the inside bearing generally.
In Fig. 4 of the Drawing the same or a like arrangement of parts is ex-
hibited as applied to the hub F of a revolving wheel shewn only in part, as, for
instance, a cart or waggon wheel, in which case the shaft axle or gudgeon A is
or may be stationary, and the outer box, bush, or bearing D' made fast to the
hub so as to rotate with it, but the intermediate loose or turning roller box
represented by one of the sides or ends B and rollers E, E is the same in
principle and action.
In describing the Invention as applied to a rotary motion of course is
included any turning movement whether continuous or intermittently recipro-
cating, either for the entire or portion only of a circle.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improvement
in Roller or Antifriction Journal Boxes or Bearings applicable also to the Hubs
of Wheels," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,―
First. The combination with a shaft, axle or gudgeon and outer box, bush,
or bearing of an intermediate rolling journal box fitted with rollers separately
arranged or located, and made capable by the free suspension of the box which
carries them of in addition to motion on their own axes independent rotation
at fixed distances apart around said shaft, axle, or gudgeon and interior face or
surface of the outer box, bush, or bearing, substantially as specified.
Second. A loose or rolling journal box made of close sides or ends B; B,
and fitted or provided with rollers E, E, internally for operation in connection
with an inner or contral shaft, axle, or gudgeon and outer box, bush, or
bearing essentially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFatt,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.B.)