provements in Roller Bearings for use with Engine Cross-heads, Locomotive Axle Boxes and the like
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1900-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Roller Bearings for use with Engine Cross-heads,
Locomotive Axle Boxes and the like.
I, ALEXANDER ROLFE, Engineer, of Elm Road, March, Cambridgeshire, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in roller bearings for use with engine cross-
heads, locomotive axle boxes and the like has for its object an improved con-
struction of engine cross-heads, locomotive axle boxes etc, whereby friction 18
greatly reduced The construction is such that the rollers employed can be
readily inserted and are more efficiently lubricated
In the case of an engine crosshead of the type in which a single slide bai 18
employed the cross-head being adapted to embrace said slide bar so as to hear
upon it on all four sides, the cross-head is formed with grooves near each end in
which steel rollers fit and project slightly beyond the surface The rollers are
arranged so that a roller near each end bears on the underside of the slide bai
and another roller similarly bears on the upper side of the slide bar while shorter
rollers are arranged at each side so as to bear upon each side of the slide bai
The slide bar is thus surrounded by rollers near each end of the cross-head and
the latter does not of itself bear directly upon the slide bar but only through the
rollera These rollers are not pivoted in any way but simply roll in the groove
provided for their reception. In order to efficiently lubricate the rollers the
upper plate of the cross-head is provided with cross grooves on its under side
providing connection between the upper roller grooves One of these roller
grooves is in direct communication with the oil syphon or other lubricator and
oil 18 conveyed by the cross grooves through the working of the cross-head to
the rollers at the other end. Oil passes down the sides to lubricate the said
rollers and to the lower rollers Preferably the surface of the cross-head sup-
porting the underneath rollers is slightly raised at each end without of course
projecting beyond the rollers in order to retain the oil within the cross-head
In applying this invention to locomotive axle boxes a series of grooves are
provided on the bearing side of the axle box in which steel rollers are received
adapted to roll in grooves in the manner already described Preferably the
rollers at about the level of the centre line of the axle are somewhat smaller as
they do not have to sustain such a large proportion of the weight of the engine
Grooves are provided between the several roller grooves by which oil supplied
to one of the grooves from a lubricator can work its way to the other iollers
If need be smaller rollers can also be provided for the other half of the axle box
This invention oan also be applied to tender and vehicle axle boxes and as
will be readily understood friction is greatly reduced while the provision of
loose rollers does away with many of the disadvantages consequent on the use
of pivoted rollers
If found that the surfaces are worn away too quickly by the rolling action
steel liners may be fitted to the grooves

page_text: By this invention friction 18 very greatly reduced as the actual bearing sur-
faces are reduced to the narrow surfaces of the rollers in contact and moreover
a very efficient lubrication 18 effected as indicated above
This arrangement can also be adapted for shafting and for sliding portions
of machinery, and in fact in all circumstances where roller bearings of any kind
are applicable
Deted the 31st day of October 1899
Improvements in Roller Bearings for use with Engine Cross-heads,
Locomotive Axle Boxes and the like.
I, ALEXANDER ROLFL, Engineer, of Elm Road, March, Cambridgeshne, 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 follow-
ing statement
This invention relates to improvements in roller bearings adapted for use in
all sliding on evolving parts of machinery, and especially in connection with
engine cross heads, locomotive axle boxes, shafting for machinery, and the like,
in which there is great pressure on the bearing as well as a large suiface
velocity.
The bearing consists essentially of 1ollers or pins which are not duectly con-
nected with any part but he loosely in grooves in the beaning within which they
freely revolve The rollers have a certain amount of end play which allows for
any regularities in the strain thrown upon the bearings but are prevented
from coming out by the sides of the grooves which enclose the 1ollers
As applied to an engine cross head, the cross head has rollers not only at top
and bottom, but also at the sides so that it does not touch any part of the slide
bar o bais, but 1olls upon the pins
In order that this invention may be more readily understood, reference is had
to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig 1 is a side view partly in section of an engine cross head with a single
slide bar;
Fig 218 a C108s section of the same on the liner y; and
Fig 3 18 a plan with part of the cover of the cross head bioken away
Figs and 5 are elevations partly in section and at right angles to one
another of a locomotive axle box with my improved bearing,
Fig. 6 and 7 show an axle box for 1ailway waggons; and
Fig 8 is a sectional view showing the method in which the beaung can be
applied to ordinary axles, or shafts
Refering to Figs 1, 2 and 3, A is the single slide bar which is encircled by
the cross head B It is to be understood that although I have shown my inven-
tion applied to a cross head with the single slide bar, this arrangement forms
no part of my invention, but is a construction already in use The invention
16 also equally applicable to the ordinary form of cross head having two slide
bais
The lower part of the cross head is provided with the two horizontal grooves
which are parallel to each other and situated close to each end Within these
grooves I place the tollers or pins C which do not quite fill the grooves, a small

page_text: space being left at each end and the cross section of the groove being somewhat
larger than the diameter of the roller
The cross head is also formed with the short vertical grooves which receive
the smaller side pins C the diameter of which 18 preferably less than that of the
pins on olleis C
The said pins C take any side pressure of the cross head and
prevent rubbing fiction between it and the slide bai
The cover B of the cross head is also provided with horizontal grooves 2 re-
ceiving the olleis parallel and opposite to C
The slide bar is thus entuely
encircled with rollers at each end of the cross head
Although rollers are shown only at each end, intermediate rollers may also
be provided to divide the pressure, but it is desirable to employ an even number
of sets of 1ollers so that there are no rollers at the ceutic of the cross head which
are liable to produce rocking of the parts owing to uneven wear
To assist in the oiling of the parts the cover is provided with the diagonal
grooves D which extend from the ends of the roller grooves at each end. The
lubricator E supplies lubricating material to the grooves which distribute it
to all the parts of the bearing
Refering to Figs 4 and 5 which show my invention applied to a locomotive
axle box, F1s the box of any suitable general construction having large
grooves f at the top and the smaller grooves f¹ cut at the sides These receive
the large rollers G which are shown as thee in number and the smaller rolleis Œ¹
at the sides to take the side pressure of the axle H
The grooves in the axle box are closed at one end of the casting but to enable
the rollers to be moved without detaching the entue axle box sliding plates J
are provided on one face divided in the middle and sliding in bevelled channels
In each side of the box These plates are secured by the screws and also by
the small buttons or catches on the side of the axle box, these buttons pie-
ventang the plates being shidden out in case the sciews become loose
buttons or catches are secured by small screws or any other suitable means
Tho
To examine the beaing and to remove any of the 1ollers which may be in-
Jured, all that is necessary 18 to slide out the cover plates J when access is
obtained to the rollers and they may be withdiawn when the pressure on the
axle 18 relieved
New 1ollers can be inserted with ease and the plates J replaced to complete
the bearing
To assist in the distribution of lubricant to the rollers the.closs grooves fale
provided connecting the roller grooves
If found desuable smaller rollers can also be provided for the lower half of
the axle box, but the weight is of course carried by the upper portion shown in
the drawings
In Figs 6 and 7 the axle box F 18 of a kind suitable for railway calliages on
trucks, three olleis G being shown, bearing on top of the axle
In g 8 the axle or shaft K 18 supported in a bearing consisting of three
ollers L placed at equal distances apart in grooves m of the head M Sufficient
only of the bearing is shown to illustrate my invention If the surface of the
grooves are won away by the action of the beating, steel liners can be fitted
which are replacable when worn
Having now particularly described and ascertamed the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim 19
-
(1) The improved construction of roller bearings, substantially as herein
described and shown
(2) The improved bearing for engine cross heads in which the pressure on
all sides is taken by loose rollers retained in grooves, substantially as descubed
and for the puposes specified
(3) The improved bearing for engine cross heads, constructed and operating in

page_text: the manner described and shown with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying diawings
(4) The improved construction of 1oller bearings for axle boxes, substantially
as herem described and shown with reference to Figs 4 and 5 of the drawings
Dated this 4th day of August 1900
GEO H RAYNER,
37. Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant