AN IMPROVED MANU- FACTURE OF BEARINGS FOR CARRIAGE AXLE3, AND SHAFTS OF MACHINERY IN GENERAL
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles John Edwards, junior, of Great Sutton
Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, Mill Band Manu-
facturer, and Frederick Frasi, of Tavistock Terrace, Holloway, in the
same County, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANU-
FACTURE OF BEARINGS FOR CARRIAGE AXLE3, AND SHAFTS OF MACHINERY IN
GENERAL"
م
Sealed the 13th March 1855, and dated the 6th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles John Edwards
and Frederick Frasi at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 6th January 1855.
We, CHARLES JOHN EDWARDS, junior, of Great Sutton Street, Clerkenwell,
in the County of Middlesex, Mill Band Manufacturer, and FREDBRICK FRASI,
of Tavistock Terrace, Holloway, in the same County, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF
BEARINGS FOR CARRIAGE AXLES, AND SHAFTS OF MACHINERY IN GENERAL," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of bearings from leather to be
used in place of brasses or other metallic bearing surfaces. In carrying out
our Invention, we employ, by preference, ox hides, either tanned, tawed, or
otherwise prepared, and cut them up into pieces of suitable size for lapping
half round the journal to which they are to be applied, and we compress such
pieces in moulds to bring them severally to the required shape. In order to

page_text: obtain a good thickness of bearing, we cement two or more moulded pieces of
leather together in layers, and then give the bearing a final compression in a
suitably shaped mould.
Or we stamp out pieces of leather to the required sectional form of the
bearing, and cement them together in number sufficient to produce the re-.
quired breadth of bearing surface, and submit the bearing thus composed to
lateral pressure. These bearings we varnish over (except the concave bearing
surface) with a composition of isinglass and spirits of wine, or other analogous
substances, to make them impervious to oil, and this compound we also prefer
to employ as the cement for connecting the layers or pieces of leather together.
When requisite, we propose to back the bearings with metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles John Edwards and Frederick Frasi in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 6th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
JOHN EDWARDS, junior, of Great Sutton Street, Clerkenwell, in the County
of Middlesex, Mill Band Manufacturer, and FREDERICK FRASI, of Tavistock
Terrace, Holloway, in the same County, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Charles John Edwards and Frederick Frasi, Her special license that
we, the said Charles John Edwards and Frederick Frasi, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles John
Edwards and Frederick Frasi, our 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
IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF BEARINGS FOR CARRIAGE AXLES, AND SHAFTS OF
MACHINERY IN GENERAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that, we, the
said Charles John Edwards and Frederick Frasi, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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

page_text: I
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles John Edwards, (ou behalf of
myself and of the said Frederick Frasi,) do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly 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 relates to the manufacture of bearings from leather to be
used in place of brasses and other metallic bearing surfaces, the object being
to render the bearing surfaces of plummer blocks and axle boxes more
durable and less costly than heretofore. In carrying out our Invention, we
employ, by preference, ox or cow hides, either tanned, tawed, or otherwise pre-
pared, and for one class of bearing we cut up the hides into pieces of suitable
size for lapping half or nearly half round the journals to which they are to be
applied. These pieces we compress in half-round moulds to bring them
severally to shape, and we obtain the required thickness of bearing by
cementing two, three, or more thicknesses of leather together, piling them
in layers one above the other, and we then submit the combined thicknesses
of leather to pressure in a suitably shaped niould for the purpose of solidi-
fying the same. These bearing surfaces we prefer to back or case with
metal.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews, in longitudinal section, our
improved bearing, as constructed for and applied to a railway carriage axle;
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bearing
detached. a, a, is the bearing surface, composed of layers of leather cemented
together by any suitable adhesive composition, and fitted to a metal back b.
The composition we prefer to use is, one part by weight of isinglass dissolved
in two parts of diluted. spirits of wine, consisting of one part rectified spirit
and one part water. The layers, having been singly pressed up to shape, are
attached together by means of cement, and the metal back (when that is
required to be used) is then applied thereto. To complete the union of the
several parts, and to give solidity to the bearing, we now submit the bearing
to pressure in a suitably shaped mould, and we afterwards, by means of a
common drill, form plug-holes through the leather and metal, and insert leather
plugs therein, which will secure the several parts together. Lubricating holes
d, d, are formed in the metal back before applying it to the leather, and these
holes are continued through the leather by means of a centre bit or other
suitable cutting tool. The bearing is then ready for use.

page_text: In using bearings of this description, it will be found that the leather, being
an absorbent of oil, will, when once saturated with lubricating material, con-
tinue to present for a lengthened period (without replenishment) a lubricated
surface to the axle to which it is applied, and thereby prevent it from heating
or being injuriously affected in consequence of an insufficient supply of
lubricating material.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew, in longitudinal and cross section, a leather bearing
(backed with metal) of a similar construction to that just described, and
applicable to the shafts and axles of machinery generally. At Figs. 6 and 7
a bearing of a somewhat different construction is shewn in longitudinal and
cross sections. In this example, instead of the layers of leather lying in the
direction of the length of the bearing, or in a line parallel with the shaft which
it is to carry, the bearing is formed of pieces of leather stamped out of the
sectional figure of the bearing and cemented together.
Pressure is then
applied to give solidity to the mass, and to bring it to the exact shape required.
We then bore plug-holes lengthwise through the bearing, and insert metal
or other plugs c therein, for the purpose of firmly securing the component
parts together.
Fig. 8 represents, in longitudinal section, a carriage axle box fitted with a
leather bearing surface. This bearing surface is formed of layers of leather
submitted to pressure in a suitably shaped mould, and cemented together as
above explained; or it may be made by twisting a strip or strips of leather
spirally round a conical core, like the end of the axle to which it is to be
applied, and then submitting the so-coiled leather to pressure.
We claim as of our improvements, the manufacturing of bearings from
leather in the manner and for the purpose above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles John Edwards, junior, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
C. J. EDWARDS, Jr. (L.S.)