Improvements in Axle Boxes or Bearings for Railway and other Axles or Shafts.
Year: 1887

page_text: .Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 27th Jan., 1888
Improvements in Axle Boxes or Bearings for Railway and other
Axles or Shafts.
I, JOHN WILLS CLOUD of Buffalo, in the county of Erie, and State of New York,
United States of America Mechanical Engineer 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 certain new and useful improvements in Journal Boxes, of
which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.
My invention relates particularly to railway axle-boxes but is also applicable to
journal-boxes and oil-boxes with any kind of shafting.
The object of my invention is to close the end or ends of the box through which
the axle or shaft passes in such a way as to prevent dust from getting into the oil-box,
and also to prevent the escape of the oil therefrom.
Reference being now had to the drawings which illustrate my invention in what I
believe to be its best form and as applied to a car journal-box. Fig. 1 is a central
longitudinal section through an axle-box, and axle having my improvements. Fig. 2
is a cross-section on the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of my improved
device out of connection with an axle-box. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through
said device, and Fig. 5 a similar central horizontal section.
A is the axle-box, which is of usual construction, save that in the end through
which the axle B passes a chamber, A', is formed open at its top.
C is my improved dust-guard and oil-retainer. It is made up of the following parts,
first, which may be called a "washer," c, of hair, felt, or other elastic extensible
material, cut or formed of proper size, and having its centre cut away so as to permit
the axle B to pass through it. This washer is held between two plates, c', c², which
also have holes formed in them to permit the axle to pass through them. Preferably
these plates are made of sheet metal and provided with flanges c³ c', one of which, c³,
is adapted to pass inside of the other, c', formning with the plates c¹ a case or box for
the washer c; but there should be no friction between the flanges c³ c, and care should
be taken that they do not grip each other.

page_text: is a flanged washer, which has its flat surface along one of the plates c² or c³, and
its flange passing inside of the axle-hole and lying against the edge of the
expansible washer c. This flange is made to about fit the axle, and the holes left
in the packing and plates c¹ care of about the size of the axle plus the thickness
of the flange of the washer c'. I prefer to make the flanged washer c³ of leather;
but of course other material or fabrics used in similar position may be substituted
for it.
It will usually be found convenient to secure the washer c to one of the
plates c¹ or c², for which purpose rivets may be used, as shown at c c6, &c.
The way in which my invention is to be used will be readily seen from the
drawings. The guard C, having been made up as described, is inserted in the
chamber A through its top opening. It is made of such breadth as to be compressed
somewhat between the walls of chamber A¹, and this compression forces the packing-
washer c to project inward against the flange of washer c causing it to fit against
the axle B. Its flat side of course, being inward, fits snugly against the inner wall
of chamber A', and the escape of oil or entrance of dust is thus prevented.
The dust-guard C is free to move in the box A¹ as the axle-bearing wears away,
and there is therefore no strain or undue friction upon the box or axle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. As a dust-guard and leak-preventer for axle-boxes, the device C, consisting of
an elastic packing-washer held between two plates and a flanged washer secured upon
the outside of one plate, and having its annular flange passing through the holes in
said plate and resting against the elastic packing, all substantially as and for the
purpose shown and described.
2. As a dust-guard and leak-preventer for axle-boxes, the device C, consisting of
an elastic packing-washer held between two flanged plates, said plates being adapted
to form a loosely-fitting box or case for the elastic packing-washer, and a flanged
washer secured upon the outside of one plate, and having its annular flange passing
through the holes in said plate and resting against the elastic packing, all substantially
as and for the purpose shown and described.
3. As a dust-guard and leak-preventer for axle-boxes, the chamber A, in combination
with the device C, consisting of an elastic packing-washer held between two plates
and a flanged washer secured upon the outside of one plate, and having its annular
flange passing through the holes in said plate and resting against the elastic packing,
all substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
4. As a dust-guard and leak-preventer for axle-boxes, the chamber A, in combination
with the device C, consisting of an elastic packing-washer held between two flanged
plates, said plates being adapted to form a loosely-fitting box or case for the elastic-
packing-washer, and a flanged washer secured upon the outside of one plate, and
having its annular flange passing through the holes in said plate and resting against
the elastic packing, all substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1887.