IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR Manufacture or Bailway CARRIAGE WHEELS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Franklin Prestage, of Broseley, in the County of
Salop, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OR Manufacture or Bailway CARRIAGE WHEELS.”
19
CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE WHEELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franklin Prestage at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th June 1875.
I, FRANKLIN PRESTAGE, of Broseley, in the County of Salop, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR Manufacture of Railway Carriage
WHEELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that class of wheels in which the space
between the nave and the tyre is filled in with some solid substance,
such as wood, instead of the nave and tyre being connected together by
spokes. My Invention consists in filling in this space with jute, papier
maché, sawdust, bran, chaff, or other analogous substance, which either

page_text: with or without the addition of some cementitious material is capable
of being compressed into a solid form by means of hydraulic or other
pressure.
* In using jute for the purposes of my Invention I prefer to form it
into a rough flat rope or band which is to be wound round the nave of 5
the wheel as tightly as possible to such a diameter as will just fit within
the tyre or rim of the wheel. When placed in situ this rough filling
may be compressed laterally between metal plates or discs until it is
perfectly consolidated to about the consistence or density of wood. The
required pressure may be obtained either by means of hydraulic or other 1
presses, or by screwing up the side discs or plates by meas of screw
bolts.
Another mode of preparing the filling is by reducing the jute to the
state of rough pulp, or "half stuff" as it is called in the paper manu-
facture. In this state it resembles papier maché, and it may be com- ]
pressed in suitable dies or moulds to the proper form and density
required, after which the filling block may be introduced between the
nave and the tyre of the wheel and secured there in the same way as
wood is secured when it is used for analogous purposes.
Papier maché made from other substances than jute, pulp made from
ground wood, straw, or chaff, or ordinary sawdust, or bran may be used
with the addition of some cementitious substances, so that when the
mass is subjected to pressure the vegetable fibres may be formed into
blocks of the required form and density.
These blocks when used in the construction of wheels will be found
on conductors of sound, and will form a very strong stiff wheel

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
3 cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Franklin Prestage, Her
special licence that I, the said Franklin Prestage, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Franklin
Prestage, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there.
after 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY
CARRIAGE WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Franklin Prestage, 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 Franklin Prestage, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture or Construction
of Railway Carriage Wheels" relates to that class of wheels in which
the space between the nave and the tyre is filled in with some solid
substance, such as wood, instead of the nave and tyre being connected
together by spokes. My Invention consists in filling in this space with
jute, papier maché, sawdust, bran, chaff, or other analogous substance,
which either with or without the addition of some cementitious material
is capable of being compressed into a solid form by means of hydraulic
or other pressure.
In using jute for the purposes of my Invention I prefer to form it
into a rough-flat rope or band which is to be wound round the nave of
the wheel as tightly as possible to such a diameter as will just fit within

page_text: the tyre or rim of the wheel. When placed in situ this rough filling
may be subjected for about two hours to the action of superheated
steam which will soften the vegetable substance; or it may be boiled
under pressure in water and may then be compressed laterally between
metal plates or discs until it is perfectly consolidated to about the
consistence or density of wood. The required pressure may be obtained
either by means of hydraulic or other presses, or by screwing up the side
discs or plates by means of screw bolts, when the rough filling may be
left for some hours to dry and harden, after which the compressing
plates may be removed.
Another mode of preparing the filling is by reducing the jute to the
state of rough pulp or "half staff" as it is called in the paper manu-
facture. In this state it resembles papier maché, and when softened
by heat and moisture, as in the other instance, it may be compressed in
suitable dies or moulds to the proper form and density required; or it ]
may be compressed between strong metal plates by means of screw
bolts, as above mentioned, after which the filling block may be
introduced between the nave and tyre of the wheel and secured there in
the same way as wood is secured when it is used for analogous
purposes.
Papier maché made from other substances than jute, pulp made from
ground wood, straw, or chaff, or ordinary sawdust, or bran may be used
with the addition of some cementitious substance, such as rosin, glue,
or a solution of gutta percha, or other analogous gum, so that when the
mass is subjected to pressure the vegetable fibres may be formed into
blocks of the required form and density.
When sawdust or chaff is used finely pounded rosin intimately mixed
with the vegetable substance will form a very convenient and suitable
cementitious material.
The disintegrated materials are to be intimately mixed in a close
vessel in the presence of steam (by preference superheated), and when
in this state may be subjected to strong pressure and converted into
blocks of the required form.
These blocks when used in the construction of wheels will be found
to be non-conductors of sound, and will form a very strong stiff wheel
at a moderate cost.

page_text: Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Railway Carriage Wheels," and having explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, forming the filling
between the nave and tyre of railway carriage wheels of disintegrated
and compressed vegetable fibres, prepared and treated as herein set
forth, in place of forming the filling of blocks of wood or solid spokes as