IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF WHEELS, AXLES, AND AXLE BOXES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Wallace, of Limehouse, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WHEELS, AXLES, AND AXLE BOXES."
Sealed the 24th December 1856, and dated the 22nd September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Wallace at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
September 1856.
I, THOMAS WALLACE, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS, AXLES, AND AXLE BOXES," to be as follows:-
I form the nave of my wheels of a hollow cylindrical or square wrought or
cast iron box. At a short distance from each extremity is fixed a row of lugs,
to which I firmly bind a metal disc or plate; between these two discs or plates
the ends of the spokes are firmly bolted or fixed in sockets. On each extreme
face of the foresaid box I fix another metal plate, having a perforation similar
to that of the box, and of a smaller diameter than those previously mentioned
the space between each is then envelloped with a covering of metal plate
firmly secured. I form the rim or felloe of my wheel of segments of wood, in
one, two, or more layers in thickness, laid so as to break joint; these are
encased on each side with similar segments of a metal plate or shield, having
;

page_text: flanges on one side to grasp them firmly together; or the said shields may have
two or more grooves cut along their inner surfaces; the whole are then bolted
together. These metal shields may either be in one whole piece or composed of
segments, and may be either of wrought or cast iron. The outer periphery of
the rim (and in some cases the inner) is bound with an iron tire, firmly bolted
to the wooden segments. Instead of forming the felloe solid all round the
wood, segments may be inserted only at the places where the spokes enter the
felloe; in this case it would be advantageous to have the iron tire bound round
the inside periphery as well as the outside. I form my spokes of wrought
iron, in one, two, or more pieces. I construct my axles of iron or wood, so
that the spindles shall be either round or square, and either of an equal
diameter throughout or slightly tapered. I insert and fix firmly, by a key or
pin, or otherwise, each spindle in a hollow metal or wooden case, which has its
outer surface of an elongated elipsoidal form, the greatest diameter being at
the centre, and tapering to the extremities. Instead of using this elipsoidal
case, the spindles themselves may be made so as to have that form. My axle
boxes I make of metal, cast in two symetrical pieces, having their inner
surfaces so, that when laid on the before-mentioned elipsoidal spindles or
spindle cases in the direction of their longer axes they will completely encase
and firmly fit them; the outer surface may be either round or square, according
to the perforation in the nave of the wheel. The outer extremity of the axle
box which passes through the nave has a groove, into which the flange of a
plate made in two symetrical pieces is fixed, so as to cover the end; the other
extremity has a hollow disc, either cast or fixed to it, for containing the
lubricating substance. Instead of forming the box in two pieces as last
described, it may be in three pieces; one a hollow conical sugar-loaf shaped
box, to fit the one end of the elipsoidal spindle or spindle case, the other two
when joined form a similar box, fitting the inner end of the same, the
extremities being as before-described; the outer surface of the spindle or
spindle case and the inner surface of the axle box to be hardned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed.
by the said Thomas Wallace in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WALLACE, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer; send 8
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Wallace, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Wallace,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Wallace, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WHEELS, AXLES, AND AXLE BOXES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Wallace, 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 Thomas Wallace, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
First, with regard to my axles, which may either be of wood or iron. I
make their spindles, or ends round which the wheel and box rotates, of a
conical form, and they may either have the widest end of the cone at the outer
extremity of the spindle tapering inwards, or the cone may diminish from the
middle of the spindle both ways; the former I call a single conical axle, the
latter a double. A ring or shoulder may be fitted or cast around the inner
end of the spindle; but this is not absolutely necessary. A spiral or longi-
tudinal slot is cut along the spindle to allow the oil to lubricate it.
Next, with regard to my axle boxes. I form the box or caseing to the
spindle of either two or three pieces of metal; if of two pieces they are cast or
formed symetrical, and so as to have their inner surface of a similar form to
that of the spindle of the axle which they surround, having, if necessary,
flanges on their edges to bolt them together, and round the spindle, thus
forming a complete box. If made of three parts, then two of the parts being
symetrical, and and having their inner surfaces similar to the surface of the
inner end of the spindle, are made to clasp the larger half of that end, their
outer surface being so formed that when they encircle the inner end of the

page_text: spindle they form with the other part a cylindrical surface, or a conical
tapering outwards. Over these, that is, over the outer end of the spindle,
which is uncovered, and the outer surface of the two symetrical parts forming
the box of the inner end, is put a hollow cylindrical cap or box, closed at the
outer end; the other end has two eyes cast upon it, corresponding to similar
eyes or bolt holes in the other two parts, and through these the three are
bolted together, so as to render it impossible for the axle to come out as long
as the bolts stand. A hole is pierced in the outer end to allow oil or
lubricating matter to pass to the spindle.
Next, with regard to my wheels. I propose to construct the stock or nave
either of cast or wrought iron, or of both combined. The structure and mode
of forming both the nave or stock, and the spokes, tire, and felloes, will be best
understood by reference to the accompanying Drawings, which are intended to
exhibit the general principles of construction I make use of in forming and
carrying out my improvements in wheels, axles, and axle boxes.
Figures 1 and 1 shew the forms of the spindles of my axles, which are the
only parts I propose any improvements in. Figure 1 shews the single conical
axle, having a spiral slot for lubricating; also a bearing or hollow to diminish
the friction; it is shewn with a sunk shoulder at the end, but a flange may be
welded on it. Figure 1° shews the double conical axle; Figures 2 and 2ª,
which are longitudinal sections, shew the single conical axle with the axle
boxes surrounding it. Figure 2 shews the box, formed in two symetrical
balves a and b (one only being shewn), enclosing the axle c, fastened with the
bolts d, d, through the eyes e, e; an oil box f, f, is shewn cast on the inner end
of the axle box. Figure 2ª is an isometrical view of the of the one half of the
box, as shewn in Figure 2. Figure 2° shews the same axle with the axle box,
composed of three pieces, Figure 2° being a section of the same transversly;
a, a, being the two symetrical halves encaseing the inner end of the spindle;
b, b, the outer cylindrical box, closed at one end, and covering the outer end of
the axle and the outer surface of the two symetrical pieces a, a; they are then
bolted together, as shewn, by the bolts e, e; g being the plug pin fitting the
hole where the oil is put in. Figures 3 and 3° shew the same applied to the
double conical axle.
Figure 4, which is a section of the axle and axle box, and of the wheel
through the rim or tire, the spoke, and nave or stock, shews the mode in which
I propose to build my wheels. h, h, is the foundation of my nave or stock,
and is formed either of one or two plates of cast iron, having a hole in the
centre to allow the axle to pass through, and having converging holes cast in
it or them, so as to lold the spokes 1, 1, which are driven firm in and bolted;

page_text: on the front and rear faces of this iron nave, and resting and bolted on the
two flanges o, o, are two metal caps m, m, n, n, which complete the nave.
The rim, tire, or felloe of my wheels I propose to make of wrought-iron plates,
having grooves, as shewn, p, p, being the outer periphery plate; q, q, the inner
one, and r, r, the side plates. Within the rim (which may be considered as a
circular hollow ring composed of iron plates) and at the places where the
spokes enter it I insert blocks of wood s, s, so that the spokes may be firmly
grasped and have an equal bearing when bolted through these wood stay
blocks.
Figure 5 shews another mode of building the nave of malleable sheet iron
alone. t, t, is a cylindrical hollow cap which encloses the axle box, serving for
a foundation to build the nave upon; h, h, are two sheet-iron rings, which
encircle the axle box and the cylindrical caseing t, t, having holes h¹, h¹, in
their faces, as shewn in Figure 5. Through a hole in each plate their passes
the slotted piece of metal i, i, which is shewn seperate in Figure 5b, the
spaces left between those last-named slotted pieces of metal, that is, the spaces
k, k, form the holes or sockets wherin the spokes are fixed and bolted; in
the slotts o, o, a ring or band of metal passes round, and the two outer caps
m, m, n, n, are bolted to the said ring and into the said slotting pieces. The
holes or spaces for the spokes are rendered more or less connical by inserting
wedge pieces, and the spokes are caused to stand, the one a little to the right
and the other to the left of the central plane of the nave, by the wedge T-piece
v (shewn in Fig. 5) being driven firmly in the inside and outside alternately
of each spoke hole, the end of the inner front cap being suported and
stregthned by the angle piece x.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wallace, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
THOMAS WALLACE. (L.S.)
D JAMES WRIGHT,
Witness.
Newington Causeway,