IMPROVEMENT IN AXLES AND WHEELS INTENDED FOR RUNNING ON RAILS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Harker, of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENT IN AXLES AND WHEELS
INTENDED FOR RUNNING ON RAILS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Harker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1880.
WILLIAM HARKER, of Kingston upon Hull, in the County of York. "IMPROVE-
MENT IN AXLES AND WHEELS INTENDED FOR RUNNING ON RAILS."
My Invention relates to the mode of mounting the wheels on the axles of railway
carriages, tramcars, locomotives, or other vehicles running on rails, and has for its
object to prevent skidding or sliding when the vehicle passes over curves.
In carrying out my Invention I fix only one wheel rigidly upon its axle, and
allow the other wheel to revolve on the axle independently of the fixed wheel, the
sliding of the loose wheel along the axle being prevented by a pair of collars
attached to the axle by set screws or other suitable means, or by a collar forming
part of the axle on one side and a loose collar attached to the axle on the other
side. My Invention is applicable to existing axles as well as to new axles; in the
former case, one of the wheels need only be removed from the axle and replaced by
a loose wheel with collars.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Harker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th January
1881.
WILLIAM HARKER, of Kingston upon Hull, in the County of York.
) MENT IN AXLES AND WHEELS INTENDED FOR RUNNING ON RAILS."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to the mode of mounting the wheels on the axles of
tramcars, and has for its object to prevent skidding or sliding when the said wheels

page_text: pass round curves. In carrying out my Invention I fix only one wheel rigidly
upon its axle and allow the other wheel to revolve on the axle independently of
the fixed wheel; the sliding of the loose wheel along the axle being prevented by
collars attached to the axle by set screws or by other suitable means, or by a
collar forming part of the axle on one side, and loose collars on the axle on the
other side. My Invention is applicable to existing axles as well as to new axles;
in the former case one of the wheels need only be removed from the axle and
replaced by a loose wheel with collars. The Invention is to be performed by fixing
on the same axle one loose and one fixed wheel (said wheels may be of any make)
as follows:-The fixed or fast wheel may be keyed on, shrunk or pressed on, or
fixed in any other of the usual modes used for securing wheels to axles of rolling
stock; but the loose wheel, intended to run with the fast wheel fixed on the same
axle, will run on the axle as a bearing, and will be secured and kept in position to
suit any gauge of tramway by using on the inner side of the wheel boss, or
the side nearest the fast wheel, a washer or similar contrivance, which may be
either shrunk on or forged on solid, secured by nut-washer or set screws, or keyed
on, or secured by pius and cotters, this inner washer being intended to keep the
-wheel-at its proper distance from the fast-wheel, and being what-may-be-called-a-
"gauge washer."
On the other side of the wheel boss, two or more washers are
used and intended as distance washers to keep the wheel to the proper gauge of
the rails of the permanent road.
"
These latter washers may be fastened to the axle as before described, but by
preference I use them loose, and made as follows:-Each washer has one or more
grooves cut on each vertical face sufficiently large to hold a suitable lubricating
medium. I prefer to put these loose washers on to the axle loose and perfectly
independent of each other. The object being to reduce friction to a minimum.
I find that it is advisible to make the width of the boss bearing 24 times, or nearly
so, the diameter of the axle. The accompanying Drawing will serve further to
illustrate the mode or modes of performing the Invention; Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are
-respectively-half-section-and-half-elevation of a loose wheel-and-axle, the fixed-
wheel not being shown in the Drawing. A is the axle; a is the bearing of the
wheel on the axle; B is the loose wheel; b the boss of loose wheel; C is the
inner or fast washer, or "gauge washer;" d, d, one or more loose washers on the
outside of the boss. Fig. 3 is a section on a large scale of the boss, axle, and fast
and loose washer; a, the bearing of wheel on axle; b, the wheel boss; c, a set
screw on washer C, which may be used amongst any of the usual modes of fastening
a washer on an axle; d, d, sections of two loose washers, e, e, e, e, being the grooves
referred to for lubrication; F, line of axle box. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a loose
washer; a is a section of axle bearing; d the washer; e, o, e, e, groove for the
lubrication medium.
I claim as my Invention the mode or modes of mounting wheels and axcessories
on axles, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described, illustrated, and
set forth in the foregoing Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Harker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of January, A.D. 1881.