IMPROVEMENTS IN AXLE-BOXES AND IN LUBRICATING THE PARTS THEREIN
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AXLE-BOXES AND IN LUBRICATING THE PARTS THEREIN."
Sealed the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 6th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Léon Joseph Pomme de
Mirimonde at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th June 1861.
I, LEON JOSEPII POMME DE MIRIMONDE, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "INPROVE-
MENTS IN AXLE-BOXES AND IN LUBRICATING THE PARTS THEREIN," to be as
follows:-
My Invention is for improvements upon an Invention formerly patented by
me the 18th October 1856, No. 2443, in which the journal of the axle is made
to revolve in contact with two friction rollers placed saddlewise upon it, and in.
which the lubricating matter is supplied through annular bands of some such.
flexible material as wool, felt, flannel, and the like.
My present improvements consist, first, in placing in the bottom part of tho-
axle-box bearings upon springs, by preference, spiral springs, and in placing.
upon such bearings the axis of a roller, or of two or more narrow rollers,

page_text: formed by preference of two parts niceting at the periphery, but with a space
or hollow between the centre and periphery of each part, for the purpose
hereafter explained. This roller or these rollers are pressed up by the springs
under the bearings of the axis thereof into contact with the journal, and
revolve in oil. When the rollers are formed of two pieces the oil penetrates
into the interior, and oozing out through the slit which divides them, keeps up
a supply of lubricating matter should the oil in the bottom of the box fall
short.
My improvements consist, secondly, in making holes or apertures in the
friction rollers placed saddlewise on the journal, which holes extend from the
circumference to the centre, for the purpose of allowing the passage of oil for
lubricating the axle or shaft upon which the rollers are mounted, and upon
which they are free to revolve. The lubrication of all the parts is affected as
follows: The roller or rollers which revolve in the oil take up oil and deposit
it upon the journal, which in turn gives off oil on the circumference of the
saddlewise rollers, and part of the oil deposited on their circumference finds its
way through the apertures formed therein on to the shafts or axles passing
through the eyes or centres thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LÉON
JOSEPH POMME DE MIRIMONDE, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, Her special licence that I, the
said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, 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

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AXLE-BOXES AND IN LUBRICATING THE PARTS THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, 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 Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention is for improvements upon an Invention formerly patented by
me the Eighteenth October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six,
No. 2443, in which the journal of the axle is made to revolve in contact with
two friction rollers, placed saddlewise upon it, and in which the lubricating
matter is supplied through annular bands of some such flexible material as
wool, felt, flannel, and the like.
My present improvements consist, first, in placing in the bottom part of the
axle-box bearings upon springs, by preference spiral springs, and in placing
upon such bearings the axis of a roller or of two or more narrow rollers, formed
by preference of two parts meeting at the periphery, but with a space or hollow
between the centre and periphery of each part for the purpose hereafter
explained. This roller or these rollers are pressed up by the springs under the
bearings of the axis thereof into contact with the journal, and revolve in oil.
When the rollers are formed of two pieces, the oil penetrates into the interior,
and, oozing out through the slit which divides them, keeps up a supply of
lubricating matter should the oil in the bottom of the box fall short.
My improvements consists, secondly, in making holes or apertures in the
friction rollers placed saddlewise on the journal, which holes extend from the
circumference to the centre for the purpose of allowing the passage of oil for
lubricating the axle or shaft upon which the rollers are mounted, and upon
which they are free to revolve.
Figure of the accompanying Drawings is a front elevation, partly in
section, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a railway carriage axle-box
constructed according to iny Invention, and surrounded by a strap; Figure 3

page_text: is a transverse section of an axle-box, showing the arrangement of the parts
therein; and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of one of the friction rollers.
which are placed saddlewise, having apertures formed in them from the
circumference to the centre. The axle-box is composed of two parts a, which
forms the oil reservoir and bottom of the box, and 6 the cover or cap. The
parts a and b are held or connected together either by a strap c secured under-
neath the box by a bolt d, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, or they may be
connected in the manner represented at Figure 3. e is a spout, by which oil
or other lubricating material is introduced into the reservoir; and f is a hinged
cover, which may be fitted with a spring if desired. The two uper rollers g, g,
which are placed saddlewise on the journal h of the axle b, are fitted with a
gun metal or bronze socket m; these rollers are each mounted loosely on an
axle n, the ends of which enter recesses formed inside the cap b; o, o, are
holes bored in the rollers and in the sockets m, m, as shewn in Figure 4.
The holes may be bored in a straight line, as shewn, or otherwise. p, p, are
oiling rollers below the journal.h, both mounted on the same axis, which is
free to revolve in the bearings s, 5,; t, t, are springs, by preferenco belical,
placed under and supporting the bearings s, s, which are intended to keep the
rollers p, p, pressed up against the journal h. These rollers p, p; are, by
preference, made, as before stated, in two parts, separated by a central circular
slit; I make them of cast iron, and fit them with a gun metal ring u, through
which the spindle passes; a single long roller may be substituted for the
two. As the journal h revolves it regulates the speed of the lower rollers p, p,
and of the upper rollers g, g, by reason of its contact with them.
The lubrication of all the parts is effected as follows:-The lower rollers p,p,
during their revolution, take up oil, and deposit it against the journal h, which
in turn gives off oil on to the circumference of the rollers g, g; the oil or
part thereof finds its way by the apertures o, o, in the rollers 9, 9, on to the
axles n, n.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Axle-boxes and in Lubricating the Parts therein,"
First, the employment of an oiling roller or rollers below and kept in
contact with the journal of the axle, and made to revolve in oil or other
lubricating matter, in manner berein-before described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, lubricating the two rollers placed saddlewise above the journal of
the axle through oil or other lubricating matter deposited thereon by the

page_text: journal of the axle, and entering through the holes drilled therein, as herein-
before described.
Third, fitting the upper and lower rollers with gun metal sockets, and
mounting them on fixed shafts or axles, so that they may revolve freely thercon,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Léon Joseph Pomme de Mirimonde, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
J. L. POMME DE MIRIMONDE. (L.S.)