CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF AXLES AND AXLETREES FOR CARRIAGES, CARTS, AND OTHER VEHICLES USED ON RAIL OR OTHER ROADS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth day of December, in the sixth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, and such others, as I, the said William Edward Newton, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF AXLES AND
AXLETREES FOR CARRIAGES, CARTS, AND OTHER VEHICLES USED ON RAIL OR OTHER
ROADS," being a communication from a foreigner residing abroad; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said William
Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, parti-
cularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part. recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Edward Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed; and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
-
This Invention, which has been communicated to me by a certain foreigner
residing abroad, consists in certain improvements applicable to the axletrees of
carriages, whereby the friction is considerably reduced, and the carriage enabled
to run much easier upon the road, and with a lighter draught to the horses.
The various Figures in the accompanying Drawings represent different views
of the improvements.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus taken from the inner or carriage
side of the wheel; Fig. 2, an end or edge view; Figure 3, a section taken
vertically in the line C, D, of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is another sectional view taken
in the line A, B, of Figure 1; all the Figures are drawn at about one-fifth
the real size. In these improvements two metal rollers G, G, Figures, 1, 8,
and 4, of the same or different diameters, and the wrought-iron axles of which
are placed horizontally or slightly inclined, rest (at the lower opening that is
made between them) upon the turned part H of the axletree, as seen in
Figs. 1, 3, and 4. The turned part H is a little longer than or at least equal
to the width of the rollers G, G, but its diameter is greater than the part I of
the axletree, which may be either round or square. These rollers are made of
such a length or breadth that they will not oscillate or rock, and therefore
they will not create any injurious shocks. The axles of the rollers are sup
ported against brass or bronze bearings J, J, Fig. 1, formed in the part K
Fig. 4, of a cast-iron box L, Figures 1, 2, and 3, fixed by means of fou
bolts O, O, (or in any other manner), to the under part of the shaft E
which at this part is made of a suitable substance and strength, either by
forming it from one single piece or by adding two cheeks P, P, and fastening
them by means of transverse bolts, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4.
bearing Q, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, partially surrounds at its under side (bu
without any sensible friction) the turned part H of the axletree, and is supporte
Anothe

page_text: by a bridle piece R, R, which is bolted to the under part of the cast-iron box
L, L. This arrangement is adopted in order to keep the axletree in its proper
place under the rollers G, G, and prevent it from being disturbed by shocks or
other causes which might tend to disarrange it.
If thought necessary the
bridle piece may be made less curved and stronger than it is represented to be
in the Drawing, and the bearing Q may be made hollow, so as to answer the
purpose of a grease box (in the manner they are employed upon railways), by
means of a small cylinder of cork or deal floating upon some oil which is poured
into the said hollow. The bearing is, however, maintained in contact with
the axletree, which, as well as the two rollers, are by this means kept properly
lubricated. The whole of the apparatus is covered or surrounded with a box
or case of thin sheet iron, as shown by the dotted lines in the elevation, Fig. 1.
This box or case is shewn in elevation at Fig. 6, and Fig. 7 represents a
transverse section of the same taken in the line M, N, of Fig. 6. It is attached
or fastened to the shaft or to the cast-iron box L by screws, and serves as a
protection from mud and dust, and also as a reservoir for an oil bath, in caso
the hollow bearing Q above-mentioned is not employed as a grease box.
Another sheet-iron covering V is also used for a similar purpose, and protects
the nave of the wheel; it is also attached to the shaft by wood screws, as seen
in Figures 2 and 4. Two little channels S, S, Figures 1, 2, and 4, either
connected to or formed on the cast-iron casing, and covered with a small piece
of leather, or closed by means of a plug, are placed on each side of the appara-
tus in such a manner as to allow the axles of the rollers to be lubricated
without removing the sheet-iron box or case. The two little bars T, T,
Figures 1, 3, and 4, are for the purpose of supporting the two rollers in their
proper places, if from any cause whatever it should be found necessary to
remove the axletree for a short time from the rest of the apparatus. Fig. 5
represents a transverse section of one of the rollers; the wheels of the carriage
are moveable round the axletree when the carriage is employed for common
roads, but fixed when used on railways. These improvements present the
following advantages:-First, a very great diminution of the friction, and from
that of course lighter draught, as has been proved by experience. Second, by
this reduction of friction the proportions of the axle F, F, (Fig. 4), may
be increased, whereas, if fixed or revolving axletrees were mounted in ordinary
bearings, their proportions could not exceed certain limits without an increase
of the diameter of the axle, necessarily causing a proportional increase of
resistance from friction; by this reduction of friction the chances of rupture
or breakage are evidently diminished. Third, another cause of the diminution

page_text: of the chances of breaking is the impossibility of the axles getting overheated,
as the transforming of the rubbing friction of ordinary axles into a rolling
motion will never allow them to get heated to such a point as to give them a
tendency to either break or twist. Fourth, the impossibility of the oil
becoming a thick viscous and sticky grease, as the axle can never, as above-
mentioned, become so heated as to act upon it, and thereby render it in a short
time useless. Fifth, a regular and very slight wear of the axletree which can-
not be attained with the ordinary fixed axletrees, where the rubbing friction
acts only on the under part, which thereby becomes worn away before the
other part; it therefore follows that there is great saving in the cost of
repairs. Sixth, by the axletree revolving with the wheel it will not be found
necessary generally to allow the axle any play in the box, which is generally
done to allow of the introduction of hogs' lard or other substance, and which
play greatly increases the wear of the box and the axle. The sudden and
frequent shocks and oscillations of the wheel to which ordinary vehicles are
subject, and which act very disadvantageously on them, are hereby prevented.
Seventh, upon level roads, by means of this system of rollers, a superabundance
of power is obtained, a portion of which may be usefully employed for ascending
inclines. It will be sufficient for this to diminish the height of the wheels,
which, as is well known, always throw back the centre of gravity of the load
behind the point of support upon the ground, according as their diameter is
greater or less, and thereby require a greater power of traction. These
improvements may be applied to all descriptions of vehicles, so as to allow of
an increase of load or to admit of a decrease in the amount of power required
to move the same.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that antifriction rollers have been heretofore applied to naves
of wheels for the purpose of lessening the friction, I do not, therefore, claim
any exclusive right to employ rollers for this purpose, but without intending to
confine myself to the precise arrangement shewn in the Drawings, I claim as
the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent the employment or application of rollers to the axles or axletrees of
carriages, in the manner and for the purposes above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
W. E. (L.S.) NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of June, in the
sixth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said William
Edward Newton came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument aforesaid
was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year
of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.