IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AXLES FOR CARRIAGES AND SPINDLES FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1865

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Elias Lones, Iron and Steel Merchant, and Joseph
Constant Lones, Iron and Steel Merchant, and John Lones, Iron and
Steel Merchant, and John Brettell, Iron Founder, and Thomas Brettell,
Iron Founder, and Charles Vernon, Engine Fitter, all of West Brom-
wich, in the County of Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF AXLES FOR CARRIAGES AND SPINDLES FOR VARIOUS
PURPOSES, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th June 1866, and dated the 26th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elias Lones, Joseph
.Constant Lones, John Lones, John Brettell, Thomas Brettell, and
Charles Vernon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 26th December 1865.
We, ELIAS LONES, Iron and Steel Merchant, and JOSEPH CONSTANT LONES,
Iron and Steel Merchant, and JOHN LONES, Iron and Steel Merchant, and
JOHN BRETTELL, Iron Founder, and THOMAS BRETTELL, Iron Founder, and
CHARLES VERNON, Engine Fitter, all of West Bromwich, in the County of
Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AXLES FOR CARRIAGES AND SPINDLES FOR. VARIOUS

page_text: PURPOSES, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE, PART OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER PURPOSES," to
be as follows :-
Our improvements in the manufacture of axles and spindles consist in the
following methods of making the collars and shoulders of the said axles and
spindles.
We will describe our Invention as applied to the manufacture of a carriage
.axle.
Our improvements in the manufacture of the said collars consist, firstly, in
taking a bar of iron of the diameter which the collar of the axle is intended
to have, and by passing it through rolling machinery of the kind herein-after
described, reducing the diameter of the iron on either side, a portion left of the
original diameter to constitute the collar. The ends of the bar are then
properly shaped by means of other machinery herein-after described, or by
means of the processes ordinarily employed for that purpose.
Our improvements in the manufacture of the said collars consist, secondly,
in making a ring of the size of the required collar, and taking a bar of iron
of the diameter of the back collar of the axle, and welding the said ring
thereon by the machinery herein-after described.
Our improvements in making the shoulders of axles and spindles consist in
forming the said shoulders by means of ordinary rolls, having grooves and
recesses made in them of a size and shape proper to roll down or reduce the
diameter of the iron passed through them, leaving at the proper place a
portion of the iron of sufficient diameter to form the shoulder.
Our improvements in machinery to be employed in the manufacture of
axles and spindles are as follows:-The machinery by which we make the
collars of the axles and spindles according to the method herein first described
consists of three rolls, two of the said rolls being in the same horizontal plane
and driven from the same toothed wheel. The said rolls have rotation in the
same direction, and the portions of the said rolls opposed to each other, con-
sequently move in opposite directions. Above these two rolls is a third roll.
The bar of iron operated upon is put between the three rolls from the ends
of the rolls, its axis being parallel with the axes of the rolls. The said rolls
have grooves in them of the size and shape required to produce the reduction
of the bar on either side the part left for the collar. During the action of
the rolls the bar operated upon is retained between them, and made to
perform rotary motion, during which by the pressure of the said rolls it is
brought to the required shape. The motion of the top roll is produced by the
rotary motion communicated to the bar operated upon by the lower rolls.

page_text: The said upper roll is by preference not quite concentric with its axis, and its
axis is mounted in bearings capable of rising and falling by a motion of partial
rotation. By means of a weighted lever the said bearings can be raised, so
as to lift the top roll up and permit of the ready introduction of the bar to be
operated upon. When the bar has been introduced and is made to rotate
under pressure by means of the rolls, its diameter on either side of the part
forming the collar diminishes, the upper roll gradually descending as the
shaping of the bar proceeds. When the bar has acquired the requisite size
and shape it falls from between the lower rolls, or may be taken out.
The machinery by which a collar separately made is welded to the axle is
similar to that last described, excepting that the rolls are provided with
grooves suitable to compress and weld the collar on the shoulder or back
collar of the axle. The rolls by which the shoulders of the axles are form'd
are geared together by means of gearing, consisting of two disks or plates
situated face to face on the ends of the driving shaft, and the shaft of one of
the rolls respectively. Screw pins passed through these plates connect them
together. The holes in one of the said plates are circular and of the size of
the screw pins, and those in the other are elongated so as to form curved slots.
By this arrangement the plates can be turned upon one another and adjusted
before fixing with the greatest nicety, and the recesses in the rolls made
accurately to coincide with one another.
The improvements in the coupling of the machinery last described may be
applied to the coupling of rolls for other purposes, and to the coupling of
shafts and axles generally. The ends of the bars on which collars have been
formed or welded are shaped by means of rolls having grooves in them of the
size and shape proper to give the required form and size to the said ends of
the bars. About one-third of the cylindrical surface of each roll is cut away,
so as to leave room between the rolls at the cut away parts for the introduc-
tion of the bar between the rolls when the cut away portions come round.
The action of the rolls is thereby limited to the parts of the bar to be shaped,
the collar being unacted upon by the rolls.
Although we have only described that part of our Invention relating to
axles and spindles as applied to the manufacture of iron axles for carriages,
yet the same may be applied to the manufacture of axles and spindles for
lathes and for other purposes,, whether made of iron or steel, or mixtures of
iron and steel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Elias Lones, Joseph Constant Lones, John Lones, John.
Brettell, Thomas Brettell, and Charles Vernon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ELIAS
LONES, Iron and Steel Merchant, and JOSEPII CONSTANT LONES, Iron and Steel
Merchant, and JOHN LONES, Iron and Steel Merchant, and JOHN BRETTELL,
Iron Founder, and THOMAS BRETTELL, Iron Founder, and CHARLES VERNON,
Engine Fitter, all of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Elias Lones, Joseph Constant Lones, John Lones, John Brettell,
Thomas Brettell, and Charles Vernon, Her special licence that we, the said
Elias Lones, Joseph Constant Lones, John Lones, John Brettell, Thomas
Brettell, and Charles Vernon, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Elias Lones, Joseph Constant Lones, John
Lones, John Brettell, Thomas Brettell, and Charles Vernon, our 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 MANUFACTURE OF
AXLES FOR CARRIAGES AND SPINDLES FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES, AND IN MACHINERY
TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY MAY ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Elias Lones, Joseph Constant Lones, John
Lones, John Brettell, Thomas Brettell, and Charles Vernon, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 John Brettell, on behalf of myself and
Tanach Constant Lanc Tal
T Dall

page_text: and Charles Vernon, do hereby declare the nature of the 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, that
is to say:
Our improvements in the manufacture of axles and spindles consist in the
following methods of making the collars and shoulders of the said axles and
spindles.
We will describe our Invention as applied to the manufacture of a carriage
axle.'
Our improvements in the manufacture of the said collars consist, firstly, in
taking a bar of iron of the diameter which the collar of the axle is intended to
have, and by passing it through rolling machinery of the kind herein-after
described, reducing the diameter of the iron on either side a portion left of the
original diameter to constitute the collar. The ends of the bar are then
properly shaped by means of other machinery herein-after described, or by
means of the processes ordinarily employed for that purpose.
Our improvements in the manufacture of the said collars consist, secondly,
in making a ring of the size of the required collar, and taking a bar of iron
of the diameter of the back collar of the axle, and welding the said ring
thereon by the machinery herein-after described.
Our improvements in making the shoulders or back and front collars of
axles and spindles, consist in forming the said shoulders by means of ordinary
rolls, having grooves, and recesses made in them of a size and shape proper to
roll down or reduce the diameter of the iron passed through them, leaving
the proper place a portion of the iron of sufficient diameter to form the
at
shoulder.
Our improvements in machinery to be employed in the manufacture of axles
and spindles are as follows:-The machinery by which we make the collars
of the axles and spindles according to the method herein first described con-
sists of three rolls, two of the said rolls being in the same horizontal plane,
and driven from the same toothed wheel. The said rolls have rotation in the
same direction, and the portions of the said rolls opposed to each other con-
sequently move in opposite directions. Above these two rolls is a third roll.
The bar of iron operated upon is put between the three rolls from the ends of
the rolls, its axis being parallel with the axes of the rolls. The said rolls have
grooves in them of the size and shape required to produce the reduction of the
bar on either side the part left for the collar. During the action of the rolls,
the bar operated upon is retained between them and made to perform rotary
motion, during which by the pressure of the said rolls it is brought to the

page_text: required shape. The motion of the top roll is produced by the rotary motion
communicated to the bar operated upon by the lower rolls. The axis of the said
upper roll is mounted in bearings capable of rising and falling by a motion of
partial rotation. By means of a weighted lever, the bearings of the upper
roll can be raised so as to lift the said roll up and permit of the ready intro-
duction of the bar to be operated upon. When the bar has been introduced
and is made to rotate under pressure by means of the rolls, its diameter on
either side of the part forming the collar diminishes, the upper roll gradually
descending as the shaping of the bar proceeds. When the bar has acquired
the requisite size and shape, the top roll is raised so as to permit of the
removal of the shaped bar from between the rolls.
The machinery by which a collar separately made is welded to the axle is
similar to that last described, excepting that the rolls are provided with grooves
suitable to compress and weld the collar on the shoulder or back collar of the
axle: The rolls by which the shoulders or front and back collars of the
axles are formed are geared together by means of gearing consisting of
two disks or plates situated face to face on the ends of the driving shaft and
the shaft of one of the rolls respectively, screw pins passed through these plates
connect them together. The holes in one of the said plates are circular and
of the size of the screw pins, and those in the other are elongated so as to
form curved slots. By this arrangement the plates can be turned upon one
another and adjusted before fixing with the greatest nicety, and the recesses
in the rolls made accurately to coincide with one another.
The improvements in the coupling of the machinery last described may be
applied to the coupling of rolls for other purposes, and to the coupling of
shafts and axles generally. The ends of the bars on which collars have been
formed or welded, are shaped by means of rolls having grooves in them of the
size and shape proper to give the required form and size to the said ends of
the bars. About one-third of the cylindrical surface of each roll is cut away
so as to leave room between the rolls at the cut away parts for the introduction
of the bar between the rolls when the cut away portions come round. The
action of the rolls is thereby limited to the parts of the bar to be shaped, the
collar being unacted upon by the rolls.
Although we have only described that part of our Invention relating to
axles and spindles as applied to the manufacture of iron axles for carriages,
yet the same may be applied to the manufacture of axles and spindles for
lathes and for other purposes, whether made of iron or steel or mixtures of
iron and steel.
Having explained the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to describe,

page_text: with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
In manufacturing a carriage axle according to our Invention we proceed
as follows:-
:
Figure 1 represents a carriage axle, to the various parts of which we will
refer in describing our Invention.
In making the collars of axles according to our Invention we take a bar of
iron of the diameter of the collar ȧ, and by passing it through the rolling
machinery, Figures 2 and 3, herein-after described, we reduce the diameter
of the iron on either side of the portion a, which is left of the original
diameter, and constitutes the collar. The parts of the axle on either side the
collar a are afterwards properly shaped.by means of the machinery berein-after
described and represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6, or by the processes ordinarily
employed for that purpose. Or we make a ring of the size of the collar a,
and taking a bar of iron of the diameter of the back collar 6 of the axle we
weld the said ring on the said bar by means of the machinery, Figures
2 and 8.
In making the shoulders or back and front collars 6, 63, of axles according
to our Invention we form the said shoulders by means of rolls of the kind
herein-after-described and represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the said rolls
reducing the diameter of the iron passed between them, leaving at the proper
place portions of iron of sufficient diameter to form the shoulders.
The improvements described in carriage axles are also applicable to all
kinds of axles and spindles having collars upon them.
Figure 2 represents in end elevation our machinery for making the collars
of axles and spindles according to the method herein first described. . The
said machinery consists of three rolls c, d, e, the rolls c, d, being driven by the
toothed wheel f, and rotating in the same direction. The roll e has no motion
except what is communicated to it from the rolls c, d, by the bar or axle g
being operated upon. The bar or axle g is introduced from the ends of the
eg
rolls, its axis being parallel with the axes of the rolls. Figure 3 represents
in plan the rolls c, d, from which, Figure 3, it will be seen that the said rolls
have grooves, d³, in them, which leave the portions of the iron to constitute
the collar of the axle undiminished in diameter, while the portions of iron on
either side the collar are reduced to the proper size by those portions of the
rolls on either side the grooves c, d. The rolls, Figure 8, have grooves
suitable for the production of axles of any size. The bar g, Figure 2, is made
to perform a rotary motion by means of the rolls c, d, and the pressure of the
roll e. During its rotation the parts on either side the collar a are gradually

page_text: reduced in diameter, and the bar is brought to the required shape. The upper
roll e works in bearings in a weighted lever h turning upon the centre i on
the frame of the rolls. As the bar g diminishes in diameter the roll e and
lever h descend. By lifting the lever h the rolle is raised, and the bar or
partially made axle g can be removed from the rolls c, d, and another bar
introduced. By the descent of the weighted lever h the rolle is brought
down upon the bar introduced when the action of the rolls c, d, upon it imme-
diately commences. The bar is heated to redness before being introduced
between the rolls. When a collar separately made is to be welded to the axle,
we place the said collar upon the axle, both being raised to a welding heat,
and operate upon it so that the collar shall be compressed and welded to tho
axle by the grooves c³, d³, of the rolls. We afterwards remove it so as to
bring the collar into the grooves c, d, when the compression and welding are
completed. The portions of the bar on either side the collar are shaped by
means of rolls having grooves in them. These rolls are represented in
Figures 4, 5, and 6. A pair of rolls of the kind represented in Figure 4
being employed for roughing out the bed and back collar marked respectively i
and b in Figure 1. These rolls have a portion marked k of their cylindrical
surface cut away, so as to leave room between them at the cut away parts for
the introduction of the partially formed axle when the said cut away parts
come round. A pair of rolls of the kind represented in Figure 5 are employed
to shape or form the arm and front collar of the axle, that is, the parts
marked and 6 in Figure 1. These rolls have two cut away portions in each
roll marked m, as owing, to the shortness of the arm and front collar a much
smaller portion of the circumference of the rolls is required to operate upon the
axles. A pair of rolls of the kind represented in Figure 6 is employed for
finishing the bed and back collar i, b, of the axle. The said rolls may also be
employed for roughing out as well as for finishing the bed and back collar;
we prefer, however, to rough out the bed and back collar by means of the rolls
Figure 4. The rolls, Figures 4, 5, and 6, rotate in a direction proper to return
the bar or partially made axle introduced between them to the workman in
front of the rolls. The rolls, Figures 4, 5, and 6, are geared together by means
of the gearing represented in Figure 7. The said gearing consists of two plates
or discs o, p, fixed upon short shafts q, r. One of the shafts q, r, may be the
driving shaft, and the other the shaft of one of the rolls. We prefer, however,
to make the shafts q, r, independent of the driving shaft and roll shaft. The
dises or plates o, p, are connected together by means of screw pins passed
through them and screw nuts. The holes s in the plate or disc p are circular,
and of the size of the screw pins, while the holes in the plate or disco are

page_text: elongated, as represented. The plates o and p can be turned upon one another,
and adjusted before fixing by means of the pins and nuts with the greatest
nicety, and the recesses in the rolls made accurately to coincide with one
another. Figure 8 illustrates in elevation the application of this gearing to a
pair of rolls. u is the ordinary breaking shaft, connecting the driving
mechanism with the upper roll by means of the collars v, v, and the collars w, w,
connect our improved gearing o, p, to the driving mechanism of the lower roll.
Instead of fixing the discs o, p, on the ends of spindles, the said discs may be
made in a box form, as represented in elevation and section in Figure 9, in
which case they are placed respectively on the wabbler on the end of one roll
and the end of the driving shaft.
The coupling mechanism, Figures 7, 8, and 9, may be applied to rolls for
various purposes, and to the coupling of shafts and axles generally.
Spindles for lathes and for other purposes are manufactured in the manner
described with reference to the manufacture of a carriage axle.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do
not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described and illustrated in
the Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
our Invention; but we claim as our Invention,―
Firstly, the improvements in the manufacture of the collars of axles for
carriages and spindles for various purposes herein-before described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the said collars
by taking a bar of iron or steel of the diameter of the collar of the axle or
spindle to be made, and reducing the diameter of the metal on either side, a
portion left of the original diameter to constitute the collar, or making the
said collars by taking a ring of the required size, and welding it on a bar of
iron or steel of the diameter of the back collar of the axle or of the diameter
of the spindle to be made.
Secondly, making the shoulders or front and back collars of axles and
spindles, and also shaping the beds and arms of axles by means of grooved
rolls, as described.
Thirdly, the arrangement or combination of the parts of machinery for
making and welding the collars of axles and spindles herein-before described
and represented in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly, constructing rolls in the manner herein-before described and
represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawing for shaping
the shoulders or front and back collars, beds, and arms of axles.
Lastly, the arrangement or combination of the parts of coupling or gearing

page_text: for coupling together rolls, shafts, and axles generally herein-before described
with reference to Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Brettell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JOHN BRETTELL. (L.B.)