AN IMPROVED OIL BOX FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLETREES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGGONS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE SHAFTS OF ALL KINDS OF MACHINES.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Dietz, of No. 60, Boulevart de Strasbourg,
Paris, Engineer to the French Eastern Railway Company, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED OIL BOX FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLETREES OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGGONS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE SHAFTS OF ALL
KINDS OF MACHINES.'
Sealed the 3rd August 1860, and dated the 11th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Dietz at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
February 1860.
I, DAVID DIETZ, of No. 60, Boulevart de Strasbourg, Paris, Engineer to
the French Eastern Railway Company, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED OIL BOX FOR LUBRICATING THE AXLETREES OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGGONS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE SHAFTS OF ALL KINDS OF
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
In
my
Invention the axle of axletrees or shafts revolve directly in oil; to
effect this the aperture for pouring oil is situated above the center, in order.
to allow for the wearing out of the bearing, as the axle is constantly surrounded
with oil. The oil is contained in a reservoir formed by the fore under part of
the oil box; this under box has a recess formed by two partitions, within

page_text: which a metallic half collar is adjusted, and pushed constantly upwards by a
spring against the axle, so as to prevent the oil from flowing into the back
part of the box, but as by the revolving motion some of the oil is forcibly
carried through the upper joint of the collar, and falls into a back reservoir
of the under box, this portion of oil is carried upwards by a metallic disc
fitted on the axletree between the begining of the axle and the nave of the
wheel. The oil thus carried up by the revolving disc is flung upwards
against the upper box, and falling into channels of the said box flows back into
the former reservoir.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Dietz in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
DIETZ, of No. 60, Boulevart de Strasbourg, Paris, Engineer to the French
Eastern Railway Company, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for, Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Dietz, Her special licence that I, the said David Dietz,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
David Dietz, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED OIL BOX FOR
LUBRICATING THE AXLETREES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGGONS, APPLICABLE ALSO
TO THE SHAFTS OF ALL KINDS OF MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said David Dietz, 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 David Dietz, lo hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
This improved system of lubricating axles or revolving shafts consists in
carrying a portion of the journal of such axletrees or shafts to revolve in oil. In
order to do this the oil hole is situated at a certain height, so as to allow for
the wear of the brass bearing while the journal keeps running in oil. A half
collar or metallic stopper, which may be provided in its middle with a band of
leather or any other suitable compressible material, is laterally carefully
adjusted within a chamber of the oil box; this collar or stopper prevents the
oil from flowing out, but as, on account of the rotation, a small quantity of oil
is forcibly carried behind the stopper, a thin metallic washer or disc fixed
securely on the axle prevents the leakage of the oil, and collects the small
quantity which has been carried into the back chamber of the box; the oil
thus gathered by the disc is flung up by centrifugal force against the upper
part of the box, and at a tangent to the circumference of the disc it falls into
the various channels cut into the upper part of the box, whence it runs back
into the first reservoir through apertures made for that purpose.
My Invention will be clearly understood by referring to the annexed
Drawing, which represents an oil box on my improved system drawn one-fifth
the real size of those now in use on the Eastern French railway line.
Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 front view, Fig. 3 longitudinal vertical section
through the line a, b, of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, cross vertical section through the line
c, d, of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, plan of the lower box; Fig. 6, back view; Fig. 7,
plan of the top box, shewn from under; Fig. 8, transverse section of the top
box through the line e, f, of Fig. 3. The several parts of the oil box and
axletree are indicated by the same letters in all the Figures.
The oil poured through the aperture O fills the reservoir H up to a suitable
level, so that the axle or journal dips constantly in it, that oil cannot flow out
into the back chamber I because it is stopped by a portion of the collar M, as
aforesaid. This half collar is fitted in a chamber D of the under box ; it is
always pushed up against the journal by a helical or other spring, or by other
suitable means, which compels it to be constantly touching the journal, so as
to compensate for the wearing out, and the small quantity of oil which may
run into the chamber I is gathered by the thin ring or disc R, which flings it
up to the top of the box, as aforesaid.
In order to help the lifting of the oil coming from the reservoir H, there is
a scraper Q hinged on a pin, which is fixed either to the bearing C or oil
box; this scraper enters freely on the upper edge of the disc R, causing the
oil carried along by this disc to drop into the upper recess of the oil box,

page_text: whence it runs into the first reservoir. The scraper Q can be made either of
iron or other suitable material. The oil carried up by the disce might flow
through proper holes pierced for this purpose in the bearing C, which would
thus be lubricating from the top, but this is scarcely necessary.
One or several circular grooves are cut round the axle between the beginning
of the journal and nave; the said grooves prevent the escape of the oil as
effectually as the disc. The circular grooves Y, instead of being cut round the
axle might evidently be cut on a ring or collar fixed on the axle. Both parts
of the oil box A and B may be furnished with half collar pieces or flaps Z
lodged in narrow recesses; the said flaps can be made either of wood, leather,
pasteboard, metal, or other suitable material, to prevent the introduction of
extraneous substances into the box; the flap cannot turn round, and follows the
up-or-down motion of the axle journal. The same object might be obtained
by fastening with screws or otherwise on the hind part of the box half a
circular plate of zinc or other suitable metal or material, which plate would
wear out with the bearing, and would thus prevent any extraneous substance
from entering the oil box.
A, lower part of the oil box; B, upper part of the same; C, brass bearing;
D, recess or chamber, in which the collar or stopping piece is lodged; E, axle;
F, axle journal; H, reservoir of oil; I, back chamber, within which falls the
oil that leaks from the reservoir H; M, half collar or stopper pushed upwards
by the spring S; O, aperture for pouring oil into the box; Q, scraper;
R, washer or disc; Y, circular grooves cut round the axle; Z, dirt-guarding
flaps.
My Invention being now completely described and illustrated by the annexed
Drawing, I will observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details which are represented or described, as some modifi-
cations might be introduced to suit various kinds of vehicles; but what I
claim is,-
1stly, causing a portion of the axle journals of waggons to revolve constantly
in lubricating oil, by having the pouring aperture cut through the oil box so
much above the bottom as to allow for the bearing wearing.
2ndly, preventing the oil from escaping by means of a stopping half collar
adjusted in a recess or chamber, and pushed up against the journal by a spring
or other suitable means.
3rdly, gathering in a back chamber the oil which leaks through the stopping
half collar, to carry it up for restoring it to the reservoir by means of a washer
or disc fitted on the axle, and with or without a scraper, as shewn on the
Drawing.

page_text: 4thly, preventing the oil from running out of the back chamber, by means
of the same ring or disc fitted on the axle, and also by means of circular grooves
cut around the said axle or round a ring or collar adjusted on it between the
journal and nave.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Dietz, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'AUBREVILLE, C.E.
D. DIETZ. (L.S.)