Improvements connected with Axle Boxes or Wheel Bushes of Road Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1895-Accepted, 20th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements connected with Axle Boxes or Wheel Bushes of
Road Vehicles.
I, THOMAS GERRARD, of 10 Banana Street, Blackburn, County of Lancaster,
Carriage Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements connected with axle boxes or wheel.
bushes of road vehicles. The object is to arrange for ball bearings being fitted in,
in such manner that they cannot leave their socket or supporting appliances or
drop out should the wheel be removed.
Another advantage to be gained by my arrangement or system is, the balls rotate
in contact with the axle or with cone shaped rings on the axle, and can be adjusted
to allow for wear.
The way I intend to carry my invention into practice will be clearly understood
by reference to the annexed drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section
of an axle box or bush with a plain or reduced axle, Figure 2 showing a similar
section of axle box or bush for a parallel axle.
Referring to Figure 1, A is the box or bush, B, B, webs thereon to prevent it turning
in the hub of the wheel when driven and wedged in it. C, C', are internal or stop
collars against the outer faces of which at either end case hardened rings D, Di,
fit rigidly. E, E, are hardened wedge cones which are part of the axle F, or
are separate cones driven or shrunk on the axle as to be practically part and
parcel thereof. G, G', are spheres loosely fitting the annular chamber formed
between the rings D, D', and collar plates H, H₁, but from which they cannot fall
because of the under lip edging of the rings D, D', and plates H, H', being of
less width than the full diameter of the spheres which are therefore imprisoned
in the chamber.
The collar plates H, H', are adjustable in the box or bush A and fixable by
screws J, J, to allow for wear and for the requisite touch of the spheres G, G¹,
against and in contact with the axle cones E, E', or the axle F itself.
The outer cone E' can be adjusted by the nut K screwed on the end of the axle.
Lis a lock nut to prevent the nut K working loose from the jolting action of
axle while the vehicle is running. N is a pin or cottar passed through a hole in
the axle end F' for further security, and P is the usual oil cup and cap screwed
into the outer end of the box or bush A.
I purpose fitting washer leathers for ease of end friction but these are not
actually necessary because there is little chance of the back collar Q coming into
contact with the ring plate H.
I am aware that ball bearings have been used with the boxes or bushes of
wheels used on road vehicles but the spheres in such cases have not been arranged
to be retained in annular channels when the wheels were removed from the axle,
they always fell out and had to be placed in again by hand which required great
skill on the part of an attendant, to say nothing of the risk of some of the spheres
being lost.
By my said invention, the wheels can be removed from their axles without fear
of the spheres becoming dislodged, so that they are always in proper position
whether the wheels be on or off the axles.

page_text: Another advantage is, my spheres bear directly on the axles F, or on cones E, E,
which form part of said axle by a sliding action under the influence and control
of ring plates which have no positive connection with the axle as in former plans
or systems.
I have only shown my invention as applied to a common axle box or bush, in
which a Collinge, a Drabble, or other make of axle can be used but it is also
applicable to what are known as mail axles i.e. those having an inner or back ring
plate with bolt holes, the bolts of which pass through the hub of the wheel to the
outer front band and secured by nuts which prevents a wheel leaving the vehicle
under any circumstance unless the bolts be first removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction and arrangement of the various parts shown on the
drawings, and constituting an improved method of fitting ball bearings in the
boxes or bushes of wheels used on road vehicles all as described for the purposes
set forth.
2. Fitting ball bearings in boxes or bushes of road vehicle wheels in such
manner that they are so located as to be retained in place when the wheels are
removed as set forth and substantially as shown on or by the annexed drawings.
3. Providing stops C, C¹, within an axle box or bush A of a road vehicle as
abutments for hardened rings D, D', against which spheres G, G¹, can have their
bearing and support, in conjunction with collar rings H, H', as described and
substantially as represented in the drawings.
4. Fitting ball bearings in the boxes or bushes of road vehicle wheels in such
manner that they have direct contact with an axle, or with cones serving as parts
of axles when such cones have a sliding adjustment action in the manner described
and as represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of June 1895
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Thomas Gerrard.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Thomas Gerrard.