Improvements in Bearings.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bearings.
We, GUSTAVE BOTY and LÉON MOREAU, both of 10, Rue Saint-Gudule, Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 roller bearings and is more particularly although not
exclusively applicable to the axle bearings of railway rolling stock, tram-cars,
and other vehicles.
During the movement of vehicles, the axle-boxes or bearings are subject to
various stresses, namely:-
1. Vertical compressive stress, due to the weight of the vehicle.
2. Horizontal stress parallel to the axle, due to swaying or side rolling motion,
and the traversing of curves.
3. Horizontal stress, normal to the axle, resulting from the sudden starting and
stopping of the vehicle, or from the action of the brakes.
Among those classes of axle-boxes in which the bearing is composed of rollers
or balls no attention has heretofore been paid to any other stress than that above
referred to under No. 1.
The only endeavour of all inventors has been to substitue a rolling friction for
the sliding friction of the axle-journal against the bearing, by interposing rollers
or balls. Nothing or little has been done with regard to the resistances resulting
from the stresses above referred to under Nos. 2 and 3.
The object of our invention is to remove this deficiency, which may, under cer-
tain circumstances, constitute a serious defect, especially on uneven lines or roads,
and may neutralize, at the expense of the tractive force, the whole advantage of
the use of rollers.
We have also endeavoured to simplify and facilitate the mounting of the axle-
boxes upon their axle-journal, so that no special or skilled person is required for
the purpose of controlling and inspecting the stock, which work is of a compli-
cated and delicate nature. It is with the object of reducing the expense of main-
tenance and repair that we have removably arranged that surface of the box which
is subject to wear, and against which the rollers bear.
By means of this arrangement the position of the piece placed for this purpose
in the interior of the box can be changed, so that the surface that comes in contact
with the rollers can, without any working expense, be repeatedly renewed at those
places that are most worn. The removability of the piece constituting this roller
surface is also designed to obviate the wear due to the stress referred to above
under No. 3, as it enables the box to rise relatively to the axle in cases of collision,
of abrupt starting, and of the application of the brakes, contrary to what is the case
where axle boxes with fixed bearings are employed. To this horizontal stress
we thus oppose a gradual resistance without shock whereby the axle-journals and
the roller-bearings are thoroughly protected from injury and deterioration.
As regards the stresses referred to under Nos. 1 and 2, our improved bearing has a

page_text: double effect inasmuch as the parts which support the vertical stresses of the load
are independent in their rotary movement of those which resist the stresses
occurring parallel to the axle.
This point is of very great importance and constitutes one of the advantages of
the invention, which we will now describe with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:-
:-
Figure I represents, in longitudinal section, a roller and its pivot.
Figure II is a cross sectional elevation of an axle-box, through the axle-journal,
on the line ab of Figure III.
Figure III is a central sectional elevation of the same box.
Figure IV is a plan of the lower part of the box, shewing in horizontal section
two rollers with their accessories, and the muff with its cover or end and ring,
these three pieces serving as the roller-surface for the bearing.
Figure V shews the manner in which the rollers can be connected with each other
so as to form a complete device capable of being placed on the axle journal or re-
moved therefrom as a whole.
Figures VI, VI, VIII, and VIIIbis illustrate modifications of this arrangement.
Figures VII and VII shew another arrangement of the pieces, not connected
with each other, and loosely placed with the rollers and pivots in the muff or casing
enclosing the rollers and holding them in position.
Figures IX and Xbis represent another construction of chain for connecting
the roller pivots.
Our improved bearing consists of a series of elements each composed of a roller R,
traversed by a pivot D, each end of which pivot terminates in a strong head F,
whose diameter is less than that of the rollers. These heads essentially conform
in shape to the rounded inside portions of the axle-journal and the rounded inner
contact surfaces and ¹, hereinafter referred to. This shape may be spherical.
The pivots D are held at a suitable distance apart by inserted distance pieces, L,
the form and arrangement of which are indicated by way of example only, in
Figures V to VIIIbis Obviously, many other forms may be employed which it
is unnecessary to illustrate.
The distance pieces L may be slotted or open either toward the outside of the
circle formed by the rollers, as shewn in Figures VII and VII (sectional view),
or toward the inside; these pieces may also be formed in one piece (Figures VI
and VI), or in two united pieces (Figure V), or may be connected by a metallic
wire, passing through them (Figures V, VI, VIbis), or connected by a metallic or
elastic band, fitted into a groove (Figures VIII and VIIIs), or by any other
means.
Separate pieces L may be employed for each pivot, or one piece may be common
to two or more pivots.-Finally, these pieces may be replaced by a friction chain,
such as shewn in Figures IX and IX bis.
The rollers R may be made of one or several rings or cylinders, either endless
or formed in two pieces divided parallel to their axes or at an inclination thereto
(see Figure IX).
Each assemblage of pivots D, rollers R and distance pieces L constitutes an
element of our bearing.
The axle-box A (Figures I to IV) is, according to constructional requirements
of the stock, provided with heel-pieces T fitting around the arms of the axle-guard.
This box may be made of one or several pieces or may even consist solely of the
top part, which rests upon the muff M that encloses the rollers R together with
their accessories. Contact between the box A and the muff M only occurs at a
portion of the cylindrical surface c d corresponding to an arc less than the semi-
circumference.
The rollers R, with their pivots D and distance pieces L, are held in place by
the muff M, which terminates on the one hand, in a cover or end P, secured to
or made in one piece with the said muff and, on the other hand, in a ring N.
These three pieces M, P, N, form a complete device, the length of which corre-

page_text: sponds to the inner dimension of the box, so as to be in permanent contact with the
projecting surfaces s and n of the said axle box, as shown in Figures III and IV.
These three pieces, the muff M, the end cover P, and the back-ring N, admit
however of being assembled to form the axle box itself. This would be the case
when applying our invention to fixed axles with movable wheels. If desired we
may substitute for the cover P a ring similar to the ring N.
The cover P and the ring N fitted to the muff M present rounded portions
upon their inner surfaces, with which the heads F of the pivots D come in contact
when the axle undergoes a swaying or side-rolling movement, or when the vehicle
traverses a curve.
In order to ensure the proper lubrication of the rollers and their accessories,
several holes are provided in the muff M, enabling the lubricant contained in
the lower space of the box to pass through.
Figure I shews that the whole vertical stress (p) is transmitted to the axle by
the device of the muff M and rollers R, and can consequently not give rise to any
sliding friction; in like manner the horizontal stress exerted parallel to the axle
(for example p¹) is transmitted to the flange or shoulder k¹ of the axle by the
arrangement of the abutment n of the box, the internally rounded portion of
the ring N, and the pivot D. As the rounded portion 7 touches the head F of the
pivot D above the axis of the latter, whilst the Hange touches the head F" below
this axis, the pivot D acquires a rotary motion in the same direction as that of
the roller R. Thus, in a manner similar to that occurring in regard to the vertical
stresses, the horizontal stresses exerted parallel to the axle are taken up by pieces
which roll upon one another.
By means of the pivots and by leaving a slight play between the pieces, any
pressure and consequently any friction upon the surfaces at V, W, V₁, W¹, is
avoided.
In all other systems, the contact between these surfaces constitute so many
multipliers of the sliding friction produced by the stresses exerted parallel to the
axle. It is the avoidance of this disadvantage that enables us to employ, instead
of tubular rollers R, a series of divided rings R¹ or R" (Figure IX).
As the contact between the box A. and the muff M is, in our bearing, reduced
to the length of the arc ed, it follows that the box can be raised relatively to the
xle when the latter is subjected to sudden horizontal force or action in the direc-
tion of progression. Under such force, the box can, in fact, owing to the
clearance or play (J) upon the remaining portion of the periphery of the muff M,
rise on one or the other of the edges c, d.
It follows from the preceding that our bearing device allows of the axle-journals
retaining their actual forms and dimensions.
Although the specification refers to the special object of utilizing our bearings
in connection with railway and tramway vehicles, these bearings are equally appli-
cable to all kinds of bearings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
-
1. The combined roller and pivot-bearing, substantially as described, for pre-
venting sliding friction as regards stresses exerted perpendicularly to the axle
as well as stresses exerted parallel thereto.
2. The employment in roller bearings of pivots D so arranged relatively to the
abutments of the box and to the internally rounded portions of the axle-journal,
that the stresses, exerted parallel to the axle journal, cause these pivots to turn
in the same direction as the rollers.
3. The combination with the pivot D, of rollers formed by a series of endless
or divided rings, substantially as described, and which by reason of this pivot,
do not sustain any frictional pressure between themselves.
4. The employment of inserted pieces, either open or closed, separate or combined

page_text: with each other, substantially as described, and serving to so separate the pivots
as to prevent the rollers from touching each other.
5. The use of an enclosing muff having but a partial contact with the box so
as to enable the latter to rise relatively to the axle under the action of any sudden
stress, substantially as described.
6. The combination with the muff of a back-ring and of an end cover, the said
ring and cover forming internally rounded contact surfaces for the heads of the
pivots D, the end cover being adapted to be replaced by a ring analogous to the
back-ring; and these three pieces, the muff, cover and ring admitting of being
employed as the axle box itself, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of February 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.