IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE OR GREASE BOXES AND FITTINGS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER AXLES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, TRAMCARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hooley, of No. 68, High Street, Macclesfield, in
the County of Chester, Coal Merchant, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE OR GREASE BOXES AND FITTINGS OF
RAILWAY AND OTHER AXLES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, TRAMCARS, AND
OTHER VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hooley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1881.
JAMES HOOLEY, of No. 68, High Street, Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Coal Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE OR GREASE
BOXES AND FITTINGS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER AXLES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING
STOCK, TRAMCARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
This Invention consists of improvements in the construction of axle or grease
boxes for railway goods waggons, railway passenger, rolling stock, tramcars, or
other vehicles to which such type of axle or grease box is applicable; also for the
brasses for the same and for the shoe caps or bearings for carrying the springs
riding on such axle or grease boxes for the purpose of easing or relieving the riding
of such springs on the said axle or grease boxes; also for the lids or covers on
the top and bottom or such axle or grease boxes so as to exclude rain, dust,
or dirt.
The object of my Invention is to enable the construction of such axle or grease
box by dividing them into two parts for the ready and easy access to the interior
of the axle or grease boxes, and for the cleansing, removal, insertion, or otherwise
dealing with the bearing brasses of such axle or grease boxes, as also with the
journals of the axle running in such boxes, and for the cleaning of the interior of
such axle or grease boxes. For the improved form of construction of the interior
of such boxes and bearing brasses for the same, whereby the lubrication of the
journals running in such boxes is much better and more economically performed
than heretofore, and by such improved form or construction of such axle boxes
and bearing brasses, the examination of the interior of such axle or grease boxes,"

page_text: -
the cleansing, repairing, removal, insertion, or renewal of such axle boxes, bearing
brasses may be made without lifting or otherwise hoisting or raising such waggons,
railway passenger rolling stock, tram cars, or other carriages, thereby greatly
facilitating the repair of such waggons and carriages. For this purpose I divide the
said axle or grease boxes into 2 parts immediately under the floor or division
constituting the grease chamber; the upper part of said boxes, called the grease
chamber, I continue down the sides of the lower part of such boxes, and on such
continuation I make projections, grooves, corrugations, or other convenient means
to couple it to the lower part of such boxes, on which I provide suitable similar
projections, grooves, corrugations, or other convenient means by which to slide the
said top or grease chambers on the lower part of said boxes, thereby making such
said parts of boxes one rigid whole and air tight axle or grease box. The floor of
such axle or grease box chamber I make with slots or grooves for the passage of
grease to the bearing brasses, which bearing brasses I also make with slots or
grooves of suitable dimensions for lubrication, instead of round holes for the like
purpose, as has heretofore been done, and such brasses are secured in position in
such axle or grease boxes by grooves in or on the back of such brasses, and by
pins, screw bolts, or other convenient manner, such pins, screw bolts, or other
appliances being passed through from side to side in such part of the corrugation,
dove tailing grooves, or other convenient manner of coupling the several parts of
such axle boxes, which said pins, screw bolts, or other appliances also pass through
or over the grooves in or on the back of the said brasses, thereby preventing the
moving or shifting of the said brasses in position in the axle boxes and on the
journal of the axle running in such axle boxes; and such pins, screw bolts, or other
appliances also secure the connections of the said two parts of such axle boxes
where corrugated, dovetailed, or otherwise joined together; and I also make the
lids or caps fitting on top and bottom of such axle boxes in such form by grooves,
beads, and any other convenient manner as to exclude rain, dust, or dirt, which lids
or caps are secured to the said axle boxes by hinges, pins, hooks, screw bolts, slides,
or other convenient manner, so that such lids or caps can be easily and quickly
removed; and I also so form the shoe cap or bearing or spring carriage in such
new manner as to enable it to be readily removed, repaired, or renewed, and at
same time to ease the riding or action of the spring in such shoe cap or spring
carriage, as also on the top or bearing of the axle or grease boxes, so as to prevent
the frequent breaking of such shoe caps, as is the case with those made in the
present form.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Hooley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th February 1882.
JAMES HOOLEY, of No. 68, High Street, Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Coal Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AXLE OR GREASE
BOXES AND FITTINGS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER AXLES FOR RAILWAY ROLLING
STOCK, TRAM-CARS, AND OTHER VEHICLES."
This Invention relates to the construction of two-part axle or grease boxes,
especially adapted for railway goods waggons, railway passenger rolling stock,
tram-cars, and other vehicles to which such type of axle or grease box is applicable;
and has for its object to provide means for obtaining ready access to the interior of
the box, to exclude rain and dust, and to construct and connect the two parts
together in a novel and effective manner, as herein after described; and relates also
to the brasses and the shoe-caps or bearings for carrying the springs riding on
such axle or grease boxes for the purpose of easing or relieving the riding of such
springs thereupon; also to the lids or covers on the top and bottom of such axle or
grease boxes.
These improvements are carried out by dividing the axle box into two parts, one
part of which can be readily removed from the remainder in order to obtain access
to the interior without removing the carriage from the rails, or lifting, hoisting, or
raising the same. When thus opened the box may be cleansed or examined, and
the bearing brasses adjusted or renewed, whereby repairs, &c., are greatly facilitated.
The moveable part of the axle box is made to slide upon the fixed part thereof by
means of suitable tongues and grooves, and when pushed "home" it is held in its
place by means of one or more pins or screws, which not only perform this service,
but also keep the brass or brasses in its or their places. When the upper part of
the box is in its place the whole box forms one rigid air and dust tight axle or
grease box divided by a horizontal partition into two parts; this partition has
therein a slot to allow the grease to enter the lower chamber, and the axle brass is
immediately under this slot, and a corresponding slot is made in the brass bearing
in order to give the grease free access to the axle.
The bottom plate of the lower chamber is made removable by means of pins or
screws, which are easily accessible.
The upper outside portion of the moveable chamber has a grooved diagonal door
for inserting the grease, the groove excluding rain and dirt, such grooved door
being an improvement on the usual form.
The shoe cap, bearing, or spring carriage I so construct that the same may be
readily removed, repaired, or renewed, and at the same time to ease the riding or
action of the spring therein, and to prevent the frequent breaking of such
shoe caps.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood, reference
is herein made to the accompanying Drawings, in which similar letters refer to
similar parts in the several Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the grease box complete. a is the groove or slide into
which the axle guard fits; b is the lower or fixed chamber; and c is the upper or
moveable chamber; d is the lid thereto.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the box with the upper portion c removed; this is
effected by first removing the pin g¹, when the part c can be drawn or slid off and
removed. The two sides of care carried down on each side of b, and there are
two tongues h, h, cast upon b, as shewn, which fit into grooves in c, as shewn in
Fig. 5, at h¹, h'.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a top view of the box, a, a, being the axle guard grooves, and i, i, the
recess in which the strap of the spring rests; x is the axle in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,
' and 6.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 2, y being the journal of the axle; k, k, the
brass or bearing (in section); 1, the slot through which the oil or grease runs to
the journal y;, the slot through the floor of c; ¹ is also shewn in Fig. 5, which
is a sectional elevation of c (Fig. 1), and which is removed in Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inside end of the box nearest to the wheel, and
Fig. 7 is an elevation of its outer end..
Fig 8 is a plan of my improved shoe cap arrangement, and Fig. 9 is a longi-
tudinal section of the same. It will be seen that I connect two caps by a strip of
metal, thereby making them in one piece; the screw holes for attaching the caps
to the wagon are outside the caps, as shewn, thereby enabling the caps to be
removed without first taking off the spring.
Having now.described the nature and object of my said Invention, and the
means whereby it is to be carried out, I wish it to be understood that what I claim
and desire to be secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1. The manner of constructing axle or grease boxes in two parts for railway
rolling stock, tram-cars, and other vehicles, comprising the parts b and c detachably
connected together by a tongue and groove connection, and provided with passages
for the grease, substantially as herein before described and shewn on the Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
2. The novel arrangement and combination of parts together respectively forming
my improvements in the construction of axle or grease boxes and fittings of railway
and other axles for railway rolling stock, tram-cars, and other vehicles, substantially
as herein before described and shewn on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hooley, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TARG TTAAT