Improvements in Railway Axle-boxes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1891--Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Axle-boxes.
I, CECIL CLEMENT LONGRIDGE, of The Cottage, Conway, in the County of
Carnarvon, North Wales, Captain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows: :-
My invention relates to the construction of railway axle-boxes, and it has for its
object to enable fluid lubricants to be employed. For this it is necessary to provide
a means of preventing the escape of the lubricant at the aperture in the back of the
box and also to avoid undue wear at this point and frequent jamming which would
be liable to be caused by the sinking of the axle box consequent on the wear of the
brass bearing.
The aperture in the back of the box through which the axle passes, is fitted with
a stuffing-box and washer of asbestos or other suitable material, making a fluid tight
joint around the axle. In order to prevent sinking of the axle box and so render
this joint unaffected by the wear of the brass bearing, the latter is combined directly
with the spring seat and fitted in an aperture in the top of the box so as to be self-
adjusting for wear, independently of the axle box which consequently always
preserves the same relative position with regard to the axle, whilst the relative
positions of the brass and box become altered to the extent of the wear of the
former. The front or bottom of the axle box is provided with a cleaning aperture,
closed by a screw cap.
Dated this 12th day of April 1890
C. C. LONGRIDGE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Axle-boxes.
I, CECIL CLEMEnt Longridge, of The Cottage, Conway, in the County of
Carnarvon, North Wales, Captain, 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 :-
My invention relates to the construction of railway axle boxes; and it has
for its object to enable the axle journal to be kept immersed in a bath of fluid
lubricant.
For this it is necessary not only to provide a packing or equivalent means of
preventing the escape of the lubricant at the aperture in the back of the box but
also to prevent wear and consequent leakage at this point which would ensue were
the axle box allowed to sink by reason of the unavoidable wear of the journal and
its bearing.
For the purposes of my invention the aperture in the back of the box through
which the axle passes, is fitted with a stuffing-box and washer of anti-friction metal,
asbestos, or other suitable material making a fluid-tight joint around the axle; and
further, in order to prevent the sinking of the axle box, which usually occurs as the
journal and its bearing wear away, and so make the stuffing-box joint unaffected by
such wear, the brass bearing is combined directly with the carrying spring seat, the
spring seat and bearing being so rendered self-adjusting for wear independently of
the axle box which consequently always preserves the same relative position with
regard to the axle whilst the position of the spring seat and brass relatively to the
box become altered to the extent of the wear of the journal and brass.

page_text: This independent connection of the bearing with the spring seat may be effected
either by a prolongation of the bearing up to the spring or of the spring strap down
to the bearing or by an intermediate piece such prolongation or intermediate piece
passing through the top of the box or by the top of the box itself being made
independent of the sides.
In order to maintain the axle box in its proper horizontal position and prevent
Jamming between the horn plate guides, the box may be supported both at back and
front upon the axle ; at the back by the stuffing-box and at the front by a fixed or
adjustable bearing resting on the end of the axle journal.
The stuffing-box gland may either be external or internal of the axle box,
preferably the latter on account of the small available space between the axle
box and the wheel boss and would be provided with means of adjustment for the
purpose of keeping it tight, operative from the front or top of the axle-box and
passing through it, in the case of the internal gland.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal, and Figure 2 a cross-section, of an axle box, shewing
one mode of embodying my invention.
Figure 3 shews a modification of details.
Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of modifications, in which the whole top
of the box is independent of the sides.
Figure 6 shews a modified form of spring-adjustment for the stuffing-box gland.
Figures 7 and 8 are longitudinal and transverse sections of another means of
adjusting the stuffing-box gland.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal, and Figures 10 and 11 are cross-sections shewing a
modified adjustment for the stuffing-box and an adjustable front bearing for
supporting the box on the journal.
The same letters of reference indicate similarly acting parts in all the figures.
A is the axle journal, B the brass bearing, C the intermediate thrust rod passing
through an aperture in the top of the box and by which the downward pressure of
the carrying spring is transmitted directly to the bearing B. It is preferred that
the surfaces should be in the form of a spherical joint, as shewn, so as to permit
freedom of adjustment of the brass B to the journal A, and a similar form of joint
may be provided at the upper end of C which is, in fact, the spring seat, the spring
or its strap resting directly upon it.
D is an internal stuffing-box gland by which the packing is pressed tight around
the shoulder of the axle; d are oil grooves in the gland. In Figures 1 and 2 the
gland is kept tight by three (more or less) equidistant thrust springs E regulated
by screw plugs e in the front of the box. For convenience, the inner ends of the
springs may be screwed or otherwise fixed into the face of the ring D before being
placed in the box. Or the holes closed by the plugs e may be of sufficient diameter
to admit of the springs E being inserted through them, in which case the outer ends
of the springs would be received in long holes in the plugs e, as in Figure 3, and the
inner ends would he simply received in holes in the gland. In Figure 1 the front of
the box is formed with an internal semi-circular flange F, which may be brass lined,
adapted to rest on the end of the journal and support the box at the front. In
Figure 3, this bearing F is formed by a stud screwed into the front of the axle box
and entering a cavity in the end of the axle journal, whilst in Figures 9 and 10 the
bearing F is separate from the box and is adjustable for wear by a screw f. In
Figure 3 the front of the axle box is removable, instead of the top, for introducing
the bearing brass B. In Figure 4 the whole top of the box forms the spring seat;
it rests on the brass B and is free to slide up and down within the sides of the box.
Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 except that the spring seat and top has downwardly-
extending side pieces G embracing the sides of the box and provided with the ribs
forming grooves for the horn plates. The independent self adjustment of the spring
seat for wear of the brass is permitted by slotting the sides of the box or by recessing
the spring seat over the sides, as at g. In each of these cases a stuffing-box with

page_text: means of adjustment, as herein described, would be provided and a filling hole closed
by a screw-plug would be provided in the top of the box and a clearing hole in the
bottom.
Instead of spiral springs E, the Belleville form of dished washer spring may be
used as in Figure 6.
In Figures 7 and 8 the gland is tightened through the medium of a sleeve H
encircling the journal and pressed endwise by a spring E and a screw-cape closing
an aperture in the front of the axle box of sufficient diameter to admit the sleeve
through it. This sleeve has a longitudinal aperture in its upper side to admit the
bearing brass B. The sleeve also has numerous orifices h to admit free circulation
of the oil between it and the journal A. A key prevents the sleeve turning
with the journal, on the shoulders of which it fits, the inner end of the sleeve fitting
in the stuffing-box as a gland or a separate ring being interposed in which case the
bearing brass aperture may extend quite to the inner end of the sleeve to enable
the latter to be drawn out whilst the weight is on the bearing. This sleeve forms
the bearing of the axle box on the journal shoulders.
The packing, instead of being compressed endwise by a gland, may be encircled
by a divided hoop II drawn together by right and left screw-threaded bolts K
Screwing through lugs on the hoop, as in Figures 10 and 11, the packing and hoop
being contained between the back of the box and an inner false back L bolted in
the box. In the example the divided hoop is in halves and the abutting ends are
bevelled or
"halved" together so that the packing will be compressed circum-
ferentially all round. The upper half hoop might be a fixture on the back of the
box and the lower half only be operated by the screws. In either case springs
may be substituted for, or combined with, the screws in order to obtain the elastic
pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an axle box, the direct connection of the carrying spring seat with the
journal bearing so as to render them self-adjusting for wear of the journal and bearing
independently of the box, as specified.
2. In an axle box in which the aperture at back fits liquid-tight around the axle, the
direct connection of the carrying spring seat with the journal bearing so as to
render them self adjusting for wear of the journal and bearing independently of the
box, as specified.
3. In an axle box, the combination, with a stuffing box or other packing around
the aperture in the back of the box, of the carrying spring seat and journal bearing
self-adjusting for wear of the journal and bearing independently of the box,
substantially as specified.
4. In an axle box in which the carrying spring seat and journal bearing are self
adjusting for wear of the journal and bearing independently of the axle box as
specified, supporting the axle box at back upon the axle shoulder and at front upon
the end of the journal, as specified.
5. In an axle box having an internal stuffing-box and gland around the axle,
as described, the combination, with the gland, of the thrust springs, screws, and
adjuncts for keeping the gland tight, as and for the purpose specified.
C. C. LONGRIDGE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
C. C. LONGRIDGE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.