AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE AXLES AND PARTS WHICH FORM THE BEARINGS AT THE CENTRES OF WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES WHICH ARE TO TRAVEL UPON EDGE RAILWAYS
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
STEPHENSON, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Ilis present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by Ilis Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eleventh day of March, in the first year of His reign, did,
for Himself, and His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Stephenson, IIis especial licence, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Robert Stephenson, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Stephenson, my exors, adñiors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with (and no others), from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE AXLES AND
PARTS WHICH FORM THE BEARINGS AT THE CENTRES OF WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES
WHICH ARE TO TRAVEL UPON EDGE RAILWAYS;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso, that I, the said Robert Stephenson, shall cause a par-
ticular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within four calender months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference
being thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Stephenson, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and tho manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained as follows:-
My improvement in the axles and parts, which form the bearings at the
centres of the wheels for carriages which are to travel upon edge railways,
consists in fixing two of the said carriage wheels fast upon the extreme ends
of a long hollow or tubular axis, within which a solid central axis is inserted
extending through all the length of the hollow, and projecting out sufficiently
beyond each of the hollow axis to enable the weight of the carriage to be
supported upon the projecting ends of the solid central axis, around which the
hollow axis turns, together with the two wheels which are both fastened (as
aforesaid) upon the ends of the hollow axis.
In the carriages now used upon the Manchester and Liverpool Railway, cach
pair of wheels are fixed fast on the two opposite ends of a long solid axis
which revolves with the wheels, and the two extremities of the solid axis which
project out through the centres of the wheels are formed into pivots or
gudgeons, and are received in suitable sockets whereon the weight of the
carriage is borne by the hollows or concavities of those sockets pressing down-
wards on the pivots. In travelling with great rapidity the said pivots require
a copious supply of oil, much of which is wasted, because the hollows or con-
cavities of the sockets (which do not revolve) are inverted, in order that they
may bear downwards upon the upper parts of the circumferences of the revolv-
ing pivots of the axis; consequently the oil has a tendency to run down and
escape from the places of bearing where it was wanted. According to my im-
provement it is the central axis which does not revolve, and it is the lower
parts of the circumference thereof which apply and bear downwards within
the hollows or concavities of the hollow axis, which does revolve around that
central axis; consequently the oil has a tendency to run down into the places
of bearing where it is wanted, the action thereof being (in that respect) the
same as in the axles and boxes of common coach wheels, wherein the axle does
not turn round, but the box in the centre of the wheel turns round about the
axle. For travelling on edge railways, the wheels on the opposite sides of the
carriage require to be firmly united, so that they will turn round together in
pairs, in order to prevent one wheel from advancing either faster or slower
along one rail than the other wheel advances along the other rail. On the
common plan of coach axles and boxes, the wheels of each pair being quite
independent one of another, one wheel can turn round without the other

page_text: wheel, and hence such axles and boxes are unsuitable for the wheels of
carriages which are to travel upon edge railways, and hence the mode above
stated has been introduced, vidilicet, that of fixing each pair of wheels upon
a solid axis, which turns round with them and compels them both to go
together. According to my improvement of fixing, the two wheels upon the
extreme ends of a long hollow or tubular axis, as aforesaid, the pair of
wheels are firmly united together, so that one wheel cannot advance more along
one edge-rail than the other wheel does along the other rail, and that circum-
stances (which is an important, condition for travelling with' safety and rapidity
on edge railways) is combined with the advantage of the ordinary coach wheel
axles in respect to their supply of oil, vidilicet, that the bearing of the solid
axis, which does not turn round, presses downwards into the hollows or con-
cavities of the hollow sockets, which turn round with the wheels giving the oil
a tendency to insinuate itself between the bearing surfaces. The Drawing here-
unto annexed represents so much of a carriage which is to travel upon an edge
railway as is necessary to explain my improvement. Figure 1 is lateral elevation
of a four wheeled carriage, suitable for conveying goods on an edge railway,
shewing the two wheels A, B, which follow each other along the same rail D of
the railway; Figure 2 is a transverse section answering to Figure 1, and shewing
one of the pairs of wheels A, C, which are at the opposite sides of the carriage,
one running on one rail D, and the other on the other rail E. The pair of
wheels must be united together, as before mentioned, and that is done by means
of the long hollow or tubular axis 1, 1; the two ends of which are inserted and
firmly fastened into the central holes of the two wheels A, C, so as to keep them
at the proper distance apart to suit the space between the rails D, E, and to
keep them firmly vertical when they turn round. One of the wheels A is
represented in section as if it were cut through the centre: by a vertical plane
to expose the interior parts, and 'that section is repeated on a larger scale in
Figure 3, to explain the structure of the parts; 2, 2, is the central solid axis
which passes through the interior of the long hollow axis 1, 1, but which cen-
tral axis does not turn round. It is enlarged a little at the parts which form
the cylindrical bearings 3, 3, which are contained within each of the ends of
the hollow axis 2, 2, where the wheels A, C, are fixed on the outside thereof.
The middle part of the solid axis being rather smaller in diameter than the
cylindrical bearing parts 3, 3, a space is left vacant all round the solid axis
(within the hollow axis) to contain a stock of oil; when that stock requires to
be renewed, a supply of fresh oil is poured into the vacant space through two
holes at 4, 4, which are then stopped very tight by screw plugs. When the

page_text: carriage is in use, the oil makes its way from the middle part of the hollow
axis towards each end thereof where the bearings arc, and thereby the bearing
surfaces are kept constantly supplied with oil. The ends of the central axis,
which project out beyond the ends of the hollow axis, are also smaller in
diameter than the cylindrical bearing parts 3, 3, as is shewn at 5 (Figure 3).
The weight of the carriage is supported upon those projecting ends 5, each of
which is for that purpose received in a socket F, F, made in two halves
screwed together, as shewn in Figure 4, and in Figure 2, by four small bolts
e, e, and also by the two staple bolts g, g, which fasten the springs G down
across the upper flat side of the socket F, and the pressure of all those screws
binding the two halves of the said socket F firmly together, around the end 5
of the solid axis, fastens the socket to the axis. The outer end of the socket
Fis fitted into a vertical groove, formed in the space between the two prongs
a, a, of a forked plate of iron which is screwed to the horizontal side rail H
of the carriage, as shewn in Figure 1, and projects downwards therefrom.
The ends of the springs G apply to the underside of the side rails II, and bear
.the weight of the carriage, the middle parts of the springs being borne upon the
socket F, to which they are fastened, as before stated, and when the springs
bend (by the jolting motion of the carriage in passing over the joinings of the
rails or other uneven places), the sockets F rise and fall in their vertical
grooves a, a. To confine the hollow axis with the wheels from having any un-
necessary end play on the solid axis, circular plates or rings of metal arc
fastened one against each end of the hollow axis, being bolted fast to the flat
surfaces of central bosses or naves I of the wheels, and those rings having
small circular projections which enter a little way into the ends of the hollow
axis (as shown at 6, Figure 3), those projections apply to the shoulders, which
are formed on the solid axis by the enlargements 3, 3, which form the cylin
drical bearings thereof. The central hole through each of the rings 6 is only
just so much larger than the end 5 of the solid axis as to allow of a free turn
ing motion, but the central projection, which enters into the end of the hollow
axis, is fitted very tight therein; a large washer of leather is interposed
between the flat surface of the ring 6, and the corresponding flat surface of the
central boss or nave 1 of the wheel, and the ring 6 is bound fast thereto by
screw bolts 7, 7, which pass through the boss I of the wheel, having thei
heads countersunk into the ring 6, and having nuts screwed on their opposite
ends which project through the boss of the wheel. The ring 6, with the
leather washer, prevents any oil getting out, except that which makes its way
between the central hole of the ring 6, and the end of 5 of the axis, and i

page_text: order that the oil which so makes its way may not drip away or run down the
arms of the wheel and get to the rails or be lost, a hollow oil box f, f, is pro-
vided to receive and save the oil which escapes. The said box is cast in the
same two pieces with the socket F, before described as being in two halves;
when they are put together the oil box f, f, clasps around the outer end of the
nave I of the wheel, and the circular rim X of the ring 6 projects beyond the
flat surface of the nave I, against which it is fastened by the bolts, as aforesaid,
and the part a so projecting being opposite to the flat face of one of the circular
hoops i (by which the navo is bound and strengthened) forms a circular groove
around the circumference of the nave I, into which groove a corresponding in-
terior rim m, m, of the oil box projects and interlocks in the manner shown in
the section; and without touching at any part, the interlocking prevents the
escape of oil or the entrance of dust into the oil box, but all the oil which makes
its way out of the hollow axis will be caught in the oil box, from whence
it may be drawn off through a suitable plug hole or tap cock at the bottom of
the oil box. When a quantity has accumulated therein the form of the oil
box ff, is fully explained by Figures 2, 3, and 4. The solid axis 2, 2, is
made of wrought iron, of competent strength, to bear the load that the carriage
is to convey.
The dimensions represented in the Drawing are adapted for a carriage
of four tons weight when loaded (being one ton bearing upon each wheel.
Figures 1 and 2 are drawn to a scale of one-eighth of the real size; and
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are one-half of the real size. The carriage is repre-
sented with wheels three feet diameter, made of cast-iron in one piece and
surrounded with wrought-iron tires to run upon the rails; also with wrought-
iron hoops surrounding the projecting ends of the nave to prevent splitting.
The wrought-iron tires and hoops are applied in the usual manner when hot,
that they may shrink on the cast iron in cooling, and bind the same very tight;
the outsides of the tires are turned true, and the central holes through the
naves are bored truly cylindrical. The ends of the hollow axis are turned
true on the outsides to fit tight into the centre holes through the wheels, and
when inserted they are secured by driving in a key, which is fitted into a hole
previously cut in the joint, so that one half of the thickness of the key lodges
in the cast-iron nave, and the other half in the wrought-iron hollow axis, see
W, Figure 5. The extreme ends of the hollow axis conform with the flat
surfaces of the naves of the wheels, in order that the flat surfaces of the rings 6
with their leather washers may apply to both. The hollow axis is made of
wrought iron, welded in the manner of gun barrels; an extra thickness is

page_text: -given-at-each-end-where it is to be fitted into the wheels. The inside of the
hollow is bored out truly cylindrical at each end, where the bearing parts 3, 3,
of the solid axis are to fit into it; those parts are turned truly cylindrical;
and may be case-hardened, as well as the interior of the hollow axis at the
bearing parts, and also the projecting central parts of the rings 6. Note.-
Those projecting parts enter so far into the hollow axle as to leave very
small vacant spaces between them and the shoulders of the central axis, and to
allow about a quarter of an inch end play to the wheels along the solid axis:
Many of the parts herein-before described admit of being differently con-
structed without any departure from my Invention. Wheels, of wood, with
cast-iron naves may be substituted for those represented in the Drawing. The
hollow axis may be made of cast iron, if a suitable increase of metal is given
to make up the same strength. The ends where the bearing parts of the
solid axis are to fit into the ends of the hollow axis may be lined with brass,
or with bell-metal inserted and fixed in. The ends of the solid axis may be
fitted into its sockets F, so as to be at liberty to turn freely round therein,
instead of being held fast, as before described; the use of that will be that
the axle may turn round with the wheels in case it has been neglected to give
a due supply of oil to the hollow axis before setting out on a journey, and that
in consequence the fitting parts thereof become burned together during a
journey. A narrow groove may be cut in the cylindrical surface of each of
the bearing parts of the solid axis, winding spirally round the same in order
to assist in conveying the oil to all parts of the length of the bearing.
.
Having now described my said Invention, I do hereby declare that what I
claim as my improvement in the axles and parts which form the bearings at
the centres of wheels for carriages which are to-travel upon edge railways is
the combination, herein-before described, of those parts which are marked in
tho Drawing with numeral characters for reference in the foregoing descrip-
tion, that combination being made for the purpose of causing the bearings of
the solid axis (which does not turn round) to press downwards into the con
cavities of the hollow axis, which does turn round with the wheels, and which
hollow axis connects the two wheels together, so that one cannot turn round
without the other. And I make no claim to the said improvement except
in its application to carriages which are to travel upon edge railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Stephenson, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.
ROBERT (L.S.) STEPHENSON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eleventh day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1831, the aforesaid Robert Stephenson came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-one.