US1581476A - Wheel and axle - Google Patents

Description

April 20,1926. 158L476 H. W-v SANFORD WHEEL AND AXLE Filed March 18, 1925 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 April 20 1926. 1,581,476

H. w. SANFORD WHEEL AND AXLE- Filed March 18, 1925" 3 SheetsQ-Sheet 2 A ril 20, 1926. 1 1,581,476

H. W. SANFORD WHEEL AND AXLE Filed March 18, 1925 V 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HUGH W. SANFORD, 0F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

WHEEL AND AXLE,

Application filed March 18, 1925. Serial No. 16,489.

This invention relates particularly to such wheels and axles as are-used on mine cars and similar railway cars; but it Wlll be seen that this improvement may be otherwise applied. The object of the invention is to provide improved means for mounting the wheel on the axle and securing the wheel to the axle and to make provision for lubricating the axle and the parts bearing thereon.

In the form shown by the drawings, all the means for holding the wheel against endwise movement on the axle, in either direction, are applied at the end of the axle,

means for making engagementbetween the axle and the inner end of the hub being absent;

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the outer face of a wheel to which my improvement is applied;

Fig. 2 is an upright section on the line, 2-2, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line, 3, 4.3, 4: of Fig. 2, looking toward the left;

Fig. 4 is .a section on the line, 3, 43, 4, of Fig. 2, looking toward the right;

Fig. 5 is a sectionon the line, 5-5, of Fig. 2, looking toward the left;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the hemispherical axle cap which surrounds the end.

of the axle; v

Fig. 7 is a plan of the axle cap shown by Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line, 8.-8, of

r Fig. 2, looking toward the right, and showing the application of the hub cap to the hub I Fig. 9 is an upright section onthe line, 9-9, of Fig. 2, looking toward the right.

Referring to said drawings, A is an axle of ordinary :form and having at its outer end a transverse aperture, A to receive a cotter or key, A This cotter or key also extends through the apertures, B of an axle cap, B, which surrounds the end .of

' the axle and has the apertures, B in alignment with the axle aperture, A This axle cap is hemispherical and has a fiat'inner face, B which .bears against a washer, C, which surrounds the axle and is of larger diameter than the diameter of the face, B

of the axle caplarge enough to bear against the adjacent face, D of the hub, D of the wheel, D. Within the hub, D isthe tubular shell or lining, E. Between said lining and the axle are anti-friction rollers, F. In two transverse planes (one is along the line, 99, Fig. 2) the rollers have circumferential grooves, F Surrounding the axle at each set of grooves a metal ring, F lying in the adjacent grooves.

These rings serve to keep the rollers, F, in position in the hub when the wheel has been withdrawn from the axle. In the absence of these rings, or one such ring, the rollers would fall out of place when the wheel has been removed from the axle. The rollers and the rings are to be put into position in the :hub while the wheel is free from the axle. The face, D of the hub, D is in a plane to which the hub axis is perpendicular, and said face is ring-form and concentric tothe hub axis, and it extends radially outward 'to make a seat forthe outer part of the inner face of the hub cap, G.

In the form show in Fig. 1 .of the drawings, a point in the intersection of the hub axis and the plane of the outer face of the washer, C, is taken as the center for drawing the line representing the curved face of the axlecap. Then a point in-the axialline of the hub and the plane of the inner face of the washer, D, is taken as-a center for drawing the lines representing the curved part of the hub cap, G. The distance from said center on said axial line to the outer face of the axle cap is taken as the radius for the inner face of the hub cap. When that line has been drawn, the radius is extended through a distance equaling the thickness of the hub cap, and then a line representing the outer face of said cap is drawn. In'theform shown by the drawings, those. concentric lines are drawn to points in ,a line, G coinciding with a radius placed 60 degrees from ithe line representing thefhub axis. .From those-6Q degree points,

straight lines are extended perpendicular to the radial line, G in which those points are located. The inner of these straight lines extends along the face, D of the hub, D and across the outer edge of the washer, C, without making contact with that washer.

At several places, cap screws, G extend through the outer part of the hub cap into the part of the hub, D on which is the hub face, D A nut lock member, G is placed between the cap screw head and the outer face of the hub cap to prevent the turning of said cap after it has been driven inward as far as it is to go. Between the hub face, D and the adjacent part of the inner face of the hub cap, Gr, may be placed any suitable packing, G To facilitate the placing of this packing, the hub face, D may be provided with a groove or channel, G, into which the packing may extend.

In a position corresponding to the positions of the cap screws, G a tubular grease plug, H, of ordinary form extends through the hub cap, G, and the adjacent part of the hub, D to a channel. H formed 1n the inner face of the hub along a plane to which the hub axis is perpendicular. By means of this screw plug, lubricant maybe delivered into said channel. From that channel lubricant will pass through the slot, E formed in the shell or lining, E, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Thus the lubricant will reach the rollers, F. The lubricant may pass to the washer, C, through the spaces between the rollers and thence through ports, C into the space between the axle cap and the hub cap. In small quantity, the lubricant may also pass from the channel, H along the outer face of the lining, E, to the inner face of the washer, C, and between that face and the hub face, D into the space between the outer edge of the washer, C, and the hub cap. In small quantity, lubricant may also pass outward along the axle and through the washer, G, into the axle cap. The space within the hub cap which is not occupied by metal constitutes a lubricant reservoir.

Thus provision is made for delivering ample lubricant to the rollers, F, and to the washer, C, and the axle cap.

The washer, C, should rotate with the wheel hub, in order to avoid wearing on the hub and to compel wearing between the meeting faces of the washer and the axle cap. To compel rotation of the washer with the hub, any suitable means may be employed.

, The drawings (lower part of Fig. 2) show,

for this purpose, a lug, D, formed on the hub face, D and resting in a recess, C in the adjacent face of the washer, C.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that endwise wheel thrust, in either direction, is taken by the axle cap, B. When there is inward wheel thrust, the axle cap is pressed by the hub cap, G. When the wheel thrust is outward, the hub face, D presses the washer, C, against the inner flat face of the axle cap, B. hen there is rotation of the wheel under endwise pressure in either direction, the impact causes turning of the washer, C, on the axle cap or of the hub cap, G, on the axle cap. Only these two contacts are concerned with wearing during rotation of the wheel under endwise pressure. Hence the end of the wheel hub is not exposed to wear. If replacing on account of wear is needed, only the axle cap and the hub cap and the washer, C, are involved. If any one of these three members has become so much worn as to require replacing, that replacing involves only a small member. Thus replacing on. account of such wear is economical. But these three parts, the two caps and the washer, are made to resist wear. The axle cap has its outer faces chilled, and the hub cap, G, and the washer, C, are made of steel. Thus each pairof wearing faces consists of a face of steel and a chilled face, and such faces to a large extent resist wear. Hence these three members can be in service a long time before replacing is needed. In this connection, it is to be remembered that the hub cap seals well all the parts over which it extends, whereby external dust is excluded and a good lubricant reservoir is formed within the hub cap. Thus the major wearing surfaces are constantly in lubricant.

lVhile Fig. 2 of the drawings shows the parts so fitted as to bring the hub cap and the axle cap and the axle cap and the washer and the washer and the end of the hub in contact with each other, it is to be understood that allowance may be made for play between said parts. 7

It is also to be observed that the ordinary axle box housing is to be used to enclose the inner end of the hub, and that the ordinary annular shoulder or collar is to be placed on the axle to prevent endwise movement of the axle relative to the car body.

For removing the wheel from the axle, the hub cap is detached and the key, A withdrawn.

I claim as my invention,

1. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surround ing the end of the axle, a key extending through the axle and engaging the axle cap, and a hub cap extendingover the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

2. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surround ing the end of the axle, a key extending through the axle and engaging the axle cap, a washer surrounding the axle between the axle cap and the hub, and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

3. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle and having at its outer end an oblique annular face, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the. end of the axle, and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

4. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle and having at its outer end an oblique annular face, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a hub cap extending over the axle cap, and cap screws extending through the hub cap into the hub, substantially as described.

5. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a washer surrounding the axle between the axle cap and the hub, a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, and packing between the hub cap and the hub, substantially as described.

6. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a washer surrounding the axle between the axle cap and the hub and rotatable with the hub,,and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

'7. In a structure of the kind described,the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, the hub having an interior annular lubricant channel, and a lubricant delivmember communicating with said channel, substantially as described.

8. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, a slotted tubular shell within the hub, the hub having on its inner face an annular channel, and a lubricant delivery member communicating with said channel, substantially as described.

9. In a structure of the kind described,the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a washer placed between the axle cap and the hub and having lubricant ports, and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

10. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of'the axle, a washer placed between the axle cap and the hub and the washer and the hub being formed for inter-engagement, and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, substantially as described.

11. Ina structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, and a part of the meeting faces ofsaid members being chilled, substantially as described.

12. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surrounding the axle, of an axle cap surrounding and secured to the end of the axle, a hub cap extending over the axle cap and secured to the hub, and the face of the axle cap being chilled, substantially as described.

13. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle and a hub surroundingthe axle, of an axle cap surrounding the end of the axle, a key engaging the axle and the cap, and a hub cap extending over the axle cap and key, substantially as described.

14:. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle, of a hub-having at its outer end an oblique annular face,

a concave hub cap having an edge reaching over said face, and means along said edge for securing said cap to the hub, substantially as described.

15. In a structure of the kind described, the combination with an axle, of a hub having at its outer end an oblique annular face, a concave hub cap having an edge reaching over said face, means along said edge for securing said cap to the hub, and a grease plug in the part of the hub having the annular face, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name, this sixth day of March, in the year one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

HUGH W. SANFORD.

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