300 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[OcTOBEB, 



RAILWAY WHEELS. 



M^Li.iAM Edwakd Newton, of Chancery-lane, iMiddlesex, civil 

 enffiiieer, for "a certain inipmvement or bnproveiuents in the constrnc- 

 tiuii nf v^lieelx." (A cumniunication.) — Granted January 11; En- 

 rolled July II, 1819. 



This invention of improvements in the construction of wheels re- 

 lates to a new or imiiro\ed method of constructing railroad-wheels, 

 applicahle to locomotive engines, tenders, and the truck-wheels of 

 railroad cars, and for other purposes; and consists in constructing 

 the wlieel of three ])rincipal pieces — namely, the nave, the central 

 part (which consists of plates of iron of a dislied shape), and the 

 rim; these three parts are connected and secured together in a pe- 

 culiar manner, so as to form a strong, and at the same time, cheap 

 wheel. 



Fig. 1 shows the improved wheel in a side elevation; fig. 2 is a 

 transverse section of the same, talcen in the line x, x, fig. 1, show- 

 ing the mode of holding the several ]iarts together hy small screw- 

 holts near the axle; and fig. 3 is a cross-section in the same line, 

 showing another mode of holding and forcing the central plates 

 together, so as to tighten contact with the rim — in this case the 

 object is effected by a collar and screw u])on the axle, and a differ- 

 ent mode of attaching the plates to the rim by small bolts or rivets 

 near the rim. Fig. 4 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, show- 

 ing the attachment of the side-plates to tlie rim, by the dovetail- 

 mode; and figs. 5, and 0, are side and edge views of a cast-iron 

 )iiece, to thicken and support the eye of tlie plates when made of 

 sheet-metal. 



Fi^. 1. 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. A. 



Fig. 5. 



Fig. 6. 



The two circular side-plates, which act as the spokes of the 

 wheel, are made with plain surfaces, or corrugated in concentric or 

 radiating lines; and, whether plain or corrugated, have a convexity 

 outward, so that they may be forced against the rim, which will 

 embrace their exterior edges or periplieries. The best mode of 

 attaching these side-plates to the rim is to turn a groove, com- 

 mencing at the inner side and edge of the rim, cutting the same 

 outwards towards its largest circumference in deptli; the thickness 

 of the plate forming a seat for the same to rest upon, and ter- 

 minating the groove, in its outward direction, with the largest 

 diameter of cut inside, and the lesser outside, in the form of a 

 dove-tail. The edges of the plates are then turned and fitted to 

 correspond, excepting that the diameter of the plates is greater by 

 about -^ of an inch than the groove which has been turned in the 

 rim. The rim is then sufficiently expanded by heat to admit of 

 tlie greater diameter of the plates entering into the groove pre- 

 pared for them in the rim; and, on the rim cooling, it will be 

 made to shrink itself upon the edges of the plates. The side- 

 plates are further secured in their places by screw-bolts near the 

 axle; which bolts are intended to compress and draw together the 

 convex parts of the plates at or near their centres, by which their 

 peripheries are forced to expand until they come into close contact 

 and form a tight joint with the rim. By means also of these bolts 

 or screws the plates may be tightened upon tlie rim at any subse- 

 quent pei'iod, when, from use or wear, their contact becomes im- 

 paired, or they become loose in the groove. The inventor prefers 

 to construct this wheel of wrought-iron, with the exception of tlie 

 cast-iron pieces represented at figs. 5, and 6. The rim may, how- 

 ever, be of cast-iron (in which case its thickness sliould be con- 



siderably increased), either with or without a chilled running sur- 

 face; or it may be made of wrought-iron, plated with steel, or 

 made wholly of steel; and the side-plates may be of cast-iron, or 

 other metal, or composition of metal. 



In the drawings, a represents the rim-piece; B, are the side- 

 plates; c, is the axle; D, are cast-iron pieces, to support the plate 

 at the eye, when the same is made of sheet-iron, which pieces are 

 firmly riveted to the plates. To make a wheel wholly of wrought- 

 iron, the rim a, is rolled into proper shaped bars, in any convenient 

 manner in common use, and is made 5 inches wide by 1 inch thick, 

 with a flange raised Ig-inch higher than the bar at one side; it is 

 then bent into a circle and welded, and is heated and placed upon 

 a suitable mandril, and made perfectly round; after which, it is 

 chucked in a lathe, and the male part of the dovetail groove, as 

 seen at a, a, fig. !•, is formed at each inner side and corner. The 

 side-plates u, are made from plate or sheet-iron, of ^ of an inch 

 thick, a little more or less. They ai-e first cut into a circle, and 

 afterwards swaged, and made convex with a suitable press and 

 swaging dies; or the press and dies may be constructed in such a 

 manner as to cut the circle outside the eye at the centre and raise 

 the convexity at the same operation.. The plate is then chucked 

 in a lathe, and the edge turned tapering and outwardly towards 

 the convex side, to form the female part of the dovetail joint, 

 when the plates and rim are put together. The largest diameter 

 of the tapering edge of the jilate is made from g to -^ of an inch 

 larger than the smallest inside circumference of the groove. The 

 cast piece (figs. 5, and 6), is then drilled and tap-screwed, and 

 well riveted upon the concave side of the plate, when the principal 

 parts of the wheel are ready for putting together. The rim is 

 then heated, and allowed to shrink itself upon the edges of the 

 plates, which by this means are held in the dovetailed grooves 

 formed in the rim, — the convex sides of the plates being outwards: 

 four tap-bolts e, c, made of g round iron, are screwed into and hold 

 the centre of the plates together, and serve to compress the con- 

 vexity of the plates, expanding their peripheries in such a manner 

 as to tighten up contact at their edges upon the rim, if from any 

 cause they shall at any time afterwards get loose. The above is 

 the best mode; — these side-plates a, may however be joined to the 

 rim by turning their edges square and sinking a recess the depth 

 of the thickness of the plate at the inner side and eilge of the 

 rim, to fit and correspond with the edges of the plates; when, with- 

 out expanding the rim, the plates are placed therein, and secured 

 by screw-bolts or rivets, as shown at ft, 6. The centres of these 

 side-plates may be held and forced inwards towards each other by 

 means of a collar e, and screw-nuts rf, d. on the axle. 



The patentee claims the forming of a wheel of three principal 

 parts — a rim-piece a, and nave, with two side-plates b, b, made 

 with plain or corrugated surfaces, and formed more or less convex 

 outwardly; the whole constructed, put together, fastened, and 

 having tightening-screws, as described; and this he claims, whe- 

 ther these principal parts are put together by means of dovetailing 

 the side-plates into the rim-piece, as shown at a, a, a, (figs. 2, and 

 4), or whether they are attached by means of screw-bolts or rivets 

 passing through the plates near the rim, as shown at 6, 6, (fig. 3), 

 or whether the plates are tightened upon the rim by means of 

 screw-bolts placed near the axle, as shown at c, c, c, (figs. 2, and 

 6), or by a screw-nut and collar upon the axle, as shown at rf, </, 

 and f, (fig. 3), or whether by any other analogous means by which 

 the outward convexity of the plates may be forced inwards or 

 towards eacli other at or near their centres, thereby causing their 

 peripheries to expand and come into full contact with the rim. 



SCREW PROPELLERS. 



Wakefield Pim, of Kingston-upon-Hull, engine and boiler- 

 maker and builder of iron steam-ships, for ^Hmpriwements in pro- 

 pcMing ships or vessels." — Granted January 25; Enrolled July 25, 

 1849. 



The improvements relate to the propulsion of vessels by a screw 

 propeller, placed at the stem or fore part of the vessel, in addition 

 to, and in combination with, a propeller at the stern or hind part 

 of the vessel. The projiellers work in recesses formed to receive 

 them in the stem and in the dead wood of the vessel, and are fixed 

 upon the same shaft extending from one end of the vessel to the 

 other, parallel with the keel; or they may be fixed upon two dis- 

 tinct shafts, connected by gearing, so that both will rotate in the 

 same direction and act, the one to impel, and the other to draw 

 forwai'd, the vessel. 



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