US408839A - Vehicle-axle - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. T. MILLER.

VEHICLE AXLE.

No. 408,839. Patented Aug. v18, 1889'.

N. PETERS. Pho L7- hognpher, Withinglon. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. MILLER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

VEHICLE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,839, dated-August 13, 1889.

Application filed May 19, 1888. fierial No. 274,852. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in axles, preferably for vehicles; and the objects of my invention are to provide and produce an axle possessing great strength and durability, one in which the bearing-surfaces of the spindle,wh en worn, may be replaced economically and quickly; one in which any depression of the spindles may be effectively compensated, and one bearing close resemblance to the commercial steelspindled wooden axle, but being much more advantageous than such ordinary article, in being more easily, cheaply, an d readily manufactured; and my invention accordingly consists of the main portion of the axle and its spindles, made of asingle piece of plate metal turned or bent into the proper shape, as well as in other details of construction, as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the various parts of the axle are designated by identical letters of reference, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a bottom view of the axle; Fig. 2, an elevation, partly in section, of a side view of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation of an axle to be used expressly for light vehicles-such as buggies, &c.and Fig. 4, an enlarged bottom elevation, partly in section, of a portion of the axle, illustrating the means by which any depression of the spindles may be compensated.

A represents the main portion of the axle, made of a plate of some strong metalsteel, for example-and preferably channel-shaped in cross-section, and B B represent the conical spindles made integral therewith. These parts can be conveniently made by means of a machine invented and now being perfected by me, and which will be the subject of a future application or applications for Letters Patent, or in lieu of such machine these parts may be made in any other suitable manner.

Each spindle B B is made perfectly round in cross-section, and the joint a of the meeting edges occurs at the bottom of each spindle. At the joint a, and on each side thereof, for such a distance on which any direct wear occurs, the metal of the spindle is stamped in, as at Z), forming thereby arectangular groove 1), extending from a point adjacent to the swell c-to the shoulder d of the screw-threaded portion 6, likewise formed by stamping, or by any other suitable method. At a point near the forward portion of this rectangular groove 1) a lip f is pounced and forced down inside of the spindle. Into the groove 1) a correspondingly-shaped piece g of very hard, preferably anti-friction, metal is inserted, being provided with a lip h, adapted to be inserted into the opening formed by the lip f and engage with the under side of the wall of the spindle adjacent to said opening. It will now be seen that the front portion of the bearingstrip 9 is held very securelyin position. The rear portion of this strip is held in position by means of a ring '6, placed over the smaller or outside end of the spindle, and forced up along said spindle until it encounters the before-mentioned swell c, by which its progress will be checked. As the swell 0 occurs just at the rear of the groove 1), as was before mentioned, the movement of the ring 2' will be arrested at that point, so that the ring will rest directly over the end of the bearing-piece, and thereby will prevent the same from becoming detached. This ring 1?, it will be apparent, will also prevent the hub of the wheel, when in position on the spindle, from becoming engaged with the swell c and sticking.

The method just described of fastening the bearing-piece g in position is by no means the only way by which the desired end may be accomplished, for instead of this arrangement the bearing-piece might be retainedin proper position by rivets or screws or the like.

' lVhen the strip g has become worn and it is desired to replace the same with a new one, the ring t' is forced over the spindle and the strip, being held merely by the lip, removed, and the substitute strip secured in place by a reverse operation.

Inside of the main portion A of the axle a eorrespondingly-shaped core of wood j, or other suitable material, is inserted, or instead of this core small blocks of wood may be used, so that under heavy strains the free sides of the axle will be prevented from being forced together, and in order that the ends of this core j will not be compressed under such strain a small metal block 7.: is socurely fastened on each of such ends, or instead of these blocks the arrangement illus trated in Fig. 4: might be substituted. It will be seen from an inspection of this view that instead of the blocks 7; 7.1, I make use of a casting I, having ears or on, each provided with an internally-sorew-threaded opening therein for the reception of the adj ustin gscrews n 12, adapted to be screwed out against the side walls of the axle A.

Now, if by any accident the spindle should be bent upwardly by any weight or by any other cause, this deviation may be readily and eit'eetively compensated by screwing the adjustingscrews n ntoward and thereby forcing the side walls of the main portion of the axle outwardly, and as the upper portions of these side walls are not at liberty to move, being connected firmly together by the rigid top, the outward movement of the lower portion of the side walls will tend to bend the metal downwardly at the top, and thereby depress the spindle.

in Fig. 2 I have shown an axle to be used expressly for heavy work, having the sides of themain portion A widest at the center, as at a; .1 thereby insuring great strength at the point most needed,and having the top of the spindles and axles made substantially horizontal and on a line, thereby offering a flat surface for the attachment of springs, &c.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated an axle made particularly for buggies or other light vehicles, having both its top and bottom curving slightly upward, thereby obtaining an axle possessing less strength than the one illustrated in Fig. 2, but closely imitating the axles now in use.

Instead of making the axle channeLshaped it might appropriately and conveniently be made U or V shaped; butI regard the former as being preferable in presenting perfectly straight and liat surfaces to the action of the rivets or screws for fastening into position the braces, &c.

Instead of making the screw-threaded end 6 (which, it will of course be 1u1derstood,is for the reception of a nut to prevent the wheel working free) integral. with the spindle, such screw -threaded end might be a separate block inserted and welded or fastened in any other convenient manner inside of the spindles; but this latter course is not particularly advantageous, and should only be resorted to when the plate from which the axle is formed is too thin to permitits being screwthreaded.

It will be understood thatI do not wish to be limited to any particular form of axle. Neither do I wish to be limited to an axle using a bearing-piece, as I have described, although by making use of such bearing-piece the axle is rendered much more advantageous. Neither is it absolutely necessary to place within the axle A a wooden core or pieces of wood or iron, as described. Neither is it absolutely necessary to use my improved axle solely with vehicles, as the same might serve advantageously in many other capacities.

lliaving now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture, an axle made of a single plate of regular thickness formed into a main channel-shaped portion A, with the integral conical spindle portions 1315' at each end thereof, and a screw-threaded cylindrical portion at each of said spindle portions, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an axle provided with conical hollow spindles, a removable bearing g in each spindle, and a retaining-ring 2' over each bearing portion, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of the axle A, integral spindles at each end thereof, the core j or blocks inside of said axle, and metallichardened blocks at each end of the core j, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the axle A, spindles 13 I3, made integral therewith, the core j or blocks within said axle, block lat each end of said core, ears mm on said block, and adj usting-screws n 01, passing through such ears,for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the axle A, integral spindles I 1% at each end thereof and provided with lips f f, the bearing-piece {1, provided with a similar lip 71 and the ring 71, all combined and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signatine in. presence of two witnesses.

JAMES 'l. MILLER.

Vitnesscs:

JNo. T. Minions, CHARLES F. BAKER.

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