US722044A

US722044A - Self-oiling wheel.

Info

Publication number: US722044A
Application number: US13769603A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erskine Ramsay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1903-01-03
Filing date: 1903-01-03
Publication date: 1903-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1920-03-03

Description

E. RAMSAY.

SELF OILING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1903.

no MODEL.

Fg. 4. 1 3 E 1) F 3,6 I

nfillmg E K B INVENTOR a I 74 By 7 v ij m WM PATENTED MAR. a, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERSKINE RAMSAY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SELF-OILING WHEEL.

SYECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,044, dated March 8, 1903.

Application filed January 8, 1903.

To all whom it mcty concern.-

Beit kn own that I, ERSKINE RAMSAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Birmingham, Jefierson county, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Self-Oiling Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wheels, and especially to that type of wheel which runs loosely upon a fixed axle or shaft; and my object is to provide a wheel of this character which shall be self-oiling and one more particularly adapted for use as a mining-car wheel and in which the maximum strength, stability, and durability shall be attained.

With these objects in view my invention consists of the novel construction of Wheel and details thereof, as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central section of a wheel embodying my invention along the line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference characters relate to the same or corresponding parts in all the views, the letter A indicates the round bearing portion of a car-axle A, preferably square in crosssection and secured to the body of the car in any suitable manner. The hub of the wheel I is formed with two webs O and D, spaced apart, so as to constitute an annular chamber between the two webs, the inner web C bearing and rotating upon the bearing portion A of the axle A, while spokes or follies extend from the outer periphery of the web D and support the tread L of the wheel. The annular space or chamber between the two webs O and D of the hub is divided into a plurality of oil-chambers F by longitudinal ribs B, which terminate in proximity to one extremity of the annular chamber, and extending from each side of said ribs B are lateral ribs E, which serve, in conjunction with the ribs B, as receptacles to retain the oil in each of said oil chambers or pockets as the wheel rotates and to direct said oil through holes 0, located, preferably, midway of the pocket or Serial No. 137,696- (No model.)

receptacle and formed on each side of the ribs B, and onto the bearing A. An oil-supply hole closed by a suitable screw-plug G is located in the web 0, through which oil is supplied to the chambers F by way of the annular space and the passages between the adjacent ends of the lateral ribs E, whichafford communication between the several oil-chambers F and said space. V A linchpin H, which may be of an ordinary cotter type or a round iron pin with flattened end, as shown, passes through the axle and holds the wheel in place, said linchpin being located in the free space at the outer ends of the oil-chambers, and it is preferably provided with a hole It in its end for the reception of a hook to facilitate its insertion and removal through the oil-supply hole. The outer end of the inner web of the hub in the preferred form of Fig. 1 is extended beyond the linchpin and has a closed end K integral with said web, against which the end of the axle is adapted to abut, whereby greater strength, stability, and durability are imparted to the structure owing not only to the longer bearing-surface afiorded by such construction, but to the fact that end caps, collars, and the like and dust-guards are rendered unnecessary, thereby insuring longer life to the wheel. The inner end of the hub is preferably provided with a packing-ch'amher a, filled with felt or other suitable material, which prevents the escape of oil in the only possible direction along the axle and also Keeps out dirt, dust, and grit.

With the construction described the oil is supplied through the oil-hole to the several chambers F by way of the free annular space communicating with said chambers and the hole closed by the plug G. When the wheel rotates, the ribs B carry the oil up around the axle-bearing, and it automatically feeds through the holes 0 to the bearing, such oiling action occurring in the present instance three times for each revolutionof the wheel, or one time for each rib B, and as the oil is thus carried up and around the bearing portion of the axle it is prevented from flowing out from an ascending chamber down along the linchpin-space into a lower chamber by its confinement in the receptacle or pocket formed by the lateral ribs E and the ribs 13.

The oil-chambers F may be extended the full length of the hub, as shown in Fig. 4, when it is desired to form a larger oil-chamber, where the annular space is extended the full length of the hub, and said space is divided by two sets of ribs Bwith two sets of lateral ribs E, thus constituting two sets of oil-chambers F on each side of the free space between the lateral ribs, through which the oil is supplied to the chambers as before.

It will be observed that the free space in which the linchpin is located gives ample room for the rotation of the wheel without coming in the Way of the linchpin and that when the wheel is revolving slowly the oil will be automatically fed to the bearing the number of times during each revolution corresponding to the number of partitions or ribs B, thus effectually maintaining a sufficient lubrication of the bearing, and although during rapid rotation of the wheel centrifugal force may prevent the oil from feeding during the time such speed is maintained it will not interfere with such efficient lubrication of the bearing as may be needed.

I claim as my invention 1. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheel having a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular space between them, a plurality of longitudinal ribs terminating near one extremity of said space, lateral ribs extending from each side of said ribs, and forming with the longitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating between adjacent ends of the lateral ribs with said space, there being oil-holes in the inner web of the hub on each side of the longitudinal ribs for feeding oil to the axle, and an oil-supply communicating with the said space, substantially as described.

2. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheel having a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular space between them, longitudinal ribs dividing said space into oil-chambers and terminating near one extremity of the said space, lateral ribs extending from each side of said ribs and constituting with said longitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating with the space between adjacent ends of the lateral ribs, a linchpin passing through the axle in said space for holding the wheel thereto, the inner web of the hub extending beyond the linchpin and having a closed end integral therewith against which the end of the axle is adapted to abut, there being oilholes in the inner web adjacent to the longitudinal ribs for feeding oil to the axle, and an oil-supply communicating with the linchpin-space, substantially as described.

3. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheel having a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular space between them, a plurality of longitudinal ribs terminating near one extremity of said space, lateral ribs extending from each side of said ribs, and forming with the longitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating between adjacent ends of the lateral ribs with said space, there being oil-holes in the inner web of the hub on each side of the longitudinal ribs midway of the oil-receptacles for feeding oil to the axle, and an oilsupply communicating with the said space, substantially as described.

4. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheel having a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular space between them, longitudinal ribs dividing said space into oil-chambers and terminating near one extremity of the said space, lateral ribs extending from each side of said ribs and constituting with said longitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating with the space between adjacent ends of the lateral ribs, a linchpin passing through the axle in said space for holding the wheel thereto, the inner web of the hub extending beyond the linchpin and having a closed end integral therewith against which the end of the axle is adapted to abut, there being oilholes in the inner web adjacent to the longitudinal ribs midway of the oil-receptacles for feeding oil to the axle, and an oil-supply communicating with the linchpin -space, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERSKINE RAMSAY.

Witnesses:

SUM'IER LEA, J r., J. C. SALTER.