US2017731A - Axle box - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1935. F. J. PASCOE 2,017,731

AXLE BOX Filed May 7, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A, Ziarne F. J. PASCOE Oct. 15, 1935.

AXLE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7, 1934 fizvanior "/93, f (1c. WM PM, i: a me .4.

Oct. 15, 1935. v F. J. PASCOE 2,017,731

AXLE BOX Filed May 7, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 vezzfor v F Mm do y XQ I Ziorneyx F. J. PASCOE Oct. 15, 1935.

AXLE BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 7, 1954 Patented Oct. l5, 1935 ATENT OFFICE AXLE BOX Frederick John Pascoe, London,

England, as-

signor to The Timken Roller Bearing Company,

Canton, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application May 7, 1934, Serial No. 724,253 In Great Britain July 8, 1933 '1 Claims.

This invention relates to railway and like vehicle axle-boxes embodying roller or other bearings through the medium of which the body of the vehicle is supported upon the wheel axle.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of axle-box which will enable the axle to be removed from the vehicle, and the wheel-tyres re-contoured, without removing the bearings from the axle or disturbing the said bearings in any way, and which will facilitate the re-tyring of the wheels.

A further object is to enable the outer bearing race or races to be adjusted angularly from time to time so as to obtain a more uniform distribution of wear on the said races.

Another object is to enable worn exterior parts of the axle-box, such as the horn guides or their liners, to be more readily replaced.

According to the invention, an axle-box comprises two axially-separable parts, namely, an inner sleeve or housing containing a bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted on the axle, and an outer casing or housing (which may carry the spring seat, horn guides and other parts) containing the inner sleeve or housing and adapted to be mounted in or upon the vehicle underframe; the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing in an axial direction while the said inner housing remains upon the axle, and being adapted to be detachably secured thereto. By this construction the axle with the inner housings and bearings mounted thereon can be bodily removed from the outer housings, and can be put into a wheel lathe as a unit, the. bearing housings being held to the face plate by collets. The inner housing is preferably provided at its I inner end with a flange or with lugs adapted to engage with the inner end of the outer casing and to be detachably secured} thereto, as by screws, studs or bolts.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a longitudinally vertical section of a railway vehicle axle-box in accordance with the present invention, the same being shown mounted upon an axle.

Figure 2 is a section through the axle on line 22, Figure 1, showing the axle-box in end elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3--3, Figure 2, showing how the inner enclosure plate or cap of the bearing housing is secured.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 2,

showing how the inner housing is secured to the outer housing.

Figure 5 is a plan of the axle-box,

- may, in the case of an electric Figure 6 represents a cross-section through the axle-box on line 6-6, Figure 1.

Referring to the said drawings, the axle-box comprises essentially two separable parts, namely, an outer sleeve or housing I and an inner sleeve or tubular housing 2, closely fitting within the bore of the outer housing, being adapted to be inserted in an axial direction from the inner side of the said outer member and being removable in thereverse direction. The outer housing I 10 is mounted within the usual horn plates or horn blocks of the vehicle frame for vertical-movement therein, for which purpose it carries at opposite sides the vertical horn guides 3 with their wear plates or liners 4 attached thereto, such as by screws, rivets or by welding. It also carries, at the top, the usual seat .5 for the accommodation of the vehicle springs, and upon its underside it vehicle, carry a depending bracket 6 for the attachment of the slipper beam.

The inner housing 2 encloses the bearings through the medium of which the vehicle is mounted upon the wheel axle I, the said housing and the bearings forming a self-contained unit. Thus,

in the example represented, the housing 2 contains two laterally-spaced sets of taper roller bearings each comprising rollers 8 running between an inner race member or cone 9 secured upon the axle and an outer race member or cup I0 closely fitted within the interior of the. housing, the two inner race members 9 being separated by a distance 'or spacing ring H, and the two outer members I0 being separated bya distance or spacing ring l2. A nut I screwed on to the end of the axle I secured the cones 9 upon the axle, the innermost or rear cone abutting against a flanged abutment ring l3 engaging a shoulder on the axle. The housing 2 has an internal shoulder l4 engaging the forward or outer- 40 most cup III, while the rear cup is engaged by a spigot flange l5 of an enclosure cover l6 closing theinner or rear end of the housing. This cover l6 closely fits upon the abutment ring l3 to retain .the lubricant within the housing, being provided with grooves or other lubricant retaining means. The said cover It is provided with an outer flange I I1 secured to the face of an exterior flange l8 on t the adjacent inner end of the housing 2 by a circular series of studs or screws l9.- The said 5 flange l8 of housing 2 serves as a stop flange engaging the inner end of the outer housing I, and

it is secured to lugs 20 on the said outer housing by means of nuts 2| on four studs 2| set at apart, said studs being screwed into the lugs 20 5 and passing through both flanges l1, l8 (see Figures 2 and 4). Each of the nuts 2| together with two adjacent studs i9, may be locked by a common locking plate 22 having parts of its edge bent up against the facets of the said nut and studs. The flanges l1, [8, may be provided at diametrically opposite points, with withdrawal lugs 23 between which a suitable withdrawal tool may be applied to facilitate the removal of the enclosure cover Hi from the housing 2 when it is desired to dismantle or inspect the bearings. The outer end of the housing 2 may be provided with the usual removable cover 24.

When the wheel tyres require to be re-contoure'd or the wheels re-tyred, the entire axle-boxes are taken out of the vehicle underframe. The nuts 2| are then removed, and the inner housings 2 can be withdrawn from the outer housings i by a relative endwise movement, the said inner housings 2 and bearings remaining intact upon the ends of the axle. This axle and bearing assembly unit can then be put into a wheel lathe for the re-contouring of the tyres, the bearing housings 2 being mounted and held in the face plates of the lathe by means of collets, the mounting being such that no end play between the axle and housings 2 is possible, and the axle itself being rotated by suitable driving means. In this way the axle ends will be' supported rigidly, and it will not be necessary to remove the outer cover 24 and expose the bearings, as would be the case if the axle were supported between the lathe centres.

For the re-tyring of the wheels, the housing 2 at one end of the axle can be conveniently held during the operation.

The employment of a two-part axle-box as hereinbefore described admits of the inner housing 2 being turned from time to time into different angular positions so as to obtain a more uniform distribution of wear on the outer races of the bearings. Thus, in the arrangement described, the inner housing 2 can take four different angular positions in relation to the outer housing I. For making each adjustment, the nuts 2 l are removed and the inner housing moved endwise to disengage the studs 2land then rotated within the outer housing for a quarter turn to bring each set of stud holes in the flanges l1, l8, opposite to another lug 20 on the outer housing, the nuts being then replaced. In order to indicate for how long the inner housing has been in one position, the outer end part of the said housing is provided around its periphery with four faced lugs or bosses 25 'at 90 apart, and which are brought, in turn, opposite to an indicating marking 26 on the outer edge of the exterior housing After changing the position of the inner housing the date is stamped on the lug 25 which is opposite to the indicator marking 26. As subsequent changes in position are made. a new date is stamped on another lug 25 the previous date being cancelled.

In addition to the four positions of the outer races Ill which are obtainable as above described, four further and intermediate positions of the said races may be obtained by turning the said races within the housing 2 through 45, and'subsequently' turning the housing 2 within the outer housing I for each adjustment as previously described. To give a date record of these further adjustments a second set of faced lugs or bosses 21 may be provided adjacent the lugs 25.

Instead of the innerhousing having a continuous external flange, it may be provided with lugs which would otherwise be necessary in removing the worn welded liners and welding new liners in their place.

It may also be possible for an axle manufacturer to standardize the size of the inner housings 2 to suit standard sizes of outer housings, and thus be able to supply from stock axles and bearing housing units suitable for use with outer housings having horn guides, spring seatings or the I like of any size or design.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner housing containing the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing containing the inner housing and adapted for mounting upon a vehicle underframe, an external flange on theinner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, and means for detachably securing said flange to the outer housing; the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing and wheel axle in an outward axial direction while the said inner housing and bearing assembly I remain upon the axle.

ing, and detachable screw'fasteningdevices passing through the flange of the inner housing for securing said flange to the said outer housing;

the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing in an axial direction while the said inner housing and bearing assembly remain upon the axle.

3. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly,

an inner circular housing containing the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing adapted for mounting upon a vehicle underframe and having a circular bore containing the inner housing the latter being rotatable within said bore,'an external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, and detachable screw fastening devices passing through the flange of the inner housing for securing said flange to the outer housing; said screw fastening devices being spaced peripherally at equal distances apart to admit of the inner housing being turned into different angular positions in relation to the outer housing and being secured in such positions, and the said outer housing an inner circular housing containing the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing adapted for mountingupon a vehicle underframe and having a circular bore containing the inner rotatable within said bore, an annular external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, detachable screw fastening devices passing through the flange of the inner housing for securing said and being so posiflange to the outer housing I tioned to admit of the inner housing being turned into a plurality of diilerent angular positions in relation to the outer housing and being secured in such positions, outer end of the outer housing, and a plurality of peripherally-spaced lugs on the outer end of the inner housing one or other of which is adapted, when the said housing is turned into different angular positions, to come opposite to the indicating device upon the outer housing, the said lugs having surfaces suitable to bear a date indication, the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing and, wheel axle in an outward axial direction, while the inner housing remains on the axle.

5. An axle-box comprising an inner housing,

roller bearings consisting of rollers and innerand outer race members mounted within the housing, means provided upon the housing for retaining the bearings within the said housing in the axial direction thereof, an outer housing adapted for mounting upon a vehicle underframe, an external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, and means for detachably securing said flange to the outer housing; the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing in an axial direction while the said inner housing and bearing assembly remain upon the axle.

6. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner circular housing containing the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing adapted for mounting upon a vehousing the latter being an indicating device on the hicle underframe and having a circular bore containing the inner housing the latter being rotatable within said bore, an annular external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, de- 5 tachable screw fastening devices passing through the flange of the inner housing for securing said flange to the outer housing and being so positioned to admit of the-inner housing being turned into a plurality of diflerent angular positions in relation to the outer housing and being secured in such positions, an indicating device on the outer end of the outer housing, and a plurality of lugs, spaced peripherally at equal distances apart, on the outer end of the inner housing, one or other of which is adapted, when the said housing is turned into different angular positions, to come opposite to the indicating device upon the outer housing, the said lugs having surfaces suitable to bear a date indication, the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing and wheel axle inan outward axial direction, while the inner housing remains on the axle.

7. An axle-box comprising a bearing assembly, an inner housing containing the bearing assembly and forming therewith a self-contained unit adapted to be mounted upon an axle, an outer housing containing the inner housing and adapted for mounting upon a vehicle under-frame, an

external flange on the inner end of the inner housing engaging the inner end of the outer housing, a flanged end cover-plate enclosing the inner end of the inner housing, detachable screw fastening devices securing the end-cover-plate to the inner housing and detachable screw fastening devices passing through the flanges of the end cover-plate and inner housing and engaging holes in the outer housing; the said outer housing being removable from the inner housing and from the wheel axle in an outward axial direction 40 while the said inner housing and bearing assembly remain upon the axle with said inner housing secured'to the end cover-plate.

FREDERICK JOHN nascent 5

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