January 15, 1853
1 min read
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In the process of casting railway wheels, they are liable to break from the contraction of the metal in cooling, to obviate this evil an improvement has been made by John Eaton, of Brownsville, N. Y., who has taken measures to secure a patent. For this purpose the space between the centre or hub of the wheel and its periphery is formed in a series of spiral curves, which transversely take a zig-zag shape, so that the wheels are prevented from breaking as they contract in cooling, in consequence ot the curves giving way or yielding both longitudinally and transversely. To prevent any excess of metal at the periphery, so that the thickness may be nearly uniform throughout, provision is made for a hollow truck or recess, extending all around the wheel and connected to the ends of the spiral curves, which forms, likewise, part of the casting.
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