Spoked wheel hub

A hub assembly for a bicycle or other human powered vehicle. The hub assembly provides a unique design for use with straight pull spokes having enlarged retention ends with no bends that can be dropped into retention cavities and retention slots in a spoke ring of the hub assembly. The hub assembly is also universally adaptable to any wheel employing standard rim brakes or any wheel with a disc brake rotor attached, and/or with all existing sprocket drive lines (freewheels, cassette bodies), in any configuration, by simply replacing or slightly modifying one or a few components. The novel hub assembly provides a quick-release feature without the need for a quick-release skewer, but can still readily be adapted to use a conventional skewer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to spoked wheel hubs used in bicycles and 
other human powered vehicles. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Decades of research have been undertaken to develop hubs for a bicycle, 
multiple rider tandems and other human powered vehicles (HPV). A vast 
number of sizes, shapes, configurations and materials have been proposed, 
some of which are in current use. 
Although many current hub designs are serviceable, current hub designs are 
usually limited to use in a narrow range of wheel configurations. For 
example, one hub design is used where a rim brake is used, another where a 
disk brake is used, another where the hub is for a rear wheel employing a 
drive sprocket, and so on. This requires a bicycle or HPV manufacturer to 
have a large inventory of different hubs. 
Most hubs in current use rely exclusively upon a design using a spoke 
having a 90 degree bend at one end, to be attached to the retaining flange 
of the hub, and threaded at the other, to be attached to the wheel rim. 
These spokes are individually laced through holes in the hub retaining 
flange and attached by means of threaded nipples to the wheel rim. 
The spoke hole size and pattern is essentially the same on all prior art 
designs. The differences are for the most part found in number of spokes, 
materials, gauge of wire used and rim nipple design. Nipples vary because 
they are used to adapt and secure the spoke ends in the many types of rims 
available in the marketplace. 
Straight spokes, enlarged at one end and being threaded at the other, have 
been in use on motorcycles for some time. The straight spokes used on 
motorcycles are individually laced into holes in the hub. This is 
cumbersome and requires skilled labor. 
Because the hub used with these straight spokes is larger than a typical 
bicycle hub, straight spokes have only recently been used on bicycles or 
other HPV's. Also, the straight spokes still need to be individually 
laced, eliminating any significant advantage to the use of straight spokes 
over the customarily used 90 degree bent spokes, except for strength. 
Known wheel hubs frequently include a quick release feature. These known 
quick release wheel hubs employ a hollow axle shaft through which passes a 
solid shaft, typically called a skewer, with an adjustable nut on one end 
and an eccentrically mounted lever or the other. When the eccentrically 
mounted lever is acuated it acts as a clamping device to retain the axle 
in the drop-out slot in which the wheel resides in the front fork or rear 
frame. Although such known quick release hubs are satisfactory for many 
purposes, the use of the separate skewer necessitates the use of a hollow 
axle, increases manufacturing cost and in some cases cannot provide 
sufficient clamping power to stablilize the struts of a front suspension 
fork on a bicycle. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bicycle or HPV hub 
that uses straight pull spokes. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal 
bicycle or HPV hub wherein the spokes may be dropped into place. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal 
bicycle or HPV hub that does not require spokes to be laced through holes 
in the hub. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a drop-in means of 
installing straight-pull spokes in the hub that is secure. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bicycle or HPV 
hub that provides a means for installing generally opposed spokes. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stronger hub 
that is modular in construction such that it is universally adaptable for 
use on any wheel, including plain wheels and those using either standard 
rim brakes, disc brakes of any known design, drive sprockets and other 
configurations. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bicycle or HPV 
hub that may use a "mix or match" component selection in the hub assembly 
to suit individual requirements. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal 
bicycle or HPV hub that significantly reduces the labor time to build a 
wheel. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal 
bicycle or HPV hub that may be built into a wheel by inexperienced labor. 
It is another object of the invention is to provide a hub for a bicycle or 
other HPV having an axle shaft that requires no skewer running coaxially 
through it, but is itself the axle on which the wheel turns and provides a 
means for a quick release function, while still providing the additional 
capability of using any of the quick release skewers in present use, if 
desired. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished in a 
wheel spoke hub assembly for bicycles and the like, comprising a hub ring 
having an interior face and an exterior rim portion, and drop-in straight 
pull spokes each having a straight section and an enlarged retention end, 
said interior face of said hub ring having retention openings therein for 
receiving the straight section of said drop-in straight pull spokes, said 
retention openings being smaller than the enlarged retention end of said 
spokes to axially retain said spokes. 
These objects are also accomplished in this invention by means of a 
modular, spoked hub for bicycles and the like, comprising a rotating 
assembly including a first hub ring including a face having retention 
slots for receiving and axially retaining drop-in straight pull spokes, a 
bore and a seat for receiving and seating the outer race of a first 
bearing, and means for retaining said outer race against said seat; a 
second hub ring, including a face having retention slots for receiving and 
axially retaining drop-in straight pull spokes, a bore and a seat for 
interchangeably receiving and seating a first member taken from the group 
of the outer race of a second bearing and a connector for a splined 
cassette body adapter, or being left left unused; a recess for 
interchangeably receiving a second member taken from the group of a 
splined cassette body adapter, a threaded cassetter adapter, and a 
threaded disk brake adapter, or being left unused. The spoked hub further 
includes means for retaining said second member against said hub ring with 
said first member sandwiched between a portion of said second member and 
said seat of said first member; and a tube disposed between said first and 
second hub rings to axially position them in spaced apart relationship. 
The spoke hub further includes a non-rotating assembly including an axle, 
a bearing spacer tube, a first washer on said axle to bear on the inner 
race of said first bearing, between said threaded nut and said bearing 
spacer tube, and a second washer on said axle to interchangeably retain a 
member taken from the group of the inner race of said second bearing and a 
connector for a splined cassette adapter. 
The hub of the present invention can also provide a quick release feature 
eliminating the need for a separate conventional skewer. An overcenter 
fulcrum device binds and locks the wheel into the dropout slots on the 
frame of the bicycle or other human powered vehicle using the axle itself. 
The present invention also provides means to quickly release a wheel using 
a conventional skewer, if desired. 
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention 
will be clear to those skilled in the art upon review of the following 
detailed description and figures, wherein:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 4 thereof, a 
modular spoked hub assembly 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment 
of the present invention is depicted. The hub assembly 10 includes a 
rotatable portion 15 and a non-rotable portion 20. 
Turning first to the rotatable portion 15, the rotatable portion 15 
includes two spoke rings 25 having respective flange portions 30 for 
receiving and retaining wheel spokes 35, in a manner to be described in 
more detail below, and bearing mounting portions 40, each having a central 
bore for receiving the outer race 45 of ball bearings 50. The bearing 
mounting portions 40 also conveniently include a retention lip 55 against 
which rests the inner face of the outer race 45 of the ball bearings 50. 
Since the hub assembly 10 depicted in FIG. 4 is intended for use without a 
disc brake, drive sprocket or other attachments, the two spoke rings 25 
are conveniently identical. 
The two spoke rings 25 are held in the appropriate spaced apart 
relationship by hub spacer tube 60. Hub spacer tube 60 can be of any 
convenient length to suit a wide variety of wheel configurations, without 
the need to change spoke rings 25. Bearing spacer tube 60 is preferably 
bonded or otherwise secured to spoke rings 25. This is not mandatory, 
however, since, as will be seen, the mounting of the bearings 50 
themselves tends to fix the position of spoke rings 25, since the inner 
races 45 of bearings 50 are fixed into position onto axle 65. 
Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the manner in which the spokes are retained 
in flange portions 30 will be described in detail. Flange portion 30 
includes a plurality of slots or grooves 70 formed into the outer face of 
flange portion 30. The slots 70 extend from a retention cavity 75 formed 
in the face of the flange portion 30 clear through the rim of the flange 
portion 30. For clarity, in FIG. 3, only four slots 70 and three retention 
cavities 75 are indicated with numerals. 
Conveniently, two open slots 70 extend from each retention cavity 75, one 
extending generally tangential to an imaginary circle through the 
retention cavities in a clockwise direction, and one in a counterclockwise 
direction. The counterclockwise slots are somewhat deeper than the 
clockwise slots (the additional depth being approximately the width of the 
shafts of the straight pull spokes 35 to be placed in the slots). This 
permits the shafts of the straight pull spokes to cross each other without 
undue interference. Of course, the clockwise slots could be deeper instead 
of the counterclockwise slots. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3, there are 8 
retention cavities and 16 slots, 8 of which are clockwise and 8 of which 
are counterclockwise. 
The slots 70 and retention cavities 75 are intended for receiving straight 
pull spokes 35 in the manner depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3. The straight pull 
spokes 35 have a spoke shaft 85 and a mushroomed or otherwise enlarged 
spoke retention end 90. The spokes 35 can be dropped straight into the 
slots 70 and retention cavities 75, with the shaft 85 in the slot 70 and 
the enlarged retention end 90 in the retention cavity 75. Dropping the 
spokes into the slots is significantly easier than individually lacing 90 
degree bend type spokes into holes in the hub and requires less skilled 
labor. 
As depicted, the two "end pull" spokes can be installed in each recessed 
retention cavity and retention slot with the spokes exiting the spoke ring 
in generally opposite directions. 
During installation, the spokes are dropped into the deeper slots in the 
spoke rings first and then into the shallower slots. Each spoke in turn 
preferably passes alongside a spoke from the adjacent recessed hole in 
such a manner that the spokes bear against each other. This forms a 
stronger spoke arrangement. 
The retention cavity 75 is preferably large enough so that the retention 
ends of both the clockwise and counterclockwise spokes 35 fit into their 
common retention cavities 75 allowing them to move without interference 
between their enlarged ends 90. Since the enlarged retention end 90 of the 
spoke 35 is larger than the width of the slot into which it is placed, 
when a spoke 35 is attached to and tightened onto the wheel rim 100, the 
spoke 35 will be securely axially retained in the slot. The other end of 
the spoke terminates in a conventional threaded end (not shown) for a 
conventional threaded nipple (not shown) for attachment to wheel rim 100 
in a conventional manner. 
Once the spokes 35 are attached and tightened to the wheel rim, the tension 
on the spokes will tend to some degree to retain the spokes in the slots. 
However, as an added measure of security, the present invention 
preferrably includes a retention cap 110. Retention cap 110 has a flange 
portion 120 which covers the slots to prevent the spokes from 
accidentially falling out of their respective slots, in the event a spoke 
or the rim is flexed or bent. Preferrably, the flange portion 120 includes 
a rim portion 130 which is bent toward the hub flange portion and received 
into a corresponding circumferential groove 140 in the hub flange portion 
30 to help retain the spokes in position. The retainer cap 110 is 
conveniently secured to the hub ring 25 by means of retainer cap screw 
150, which are threaded into corresponding holes 155 in flange portion 30 
of the the hub ring 25. 
Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the retainer cap 110 also has an inwardly 
extending central lip 160, which presses against a washer 165, which in 
turn presses against the outer race 45 of bearing 50, holding it in 
position. 
Referring again to FIG. 4, the non-rotating portion 20 of the hub assembly 
10 will now be described. The non-rotating portion 20 includes an axle 65 
extending between the down tube or rear frame member drop-out slots 170 of 
the frame of a bicycle or other HPV and held in the slots of drop out 
members 175 of those down tubes. The axle 65 may be solid or hollow, and 
has an unthreaded central portion 180 onto which are mounted a tubular 
bearing spacer 185 and a bushing 190. The inner race 195 of bearing 50 is 
conveniently mounted onto a central tubular portion of bushing 190 having 
an engagement ledge 200 for holding the inner races 195 of bearings 50 
between the engagement ledge 200 and bearing spacer tube 185. The bearing 
spacer tube 185 may, of course, have whatever length is needed to provide 
the required spacing between the bearings 50 to suit individual 
requirements, and may be "mixed and matched" with the other parts of the 
modular hub assembly as required. 
The bushing 190, if threaded, preferably has a concave outer end 205 
adapted to receive the convex surface of a cone washer 210. Spacers 215 
are disposed between each cone washer 210 and the frame member drop out 
portion 175. Spacers 215 have the appropriate length to take up the space 
between the cone washer 205 and the frame member drop out portion 175. Of 
course, spacer 215 can be mixed and matched with other components, as 
required. 
The novel modular hub assembly of the present invention also includes 
provision for a quick-release feature, which avoids the need for a 
separate skewer required by the prior art. In the present invention, each 
end of the axle 65 is threaded. One end of the axle 65 (at the left end of 
FIG. 4) has an axle nut 220 thereon. The other threaded end of axle 65 has 
a cupped pressure plate 225 loosely placed onto the axle 65. A release 
assembly 230 having a lever 235 eccentrically mounted on a barrel shaped 
pivot nut 240 threaded onto the threaded end of axle 65 so that it acts as 
a cam. When the lever 235 is in the loose position (extending generally 
axially with the axle 65), the axle 65 is loose and may be readily removed 
from the drop out portion 175 of the frame. Pulling the lever 235 to the 
tightened position (generally perpendicular to the axle 65) forces the 
thicker portion of the cam surface of the eccentrically mounted lever 
against pressure plate 225. This puts tension on the axle 65, putting into 
compression all the elements in between, including the spacers 215, the 
cone washers 210, the bushings 190, the bearing spacer 185, and, of 
course, the frame drop out portions 175. Accordingly, the axle 65 is 
securely retained, but without the need for the separate skewer member 
required by the prior art. 
Although a hollow axle 65 is disclosed, it is to be understood that a solid 
axle may be employed instead. However a hollow axle is preferred in the 
present invention. One of the advantages of the hub assembly of the 
present invention is its ready "mix and match" adaptability to different 
desired configurations by changing of only one or a few parts. By use of a 
hollow axle a conventional quick release lever with a skewer (not shown) 
can be used, if desired, without the need to keep different axles in 
inventory. 
The modular hub assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention can be 
readily adapted for use with disc brakes, threaded or splined adapters, or 
other configurations, by simply replacing one or a few of the parts of the 
hub asssembly. As a non-limiting example of this capability, FIG. 5 
depicts a modular hub assembly 10' in accordance with the invention 
employing a splined adapter 240 and cassette body 245. A cassette body is 
a well-known drive element on bicycles and other HPV's, which incorporates 
a bearing and ratchet mechanism on its inside, and has provision for 
attachment of a sprocket stack (as for a 24 speed bicycle) on its outside. 
Accordingly, the splined adapter 240 and cassette body 245 are shown 
schematically only, to illustrate the manner in which the modular hub of 
the present invention can be readily adapted for different applications. 
The hub assembly of FIG. 5 has been changed from that depicted in FIG. 4 in 
that the right hand bearing 50, right bushing 190, cone washer 205, right 
spacer 215, etc. have been replaced by a splined cassette adapter 
connector 250, the splined cassette body adapter 240, the cassette body 
245, and its free wheel ratchet 255, ball bearing set 260 and bearing 
retainer nut 265. The spoke ring 25 need not be changed. The spoke 
retainer cap 110' is similar, but does not have the inwardly extending 
central lip 30, because such is not required where a cassette body is 
used. As depicted in FIG. 5, an optional washer 267 is included between 
the left hand hub ring 25 and retainer cap 110. 
As another non-limiting example of the adaptability of the present 
invention, FIG. 6 depicts a modular hub assembly 10" in accordance with 
another embodiment of the invention employing a threaded freewheel adapter 
270 (which connects to another type of cassette in common use). In this 
configuration, the right hand bearing 50 is unchanged from the FIG. 4 
(i.e., the plain embodiment), as are the right hand bushing 190 and cone 
washer 210. The washer 165 is also employed, as before. However, in this 
embodiment, a threaded freewheel adapter 270 is employed, which has a 
flange portion 275 fitting into a recess in the outer face of the spoke 
ring 25. It should be noted that the spoke ring 25 is the same in this 
embodiment as it the embodiments shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. In this 
embodiment, however, retainer cap 110' has no inwardly extending central 
lip 160, like the FIG. 5 embodiment. Instead, the washer 165 is retained 
in place in an engagement recess 280 of the threaded freewheel adapter, 
which is, in turn, securely retained in place by the flange portion of the 
spoke retaining cap 110', and by the retaining cap screws (not shown in 
FIG. 6). 
If it is desired to use a disc brake 285 with the modular hub of the 
present invention, such may be readily threaded onto the threaded 
freewheel adapter, in the manner depicted in FIG. 7. The other components 
of the hub assembly are the same as in the FIG. 6 embodiment. 
As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention provides a modular 
hub that is universally adaptable to any wheel employing the use of 
standard rim brakes or any wheel with disc brake rotor attached, and/or 
with with all existing sprocket drive lines (freewheels, cassette bodies), 
in any configuration, by simply replacing or slightly modifying one or a 
few components. Furthermore, the present invention provides a unique 
design for use with straight pull spokes with no bends as well as a design 
that does not require individually lacing spokes through holes in the hub. 
Still further, the hub of the present invention is easier to assemble, and 
can supply a greater reactive force than that available when standard 90 
degree bend spokes are installed. Still further, it can be seen that the 
present invention provides a hub assembly for a bicycle or other HPV which 
which does not require a quick-release skewer, but can still readily be 
adapted to use of a skewer, if desired. 
Although the invention has been described in accordance with preferred 
embodiments, it will be seen by those skilled in the art that many 
modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present 
invention, and no intention is made to limit the scope of the present 
invention to any of these embodiments.