Patent GB-190209305-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Metal Wheels and in the Method of and Apparatus for Making the Same.
Inventor: THOMPSON WILLIAM PHILLIPS
Filed: 1902-04-22
Granted: 1903-01-15
Abstract: 9305. Thompson, W. P., [Bettendorf Metal Wheel Co.]. April 22. Forging.-Relates to the construction of metal wheels by upsetting the extreme ends of the spokes and by forcing the outer material of the spokes near the ends into engagement with the hub or rim without disturbing the interior of the spokes. Figs. 1, 2, and 3 shown plan, front elevation, and sectional elevation on the line a-a, Fig. 1, respectively of a machine for constructing a wheel with two series of spokes arranged in a staggered mannner, and Figs. 17 and 20 show a spoke before and after it has been acted on by the machine. The rim 1<a> is first placed in position resting on rollers 78<x> movable vertically by means of a foot-lever 85, and bearing against gauge-pins 79 carried by a slide 80<x> operated from the hand-lever 82 and eccentric 81. The slide carries a spring pin 83 which can be swung from side to side to enter a hole in either of the two series formed in the rim. The hub 8<a> is now placed in position between two rings 65 secured to plates 67, which are adjustable horizontally and which are movable towards, or away from, each other along guides 70, by means of eccentrics 76 and hand-levers 78. A spoke 4<a> is then placed in position with its thickened end 6<a> and outer end 3<a> projecting through corresponding holes in the hub and rim. A hand-lever 14 on that side of the machine nearest the inserted spoke is now turned to slide a frame 11 along guides in the top of the standard 7. This frame comprises two C-sectioned arms 15 bolted at their outer ends to a cylinder 16 and connected at their inner ends by a cross-bar 17. The piston-rod 22 of the cylinder is linked to the outer ends of two levers 20, 21 which turn on vertical axes 18, 19, and which form at the inner ends heading-tools 1, 2 for upsetting the extreme ends of the spokes. Between these two levers the cross-bar 17 is encircled by sliding collars 24, 25 to which are pivoted respectively the jaws of a scraping-clamp 3 for scraping the outer material of the thickened end 6<a> and of a jambing-clamp 4 for pressing upon the shoulder 5<a> near the outer end. The jaws of the clamps are closed upon the spoke to be operated upon, by means of sliding wedges 31, 36 which are connected to and moved by pistons 33, 38 of subsidiary cylinders 34, 39 in the cylinder 16, and the clamps are then moved into contact with the hub and rim by a head 40 carried by the pistonrod 22 and provided with inclined sides which bear against the collars. The proper sequence of operations is obtained after the frame 11 has been moved to its operative position by means of the hand-lever 14, by depressing the foot-lever 60, which rotates the plate 55 connected by rods 56, 58 to valves 45, 46 which control communication between the cylinders, the pressure pipe 52, and the exhaust pipe 50. The guides in the tops of the standards 7 are secured adjustably by bolts 9 to allow the two halves of the machine to be either inclined as shown, or in a straight line, according to the type of wheel under construction. In modifications, the machine may consist of only one set of heading and clamping tools ; the headers outside the rim, when channelshaped, may have hinged parts 92 to avoid contact with the rim flanges ; the parts of the wheel when held relatively may be moved as a whole into position over the heading and clamping tools ; the spokes may be hot when placed in the operating position so as to produce a tension wheel.