IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS FOR VEHICLES, RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, THE D...
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Fitzjames Russell, of Piccadilly, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS FOR VEHICLES, RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, THE
D...
”
Sealed the 17th July 1866, and dated the 9th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Fitzjames.
Russell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th February 1866.
I, GEORGE FITZJAMES RUSSELL, of Piccadilly, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS FOR VEHICLES, RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK,
THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of
wheels, whether for vehicles on common roads or for railway rolling stock,
for paddle wheels, and any other description of wheel to which the Inven-
tion may be applicable.
I propose to construct the spokes of such form that their edges at the
stock or nave of the wheel shall register together, their surfaces forming
radii of a circle, their outer ends entering the felloes and having shoulders
thereon, thus limiting the extent of their penetration into the felloes and

page_text: affording a bearing between the surface of the shoulder and felloe. The
felloes are made each with a projection at one end and a recess at the
other, so that when fitted together they fasten each other. The tyre is
grooved or slotted on its inward periphery in order to receive the corre-
sponding outer surfaces of the felloes and prevent them from escaping
laterally.
The principal object of the Invention is to make a wheel which may be
put together or taken apart in a short space of time, every part fitting
accurately together when fastened. In order to put the wheel together
the felloes are first placed in the tyre and then the spokes are inserted in
the felloes and made to register at the nave, instead of being inserted into
mortices in a stock as by the ordinary plan, then two semi-stocks (one on
each side) are applied to the spokes and tightened up by means of screw
pins and nuts. The axle is inserted through the stock and spokes, and is
held in position by means of a recess cut around its outer extremity and
by two semi-circular collars fitting therein and into the interior of the
outer portion of the stock, these collars being compressed by a metallic
cap screwed on to the nave. In order to effect a more perfect tightening
of the stock and spokes I propose to apply between them a layer or
layers of gutta percha, india-rubber, or leather. For railway wheels the
spokes should (by preference be made in the form of segments for the
sake of strength. For paddle wheels the ordinary form of paddle wheel
spokes should be adopted; so also with any other description of wheel, the
principle of the Invention being the same. It will be seen that there is no
'shrinking of the tyre upon. the felloes, neither are any bolts required to
fasten the tyre to the felloes, but the entire wheel when made in pieces
may be put together and fastened up ready for immediate use.
up
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Fitzjames Russell in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
FITZJAMES RUSSELL, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Fitzjames Russell, Her special licence that I,
the said George Fitzjames Russell, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Fitzjames Russell, my.
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE.OF. WHEELS FOR VEHICLES, RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK, THE PRO-
PULSION OF VESSELS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Fitzjames Russell, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Fitzjames Russell, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
. This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of
wheels, whether for vehicles on common roads or for railway rolling stock,
for paddle wheels, and any other description of wheel to which the Inven-
tion may be applicable.
I propose to construct the spokes of such form that their edges at the
stock or nave of the wheel shall register together, their surfaces forming
radii of a circle, their outer ends entering the felloes and having shoulders
thereon, thus limiting the extent of their penetration into felloes and
affording a bearing between the surface of the shoulder and felloe. The
felloes are made each with a projection at one end and a recess at the other,
so that when fitted together they fasten each other. The tyre is grooved
or slotted on its internal periphery in order to receive the corresponding
outer surfaces of the felloes and prevent them from escaping laterally..
The principal object of the Invention is to make a wheel, which may be
put together or taken apart in a short space of time, every part fitting
accurately together when fastened. In order to put the wheel together
the felloes are first placed in the tyre and then the spokes are inserted in
the felloes and-made to register at the nave, instead of being inserted into

page_text: mortices in a stock as by the ordinary plan, then two semi-stocks (one on
each side) are applied to the spokes and tightened up by means of screw
pins and nuts. The axle is inserted through the stock and spokes, and is
held in position by means of a recess cut around its outer extremity and by
two semicircular collars fitting therein and into the interior of the outer
portion of the stock, these collars being compressed by a metallic cap
screwed on the nave. In order to effect a more perfect tightening up of
the stock and spokes I propose to apply between them a layer or layers of
gutta percha, india-rubber, or leather. For railway wheels the. spokes
should (by preference) be made in the form of segments for the sake of
strength. For paddle wheels the ordinary form of paddle wheel spokes:
should be adopted; so also with any other description of wheel, the prin-
ciple of the Invention being the same. It will be seen that there is no
shrinking of the tyre upon the felloes, neither are any bolts required to
fasten the tyre to the felloes, but the entire wheel when made in pieces
may be put together and fastened up ready for immediate use.
From the foregoing description my Invention will be easily understood.
I annex the accompanying Drawings to illustrate some examples of the
principle.
Fig. 1 being a longitudinal section of a wheel adapted for vehicles;
a, a, are the spokes; b, b, the felloes, and c the tyre; the spokes are formed
with shoulders at a', a', which rest on the felloes, the narrow ends of the
spokes penetrating through them. Fig. 2 is a section of the axle and box;
d is the axle, and e the box in which it turns; the box is tightened up to
the face of the spokes by screw pins passing through the holes f, f, in the
stock or box and spokes (Fig. 1), and through a second face plate on the
other side of the wheel secured by nuts. The axle is secured in the
stock or box by means of a groove o cut around it, and by an enlargement
of the bore of the box at o', and by a ring or collar formed of two semi-
circular divisions (Fig. 3) (enlarged). The two halves of this ring can
easily be adjusted in the space or groove o, and being kept in position by
a cap or fixed ring at the bottom of the opposite face plate prevents the
withdrawal of the axle when the wheel is put together. Fig. 4 is a trans-
verse section of the grooved tyre which keeps the felloes and spokes
together. The tyre however may not be grooved but be fixed to the
felloes by rivets or screws. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the inner side of a
railway wheel; the spokes are made in solid segments a, a, forming a
flush surface. Fig. 6 is a section of the same; h, h, are flat rings of iron
bolted through and through to clamp the segments together and to secure

page_text: the flanged railway tyre. The axle and box to be the same as before
described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion that
I do not limit myself to the exact details and configuration of parts I have
expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously be slightly modified or
varied without in any way departing from the principles on which the
Invention is based; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me are,
the general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, substan-
tially as herein specified and partly shewn, constituting the improvements
in the manufacture of wheels according to the title hereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Fitzjames Russell, have here
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
ALEX. C. M. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,.
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
GEORGE F. RUSSELL. (L.S.)