Improvements in Wheels.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels.
I, JAMES MACPHAIL, of Blue Island, County of Cook and State of Illinois, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to wheels, particularly to such as are used in hay-rakes,
and other like agricultural implements. It has for its object to provide a wheel
of this type more economical in construction and more cheaply and easily repaired
than the wheels previously used. It has for a further object to render such a
wheel less subject to breakage or indentation by a spoke construction which makes
the connection between the rim and the hub a more or less elastic one, as will be
hereinafter described.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed according to my invention with
a portion thereof shown in vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale,
with parts broken away.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the hub and parts thereto attached,
on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of a spoke.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the outer surface of a portion of the hub.
Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the clamping plugs.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the hub and a spoke, and of a clamping
plug, arranged in place.
Referring to the drawings by letter, A represents the hub proper which is
adapted to be mounted upon the axle of the machine. The said hub A, near its
inner end is provided with an upright flange B, preferably formed integral with
the said hub. Upon the outer edge of the flange B is formed a second and
inwardly extending flange C, at right angles to the said flange B, and thus con-
centric with the hub proper A. This flange C may be further extended inward
and be provided with teeth C² on its inner surface, thus forming an internal gear.
where such is necessary for the operation of the machine in question.
Entering into the flange C from the outer surface thereof are formed a series
of semi-cylindrical recesses 1); the side walls of each, d, are vertical; the bottoms
of each, d, are curved as shown. In order to make these recesses of sufficient
depth without unduly increasing the thickness of the flange C, the said flange
may be formed to curve inward towards the hub as at D'. At the bottom of each
recess D) a bolt hole extends through the flange C. In practice I find it desirable
also to form on each side of the recess D lugs or projections E; which are so
disposed that they are also partly cut away by the recess D), as particularly shown
in Figs. 3 and 5. All of the parts hereinabove described may be made integral,
in a single casting.

page_text: 66
The spoke employed is, in general, of the type known as hair pin spokes";
that is the double spoke F comprises the two spokes F and F united at their hub
ends by the bend or loop F3; the said bend F is perforated to permit of its being
bolted to the hub as hereinafter described. Upon each outer end of the double
spoke is formed a segmental extension f concentric with the rim of the wheel
and united with the body of the spoke by the bend f¹. These spokes are prefer-
ably made of flat bar iron which is easily struck up into the requisite form.
The tire G is preferably formed with a channel G upon its inner surface, of
such shape and width as to be adapted to receive the segmental extensions f of
the spokes; which may be secured to the said tire by the bolts or rivets g.
The clamping plugs Hare each made in the form of a segment of a cylinder;
they may be further provided with the lugs, in case the corresponding lugs E
upon the hub flange are used. The clamping plug is perforated to permit of the
insertion of the bolt I later described.
When the wheel is to be set up, each spoke loop F is inserted in one of the
recesses D in which it is adapted to fit snugly; the clamping plug H is next put
in place within the loop of the said spoke; each clamping plug being drawn
tightly into place by the bolt I. The spoke is thus securely fastened to the hub.
The function of the lugs E upon the hub flange C and of the corresponding lugs
upon the clamping plugs is to provide the loop of the spoke with a longer bearing
than it would otherwise have without unduly increasing the thickness of the
flange C.
The segmental extensions upon the rim ends of the spokes are then secured in
place in the channeled surface of the wheel rim by the rivets g. The bends f¹
thus provide an elastic connection between the wheel rim and the hub; the rim
yields to a certain extent when striking some obstruction instead of becoming
indented or of breaking.
It will further be seen, by the entirely separate connection of each double
spoke with the hub and with the rim, that, upon the breakage of one of such
spokes, the same can be easily removed and another substituted without taking
apart the entire wheel; which has hitherto been necessary in wheels formed with
hair pin spokes."
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a wheel, the hub A; the flange C concentric with the hub and provided
with the recesses D; hair pin spokes F provided with loops F3 adapted to fit
in the said recesses; clamping plugs H, and bolts I adapted to secure the said
loops in plàce; a rim G, and means for attaching the rim ends of the spokes
thereto.
2. In a wheel, the double spoke F comprising the two spokes F1 and F2 united
at their hub ends by the loop 13, and provided at their rim ends with the segmental
extensions of connected to the said spokes by the bends or loops f¹.
3. In a wheel, the hub A; the flange C concentric with the hub and provided
with the segmental recesses I); the Hat double spokes F, comprising the two
spokes F1 and F2 united at their hub ends by the loop ; the said loops F3 being
adapted to fit in the said recesses D); segmental clamping plugs H adapted to fit
within the loops F3; bolts I passing through the said plugs H, loops F3 and
flange C; the rim G; and means for attaching the rim ends of the spokes thereto.
4. In a wheel, the integral spokes F, comprising the two spokes Fl
and F3 united at their hub ends by the segmental loop F³ and
terminating with the segmental extensions connected to the said
spokes by the bends or' loops with the hub A comprising the
flange C containing the segmental recesses D co-operating with the segmental
'

page_text: loops F together with the segmental plugs H and the bolts I; and the tire G.
having the internal flanges and connected to said extensions f, substantially as
'shown and described.
Dated this 16th day of August 1898.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C.