Improvements in the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1893-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
:
Improvements in the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
WILLIAM DOIG Fine Art Publisher of 175 New Bond Street in the County of
London do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object to provide a flexible hub as an efficient
substitute for the pneumatic tyre used on velocipedes for the reduction of vibration.
For this purpose I make the hub of any shape, preferably annular, and of any
metal, preferably steel, with sides or ends of any flexible material, or material
rendered flexible, and air proof. The sides or ends are fitted to the annular hub
by means of bolts or screws, and to the spindle or axle by means of bolts or
screws. The annular hub I make of metal with inside flanges with concave or
convex face with screw or bolt holes, flanges are also fitted to outside of annular
hub, to which the spokes can be attached. The spindle or axle is fitted with
flanges with concave or convex face and screw or bolt holes. The sides or ends
are made of any compressible material, or metal rendered compressible by reason
of corrugation or otherwise, preferably of leather air proofed, cut to shape with
centre hole for spindle or axle. I fit to the inner and outer circumferences of the
flexible sides or ends metal rings with concave or convex face with screw or bolt
holes, the flexible sides with metal rings are fitted to the flanges inside annular
hub, and to the flanges on the spindle or axle by the means of screws or bolts.
For inflation and deflation a suitable valve is fitted to the annular hub.
By reason of a flexible centre in a wheel, latteral or eccentric movement must
arise, and to overcome so serious a defect, I fit to the inside circumference of the
annular hub in or near the centre one or more perforated annular plates with or
without ball bearings. I fit to the spindle or axle one or more plates with or
without ball bearings, between and against which the annular plates inside annular
hub will move in the direction perpendicular with the axis, or I fit the outside of
annular bub with ball bearings or plate, to move on a plate with or without ball
bearings fitted to the ends of the spindle or axle which are outside the annular hub,
or I fit a plate, with or without ball bearings, to the forks of the velocipede, and
against which the plate, with or without ball bearings, on the outside of annular
hub moves, thus mainting the wheel from latteral or eccentric motion.
To render the hub air tight I-cover-the-interior-of-flexible-sides,-and-annular
hub, with india rubber solution, or I line the sides only, with india rubber film or
other air tight flexible material.
I procure transmission of movement from the spindle or axle to the annular
hub by means of the metal rings on the inner circumference of the flexible sides
screwed or bolted to the flanges on the spindle or axle, and by means of the metal
rings on the outer circumference of flexible sides being screwed or bolted to the
flanges inside the annular hub.
Dated this Eighth day of April 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM DOIG, Fine Art Publisher, of 175 New Bond Street, in the County
of London, 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:-
:-
This invention has for its object, to provide a hub with elastic flexible or
compressible sides as an efficient substitute for the pneumatic tyre used on bicycles
and other vehicles to reduce vibration and increase the speed.
For this purpose, I make the circumference of the hub of metal, preferably
steel tinned inside, and the sides of flexible and airtight materials connecting the
central part of the hub or the axle with the circumference of the hub, so as to
• form between the rigid metallic circumference and the centre an air-tight annular
space or spaces filled or to be filled with compressed air (or other gases), and I
provide means to prevent the lateral shifting or oscillation of the hub upon the
axle, as the vehicle rolls along.
In further describing the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying
drawing, of which Fig. 1 is an axial section of a hub embodying my invention,
while Fig. 2 is a face view of the same.
A represents the metallic central part or sleeve and B the metallic circumference
of the hub; C are the flexible sides.
The flexible sides may be made of leather, canvas, or other material combining
the necessary flexibility, strength and durability. If not naturally airtight, they
are preferably lined with indiarubber, c, or other airtight material, as in the case
represented by the drawing. They have the shape of annular plates or discs,
which may be flat, conical, or bulged, but preferably bulged outward, as shown,
and are secured to the hub along their outer edges by means of flanges D D,
screws E, E, and annular plates or washers F, F. They may, however, be secured
by metallic clasps, springs, bolts, rivets or clutches, or by having a screw-thread on
the edge of the flange and a corresponding rim of the annular plate, or by other
suitable means.
At their inner edges, the said flexible sides, discs or plates, are secured to the
central part A, in a similar mauner, by means of flanges H, screws and annular
washers J. They may be secured, however, by any of the means described above
as applicable to the outer edge.
The flanges D may be screwed, brazed, or otherwise secured to the circum-
ference B, or made of one piece with the same, as shown and, if necessary, rendered
airtight. The spokes S of the wheel (not shown in Fig. 2) are preferably fixed
to a pair of outer flanges & made in one piece with the inner flanges D.
Each of the screws or bolts for fixing the flexible sides to the central part and
circumference of the hub may be made airtight by coating it with adhesive solution
or by other suitable means.
For inflating the sides, or filling the hub with compressed air or other elastic
fluid, a suitable valve (or valves) is fitted to the metallic circumference. This
valve or valves may be similar to those used for pneumatic tyres, and does not form
part of my invention.
Owing to the flexible connection between the centre and the circumference of
the hub, special means must be adopted, to prevent any lateral motion of the hub
or its circumference, relatively to the axle, or to keep such motion within given
limits, while allowing displacement in a direction radial to the axle. For this
purpose, I fit to the inside of the metallic circumference, at or near the middle of
its length, one or more annular plates L, L, which may or may not be perforated,
and to the axle a corresponding number of plates M, which fit against the annular

page_text: plates L. The drawing shows one plate M situated between two plates L, instead
of which there may be one plate L, situated between two plates M. These guide.
rings or plates L and M may, however, be differently arranged, either in the
middle of the hub or at the end or ends thereof, or both.
Instead of allowing the plates or rings L and M to slide directly upon each
other, they may be provided with friction balls, which run in suitable grooves or
bearings, in order to reduce friction.
Or the contact surfaces of the plate L or of the plates M may be provided with
holes or recesses, which are filled with plumbago, soapstone, or other suitable
substance, so as to obtain a sliding surface similar to that contained in what are
known as oil-less shaft bearings.
The flexible or elastic-sides, whether made of leather or other material, or of a
combination of metal and other material, are preferably strong enough, to transmit
rotary motion from the axle to the hub, which case is represented by the drawing.
In the drawing N represents the axle or spindle, upon which the hub rolls by
means of balls and ball-bearings, as usual; 0, 0 are flexible washers or packing
rings interposed between the indiarubber lining of the leather discs C and the
flanges D, H.
If the hub is fixed on the axle, so as to revolve with the same, the flanges H and
guide rings M may be fixed to the axle or form part of the same, the central sleeve
or tubular inner part of the hub being omitted.
I am aware, that hollow, elastic or flexible hubs have been made or proposed
before, for instance hubs which derive their elasticity from metallic springs, annular
indiarubber tubes or a series of hollow rubber balls placed in the interior of the
hub, or forming the sides of the same. Such hubs are frequently provided with a
sliding joint, either between a rigid circumference and rigid sides, or in the sides
which are made of two concentric parts of metal adapted to slide upon each other,
and in some cases the rotary motion is transmitted by metallic links, but I do not
claim any of these devices."
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare, that 1 claim
;
1. In vehicle wheels, a hollow hub, the two sides of which consist of flexible
discs connecting the circumference of the hub with the axle or with a sleeve
mounted on the axle, so as to transmit rotary motion and to form the sides of an
air chamber filled with air or other gases at atmospheric or at higher than
atmospheric pressure, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
2. In vehicle wheels, a hub having a compressed air chamber the two sides of
which are the sides of the hub and formed by air-tight flexible discs connecting
the circumference of the hub with the axle or with a sleeve mounted on the same,
and flanges or annular guides-arranged in the interior of the said air chamber so
as to prevent or limit oscillations in the direction of the axis, substantially_as_
described.
3. In vehicle wheels, a flexible hub, with bulged leather discs serving as sides
of an air chamber, and internal guide rings, the whole being constructed and
adapted to operate substantially as described and shown by the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.