Improvements in the Metallic Rims of Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes and Wheel Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Metallic Rims of Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles,
and other Velocipedes and Wheel Carriages.
We, EDWARD CHARLES WASDELL, and JOHN HENRY TAYLOR, both of No. 85,
Lombard Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Tube Manufacturers,
and Co-partners, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
Our invention consists in making depressions of the kinds hereinafter described
in the metallic rims of wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and
wheel carriages which depressions have for their object the reception of the heads
of the spoke nipples of the wheels. The said depressions may either be such that
the nipples of the spokes of one side of the wheel may be situated in a different
line from those of the other side; or the nipples of the spokes of both sides of the
wheel may be in the same line. Our invention has for its further object so to
strengthen the metallic rim as to enable it to resist distortion by the tyre when
the tyre is inflated.
In making a rim according to our invention we form preferably by rolling at or
near the bottom of the trough of the rim a wave like, zig-zag or undulating
depression the said depression extending all round the rim. The said depression
is of somewhat greater breadth than that of the heads of the nipples, and of such
a depth that when the spokes of the wheel are fixed in position the heads of the
nipples are approximately flush with the bottom of the trough of the rim.
We make the said undulating depressions of such a figure that the number of
the undulations corresponds with the number of the spokes in 'the wheel; or 'we
make the number of the undulations of a multiple of the number of spokes in
the wheel. The spoke nipples may all be put in the middle of each wave when the
said nipples will all be in the same line; or the nipples may be put alternately at
the summits of the undulations when the said nipples will be situated in separate
but parallel lines.
Instead of making but one undulating depression in the rim, two of such undu-
lating depressions may be employed the said undulations being of similar figure
and situated parallel to each other the summits of the undulations of the two
depressions being situated opposite each other.
Or two undulating depressions may be employed crossing each other at points
midway between the summits of the undulations. Or the continuity of one of the
undulating depressions may be interrupted at points where but for such interrup-
tion the depressions would intersect each other. In the last two cases the undu-
lations or waves are preferably of greater length than those previously referred
Instead of the undulating depressions described a series of isolated depressions
may be employed the said isolated depressions being of a size and shape suitable
for the reception of the spoke nipples. The said depressions may either be all
n a line at the bottom of the trough or situated alternately on the right and left
of the bottom of the trough.
0.
The undulating depressions as well as the isolated depressions described not

page_text: only serve for the reception of the spoke nipples but give considerable rigidity
to the rim and thereby prevent wholly or in part its liability to distortion on the
inflation of the tyre.
Dated this Seventeenth day of Anril 1897
Improvements in the Metallic Rims of Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles
and other Velocipedes and Wheel Carriages.
We, EDWARD CHARLES WASDELL, and JOHN HENRY TAYLOR, both of No. 85,
Lombard Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Tube Manufacturers,
and Co-partners, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Our invention consists in making depressions of the kinds hereinafter described
in the metallic rims of wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and
wheel carriages which depressions have for their object the reception of the heads
of the spoke nipples of the wheels. The said depressions may either be such
that the nipples of the spokes of one side of the wheel may be situated in a
different line from those of the other side; or the nipples of the spokes of both
sides of the wheel may be in the same line. Our invention has for its further
object so to strengthen the metallic rim as to enable it to resist distortion by
the tyre when the tyre is inflated.
In making a rim according to our invention we form preferably by rolling
at or near the bottom of the trough of the rim a wave like, zig-zag or undulating
depression the said depression extending all round the rim. The said depression
is of somewhat greater breadth than that of the heads of the nipples, and of such
a depth that when the spokes of the wheel are fixed in position the heads of the
nipples are approximately flush with the bottom of the trough of the rim.
We make the said undulating depressions of such a figure that the number
of the undulations corresponds with the number of the spokes in the wheel; or we
make the number of the undulations of a multiple of the number of spokes in the
wheel. The spoke nipples may all be put in the middle of each wave when the
said nipples will all be in the same line; or the nipples may be put alternately at
the summits of the undulations when the said nipples will be situated in separate
but parallel lines.
Instead of making but one undulating depression in the rim, two of such
undulating depressions may be employed the said undulations being of similar
figure and situated parallel to each other, the summits of the undulations of the
two depressions being situated opposite each other.
Or two undulating depressions may be employed crossing each other at points
midway between the summits of the undulations. Or the continuity of one of the
undulating depressions may be interrupted at points where but for such inter-
ruption the depressions would intersect each other. In the last two cases the
undulations or waves are preferably of greater length than those previously
referred to.
Instead of the undulating depressions described a series of isolated depressions
may be employed the said isolated depressions being of a size and shape suitable
for the reception of the spoke nipples. The said depressions may either be all

page_text: in a line at the bottom of the trough or situated alternately on the right and left
of the bottom of the trough.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings represent respectively in plan
and section a portion of a metallic wheel rim made according to our invention.
Figures 3 to 15 both inclusive represent modified metallic wheel rims made
according to our invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
We will first describe the rim Figures 1 and 2.
a is the rim and 6 the undulating or wave like depression in the bottom of
the trough of the same the said depression being made preferably by rolling. The
holes c, c, e for the spoke nipples are preferably formed alternately at the tops
and bottoms of the waves of the undulating depression as is represented in the
said Figures 1 and 2 so that the line of holes for the spokes of one side of the
wheel is parallel 'to the line of holes for the spokes of the other side of the wheel.
In the said holes spoke nipples of the ordinary kind are placed as is represented
in several of the other figures of the drawings.
Where it is desired that the outer ends of the spokes shall all be in the same
line the holes are made midway between the tops and bottoms of the waves of
the undulating depression b.
In the portion of the rim represented in Figures 3 and 4 a zig-zag depression b
in the rim a is shown in place of the undulating depresion Figures 1 and 2.
In the portion of the rim represented in Figures 5 and 6 two undulating depres-
sions b, side by side are made in the rim a the holes for the nipples d (see
Figure 6) being preferably made at the summits of alternate waves.
In the portion of the rim represented in Figures 7 and 8 two undulating depres-
sions b, bare made the continuity of one of the said depressions being interrupted
at the points where but for the said interruption the depressions would intersect
ach other as shown.
In the portion of the rim represented in Figure 9 two wave like depressions b; b
are arranged in juxta-position.
In the portions of the rims represented in Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15,
isolated depressions 62, 62 alone are employed.
In Figures 10 and 11 the isolated depressions 6º, 2º cross the bottoms or troughs
of the rim diagonally either all in the same direction as in Figure 10, or alter-
nately in one direction, the intermediate depressions being in the opposite direction
as in Figure 11; and the spoke holes may be formed at the two ends of each
depression as in Figure 10, or one hole only in each depression may be formed
as in Figure 11. The isolated depressions Figures 12 to 15, both inclusive,
are of a circular figure and of a size proper for the reception of the spoke nipples.
the spoke holes in Figures 12 and 13 being in one straight line, while the spoke
holes in Figures 14 and 15 are in two parallel lines.
In the portion of the rim represented in plan in Figure 16 and cross sections
in Figures 17 and 18 (the said cross sections Figures 17 and 18 being taken
respectively on the lines x, x and y, y Figure 16) the said wave like depressions b, b
are formed by taking an ordinary rim of the section shown in Figure 17 and by
a rolling operation raising in the bottom of the concave trough of the said ordinary
rim a series of equi-distant elongated projecting parts e, e the parts on either side
the said projecting parts e, e, or at the ends of the same, constituting the depres-
sions b for the reception of the spoke nipples of the wheel.
Instead of making holes c in the depressions 6 for the inner ends of the spoke
nipples & to pass through, cup like seats may be formed by pressure at the required
distances apart for the reception of the spoke nipples, the holes in the bottoms
of the seats or cups being of a size proper for the spokes to pass through. By
this construction the rim is strengthened at the parts occupied by the spoke nipples.
Although we have only represented our improvements in connection with
metallic rims of the kind commonly called solid rims yet we wish it to be under-

page_text: stood that they are equally applicable to metallic rims of the kind called hollow
or tubular rims, the depressions herein before described and illustrated being formed
in the trough or concave side of the said hollow or tubular rims.
The undulating depressions as well as the isolated depressions hereinbefore
described and illustrated not only serve for the reception of the spoke nipples but
give considerable rigidity to the rim and thereby prevent wholly or in part its
liability to distortion on the inflation of the tyre. Further, the said depressions
obviate the necessity of geometrically dividing the rim prior to drilling the spoke
holes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we
claim as our invention of "Improvements in the metallic rims of wheels of
bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and wheel carriages":
Making in the said metallic wheel rims undulating or wave like or zig-zag
depressions or undulating or wave like or zig-zag depressions in combination with
a series of isolated depressions, or a series of isolated depressions alone, the said
depressions being of a size proper for the reception of the spoke nipples of the
wheels, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Seventeenth day of January 1898.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.