Improvements in Wheels for Velocipedes and other Carriages for Common Roads.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Velocipedes and other Carriages for
Common Roads.
1, PIERRE AMBJORN, COMTE DE SPARRE, of 16, Place de la Madeleine, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that kind of wheels for velocipedes and other carriages
in which concentric rims are employed. Hitherto such concentric rims have been
connected together by means of springs but according to my invention I dispense
with the use of such springs and connect the concentric rims, the outer one of
which is flexible, and the inner one rigid, by means of rods, rings or chains.
The outer rim is made of spring steel or other suitable flexible material such for
example as rolled brass, wood, or the like and the inner rim is U-shaped in cross
section and is connected to the hub by means of spokes in the usual manner.
In the inner side of the outer rim are fixed three or more eyes or hooks to which
are hooked the rods or chains having screw threaded ends which pass through holes
in the inner rim the rods or chains being held in tension by means of nuts which
bear against the inner surface of the inner rim.
The outer rim is thus drawn towards the centre of the wheel and at the same
time the two rims are held apart at a given distance which is adjusted by means of
the nuts upon the rods.
Dated the 21st day of April 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Wheels for Velocipedes and other Carriages for
Common Roads.
I, PIERRE AMBJORN, COMTE DE SPARRE of 16, Place de la Madeleine, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Civil 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 that kind of wheels for velocipedes and other carriages
in which concentric rims are employed.
Hitherto such concentric rims have been connected together by means of springs
but according to my invention I dispense with the use of such springs and connect
the concentric rims, the outer one of which is flexible, and the inner one rigid, by
means of rods, rings or chains.
The outer rim is made of spring steel or other suitable flexible material such for
example as rolled brass, wood, or the like and the inner rim is U-shaped in cross
section and is connected to the hub by means of spokes in the usual manner.
In the inner side of the outer rim are fixed three or more eyes or hooks to which
are hooked the rods or chains having screw threaded ends which pass through holes
:

page_text: in the inner rim the rods or chains being held in tension by means of nuts-which
bear against the inner surface of the inner rim.
The outer rim is thus drawn towards the centre of the wheel and at the same
time the two rims are held apart at a given distance which is adjusted by means of
the nuts upon the rods.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed according to my invention;
and,
Figure 2 is a section through the double rim of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively an elevation and a transverse section of a
modified form of wheel the details of which are illustrated in Figures 6 to 12.
Figures 13 to 20 are views illustrating an india-rubber tyre for the flexible rim
of my improved elastic wheel and various methods of connecting it to the rim.
Figure 21 is a view of a safety bicycle provided with wheels constructed
according to my invention and with automatic powder-distributors, for preventing
the slipping of the wheels when turning or tacking.
A (Figures 1 and 2) is the flexible rim, B the rigid rim concentric therewith
and D the rods which I employ for connecting the said rims together, the rods
having screw threaded ends as shewn, passing through the rigid rim B and
attached by rigid_rings, hooks or chains D' to eyes fixed at intervals round the
flexible rim A. Each of the rods D is secured to the rim B by one or more
nuts F, F which serve to regulate the tension of the flexible rim A and at the same
time maintain the two rims A and B at a given distance apart.
The flexible rim A may be made of spring steel or other flexible material, such
for instance as rolled brass or wood. The transverse section of the rigid inner
rim B is preferably of U-shape and it is connected to the hub E of the wheel by
the spokes c, c.
In my improved wheel the rigid rods D, hooked or attached to the inner part of
the flexible rim A, may be of metal or other suitable material such as wood, horn
or bone and the rings, links or chains may be composed of different materials in
order to avoid the rattling or clinking which would be produced by two hard bodies
moving against each other for example, some of these links may be made of hemp
and others of metal.
In order not to diminish the strength of the flexible rin A by making holes
therein which might cause a rupture, I can connect the rods D to the rim A by
making on one or on both sides of the rim A notches or recesses G (Figures 5, 6
and 7) of a depth and width equal respectively to the depth and width of a trans-
verse band or belt H, Figures 7 and 8 of metal or other suitable material having
its two ends rivetted or hooked together at H' so that it cannot slide over the
rim A during the rotation of the wheel.
Through a hole I formed inside at the middle of the belt H passes the screw
threaded rod D secured by a nut D2 inside the belt whilst the other end of the
said rod which passes through a hole a made in the rigid rim B is secured by the
nut or nuts F, F', thus uniting the two rims A and B.
At the middle of the outer part of the belt is screwed or rivetted a small screw
threaded stud K which serves by means of a nut M to secure a protecting band or
tyre K of india-rubber, leather, gutta-percha or other similar material on the
outer rim.
I can replace the stud K and the nut M by a simple screw inserted in the
belt H.
Between this belt H and the inner periphery of the rim A 1 interpose a block V
(Figures 8 to 12) of wood, metal or other resisting material in which is made a
notch or recess N serving to receive the nut D' of the rod D. When instead of
rods such as DI employ chains for uniting the two rims I make in the block Va
notch or recess T (Figure 12) which allows of the passage of the first link D' of
the chain.
On the rod D and against the belt H is placed a ball or washer Y of india-

page_text: rubber, gutta-percha or other elastic material, which has for object to hold the
nut D in constant contact with the inner part of the belt H for preventing it from
shaking about and producing a rattling noise during the travelling of the vehicle.
The block is secured in place by cheeks q, q on the belt H.
The rod D is covered with a tube or jacket Z, of metal, wood, india-rubber, or
other suitable material, sometimes provided with a collar or flange formed with it
and placed between the ball Y and the nut F in order to prevent a rattling of the
screw threaded part of the rod D against the side of the hole in which this rod
moves when the flexible rim A approaches or recedes from the rigid rim B by
reason of the shocks produced when encountering obstacles on the road during the
travelling of the wheel.
Between the notches or recesses G (Figures 5, 6 and 7) made in the edges of the
rim AI make intermediate notches or recesses G of the same depth as the others,
but their width is regulated in such a manner that there only remains between the
notches G and G', teeth L sufficiently strong to hold the belts H. By this arrange-
ment the width of the rim is regular in its narrowest part, its strength is retained
and it is not exposed to the risk of becoming broken.
When I employ the india-rubber outer tyre K' (Figures 13, 14 and 15) it is
provided with transverse notches or grooves a corresponding to the width and
thickness of the bands H, these bands are located in the grooves a so as to prevent
the tyre K' from sliding over the rim A.
The tyre K' is held transversely by cheeks K K moulded with it on each side
throughout its circumference and which clip the edges of the rim A.
To prevent the rim A from leaving the tyre through shocks or friction, I employ
small plates d (Figures 18 and 19) provided with studs or buttons e, e which hold
the cheeks K K of the tyre K'; or clips d' having their ends pointed and turned
inwards at a right angle the points passing through the cheeks K K over which
they are then pressed down (Figure 174).
I can if required dispense with the clips d or d', and in this case the tyre is
provided with transverse grooves b, b between the grooves a, a but of less depth
than them, and sufficient to receive bands of strong fabric (Figure 20) cemented
to the tyre and the ends of which are united inside the rim by suitable clips or
fasteners l.
Figure 21 is a view of a safety bicycle above the wheels of which are arranged
boxes m and m¹ the bottoms of which are perforated, and covered with slides t
and similarly perforated, and connected to the steering head by small cords or
chains n which can be operated by hand like the brake for example, or be auto-
matically operated when the steering head is turned whereby the slides t and t'
are moved and the holes in the same are caused to more or less uncover those of
the boxes me and m¹. If these boxes be supplied with powdered rosin, whiting, or
other powdered material suitable for increasing the adherence, the said material
will be distributed over the periphery of the wheel tyres and prevent the wheel
from slipping on the ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For constructing an elastic wheel for velocipedes, bicycles or other vehicles.
(a) The employment of rods or rigid rings or chains instead of springs and
arranged radially between a single outer flexible rim and a single inner rigid
rim such as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
(b) The employment of notches or recesses in one or both sides of the outer
flexible rim, in which notches are located transverse bands or belts with or
without the interposition of blocks between the belt and the lower part of
the flexible rim, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.

page_text: (c) The employment of balls or washers and tubes or jackets of metal, wood,
india-rubber, gutta-percha or other suitable material over the rigid rods
uniting the two rims for the purpose specified and substantially as herein-
before described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
Deted the 22nd day of January 1894
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..