Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Vehicles.
I, RUSSELL ANDERSON SHAY, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at 24+ West Twentieth Street, in the City, County, and State of New
York, one of the United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
The present invention has for its object the provision of a wheel for vehicles
which will be both light and neat, and which will admit of a spoke being readily
removed for any cause without requiring the loosening of any of the other spokes
or the straining of the wheel, and will admit of any looseness in the joints, caused
by a shrinkage of the spokes, or vibration, being taken up.
The improvement consists essentially of a tubular axle box having exteriorly
threaded ends and radial projections between the ends to become seated in the end
of the spokes, spoke bands, one of the said bands being wedge shaped, projections
to come between the meeting edges of the spokes at the hub ends, inner and outer
oppositely disposed wedge shaped bands, the outer wedge shaped bands being
internally threaded to screw upon the threaded ends of the axle box, and bolts
passing laterally through the hub bands, the spokes and inner wedge shaped bands
to secure these parts together.
The improvement further consists of the novel features and the peculiar con-
struction and combination of the parts which hereinafter will be more fully
described and claimed and which are shown.
In the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the hub portion of a vehicle wheel, the upper
portions of the hub bands, the oppositely disposed wedge shaped bands, and the
cap being broken away to show the relative disposition of the spokes, the axle box,
and the wedge shaped projections which enter corresponding recesses provided
between the meeting edges of the hub ends of the spokes.
Figure 2, is a cross section on the line X X of Figure 1 looking in the direction
of the arrow.
The axle box C, is tubular, and is externally threaded for a short distance from
It is
each end and is provided about midway of its ends with radial projection a.
not essential that the projection a be provided, but a more stable wheel is obtained
by the provision of the same, and the portions constituting the hub which prevent
from turning on the axle box in the event of looseness of the joints. Spoke
bands H and F of similar construction are mounted on the axle box and have bolt
openings to receive the bolts E by means of which the parts are secured together.
These spoke bands are of similar construction, and extend outwardly on the spokes
a sufficient distance to brace the same laterally and have central recesses to
provide shoulders 2 which overlap the inner ends of the hub bands I and D.
One of the spoke bands as F, is provided with a series of wedge shape projec-
tions which are designed to enter recesses provided by notching the opposite
sides of the hub ends of the spokes. In the preferred form of construction, these
projections fextend only about half the distance between the edges of the spokes
and the length of the said projections is immaterial as they may extend from one
spoke band to the other. The hub bands I and D are of similar construction and
taper from the inner to the outer edges. The end bands J and B are of corre-
sponding shape to the hub bands and incline in an inverse direction and are

page_text: interiorally threaded to screw upon the threaded ends of the axle box. The
outer end band B has an extension b, which extends over the axle nut 3 and is
externally threaded to receive a cap A, by means of which the axle nut 3 is housed
and the tar and grease prevented from soiling the hands or clothing. This cap A
also prevents the entrance of dust and sand into the space enclosed by the annular
extension b. The spoke G, the spoke bands H, F, and the hub bands I and D,
have bolt openings in coincident relation to receive the bolts E by means of which
the parts when assembled are secured together. It will be understood that a bolt
will be provided for each spoke in the wheel. Inasmuch as the hub bands I
and D incline on their outer faces, provision must be had to receive the heads and
outs of the bolts E by notching or providing recesses in the said hub bands in line
with the bolt openings whereby seats are provided to receive the bolt heads or nuts
as shown most clearly in Figure 2, thereby obviating the abutinents which would
otherwise be provided if the said bolt heads and nuts were not seated as herein
specified.
To prevent relative turning of the end band J, and the hub band I, an opening
screw L is provided and extends across the joint provided between the said bands.J
and I. When all the parts are in position as shown in Figure 2, the binding
screw L is placed in position to prevent an intrograde movement of the band J on
the axle box, and a loosening of the joint between the said bands J and I. By
providing the radial projections a which are knife edged and incline in opposite
directions from an intermediate point, the spokes and the spoke holding the
clamping devices are prevented from turning relatively on the axle box. These
projections enter seats provided in the inner ends of the spokes as shown most
clearly in Figure 1.
In assembling the parts the spokes are fitted to the hub band F by being pressed
between the wedge shaped projections f, and after the spokes are in position, the
spoke band F with the spokes attached thereto is placed upon the axle box, and
the spoke and hub and end bands D and B are placed in position, the end band B
being screwed upon the threaded end of the axle box. The spoke band H, the
hub band I and the end band J are each placed in position on the opposite end of
the axle box in the order named. Care must be taken to have the spoke and
hub bands nicely adjusted so that the bolt openings therein will be in register to
receive the bolts when the latter are driven home. The end bands J and B are
properly adjusted on the axle box by screwing them up or back as required to get
the parts in the required position.
The cap A is screwed on the threaded end of the extension b after the wheel is
mounted upon the spindle of the axle, the latter being provided with the usual
collar which limits the inner movement of the wheel thereon. In the event of a
spoke being broken, or being desired to remove a spoke for any purpose, the nuts
or ends of the boits E are removed and the bands J, I and H removed, when the
required spoke can be readily detached without affecting the remaining spokes
of the wheel. After a new spoke is substituted, the parts can be quickly
placed together, and the wheel will be as solid and stable as when new. Should a
joint become loosened from any cause, either by shrinkage of the spokes or by
vibratory movements of the wheel, the slack can be readily taken up both by
tightening the bolts E and screwing up the bands J and B as will be readily
understood.
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. In a hub for vehicle wheels, the combination with a tubular axle box, and
spokes attached to the said axle box of a pair of oppositely disposed wedge shaped
bands located on each side of the plane of the spokes, the outer bands adapted to
have a screw threaded connection with the ends of the axle box, whereby the part
can be lightened and adjusted, substantially as in the manner set forth.

page_text: 2. In a hub for vehicle wheels, the combination with a hub axle box, spoke
bands loosely mounted on the axle box, and spokes clamped between the said
spoke band, of a pair of oppositely disposed wedge shaped bands placed on each
side of the plane of the spokes, the outer bands having a screw threaded con-
nection with the ends of the said axle box, substantially as described for the
purpose set forth.
3. The herein shown and described hub for vehicle wheels, comprising the following
elements : tubular axle box having radial projections midway at its ends, spoke
bands loosely mounted on the axle box and having wedge shaped projections,
spokes placed between the spoke bands and fitted between the said wedge shaped
projections, and having seats at their inner ends to receive the said radial projec-
tions, wedge shaped hub bands arranged one on each side of the plane of the spoke
and having notches or depressions to form seats for the bolt heads and nuts, end
wedge shaped bands adapted to screw upon the threaded ends of the axle box, the
outer band having a projection to receive a cap by means of which the axle nut
is closed in, and a binding screwed to prevent relative turning of the inner end
wedge shaped band, and bolts passing through coincident openings in the spokes,
spoke and hub bands, substantially as shown and set forth.
Dated this 19th day of March 1895
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.