Improvements in or connected with the Wheels of Bicycles, Perambulators, and other Light Road Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Wheels of Bicycles,
Perambulators, and other Light Road Vehicles.
I, ROBERT EASTHAM, of 42 Turpin Green Lane, Leyland, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and GEORGE HAWORTII of 6, Ashton Terrace, Preston, in
the same County, Hose Pipe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
-
The main object of this invention is to construct the wheels of bicycles, peram-
bulators, and other light road vehicles so that they may contain within themselves
apart from or independently of their tyres spring cushioning apparatus designed to
dispense with the employment of cushioning tyres of the pneumatic or air-inflated
class (which as is well known are liable to puncture and other injury when
travelling) and allow of ordinary solid rubber tyres being substituted in lieu
thereof.
The spring cushioning apparatus which we employ in carrying out the said
invention consists of a series of (preferably) circular or annular springs or thin.
sheet metal hoops (of tempered steel) these hoops being interposed between the
inner or under side of the ordinary wheel rim and the outer side of another or inner
rin carried upon the extremities of the wheel spokes (which are shortened to suit.
the altered circumstances) suitable clips and rivets being employed to fasten the
circular springs or hoops to the outer and inner wheel rims. When applied to a
bicycle wheel of ordinary construction that is to say to a wheel having a double set
of light wire spokes converging from the nave to an apex formed at the middle of
the wheel rim the two sets of spokes are shortened as aforesaid and each set is
provided with its own separate rim the two rims standing side by side in parallel
planes as will be well understood. The spring hoops may be arranged on the two
inner rims so as to overlap or overtake each other alternately and the said two
inner rims may be formed with turned up edges or flanges and the outer or ordinary
rim with suitable metal clips to hold the spring hoops in position.
It is to be observed that according to our invention the desired cushioning effect
results from the giving way or compression of the spring hoops in turn as they
successively receive upon them the load or pressure at the time being on the wheel
as it revolves and to a certain extent from the simultaneous distension of the spring
hoop or hoops at the top or opposite side of the wheel. And that without departing
from the principle of our invention the springs need not necessarily be circular or
annular as above described but of other configurations if found more suitable for
utilising the compressing and distending effect hereinabove referred to.
Dated this 20th day of July 1892
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Wheels of Bicycles,
Perambulators, and other Light Road Vehicles.
We, ROBERT EASTILAM, of 42 Turpin Green Lane, Leyland, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and GEORGE HAWORTH, of 6 Ashton Terrace, Preston, in
the same County, Hose Pipe Manufacturer, 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 main object of this invention is to construct the wheels of bicycles,
perambulators, and other light road vehicles so that they may contain within them-
selves apart from or independently of their tyres spring cushioning apparatus
designed to dispense with the employment of cushioning tyres of the pneumatic or
air-inflated class (which as is well known are liable to puncture and other injury
when travelling) and allow of ordinary solid rubber tyres being substituted in lieu
thereof.
The spring cushioning apparatus which we employ in carrying out the said
invention consists of a series of (preferably) circular or annular springs or thin
sheet metal hoops (of tempered steel) these hoops being interposed between the
inuer or under side of the ordinary wheel rim and the outer side of another or inner
rim carried upon the extremities of the wheel spokes (which are shortened to snit
the altered circumstances) suitable clips and rivets being employed to fasten the
circular springs or hoops to the outer and inner wheel rims. When applied to a
bicycle wheel of ordinary construction that is to say to a wheel having a double set
of light wire spokes converging from the nave to an apex formed at the middle of
the wheel rim the two sets of spokes are shortened as aforesaid and each set is
provided with its own separate rim the two rims standing side by side in parallel
planes as will be well understood. The spring hoops may be arranged on the two
inner rims so as to overlap or overtake each other alternately and the said
two inner rims may be formed with turned up edges or flanges and the outer or
ordinary rim with suitable metal clips to hold the spring hoops in position.
It is to be observed that according to our invention the desired cushioning
effect results from the giving way or compression of the spring hoops in turn as
they successively receive upon them the load or pressure at the time being on the
wheel as it revolves and to a certain extent from the simultaneous distension of the
spring hoop or hoops at the top or opposite side of the wheel.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed according to our said inven-
tion and
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is another sectional plan view shewing certain details of construction
drawn to a larger scale.
Figs. 4 and 5 respectively illustrate the altered shape of the annular springs
caused by their distension at the upper part of the wheel and their compression at
the lower part of the wheel when the latter is carrying a load.
Fig. 6 shews a form of metal clip we employ to secure the spring hoops to the
outer or ordinary rim of the wheel.
aa are the spring hoops interposed between the two flanged rims forming
the inner rim (preferably in one piece as shewn at Fig. 3) and the outer or ordinary
rim c of a cycle wheel. d d are wheel spokes of the usual kind their outer ends
having collars ee and projecting pius or studs ff which pass through suitable holes
in the inner rim and the spring hoops a a and are rivetted down on the hoop
as shewn thus securing the spring hoops a a to the inner rim bb. The spring
hoops are secured to the outer rim by means of metal (preferably round wire)
clips gg (see Figs. 6 and 7) the two ends or prongs of which are passed through
holes in and bent or clinched down to the outer rim c as shewn at Fig. 3.

page_text: Instead of forming the two rims bb'in parallel planes as stated in our Provisional
Specification we prefer to set them at an angle to each other and to combine them
in one piece as hereinbefore mentioned and as shewn at Figs. 2 and 3.
In practice we find it desirable to add spring strengthening plates (such as shewn
at Figs. 7, 8, and 9) to the interior of the spring hoops a a at their point of junction
with the inner and outer rims. These plates are of tempered spring steel and in
their normal form or when detached are flat or uncurved. The plates m for the
outer rim e may be in the form shewn at Fig. 8 and be made with jaws ii for the
reception of the ears or prongs of the clip and the plates n for the inner rim may
be in the form shewn at Fig. 9 having a hole through which is passed and
rivetted down (as shewn at Fig. 7) the projecting end of the wheel spoke d.
It will be seen (at Figs. 2 and 3) that the spring hoops a a are arranged in two
series or rows and that they stand diagonally to each other converging towards a
common centre in the middle of the wheel tyre h. Also that the spring hoops of
one row are arranged alternately with the hoops of the other row thus overlapping
or overtaking each other.
Since the filing of our Provisional Specification we have been made aware that
to interpose springs of various forms for cushioning purposes between the ordinary
outer rim and an added inner rim of a light road vehicle wheel had previously been
proposed. So far as we have been able to ascertain however the said springs were
all arranged in a single row or series and not in a double row as effected by our
invention. It will be obvious that arranging the springs in a double row has the
advantage of giving greater strength or stability to a wheel not only to sustain a
load but also to resist the tendency of the springs to give way sidewise than could
be obtained by arranging them in a single row. Moreover the circular or annular
form of the springs we employ enables us to avail ourselves of the advantage
illustrated at Fig. 5 namely the limiting of the amount of compression of the
springs under a load and thus preventing their being unduly strained or compressed
to a breaking point. According to their distance apart from each other the springs
may be compressed and therefore expanded endwise only to the extent that their
touching contact with each other when so expanded will permit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
==
In combination with an outer and an inner wheel rim the employment of a double
series of annular or hoop springs arranged substantially as hereinabove described
and shewn in the drawings for the purpose specified.
Dated this 19th day of April 1893
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.