IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR TRAMWAY RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES " PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Year: 1883

page_text: 1. C
LETTERS PATENT to Richard Alexander Hansell, and James Burne Hansell
both of the Canal Steel Casting Works Sheffield in the County of York for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR
TRAMWAY RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Richard Alexander Hansell
and James Burne Hansell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 8th November 1883.
"
"
RICHARD ALEXANDER HANSELL and JAMES BURNE HANSELL both of the Canal
Steel Casting Works Sheffield in the County of York "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR TRAMWAY RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES,”
"
"
This invention relates to a peculiar construction of interchangeable double armed
running or supporting wheels for Tramway railway and other vehicles whereby the
weight and cost of production and maintenance are reduced and the re-tyring of
such wheels is facilitated.
According to our invention we construct our improved wheels by preference of
cast steel or iron in two or more pieces or parts, the inner part consisting of
alternately disposed double arms straight or curved but by preference curved (the
arms of one set being curved in the opposite direction to those of the other set) a
boss and a drum or internal rim cast on the end of the arms and having any
convenient number of snug beds or dovetails cast thereon to form bearings for
corresponding snug beds or dovetails cast on the inside of the outer part or tyre
which is cast separate and apart from the drum or internal rim with its arms and
boss. Recesses are cast in each snug or dovetail both in the drum or internal rin
and in the outer tyre for the reception of the heads or ends of bolts or nuts which
are passed through the snugs or dovetails when the two parts have been placed the
one inside the other thus firmly securing them together and forming a complete
wheel. The outer surfaces of the recessed snugs or dovetails may be then smoothed
or levelled over with melted metal or other suitable packing so as to prevent any
tampering with, or the loosening of, the bolts or rivets, whilst completely hiding

page_text: the heads thereof and at the same time filling up any cavity that may exist round
the bolts or rivets or between the snugs or dovetails.
The drum or internal rim is recossed out at suitable places to receive the internal
snugs or dovetails cast on the inside of the outer part or tyre so that when the
parts are placed together the outer tyre is prevented from working round or
otherwise coming loose in any way the bolts or rivets being afterwards applied as
a further preventative against any extra strain that may arise. A space is left
between the drum or internal rim and the outer part or tyre which space is
afterwards filled up or otherwise blocked with hard wood melted metal or other
suitable packing.
In order to avoid the necessity for drilling bolt or rivet holes in the snugs we
cast the holes therein using cores of peculiar shape so as to hide from view the
heads or ends of the bolts or rivets employed or if preferred the holes may be left
exposed.
We prefer to cast the drum or internal rim with its arms or spokes and boss of a
soft and mild tenacious quality of Special Crucible Cast Steel whilst the outer
part or tyre of the wheel is cast of a much harder densor and tenacious material so
as to increase the durability of the wheel the said tyre being afterwards hardened
or chilled if desired by such methods as we may think best.
The advantages of our invention are that after the outer and principal part or
tyro is worn out or otherwise unfit for use we are enabled by simply removing the
bolts or rivets from the snugs or dovetails to take off the tyre and replace it with a
new one which fits in the bearings and recesses of the drum or internal rim (the
parts being interchangeable) and forms a complete wheel as described.
The central portion consisting of the arms boss and internal rim being cast in one
the strain is borne to some extent by all the arms at one time the internal rim
ensuring this effect. Moreover the drum or internal rim being cast of a soft and
tenacious steel need never be removed from the axle or shaft on which it is onco
fixed until the axle or shaft itself requires renewing, and even then when the axle
or shaft is worn out or unfit for further use the drum or internal rim being still
good may be placed again on a new axle or shaft.
The drum or internal rim being thus left in position to receive as set forth new
tyres we dispense with the old and costly system of removing the whole or complete
wheel from its axlo or shaft and replacing it with an entire new wheel and
furthermore dispense entirely with the necessity for machine or lathe‐work in the
re-tyring of wheels.
.1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Alexander Hansell and James Burne Hansell in the
Patent Office on the 8th May 1884.
RICHARD ALEXANDER HANSELL and JAMES BURNE HANSELL both of the Canal
Steel Casting Works Sheffield in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR TRAMWAY RAILWAY AND OTHER VEHICLES
"
Our said Invention relates to a peculiar construction of double armed cast steel
or cast iron wheels made in two separate intorchangeable (inner and outer) parts
for Tramway Railway and other vehicles whereby the weight and cost of production
and maintenance are reduced and the re-tyring of such wheels is facilitated.
According to our invention we form the inner or main part of the wheel of a
double set of straight or curved arms cast in one piece with a central plain or
crank boss as preferred and with an internal rim or drum one set of arms being so
disposed round the boss and rim as to break joint or alternate with the other set
and when curved (which we prefer) the two sets of arms should be curved in
opposite directions. The curved form of arms radiating as they do in opposite
directions from one common centre having the inner rim or drum cast in one
therewith necessarily ensures a certain amount of elasticity in the wheel. Round
the interior of the said rim or drum are cast a number of lugs and round one edgo
of the rim are cast a corresponding number of notches or recesses the said lugs and
recesses corresponding to lugs cast inside the separate outer part which forms tho
tyre of the wheel so that when the two parts are placed together the recesses in
the rim by interlocking with the lugs in the tyre will prevent the two parts from
working round or coming loose. Bolts or rivets are passed through holes cast in
the coinciding lugs in the inner and outer parts respectively in order to hold the
two parts more securely together thereby forming a complete wheel. The bolt
or rivet holes may be so shaped and countersunk as to conceal more or less the
heads or ends of the said fastenings and the outer surfaces of the lugs may be
smoothed or levelled over with melted metal or other suitable packing so as to
prevent any tampering with or loosening of the fastenings at the same time
completely hiding the bolt or rivet heads and filling any cavity that may exist
round the bolts or rivets or between the two sets of lugs on the inner rim or drum
and on the tyre respectively or between the recesses in the rim and the lugs in the
tyre. A space is left between the outer surface of the internal rim or drum and
the inner surface of the tyre when placed together which space is afterwards
filled up or otherwise blocked with hard dry wood melted metal or other suitable
packing.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the explanatory sheet of drawings hereunto annexed tho
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of our drawings is an outer side elevation showing one half of a
Tramway car wheel constructed according to our invention.
Figure 2 is a corresponding vertical section of the same taken along the line 1-2
in figure 1.
Figuro 3 is an outer side elevation showing one half of the inner part of the
wheel detached..
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-4 in figure 3.
Figure 5 is an outer side elevation showing one half of the outer part or tyre.
detached.

page_text: Figure 6 is a vertical section thereof and Figure 7 is a side elevation showing a
crank boss with the inner ends of the reversed curved arms cast thereon, the
internal rim or drum which is to be tyred as hereinbefore described being omitted.
A and B are the inner and outer parts respectively of the wheel. The inner part
consists of the two sets of curved arms a a, the central boss 6 the inner rim or
drum c and the lugs & all cast in one piece. ee are the recesses cast in the edge
of the said inner rim or drum. The outer part of the wheel consists of the tyre f
cast with or without a flange as required, and with the inner lugs g. One of the
several rivets for holding the two parts together is shown at k passing through the
lugs & and gi represents the wood or other packing between the inner and outer
parts of the wheel. (figure 7) shows a crank cast in one with the central,
boss b and reverse curved arms a a¹ forming the inner part of the wheel the inner
ŕim or drum being omitted. Our improved wheel may be more or less dished on
either side as shown or may be made undished or projecting as found desirable.
We prefer to cast the drum or internal rim c with its arms or spokes a a¹ and
boss b of a soft and mild tenacious quality of special Crucible Cast Steel whilst the
outer part or tyre of the wheel is cast of a much harder denser and tenacious
material so as to increase the durability of the wheel and in addition the said tyre
is afterwards hardened. We have found the following method of hardening the
tyre to give the best results in practice. The outer tyre is taken in its crude cast
state either toughened by annealing or not (but without having previously
undergone hammering or rolling) and got to a blood red heat and slowly immersed
in water at various degrees of heat according to the degree of hardness required
thus adding to its long life and wearing properties and giving additional strength.
The advantages of our invention are that after tho 'outer and principal part or
tyre is worn out or otherwise unfit for use we are enabled by simply removing the
bolts or rivets from the lugs to take off the tyre and replace it with a new one
which fits in the bearings and recesses of the internal rim or drum (the parts being
interchangeable and forms a complete wheel as described. The central portion or
inner part of the wheel consisting of the arms boss and internal rim or drum being
cast in one piece the strain is borne to some extent by all the arms at one time the
internal rini or drum ensuring this effect. Moreover the said central portion with
its internal rim or drum being cast of a soft and tenacious steel need never be
removed from the axle or shaft on which it is once fixed until the latter itself
requires renewing and even then when it is worn out or unfit for further use the rim.
or drum being still good the said central portion of the wheel may be again fitted
onto a new axle or shaft.
The internal rim or drum being thus left in position to receive as set forth new
tyres we dispense with the old and costly systein of removing the whole or
complete wheel from its axle or shaft and replacing it with a new wheel and we'
furthermore dispense entirely. with the necessity for machine or lathework in the
re-tyring of wheels of this class.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect we would observe in conclusion that we are aware it has been proposed to
cast tramway wheels in two separate parts the ends of the arms or spokes of the
inner part of the wheel being secured direct to the outer part or tread and therefore
we do not claim broadly the casting of wheels for railway tramway and other
vehicles in two separate inner and outer parts secured together by bolts or rivets,
but what we consider to bo novel and original and therefore claim as the invention.
secured to us by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
•
First. The peculiar construction of cast metal wheels cast in two interchangeable
(inner and outer) parts in which the inner part of the complete wheel consists of
an internal rim or drum formed with lugs and recesses and having two-sets of
alternately..disposed arms and a boss all cast in one piece, and the outer part
consists of a tyre having lugs cast therein corresponding to the lugs and recesses in'

page_text: the internal rim or drum of the inner part the two parts being fitted and secured
together to form a complete wheel substantially as herein before described.
Second. Packing the aforesaid wheels by filling up or otherwise blocking with
hard wood, melted metal, or other suitable packing the space between the internal
rim or drum and the outer part or tyre as specified.
Third. In wheels of the aforesaid construction the combination of an inner part
composed of a soft mild and tenacious quality of metal with an outer part or tyre
composed of metal of a harder and denser quality as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The hardening or chilling of the outer part or tyre of the wheel in its
crude cast state as hereinbefore described.
Fifth. A cast metal wheel formed with two sets of straight or curved arms
disposed alternately or so as to break joint with each other the arms of one set
when curved being by preference curved in the opposite direction to those of the
other set substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In Witness whereof I the said James Burne Hansell for myself and on behalf
of the said Richard Alexander Hansell have hereunto set my hand and seal this
third day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty
four.
JAMES BURNE HANSELL. (L.S.)