Improvements in Wheels for Bicycles, Tricycles, and all other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1893-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
Improvements in Wheels for Bicycles, Tricycles, and all other
Vehicles.
I TIMOTHY MURPHY of Number 73 and 74 O'Connell Street Clonmel in the
County of Tipperary Agricultural 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 :-
The said improvements are the placing of any desired number of elliptic or
other springs or hinged elliptic straps around the outer circumference of rim of
said wheel and upon the outer face of said. elliptic springs is attached an equal
number of leaf springs or plates. Said leaf springs when so placed form an outer rim
all around the circumference of said wheel. One or both ends of said leaf springs
are provided with slits and said slits are free to move in guides upon the said
elliptic springs, or said slits may be formed in said elliptic springs in which case
the ends of said leaf springs are free to move in said slits. Said leaf springs
which form the outer rim are kept in their relative positions towards the inner rim
either partly or wholly by means of spiral springs, one or more of said spiral
springs being placed within the compass of each of said elliptic springs, between
said inner rim and said leaf springs which form the outer rim. Drawing Figure 1 is
a front view of said wheel. At "M" is shewn the said rim of wheel and upon said
rim any desired number of said elliptic springs shewn at "B
are attached all
around the circumference of said wheel by the pins "H H." At "FF" is shewn
said leaf springs which form the outer spring rim. The ends of said leaf springs
rest upon the outer surface of said elliptic springs. One end of each leaf spring
is bolted or rivetted on at "N" to said elliptic springs and the other end of each
said leaf spring is provided with a slit shewn at "I." At "P" is shewn a plate
which forms a guide over said leaf springs. Said plate "P" is kept in position by
the pin "D" which connects it with the said elliptic spring
"B." Said pin passes
through the said slit "I" which is formed in said leaf spring. The part of said
elliptic springs where the two leaves are connected by the pins "OO" are
provided with rubber cushions which are placed between said leaves shewn at "S,”
or said elliptic springs may be hinged together at "OO." Each of said elliptic
springs is provided with a pin shewn at "C." Said pin passes freely through said
springs and also through the rim "M" and upon each of said pins "C" is placed
one or more spiral springs "T" and said spiral springs as so placed within the
compass of said elliptic springs will resist the pressure of rim "M" of said wheel
towards the outer rim as said wheel rolls.
By the two pivots "UU" Fig. 2 is shewn another mode of keeping the said
spiral springs in their place within the compass of said elliptic springs. Said spiral
springs are sprung in upon the said pivots "U U." Another form of elliptic
springs as shewn at "R" Fig. 2 may be used instead of said elliptic springs shewn
at "B" Fig. 1. It is one continuous spring it being only separated at " G" where
it is fastened on to the said rim in a similar way as the elliptic spring "B" Fig. 1
is fastened on to said rim. The said leaf springs "F" will rebound outwards
after the centre of gravity is passed with as much force as it takes to depress said
leaf springs before the centre of gravity is reached as the wheel rolls along. The
said rebound is caused after the depression by reason of each said leaf spring "F
having freedom to move on the part of said elliptic springs "B upon which they
rest.
The said movement of said leaf springs "F upon the said elliptic
springs B" is caused by the yielding of both the said leaf springs and the said
elliptic springs and the said spiral springs (which are placed upon the pin "C")

page_text: swing to the rigidness of the inner rim "M" and the pressure of the outer rim
formed by said leaf springs "F" against whatever substance it rolls on and the
said outer rim by being so pressed towards the centre of said wheel will be
compressed towards the inner rim "M" in a shorter space and it is to provide for
said compression that each said leaf spring "F" is free to move thus giving the
said outer rim liberty to yield in and out. The said outer rim will be free from
expansion or contraction any where around its circumference excepting the part
that is on the ground. The said wheel Fig. 1 can be used with or without a
rubber tyre.
In drawing Fig. 2 is also shewn said slits (as described) formed in said elliptic
springs shewn at "I." Upon the end of said leaf springs "F" is formed the
projection shewn at "D." Said projection passes through the said slits formed
in said elliptic springs shewn at "I"in which slits they are free to move. Said
projection formed at "D" is provided with a hole shewn at "d" and in said hole
is fitted a pin. Said pin passes under said elliptic springs and is intended to keep
said projection in position in said slits. Or the said projections "D" may be
formed on the edges of said leaf springs "F" at "D" in which case the slits " I "
in said elliptic springs may or may not be used. The two edges both of the said
elliptic springs and the two edges of said wearing plates "P" either jointly or
severally form the guide for the free movement of said projections "D" formed
on the edges of said leaf springs "F," on the said elliptic springs at "D." Both
the said projections formed on the edges of said leaf springs F" are provided
with holes as shewn at "d" and a pin passes across under said elliptic springs
through the holes formed in said projections formed on the edges of said leaf
springs "F" and is kept from coming out by means of a head at one end and a nut
at the other end or such like arrangement. The said elliptic springs may be
connected together at the ends by rivets as shewn at "X" or other coupling and
the said cushions as described in drawing Fig. 1 may not be used: Any desired
number of said spiral springs shewn at "T" are placed between said outer rim "F"
and inner rim "M" and support the said leaf springs or outer rim all around the
circumference of said rim and are kept in position by the pivots "U" hereinbefore
described. At "P" is shewn the said wearing plate or guide placed between said
elliptic spring "B and leaf spring "F." At "N" is shewn a rivet which
connects or fastens the said leaf springs and the said elliptic springs together.
"
Said projections formed on the said leaf springs "F" at "D" may be hinged
on to said leaf springs "F" at "D" instead of being formed on at each edge of
said leaf springs as stated and the other ends in which the holes are formed may
have freedom to swing or oscilate on said pin which passes under said elliptic
springs through the hole shewn at "d" in which case the said pin is connected
with the said elliptic springs by a strap having an eye in which eye said pin
is held.
Said leaf springs "F" Fig. 1 may be made up of more leaves than one in which
ease there may be a cushion of rubber or such like substance placed between said
leaves.
Drawing Fig. 3 is a front view of two and a part of one said leaf springs by a
combination of which the outer rim is formed and in which is shewn the way in
which said leaf springs are connected to the said elliptic springs "B" Fig. 1.
Said leaf springs Fig. 3 are rivetted on to the said elliptic springs "B" Fig. 1 in
the order in which they are placed in said drawing by rivets. Said rivets pass
through the holes shewn at "N N" Fig. 3 and "N" Fig. 1. The other ends of
said leaf springs are provided with a slit shewn at "II" Fig. 3 and "I" Fig. 1.
Through each of said slits a pin "D" Fig. 3 is placed upon which pin the said
slits are free to move. At Fig. 3 is shewn one of the said guides "P." They
are each rivetted at one end through the hole shewn at "N"
upon the said leaf
springs Fig. 3 through the hole also shewn therein at "N." The other end of
said guides "P" laps over the said leaf spr.ngs and the said pin "D" passes
through it, but the end of said leaf spring Fig. 3 in which the slit is formed is free

page_text: to move under said guide "P." The said pin "D" when passed through said
guide "P" and through said leaf spring "" and said elliptic spring "B" is
rivetted at each end to prevent its getting loose or falling out.
Drawing Fig. 4 is a cross section of said rim "M" elliptic spring "B" leaf
spring "F" and plate "P" described in drawing Fig. 1. Said parts are fitted to
each other in the order designated in said drawing Fig. 4 after the manner
hereinbefore more particularly described.
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. The attaching of said elliptic springs "B" or other springs or hinged straps
upon the rim "M" of said wheel.
2. The forming of the outer rim by the attaching of said leaf springs or
plates "F" upon the outer face of said elliptic springs "B.'
3. The providing of guides and slits upon the said elliptic springs "B" in which
the ends of said leaf springs "F" are free to move.
4. The forming of slits in the ends of said leaf springs "F."
5. The free movement of the ends of said leaf springs "F" in guides upon the
said elliptic springs "B" and the making of said leaf springs "F" with more
leaves than one and placing rubber cushions between said leaves or such like
substance.
6. The supporting of the ends of said leaf springs "F" by the placing of said
spiral springs upon the pin "C" within the compas of said elliptic springs "B."
7. The said wheel can be used with or without a rubber tyre.
8. The projections formed on edges of said leaf springs as in substance described
in Fig. 2.
9. The forming of a projection and said leaf springs having a free movement in
said slits in substance stated in Fig. 2.
10. The said pin passing through said holes under said elliptic springs as in
substance stated in Fig. 2.
11. The supporting of said leaf springs which forms rim of wheel by said spiral
springs in substance stated in Fig. 2.
12. The free movement of ends of said leaf springs by being worked on said
hinged projections as in substance stated in Fig. 2.
Dated this 13th day of May 1893.
TIMOTHY MURPHI.