IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF WHEELS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Parsons, of Martock, in the County of
Somerset, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WHEELS."
Sealed the 15th August 1861, and dated the 20th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Parsons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1861.
I, GEORGE PARSONS, of Martock, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, do
5 hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention refers to wheels in which the naves and spokes are formed of
metal and the felloes of wood, and consists,-
First, in a new construction of nave formed of a ring or rings, into which
O the ends of the spokes are secured. If wrought metal rings are used, the
spokes are rivetted, screwed, or welded. If the rings are of cast metal, the
inner end of the spokes are cast into them. These rings or naves are fitted
or shrunk on to a metal box, by preference of cast iron, brass, or gun
metal.

page_text: Second, in making the spokes of wrought iron or steel to taper from the
nave to the outer end.
Third, in the means of connecting or securing the outer ends of the spokes
to the wooden felloe, as hereafter described. I fix bosses or nuts on to the
spokes at or within a few inches of their outer ends, either by welding,
screwing, or rivetting. When by screwing the ends of the spokes are threaded
and the nuts or bosses tapped. When these parts are not secured by screwing
I unite them by welding or by any other known means of uniting metals.
I prefer to form the bosses or nuts broader at their outer than at their inner
ends, to secure a large bearing surface for the inside of the felloes to rest on.
The felloes are fixed or fitted on the bosses or nuts, and, by preference, the
ends of the spokes are made to pass into or even through the felloes; when
through them they may be further secured by nuts or by rivetting. Or the
ends of the spokes may be secured to the inside of the felloe by forming a
double or single flange, which flange is fastened to the felloe by screws, bolts,
rivets, or other suitable means.
Fourth, my Invention consists in the employment in wheels formed with
wooden felloes of a disc or discs of metal instead of spokes; these discs are
secured to the nave and to the felloe.
To complete my wheels I apply outside of the felloe a bond or tyre (by
preference hot) or segments, or "streaks" may be applied instead of the bond
or tyre, and may be secured to the felloe by bolts, screws, rivets, or nails, as is
usually done.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Parsons in the Great Seal Patent Office on the s
20th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PARSONS, of Martock, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Parsons, Her special licence that I, the said George Parson's,
"my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Parsons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter.
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said George Parsons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Parsons, do hereby declare
the, nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My Invention refers to wheels in which the naves and spokes are formed of
metal and the felloes of wood, and consists,-
.
First, in a new construction of nave, formed of a ring or rings, into which
the ends of the spokes are secured. If wrought metal rings are used, the
spokes are rivetted, screwed, or welded. If the. rings are of cast metal, the
inner ends of the spokes are cast or screwed into them. These rings or naves
are fitted or shrunk on to a metal box, by preference of cast iron, brass, or
gun metal.
Second, in making the spokes of wrought iron or steel to taper from the
nave to the outer end.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section, and Figure 2
a side elevation of a wheel illustrating the manner in which I carry the first
and second parts of my Invention into effect. a, a, are the metal rings, fitted
or shrunk on to the metal box b; c, c, are the spokes, inserted in and secured
to the rings by rivetting, screwing, welding, or otherwise. The spokes are
shown tapering from the nave to the outer end, according to the-second part
of my Invention.
Third, in the means of connecting or securing the outer ends of the spokes
to the wooden felloe, as hereafter described. I fix bosses or nuts on to the
spokes within a few inches of their outer ends, either by welding, screwing, or
rivetting. When by screwing, the ends of the spokes are threaded, and the
nuts or bosses tapped. When these parts are not secured by screwing, I

page_text: unite them by welding or by any other known means of uniting metals.
I prefer to form the bosses or nuts broader at their outer than at their inner
ends, to secure a large bearing surface for the inside of the felloes to rest on.
The felloes are fixed or fitted on the bosses or nuts, and, by preference, the
ends of the spokes are made to pass into and nearly through the felloes.
When nearly through them, they may be further secured by nuts or by
rivetting. The nuts or rivets must not protrude beyond the felloe, so as to
come in contact with the tyre. Or the ends of the spokes may be secured to
the inside of the felloe by forming a double or single flange, which flange is
fastened to the felloe by screws, bolts, rivets, or other suitable means.
Figure 3 shows so much of a spoke and boss as will be necessary to
illustrate this part of my Invention. d, d, are the bosses or nuts, near the
outer ends of the spokes. A detached view of one boss is given at Figure 4.
The outer end of the spoke is shewn threaded at e, and passed through the
boss d, and into the felloe. I have shewn the bosses d, d, broader at their
outer ends h, h, than at their inner ends. Figure 5 shows the outer end of a
spoke, flanged or turned up, and secured to a felloe by a bolt, screw, or rivet
passing through it and the felloe; and Figure 6 shows a spoke with double
flange, with bolts and screws passed through them.
Fourth, my Invention consists in the employment in wheels formed with
wooden felloes of a disc or discs of metal instead of spokes; these discs are
secured to the nave and to the felloe.
Figure 7 is a section of a wheel made in this manner. The discs are
flanged at the outer end, and secured by rivets, bolts, or screws passed through
the flange and into the felloe, while at the inner ends the discs are flanged to s
correspond with the form of the nave. The flanges are laid on the nave, and
are secured by bonds or rings shrunk on them.
To complete my wheels I apply outside of the felloe a bond or tyre (by
preference hot), or segments or "streaks" may be applied instead of the bond
or tyre, and may be secured to the felloe by bolts, screws, rivets, or nails, as is
usually done.
.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Wheels,”-
First, constructing the nave of a ring or rings of metal shrunk on to a metal
box, with the spokes fitted to the rings, substantially as herein-before described,
and illustrated at Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second, making wrought iron or steel spokes to taper from the inner to the

page_text: outer ends, as herein-before described, and illustrated at Figures 1 and 2 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Third, connecting or securing the outer ends of the spokes to the felloe by
means of bosses, through which the spokes are passed, substantially in manner
herein-before described, and illustrated at Figures 3 and 4 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fourth, the employment in wheels formed with wooden felloes of a disc or
discs of metal in place of spokes, as herein-before described, and illustrated at
Figure 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Parsons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.