IMPROVEMENTS IN DETACHABLE HUBS AND IN SPINDLES FITTING THE SAME APPLICABLE TO VELOCIPEDES, PERAMBULATORS, CARRIAGES AND OTHER VEHICLES USING LIGHT WHEELS
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS HENRY BROOKE HITCHING of 19, 21 & 23 Ludgate Hill in the City
of London Baby carriage manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DETACHABLE HUBS AND IN SPINDLES FITTING
THE SAME APPLICABLE TO VELOCIPEDES, PERAMBULATORS, CARRIAGES AND OTHER
VEHICLES USING LIGHT WHEELS to be as follows:-
"
This invention has for its object the construction of hubs and spindles for
velocipedes perambulators carriages and other vehicles using light wheels of the
spider" or inetallic rim and wire spoke type It relates to the class of hub and
spindle in which the hub (and wheel) are readily detachable from the spindle at
will to allow the velocipede or other vehicle so fitted to pass through a doorway
or passage or for conveyance in transit.
Several methods have been proposed for this purpose mostly being adaptations
of the application of a screwed or socketed spindle fitting a hub or a projection
attached thereto and secured by lock nuts or liko devices involving more or less
trouble and risk of soiling the hands to operate such to detach and replace the
wheel.
Now my invention is designed to effect the same purpose in a much simpler
cheaper and more effective manner and dispenses with nuts or like appliances
liable to be lost.
In carrying it into practice I forin a collar on the spindle square on its inner
face and conical or bevelled on its outer face. I form a conical or bevelled recess
in the inner end of the hub to fit this collar and in this inner end of the hub cast
or form a chamber in which works a bevelled-ended bolt having a spiral or other
suitable spring interposed between it and the top of such chamber and furnished
with a suitable handle or finger piece. The spindle inay pass beyond the centre of
the hub or to its end which may be closed by a screwed cap or otherwise.
To detach the hub from the spindle the handle of the bolt is pulled up till the
bolt clears the collar on the spindle when the hub may be pulled off. To replace
it the hub is simply pushed on the spindle till the end of the bolt strikes the collar
on the spindle, rides up, and drops behind it, locking the two together.
Dated this 16th day of January 1884.

page_text: 1, THOMAS HENRY BROOKE HITCHING, of 19, 21 and 23, Ludgate Hill, in the
city of London, Baby Carriage Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DETACHABLE HUBS AND IN SPINDLES FITTING
THE SAME, APPLICABLE TO VELOCIPEDES, PERAMBULATORS, CARRIAGES AND OTHER
VEHICLE USING LIGHT WHEELS" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the construction of hubs and spindles for
velocipedes, perambulators, carriages, and other vehicles using light wheels of the
"spider" or metallic rim and wire spoke type.
It relates to that class of hub and spindle in which the hub (and wheel) are
readily detachable from the spindle at will to allow the velocipede or other vehicle
so fitted to pass through a doorway or passage or for convenience in transit.
Several methods have been proposed for the purpose mostly being adaptations of
the application of a screwed or socketed spindle fitting a hub or projection attached
thereto and secured by lock-nuts or like devices, involving more or less trouble 1
and risk of soiling the hands to operate such to detach and replace the same.
Now my invention is designed to effect the same purpose in a much simpler,
cheaper, and more effective manner and dispenses with nuts or like appliances
liable to be lost.
In carrying. it into practice I form a collar on the spindle square-on-its-inner--
face and square conical or bevelled on its outer face.
I form a square conical or bevelled recess in the inner end of the hub to fit the
collar and on this inner end of the hub, cast or form a chamber in which works a
bevelled-ended bolt having a spiral or other spring interposed between it and the
top of such chamber and furnished with a suitable handle or finger piece. The
spindle may pass beyond the centre of the hub or to its end which may be closed
by a screwed cap or otherwise.
To detach the hub from the spindle the handle of the bolt is pulled up till the
bolt clears the collar on the spindle when the hub may be pulled off. To replace
it the hub is simply pushed on the spindle till the end of the bolt strikes the collar
on the spindle, rides up and drops behind it, locking the two together.
And in order that the manner of performing any invention may be understood
and carried into practical effect I have caused to be annexed to this specification
the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon I now refer.
Fig 1 illustrates an elovation of my hub and spindle as fitted say for a tricycle.
Fig 2a side view of same.
Fig 3 a sectional elevation.
In these figures A represents the hub of the wheel B the spindle carrying or
having attached to it à collar C square on its inner face and conical bevelled
or square on its outer face.
D is the bevelled-ended bolt working in the chamber E cast or attached to the
hub A.
F the pin screwing into the bolt and serving to confine a spiral (as shewn) or
other suitable spring within the chamber E.
I is a filling-in bolt screwing into the opposite end of the hub.
I have only shewn the spindle B extending past the centre of the bub A, so that
when the wheel (or wheels) is (or are) loose the width of the machine is reduced,

page_text: but it will be manifest that where the wheel may be required to merely slip off the
spindle (say as in a perambulator) the spindle B may extend through the hub A
and a cap may screw over the end serving to exclude dust and other extraneous
matter.
The drawing represents a spindle keyed to the hub by a feather or key J on the
spindle fitting a groove in the hub.
Thus the spindle would revolve with the hub as in a balance-geared tricycle, the
spindle being carried by ball or other suitable bearings.
For a perambulator or invalid carriage the spindle may be fixed and the hub
run on it, being formed with an orifice for the introduction of a lubricant as usual
and if desired a friction roller or rollers on balls may be put in the bolt or in the
collar to diminish the friction between them involved by this arrangement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
Applying a bevelled spring spring bolt to the hub of a velocipede, perambulator
or like wheel, in combination and to engage with a conical bevelled or square
collar carried by or formed on the spindle to which the hub is attached or on
which it revolves, as and for the purposes described.
Dated this foth day of October 100'r.
T. H. BROOKE HITCHING.
By E. Gardner Colton, A.S.T.E.,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, W.C.