Improvements in the Bearings of Cycles and Common Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
Improvements in the Bearings of Cycles and Common Road Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM BRIGGS of 6 Matlock Villas, Chesterton Road, Sparkbrook,
near the City of Birmingham, Cycle Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the hubs of the wheels, bottom brackets and other ball
bearings for cycles and common road vehicles, and has for its object, the locking of
the combined ball cup and caps, or caps having annular half ball races within their
inner circumferences, wherein the balls partly run.
In ordinary ball bearings, the caps have a tendancy to tighten upon the drag of the
balls, in rotating, acting as frictional contacts which rotate the cone in a right hand.
direction and so tighten its ball race upon the balls,, which are consequently jambed
and the object of my invention is to remedy this defect, so that the cap or ball race
has no tendancy either to tighten up or jamb or to "run out."
In carrying out my improvements in connection with a cycle wheel hub of the
barrel pattern, I take an ordinary spindle having fixed cones or collars formed with.
half ball races, and with its ends passing outwardly through central holes in the caps
which close the ends of the barrel, one of which is preferably made fixed, the other
being adjustable within the inside right-hand screwed end of the barrel, whilst both
caps are formed with half ball races presented to those formed around the collars on
the spindle.
The outer end of the adjustable cap is formed or fitted with a disc, flange or abut-
ment collar, preferably greater in diameter than the outside of the end of the barrel
wherein its cone is fitted, which said barrel end is left hand outside screwed to a
suitable extent outwards of its spoke flange, and receives a correspondingly wormed,
ring or annular nut, adapted to lock the adjustable cap in any set position by being
wormed outwardly upon the hub end until its outer face makes an abutment or jambs
against the inwardly presented side of the flanged extension or disc of the ball
bearing cap.
Thus, the cap is adjusted up to the ball bearings lying between its half race and
that of the fixed collar on the spindle by rotating the same from left to right to the
desired extent. Then, to lock the cap, the ring-nut is wormed outwards upon the
left-hand screwed end of the hub until it meets the disc or flange of the cap.
The application of my invention to cycle bottom brackets and to the bearings of
road vehicles differs in no essential respect from a cycle wheel hub as herein described.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1896.
FREDERICK WILLIAM BRIGGS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant,

page_text: Improvements in the Bearings of Cycles and Common Road vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM BRIGGS of 6 Matlock Villas, Chesterton Road, Sparkbrook,
near the City of Birmingham, Cycle 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:-
This invention relates to the bearings of wheel hubs and bottom brackets for cycles
and common road vehicles, and has for its object the locking in their adjusted
positions, of the combined ball cups and caps, or the caps having annular half ball races
within their inner circumferences wherein the balls partly run.
In ordinary ball bearings, the caps have a tendancy to tighten or wind up in
consequence of the drag of the rotating balls, upon the ball races, as the said balls act
as frictional contacts which rotate the cone in a right hand direction and so tighten
its ball race upon the balls, which are consequently jambed, and the object of my
invention is to remedy this defect, so that the cap or ball race has no tendancy either
to tighten or wind up or jamb or to "run out."
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in elevation a barrel-pattern or
dise adjusting wheel hub provided with means for locking the adjustable ball bearing
cup in position, in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a like view as Figure 1, but with the adjusting end of the said hub
shown in vertical section.
Figure 3 represents, partly in elevation and partly in section, the body of the hub
separately.
Figure 4 is an end elevation thereof.
Figure 5 represents, in side elevation, vertical section and end elevation the
adjusting ball-bearing cup or the hub separately.
Figure 6 represents like views of the lock nut.
And
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
Thus, in carrying out my improvements in connection with a cycle wheel hub of
the barrel pattern as illustrated in the drawing, I take an ordinary spindle a provided
with fixed cones or collars a¹ formed with half ball races a², and with its screwed
ends as, passing outwardly through central holes 62, in the caps or cups b, which close
the ends c', of the barrel c, one of the said cups b, preferably being made fixed, the
other being adjustable within the said end of the barrel, which is right hand screwed
interiorly, whilst both caps are formed with half ball races 63, presented to those
formed around the collars on the spindle.
The outer end of the adjustable cup or cap b is formed or fitted with a cone-faced
disc, flange or abutment collar 64, preferably greater in diameter than the outside of
the end of the barrel wherein the said cone is fitted, which said barrel end is left hand
outside screwed at c², to a suitable extent outwards of its spoke flange c, and receives
a correspondingly-wormed ring or annular lock-nut d, adapted to lock the adjustable
cup in any set position by being wormed outwardly upon the hub end until its outer
face d', takes an abutment or jambs against the inwardly presented coned face b³ of
the flanged extension or abutment collar 64, of the ball-bearing cup.
Thus, the cup is adjusted up to the ball bearings lying between its half race and
that of the fixed collar on the spindle by rotating the same from left to right to the
desired extent. Then, to lock the cup, the ring-nut is wormed outwards upon the
left-hand screwed end of the hub until it meets the cup collar or flange of the face of
which may be plain or serrated instead of coned as shown,

page_text: It is understood that when applied to a certain class of hubs in which the ball cups
are left hand threaded then the lock nut will have a right hand thread instead of a left
hand thread.
The application of my invention to cycle bottom brackets and to the bearings
of road vehicles differs in no essential respect from a cycle wheel hub as herein
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidt
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare tha
what I claim is :-
First. Locking the adjustable elements or cups of ball bearings through the medium
of an extended collar or flange carried or formed on the said adjustable element,
against which a conversely-screwed lock nut or locking element, screwing on the body
of the bearing, or equivalent part, impinges, when screwed home.
Secondly. The improvement in means for locking the adjustable cups or like parts
of ball bearings for cycles, and common road vehicles, in their adjusted positions,
substantially as herein described and set forth.
FREDERICK WILLIAM BRIGGS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
FREDERICK WILLIAM BRIGGS,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.