Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Wheel Hubs and Cycle Pedals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Wheel Hubs and
Cycle Pedals.
We, GEORGE HENRY BIRD of Greenway Street, Small Heath in the City of
Birmingham, Metal Spinner, and CHARLES LEE, and ALFRED CHARLES LEE.
both of Freeman Street Works, Freeman Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Hubs or wheel centres, when made of metal, have heretofore been produced by
casting.
Cast hubs or wheel centres, require to be truly counterbored, to take the spindle,
and outwardly turned and shaped, to give finish thereto.
Such cast hubs or wheels centres, are costly to produce, and beyond this, they
are heavy in weight, which is a disadvantage in cycle wheels.
Pedals, which are analogous in construction to wheel centres, are usually pro-
duced in like manner.
Our invention consists in producing the said wheel centres, and pedals, by raising
or fashioning them from sheet metal, or from wrought metal tubing. Or from sheet
metal and tubing.
We will first describe our invention in connection with a cycle hub or wheel
centre.
We take a length of preferably solid drawn steel tubing, of a length about equal
to the inside breadth of a wheel centre. This tubing is preferably circumferentially
collared or beaded near its ends, so as to form abutment stops, for necks of the
head ends, as hereinafter described. These head ends, which take the spokes, and
are alike unto wheels or circular flanges, are each made up of two sheet metal
stamped shells, with the outer ones, inwardly sunken and lushed, with a steel
lining.
Thus, the inside shells of the said ends, are contracted inwardly at their middles,
and turned slightly outwardly at their circumferential outer ends. The contracted
parts take upon the tubing of the body or waist of the hub, while the extreme ends
of the said tubing, are turned over the insides of the said necks, thereby securing
the inside shells to the said tubing, which constitutes the waist or middle part of
the hub.
Within the larger diameter of these inside shell parts, solid rings are disposed,
and there affixed, by closing the edges of the metal of the ring carrying parts,
slightly over them.
These rings, besides forming an internal support for the shells, form a solid metal,
for the inner ends of the spokes of the wheels, to take, or be tapped within. In
case of laced spokes, we preferably dispose the said internal support below the
inside circumference of the said larger part, leaving annular flanges, which are
transversely pierced, for the threading of the wires.
The outer shell of each end, consists of a cup shaped cap, with an outwardly
directed, and slightly turned-in flange, with the extreme boundary edges of an
inside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the inner shell, over which the
said edge of the outside one, is closed, by spinning, or by gathering-in tools.
The middle of the inwardly directed cup-part, wherein the gudgeons or collars
of the spindle, take and rotate, are bushed, or lined with a necked cup of steel.
Thus, the hub is made up of a tubular middle part, with hollow head ends,
fashioned from sheet metal.

page_text: To prevent the parts from rotating, 1 may mill the edges of one part, whereupon
or whereover the edges of the other part, are closed. Or the said parts may be if
necessary, secured together by brazing.
According to another form of our invention, we may make the waist or body
part, from tubing, and with the head parts, made in the form of shells, fashioned
from a single blank, produced by raising an inverted cup, with a well centre, and
then gathering-in, the edges of the walls of the shell.
Another form of our invention, consists in making the waist or middle part, and
the flattened head ends, with their bearings, from a single blank, either of sheet
metal, or tubing. In its production from sheet metal, we raise the blank, by
shaping and drawing through tools, into the form of an elongated cap, of the
diameter of the heads of the hub; then by throttling tubes, or by spinning, or
rolling, or part throttling tools, and part rolling, or spinning. I reduce the diameter
of the cup about its midille, to the size of the waist or middle part required. I
then by shaping tools, sink and perforate the middle of the closed end, and by
gathering-in tools, I close and sink the closed part of the open end, with an axial
hole through it.
The solid internal supporting ring, are introduced at early stages of the end
shapings and closings, whilst the bearing bushes, are inserted after the finishing.
In its production from tubing, or a barrel, the process is conducted identical in
mammer, alike unto the closing and shaping of the open end of the cupped blank,
as described.
In another form of our invention, we take a thick metal tube, and spread out the
ends trumpet-mouth shaped, which then by subsequent operations, is drawn or
cupped outwardly, and when the emps are of sufficient length, their open ends are
gathered inwardly, and shaped, luence a hub, with its head ems, made from a single
length of tubing.
In another form of our invention, the inuer shells are made solid with the middle
part, by raising dies, and pressure, and the outer shells closed upon the inner ones.
As a further modification, I provide the middle part, which is preferably from
tubing, with flanged ends, upon which, the head ends, shells, or otherwise, are
Secured or closed.
As a still further modification, the said hubs may be made in two parts, joined
at their middles or waists, thus I fashion or shape a head end, with half a middle
part directed inwardly, and join two of the said parts together, by a supple-
mentary inner lining tube, or an outer covering tube.
The whole of the sheet metal parts, are secured together, by closing, rivetting,
gathering-in, or impressing processes.
The peripheries of the head ends, are drilled, and the rings enclosed within
them, tapped, for the taking of the spokes.
The application of our invention, to the production of pedals, or pedal body
parts, with the head ends, differs in 'no essential respect, from the making of a hub,
as described.
Dated this 4th day of September 1890,
GEORGE HENRY BIRD.
CHARLES LEE.
ALFRED CHARLES LEE.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture or Production of Wheel Hubs and
Cycle Pedals.
We, GEORGE HENRY BIRD of Greenway Street, Small Heath, in the City
of Birmingham, Metal Spinner, and CHARLES LEE and ALFRED CHARLES LEE,
both of Freeman Street Works, Freeman Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturers, 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 :-
Wheel-hubs, or wheel centres, when made of metal, have heretofore been
produced by casting, and then subsequently finished by internal boring, and external
shaping and turning.
Such cast hubs or wheel centres thus made, are costly in their production, and
are heavy, which is very undesirable in cycle wheels.
Pedals, which are analogous in construction to wheel centres, are usually pro-
duced, in like manner as aforesaid.
Our invention consists in producing the said hubs or wheel centres, and pedals
from sheet metal, or from sheet metal stampings or shells, and wrought metal
tubing.
We will first describe our invention in connection with a cycle hub, or wheel
centre.
A length of round tubing, to form the waist, is taken, and with its ends reduced
or collared circumferentially, for the necks of the inside parts, constituting part of
the head ends to abut against. These head ends, which take the spokes, and arc
alike unto wheels, or circular flanges, are each made up of two sheet metal stamped
shells, with the outer one, inwardly sunken, and bushed with a steel lining.
Thus, the inside shells of the said ends, are contracted inwardly at their middles,
and turned slightly outwardly at their circumferential outer ends. The contracted
parts take upon the tubing of the body or waist of the hub, while the extreme ends
of the said tubing, are turned over the insides of the said necks, thereby securing
the inside shells to the said tubing, which constitutes the waist or middle part of
the hub.
Within the larger diameter of these inside shell parts, solid rings or annular
pummels are disposed, and there affixed. by closing the edges of the metal of the
ring carrying parts, slightly over them.
These rings, besides forming an internal support for the shells, form a solid
attachment, for the inner ends of direct spokes of the wheels, to take into, or be
tapped within.
In laced spokes, we may dispose the internal support below the inside circum-
ference of the said larger part, leaving annular flanges, which are transversely
pierced, for the threading of the wires.
The outer shells of each end, consist of a cup shaped cap, with an outwardly
directed and slightly turned in flange, with the extreme boundary edges, of an
inside diameter equal to the outside diameter of the inner shell, over which the said
edge of the outside one is closed, by spinning, or by gathering-in tools.
The middle of the inwardly-directed cut part, wherein the gudgeons or collars of
the spindle, take and rotate, are bushed or lined with a necked cup of steel.
Thus, the hub is made up of a tubular middle part, with hollow head cuds,
fashioned from sheet metal.
To prevent the parts from rotating, we may mill the edges of one part, whereupon
or whereover the edges of the other part or parts are closed. Or the said parts
may be if necessary, secured together by brazing, or by other means.
According to another form of our invention, we may make the waist or body
part, from tubing, and with the head parts, made in the form of shells, fashioned

page_text: from a single blank, produced by raising an inverted cup with a well centre, and
then gathering-in the edges of the walls of the shell.
Another form of our invention consists in making the waist or middle part, and
the flattened head ends, with their bearings from a single blank by shaping and
drawing through tools, in the form of an elongated cup of the diameter of the
heads of the hub; then by throttling tools, or by spinning, or rolling, or part
throttling tools, and part rolling or spinning, the diameter of the cup is reduced
about its middle to the size of the waist or middle part required, then by cutting
out and shaping tools, the middle of the closed end is pierced, and the metal
gathered in.
The solid internal supporting rings, are introduced at early stages of the end
shapings and closings, whilst the bearing bushes, are inserted after the finishing.
In its production from tubing, or from a barrel, the process is conducted identical
in manner, alike unto the closing an shaping of the open end of the cupped blank,
as described.
In another form of our invention, we take a thick metal tube, and spread out the
ends trumpet-mouth shaped, which then by subsequent operations, is drawn or
cupped outwardly, and when the cups are of sufficient length, their open ends are
gathered inwardly, and shaped, hence a hub, with its head ends, made from a single
length of tubing.
In another form of our invention, the inner shells are made solid with the middle
part, by raising dies, and pressure, and the outer shells, closed upon the inner one.
The whole of the sheet metal parts, are secured together by brazing, closing,
rivetting, gathering-in, or impressing processes.
The peripheries of the head ends, are drilled, and the rings enclosed within them,
tapped, for the taking of spokes.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in side elevation, a sheet
metal front hub, for taking direct spokes, constructed and made according to our
invention.
Figure 2 represents a complete longitudinal section of the said direct spoked
sheet metal hub Figure 1; this last named view, represents the way in which the
hub is built up, and the component shells employed, also the annular pummels
within the interiors of the heads of the hub, for the taking of the ends of the direct
spokes, and further, the said view also exemplifies how the end and inwardly cupped
shells, are lined with steel bearings.
Figure 3 represents the whole of the component parts or shell members, employed
in the building up of the said hub, which on the parts being put together, are made
integral, by brazing or hard soldering, and part lapping. The right hand side
represents the parts composing one end of the hub in section, and the left hand side
represents the parts composing the other end, in elevation.
Figure 4 represents front elevations of the component annular parts of an end.
a is a length of solid drawn steel tubing, of a little more than the length of the
inside waist of the hub or wheel centre, and which tubing is circumferentially
reduced at its ends at a², leaving shoulders a, which form abutment stops for the
necks of the head ends b, to about against. These head ends, which take direct
spokes, and are alike in figure to wheels or circular Banges, are each made up of
an outer and an inner sheet metal stamping or shell e, d. is the outer one, and d
is the inner one, and which outer one, is inwardly sunken into a eup with a
collar, which comes within the insides of the open ends a', of the solid-drawn
tubing a. The cupped or inwardly sunken part of the said onter shell whose
outer terminal edge, overlaps the outer terminal edge of the inner shell d, is fitted
with a hardened steel lining or bush e.
Disposed within the hollow of the head, made up of the said parts, is an annular
pummel wherein the spokes are tapped, or wherein they directly take. The said
jummel is introduced into position before the shulls are placed together.
The component parts other than the annular pummel and Lubular neck, are

page_text: shaped from sheet metal by processes commonly known, although the waist may be
made from lengths of cut-off wrought metal tubing, or it may be made from a
blank of sheet-metal, raised cup-wise, and then elongated, and the closed end
subsequently removed, hence a tubing.
Instead of the ends of the tubing of the waist being reduced in diameter,
annular beadings may be bulged outwardly from the inside, to form stops, for the
shells of the head part to abut against.
The component parts constituting the hub or wheel centre, other than the steel
bearings or bushes, are put together in the positions which they occupy in the
elevation and section Figures 1 and 2, when they are united or connected together
by brazing or hard-soldering, after which the hardened steel bushes or linings are
introduced.
Figure 5 represents a direct-spoke back hut, or a direct-spoke back wheel centre,
fitted with a chain wheel, and which back hub, is constructed or built up, of
component parts, as hereinafter enumerated.
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the chain wheel end of the same.
a is the waist, made from a length of solid drawn tubing, having reduced end a²,
shoulders a³, and open ends a', and with the head of the chain wheel end, composed
of a pummel or cast metal bush, with neck ", screwed upon its outside, and upon
which the chain wheel y, takes, and is there secured, while the said pummel, is
encased by an outer shell d, turned inwardly at d², and outwardly into a neck at d³,
which comes against the stop a³ of the waist a. e is a sheet metal lining, with a
neck e, taking within the inside of the open end a' of the said waist.
The other or plain head, is made alike in construction to the head, in Figure 2,
other than that the hard steel lining e, is preferably provided with a neck e, as at
the chain wheel end.
Figure 7 represents a hub or wheel centre made from sheet metal and constructed
according to my invention and adapted for taking tangential spokes. The said
hub, is for the back wheel of a cycle, and consists of a waist a, made from solid-
drawn tube, with end reductions a, and shoulders a³, and with the chain wheel end
made up of a stepped tubular outer shell, with upwardly directed outer flange ²,
inner wall, and rear flange body part c', with turned in tip c', within the interior
of which said shell, is a hardened steel cup e, with neck, fitting into the open
end a, of the waist a. The back shell consists of an anuular and inner part d, with
neck d, and rin d. y is the chain wheel, secured between the wall c, and the
flange c of the front c, and affixed in position by small screws h, taking through the
latter, and screwing into the said hub.
The other head of the hub consists of an outer shell c, an inner cup or sunken
part c', a flanged circumferential part c', and a neck c, and which last named
inner and cuter shell parts, are represented in Figures 8 and 9. The inner shell is
marked d¹.
The parts are brazed together, prior to, or after the introduction of the steel
linings for the bearings. Or the said parts may be secured together by turning the
circumferential parts of the one, over the circumferential edges of the other, or the
steel linings, when hardened, may be secured by turning or rolling the ends of
the metal surrounding the edges of it, over or partly over the ends of the said lining,
so as to prevent their displacement. Or the said linings may be secured in position
by brazing, at the same time that the other parts are brazed together.
Figure 10 represents a cycle laced hub or wheel centre, constructed according to
another form of my invention The said hub is composite in its construction, and
consists of a waist a, made from solid-drawn tubing, reduced ends a³, and
shoulders a³, and with each of the heads composed of an outside shell casing c,
with the middle part sunken inwardly into a cup ², wherein a hardened steel cup-
bearing, is secured, by brazing, or turning the soft metal of the ends of the said
hub, over the end, or a slightly reduced end, of the bearing.
The outer end e³ of the said shell, is turned over the outside edge d', of a thick

page_text: SHIGH B, WHOS miner necked part a, Lakes against the shoulder of the reduced
part a³.
The said parts are secured together by brazing.
Figure 1 represents a hub, or cycle wheel contre made all in one piece, by a
combined process of raising, drawing and shaping.
Thus, I take a disc of sheet metal, containing sufficient metal to form the said
hub, and by cupping tools, I give to the said disc, the general figure of a cup or
shallow dish, then by drawing through tools, the said cup is elongated into a
cylinder with a closed end, as represented in Figure 12. This elongated cylinder
then has its closed end cut out or removed, and the middle part of the said cylinder,
gathered in or throttled, by rolling, spinning, or throttling tools, thus giving the
said blank Figure 12, the figure of a partially formed hub Figure 13. It will be
understood that operating upon the middle of the blank Figure 12, thins the metal
at that part reduced, and at the same time, forms the waist of the hub, which is
drawn out and elongated by the process aforesaid, leaving the enlargements at the
ends to form the heads.
The rings or solid annuluses, wherein the direct spokes take, are then inserted
into the open mouths of the ends, and up to the shoulders, then by shaping and
contracting tools, or by spinning, the snid ends are gathered-in, and closed around
the solid annuluses or internal supports, until the said ends or heads take the figure
as represented in Figure 11. This done, the hardened and cupped steel bearings e,
are then introduced, and the extreme ends, slightly turned over the edges of the
said introduced bearings, so as to keep them in position, and prevent them from
rotating.
a is the waist, c is the head, and is the solid annulus, for taking the spokes.
Figure 14 represents another solid hub or wheel centre made according to our
invention. a is the waist, c are the heads, is an internal solid ring or support, for
taking direct spokes, c' the necked end, the hardened steel bearings, secured by
closing the metal or parts e, slightly over the edges of the cups e.
The said hub is made from a short length of solid-drawn tubing Figure 15, and
the ends are then by successive processes, spread out into trumpet-shaped mouths
or ends, as represented in Figure 16, then by shaping tools, the said trumpet or
flanged ends are cupped, and the internal ring supports/introduced, and the outer
parts of the ends of the said metal closed over the said parts, and formed into a
neck, and the steel bearings or linings introduced and secured therein as represented
in the said Figure 14.
As a further method of making hubs or wheel centres from sheet metal, or from
partly drawn tubing, I proceed as in Figure 17, in which a is an outer tube, with
mouthed ends a². care hends, with waist part, and front neck parts c³, made
from a sheet metal blank. are internal solid supports or rings, for the taking of
direct spokes, and are hard steel linings or bearings, secured by closing the
metal of the outer shell over the ends of them. The said parts, other than the
bearing cups, are preferably secured together by brazing.
Instead of producing the said hub Figure 11 from a disc, it may be produced
from a short length of tubing alike unto Figure 12, with the end removed.
In making the said heads, with part of waist all in one piece, a blank Figure 18
is taken, subsequently cupped about its middle, and elongated into a cylinder, ns
represented in Figure 19, then by raising tools, the flanges, or metal at the bell
monthed ends are then shaped into a secondary and larger cup, when the internal
support for the taking of the spokes is then introduced, and the sides of the outer
part, closed over the ring, and the extreme part formed into a neck as represented.
The closed bottom of the said raised end, is then cut out.
The bearings may be of any metal as may be desired.
The application of our invention, to the production of cycle pedals, or pedal
body parts, with the head ends, differs in no essential respect from the making of a
hub, as described.

page_text: Flaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
First In a wheel hub, or wheel centre. making the same from sheet metal
parts, and drawn or other tubing, and which parts and tubing, are fashioned and
put together, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Secondly-In wrought or sheet metal hubs or wheel centres, making the same
from sheet metal or part sheet metal and part tubing, and enclosing within the shell
heads of the same, solid annuluses or pummels, as set forth in Figures 1, 2, 5, 11, 14
and 17.
Thirdly Fitting the ends of hubs or wheel centres, with bearings or linings,
substantially as described and set forth.
:-
Fourthly In back wheel hubs, or cycle wheel centres, the general construction
and arrangement of the parts, as described and set forth in Figure 5 and 6, and
which parts, are mainly produced from sheet metal.
Fifthly In back wheel hubs or wheel centres for cycles, making the principal
component parts from sheet metal, and drawn or other tubing, fashioned, arranged
and put together, in manner substantially as described and set forth in Figure 7.
Sixthly In a wheel hub or centre, making the same from sheet metal, or from
combined sheet and drawn metal, with the parts fashioned, arranged and put
together, as set forth in Figure 10.
Seventhly: In a wheel hub or centre, making the shells or casings of the same,
from a single blank of sheet metal, or from a short length of tubing, substantially
as, and by the process, or combination of processes described and set forth in
Figures 11, 12 and 13.
Eighthly In a wheel hub or centre, making the shells or casings of the same,
from wrought or drawn metal, substantially as, and by the means and process or
processes herein described and set forth in Figures 14, 15 and 16.
Ninthly In a wheel hub or centre, making the shells or casings, or the
combined shells and casings, from sheet or drawn metal, substantially as, and by the
means and process or processes, described and set forth in Figures 17, 18 and 19.
Tenthly In wheel hubs or centres, and cycle pedals or pedal body parts, as
herein described and set forth.
Baied abon 14 of Ha 1801
day of May
1801
GEORGE HENRY BIRD.
CHARLES LEE.
ALFRED CHARLES LEE.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.