IMPROVEMENTS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Arnold at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1878.
WILLIAM ARNOLD, of Barnsley, in the County of York.
WHEELS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of wheels for all kinds
of vehicles, and which may be made of wrought iron or steel, or a combination of
the two together, with cast iron and wood.
In carrying out my Invention I adopt mainly the following arrangements :-
First. The boss or nave of the wheel is constructed of a strong wrought-iron or
steel hoop, forged or otherwise formed, the inside being filled with some hard wood,
or it may be arranged to have cast iron instead of wood, but I prefer the latter,"
which allows or makes provision for fixing in the bush. Grooves are provided in
the washers with bolts inside the wood for screwing the bush.
Secondly. The spokes are made hollow and tapered down or parallel, the ends of
which are saddled so as to rest on the round part of the felloes, and made with a
screw projecting forward, so as to rest on the hoop which braces the whole together;
or they can be secured by driving them in or pinning by means of cotters and pins.
The spokes at the nave end are shouldered down, so that they rest in recesses
provided in the nave, the end projecting out being driven into the wood. Provision
is made also for screwing them in.
The felloes are made in sections, parts varying in length and form according to
size and strength of wheel.
The felloes can be made by hand, or rolled either from wrought iron or steel.
They are made hollow and light, and are bent in such forms as will augment their
strength.
The felloes can be made in one ring or endless hoop, but I prefer them in sections
or segments.

page_text: Saddles can be placed on the ends of the spokes for greater security in case of
requiring them to bear heavy weights.
Particular points or features of my Invention are as follows:―
Firstly. The nave or centre boss is forged in one hoop from iron or steel, or a
combination of both.
Secondly. The spokes are hollow, tapered down or parallel, and forged either
from iron or steel, or they can be made solid if necessary.
Thirdly. The felloes are forged hollow, varying in size and thickness according to
the weight they are required to bear, either from iron or steel, or a combination of
both.
Fourthly. Saddles are provided for fixing on the ends of the spokes for greater
security in case of having to bear heavy weights.
Fifthly. The providing for the crossing or splaying. of spokes varying from a
straight line.
Sixthly. Also providing for the whole to be galvanized to prevent corrosion.
Seventhly. Provision is made for the spokes to be made oval as well as round, so
so as to provide more bearing on the felloes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Arnold in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th January
1879.
WILLIAM ARNOLD, of Barnsley, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHEELS.
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of wheels for carts,
carriages, and other similar vehicles.
Hitherto it has been customary to make such wheels of wood, which is not only
very liable to get out of repair, but is also injuriously affected by heat and cold,
and subject to dry and wet rot, and numerous other disadvantages. Now my
improved wheels are made either of wrought iron or steel, or a combination of the
two together with cast iron, and, with the slight exception presently mentioned,
wood is entirely dispensed with. By this means great strength, combined with
extreme neatness and lightness of appearance, are obtained; and such improved
wheels are capable of bearing the heaviest strain for a long period of time without
being impaired thereby, owing to the fact that nothing can give way or be affected
by continuous wear and tear, save the hoop or tyre of the wheel.
At the same
time these wheels do not exceed in weight the ordinary wooden wheels; while
another advantage is that should any collision or other casualty occur they can be
readily repaired by an ordinary smith. They are also particularly adapted for use
in extreme climates, as they neither contract or expand.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understoood and readily
carried into effect, 1 will now, with the aid of the accompanying Drawings, whercon

page_text: similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, proceed more particularly
to describe and ascertain the same.
Figure 1 of such Drawings shews a view in side elevation of one of my improved
wheels suitable for vehicles of heavy draft; and Figure 2 is a sectional view of the
same through the line E, F, Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a view in side elevation of a wheel constructed upon my
improved principles adapted for use for carts, gigs, and other such like vehicles;
and Figure 4 is a sectional elevation through the line A, B, Figure 3, of the same,
shewing the space between the bush and nave filled with wood."
Figure 5 shews a similar sectional view, but with the arms splayed or set with
the ends of the spokes removed from the centre in the direction shewn.
This method of manufacturing wheels is. more particularly adapted to wheels
requiring great strength, as by so doing it prevents vibration.
In the respective Figures already described I have shewn a felloe of a. U section,
but in Figure 6 I have shewn a felloe of a D section, or it may be made concave, as
shewn in Figures 7 and 8, or conical, as shewn in Figure 9.
The first part of my Invention relates to the nave or boss of the wheel, and in
order to carry out the same I proceed as follows:-I make the nave or boss of the
wheel (d) of a single light strong hoop or shell of wrought iron or steel, or of both
combined, or of cast or malleable iron, forged or otherwise formed; and exactly
where the spokes enter I strengthen the same by a strong band of steel, wrought
iron, or other suitable metal. I then drive inside such metal shell of the nave or
boss a wooden nave, indicated at k, Figures 4 and 5, and made of any suitable hard
wood. Such wooden nave is thus preserved from the action of the weather, and
can neither expand or contract as an ordinary wooden wheel does; and by using
such wooden nave it enables the wheels to be fitted to any description of axle,
which would not be the case if the same were composed of metal in a similar
manner to the shell. If desired, however, such nave may be made of metal instead
of wood.
Sometimes instead of making the shell of the nave in one single hoop, I make
the same in two halves, and properly fasten the same together with nuts and screws
and bolts, or their equivalents. One advantage of this latter method is that it
makes provision for taking out and replacing the spokes singly should circumstances
render it necessary.
I make the bush (f) of the wheel of cast or any other suitable metal, and I
secure it in position by means of a ring i, which ring is held in its place by four or
more set screws passing through the nave into such ring, as shewn in Figure 2 of 1
the accompanying Drawings:
The second part of my Invention relates to the method of making and fitting
the spokes or arms and felloes of the wheel. Such spokes or arms (a) I make of
hollow iron or steel tubes, and either round, oval, or of any other convenient form.
As shewn at a, Figure 4, they are of one uniform diameter throughout, and, as
shewn at a, Figure 5, they are tapering; but when such spokes are made of an oval
form it will be found that they have a better bearing on the felloes presently
inentioned. I do not, however, confine myself to any particular form. The ends
of such spokes or arms are saddled, so as to allow of their resting on the round
part of the felloes b;. and they are shouldered down at the nave end, so that they
rest in suitable recesses formed in the nave for that purpose; while the projecting
ends are driven into the wood and properly secured therein by means of screws or
in any other convenient manner. .
The felloes are an entirely new feature in the manufacture of wheels. They are
made either of wrought iron or steel and hollow, and may either be made in any
ordinary form. or in the special form of a D section, shown at Figure 6 of the
accompanying Drawings. This latter form of felloe is entirely novel, and possesses
the advantage of being specially adapted for light vehicles; or, if preferred, such
felloes may be made concave or conical, as shewn in Figures 7, 8, and 9.
I secure the felloes to the spokes by screws c, which screws also take the weight

page_text: in the centre of the tyre e; or, if preferred, such spokes may be secured either by
driving them in or pinning them by means of cotters and pins, or in any other
convenient manner.
The felloes may either be made in sections or segments, the respective parts
varying in length and form according to the size and strength of the wheel to be
manufactured; or, if preferred, they may be made in one single piece, and I either
make them by hand or roll them from wrought iron or steel. The fact of such
felloes being made hollow imparts great lightness thereto, and I bend them to such
form or forms as are best calculated to augment their strength. I make them with
a flat surface, so as to receive an ordinary flat or semicircular hoop or tyre, which is
shrunk on the felloes hot, and then drilled and rivetted on by rivets g, Figure 2,
passing through it and the felloes b. In case of such tyre breaking or becoming
disconnected the wheel will still work easily and with perfect safety until the tyre
is replaced.
Saddles or washers screwed inside or otherwise properly secured may be placed
on the ends of the spokes resting on the felloes, so as to afford greater security in
cases where the wheels are required to carry heavy weights.
:
In order to prevent corrosion I prefer to galvanize or otherwise chemically protect
all the parts of the wheel.
Wheels manufactured upon my improved principles are far more light and elegant
in appearance than any hitherto in use, and on account of their great durability
and safety are far cheaper than the ordinary wooden wheels.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I claim,
Firstly. The forging or otherwise forming the outer shell of the nave or boss of
the wheel in one solid hoop or in two halves properly fastened together, substan-
tially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated.
Secondly. The making the spokes hollow, and either round, taper, or oval, or of
any other convenient form, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The making the felloes hollow and of varying form, size, and thickness
according to the weight they are required to bear, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The fixing on the ends of the spokes, when required, saddles or washers,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and
illustrated.
Fifthly. I also claim as novel the manufacture and use for the purposes herein-
before set forth of a hollow wrought-iron or steel felloe of a D section or of a
concave form, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Arnold, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
ELT & Co.,
British and Foreign Patent Office,
33, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn,
London,
W.C.
WILLIAM ARNOLD. (L.S.)