IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WHEELS OF VEHICLES TO RUN ON COMMON ROADS
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander McNeile and James
Slater at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd November 1870.
We, ALEXANDER MCNEILE and JAMES SLATER, both of No. 26, John
St., Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
WHEELS OF VEHICLES TO RUN ON COMMON ROADS," to be as follows:-
First. We introduce certain improvements into the construction of
the spokes & rims of metal wheels, & into the mode of securing the
spokes to the nave.
Secondly. We introduce certain improvements into the construction
of metal naves.
The first part of this Invention has for its object to construct a metal
wheel which shall combine lightness & facility of repair with strength
& durability.

page_text: The spokes are made of T, channel, trough, or angle iron or steel,
and are constructed in the following manner :-A bar of this iron
or steel cut to a length determined by the size of the wheel & the
number of spokes, is bent so that the middle part of it shall lie along the
rim, while the two ends converge in straiglit or curved lines towards
the center of the wheel. These radial parts of the bar are placed con-
tiguous to the corresponding parts of other similar bars on each side,
& thus the section of each spoke is the double section of the single
bar. Rivets or bolts may be used to keep the whole firmly together
& when the tyre is put on rivets or bolts may be used to connect it
with the bars & so prevent it from shifting on the spokes. These
· spokes are then secured to the nave in the following manner :―Their
ends are brought together so as to abut upon the axle box, any extra
width of web or flange being cut off to allow of their doing so. The
adjacent bars then fit against each other & each is retained in its
position radially. The front & back flanges of the nave, wh. may
be of wrought or cast metal, are provided with suitable recesses to
fit against the spokes, or, if preferred, these flanges may be made
with plane surfaces & the recesses in the spokes filled up with filling
pieces wh. may be of wood or any other suitable material; or the
flanges may abut on the spokes direct without any filling pieces,
& these flanges are secured firmly either by bolts passing through
each flange or by a nut & screw thread upon the axle box. Filling
pieces may also inserted round the rim to prevent stones or dirt being
thrown up by the motion of the wheel.
The second part of the Invention is designed to adapt the various
ordinary axle boxes for the reception of metal naves or flanges without
the use of a wooden stock. The box whether parallel or taper is made
with lugs or stops, corresponding openings being made in the inner edge
of the back flange, so that it can be passed over the lugs, & then by
being moved round till the openings are not opposite the lugs it is
retained in its position & cannot move forward upon the box. This
flange will then be prevented from moving backwards by the. projecting
oil chamber, or in the grease box by a collar or stop fixed on to the
box for the purpose.
To prevent the flange from moving round on the box it may be
keyed or pinned on, or the back of the flange may be provided with a

page_text: projecting flap or collar fitting over the oil chamber or stop on the
box, & this projecting flap or collar may be keyed or pinned or
bolted down. The front flange is then secured by bolts or rivets passing
through or between the spokes.