Year: 1887

page_text: ROBERT ALBERT TOWNSEND of Sibi, Beloochistan, India, Mining 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:
A great source of trouble with continuous tires on wooden wheels is the shrinkage
of the timber particularly when green rendering cutting and resetting of the tires
necessary.
In common practice, this shrinkage is taken up by removing the rim-tire cutting a
piece out of it and welding it together again this rim-tire is then expanded by
heating, and when heated is placed around the circle of felloes or wooden rim; and the
cooling of this rim-tire shrinks it upon the wooden rim to tightly compress the
wheel.
The object of my Invention is to dispense with this expansive and laborious method
of tightening the rim-tire on the circle of felloes or wooden rim, and to instantly
compress the spokes, circle of felloes or wooden rim, and rim tire tightly together
radially from the hub to form a firm and perfect wheel, without expense, and the
further objects of my Invention are at the same time to bridge over the
space between
the adjacent ends of the felloes, that may be formed at that point; by the shrinking
of said felloes and to tightly compress the circle of felloes forming the wooden rim
lengthwise in the direction of the circumference of the wheel.
And this Invention consists of the application of an inclined plane at the hub to
lengthen the radii of the wheel for the purpose of tightly compressing the radii or
spokes, circle of felloes and rim-tire, radially from the hub; And it also consists of
the following device for bridging and strengthening the gaps caused by the contraction
of the felloes at their points of junction, namely, tire-jacks, which are operated by the
spokes, at the same time as the latter are moved outwards, when the radii of the wheel
is being increased, to bridge the space between the felloes caused by the shrinkage of
the latter, and this tire-jack not only effects this result, but at the same time is
compressed on the ends of the felloes to force them at the rim in the direction of the
circumference of the wheel, so that by a very slight and simple adjustment, the wheel
is instantly compressed tightly together, radially from the hub, as well as in the
direction of its circumference at the circle of felloes or wooden rim.

page_text: The construction and operation will be more particularly described with reference
to the accompanying drawings wherein :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel, embodying my Invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of a segment of the rim of the wheel, partly
in section.
view of the hub and
Figure 3 is a plan view of the inner face of Figure 2 with spoke removed.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional
connections.
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 4..
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view of the hub collar nut.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hub.
Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line
of Figure 7, and
Figure 9 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the shoe or spoke carrier.
A designates a hub revolving on the axle arm B, and held thereon by nut C,
and I, I are sand bands, shewn particularly in Figure 4 of accompanying drawings.
On the periphery of this hub, A, inclined planes Dare formed and ribs or flanges E,
are formed thereon.
F, are independent shoes or spoke sockets, shewn particularly in figure 9, the base
of which shoes are fitted to the face of the hub A and the space between the ribs or
flanges E, and G are spokes fitted to sockets F' in the shoes F.
H is a collar nut screwed on a reduced front portion A¹ of the hub A.
Jesignates the riin-tire, K K the felloes forming the wooden rim and L L the
tire-jack. This tire-jack is formed in two pieces L L which are fitted to the adjacent
ends of the felloes K K, these are shewn particularly in Figures 2 and 3, and the ends
of such spokes G that fit into the tire-jacks L L are provided with tapered metallic
thimbles to increase the wearing capacity of the ends of the said spokes and as the
spoke G is moved outwards radially from the hub, a portion of the tapered end of the
spoke, which is wider in cross section, is projected between the two pieces L.L,
forming said tire-jack, this firmly binds the tire-jack and the circle of felloes forming
the wooden rim together lengthwise in the direction of the circumference of the
wheel; and one piece L of this tire-jack laps over the other piece a sufficient distance
so that when they are moved apart to the widest possible distance caused by the
shrinkage of the wooden rin, no opening will shew between the two pieces L L
forming the said tire-jack.
In constructing a wheel according to this invention, the shoes into which the spokes
are driven are placed in position on the hub and temporarily banded after which the
wooden rim or felloes are attached in the ordinary manner.
.
The length of the spokes G and shoes F is regulated so that when the wheel is new
and the spokes fitted firmly therein one end of each of the said shoes F will project
over the reduced portion A¹ of the hub. H is a collar nut which is then screwed on
this reduced portion A¹ of the hub (on which a screw thread has been previously
formed) until the inner side face of the collar nut H abuts against the ends of the
shoes F then by engaging a wrench or spanner with said collar nut H said wrench or
spanner readily takes a firm hold on said collar nut, to screw it further on the reduced
portion A¹ of the hub A, this moves the shoes F carrying the spokes up the inclined
plane D, thereby increasing their radial length and thus compressing the spokes, the
circle of felloes forming the wooden rim, and the rim-tire tightly together radially
from the hub, and the portion of the tapered end of the spoke which is wider in cross-
section, entering the space N between the two pieces L I, forming the tire jack, forces
them as well as the felloes K K held therein lengthwise, in the direction of the
circumference of the wheel which compresses every part of the wheel firmly
together.
An inclined plane may be formed on the lower side or base of the shoe F, in the
opposite direction to that formed on the hub A so that a very slight turn of the collar
nut. I will move the shoes F together with the spokes G up the inclined plane D of
the hub A, thereby increasing their radial diameter and tightening the wheel very
rapidly and effectually.

page_text: The friction of the base of the shoe F moving on the inclined plane D may bo
reduced by forming grooves or recess R in said inclined plane D.
The dish" or inclination of the spokes outward, may be regulated by the
inclination given to the socket F in the shoe F which dish" or inclination is
permanently retained.
There are several modifications of the application of an inclined plane at the hub of
the wheel for the purpose herein set forth which would suggest themselves to the
skilled mechanic such as forming the inclined plane alternately with the spokes from
each end of the hub, but this would require two nut collars and two reduced portions
one at each end of the hub on which said nut collars would have to be screwed, to
move the spoke carriers up on the said inclined planes, but no other method has been
found preferable to the one herein shewn and described.
A packing T of rubber or other suitable material may be placed boneath the end of
each spoke in the shoe socket F¹ for the purpose of adapting the ends of the spokes
in the sockets F to any inequalities which may be formed thereon and thereby
forming and always retaining a perfect wheel, this packing T also deadens the sound
and prevents the wheel from rattling, it also facilitates the movement of the shoe up
the inclined plane.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
First The application of an inclined plane at the hub of a wheel substantially as
shewn or by any other method involving the use of an inclined plane for the purposes
specified.
Second A tire-jack formed in two pieces L L substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
Third A tire jack formed in two pieces L L in combination with the felloes K K
and spoke G formed with a tapered end substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Fourth-A hub A formed with an inclined plane D in combination with a
spoke G, shoe F and collar nut H substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth A hub A formed with an inclined plane D in combination with a shoo F
on the base of which an inclined plane is formed and collar nut H substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Sixth A hub A formed with an inclined plane D and ribs or flanges E E in
combination with a shoe F, collar nut H, spoke G formed with a tapered end, tire
jack formed of two pieces L L, felloes K K and rim-tire J substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
:-
Seventh An independent spoke socket F substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Eighth A packing T of rubber or other suitable material placed beneath the end
of the spoke in the shoe socket F substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 25th day of March 1807.
Dated this 25th day of Daren 1007.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.