Improvements in and connected with Wheel Hubs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1898--Accepted, 6th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Wheel Hubs.
I, ELIJAH MISENER MIERS, residing at Main Street, in Palmerston, in the County
of Wellington, and Province of Ontario, Inspector, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement --
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wheels, and
more particularly in that class of wheels known as vehicle wheels Heretofore
the usual method of building a wheel has been to fit the spokes into the spoke
sockets of the hub, then fit the rim on the outer ends of the spokes, and set the
tire on the rim This method of manufacture required the exercise of the most
skilled mechanical labor, and the expenditure of a comparatively considerable
amount of time in building each wheel
The object of this invention is to reverse the usual method of manufacture, that
is, to make the tire and fit the rim or felloe to it, then attach the outer ends of the
spokes to the felloe and connect the hub to the inner ends of the spokes, and 80
arranging this hub that when it 18 being placed in position it will expand the
spokes tightly into place against the felloe, holding them securely locked against
either lateral or longitudinal displacement, so long as the several parts of the
wheel are assembled, and to so assemble the several parts of the wheel that in
the event of injury or breakage to any of the parts the injured or broken part can
be easily and readily removed and replaced by a perfected part and the parts of
the wheel easily and readily reassembled, and the invention consists essentially of
the device hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hub with the detachable spoke flange removed.
Fig. 2 18 a perspective view of the detachable spoke flange
Fig. 3 18 a view of the wheel in its entirety
Fig. 4 is a view of the tire, the felloe and the spokes showing the hub being
placed in position.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the hub.
Fig. 6 is a view of one of the spokes
Fig. 7 is a section of a hub showing a wedge-shaped enlargement connected
to the lock-nut.
Fig 8 is a similar view showing a plurality of independent wedges to expand
the spokes and felloe.
Inke letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and
drawings
A represents the hub which is of any suitable size and shape, and is preferably
made of metal although it may be made of wood provided with a metallic boxing.
The middle part of the hub A is provided with a frustro-conical enlargement B
diverging from the outer towards the inner end of the hub
The enlargement B is provided with a plurality of longitudinal concavities C
for the inner ends of the spokes. The faces of the concavities C rise towards their
DQ17

page_text: edges o making these edges of a higher elevation than the bottom of the face of
the concavity.
D represents one of the spoke flanges, which is preferably made integral with
the hub A at the inner end of the enlargement B The inner side face d of the
spoke flange 1 is provided with a plurality of expending wedges E, conesponding
in number and location with the edges e of the longitudinal concavities C
Each
expanding wedge E extends from its respective edge e outwards radially, and 18
of the form of a triangular prism, the point of which 18 remote from the side
face of the spoke flange
&
F represents the removeable spoke flange, which corresponds in size and shape
with the fixed spoke flange 1) The removeable spoke flange F is provided with a
cential bore having longitudinal concavities 1 corresponding in number and
location with the edges of the longitudinal concavities C, to receive the said
edges when the removeable spoke flange is fitted into position on the said enlarge-
ment The inner side face of the spoke flange F is provided with a plurality of
wedge-shaped partitions, corresponding in number and location with the edges
of the longitudinal concavities C, the points g of the wedge shaped partitions G
being in a radial alignment with the edges, the outer face of each partition being
in the same plane as the edge of the flange, and the edges of the points being in
circular alignment The inner end of each of the partitions G is cut away to form
an shaped chamfer g¹ The partitions G extend half way more or less between
the inner faces of the flanges F and D
C
The inner side face of the flange D is provided with a plurality of similar parti-
tions H, corresponding in number and location with the partitions G, the ends of
the partitions H being opposed to the ends of the partitions G The inner ends h
of the partitions are chamfered inversely to the chamfered ends g¹ of the
partitions G, in order that the ends may interlock when the removable spoke flange
is assembled on the enlargement, and the ends of the partitions G are brought
into contact with the ends of the partitions H, the partitions H and G form the
sockets for the inner paits of the spokes I The outer end of each of the spokes I
is fitted in its respective spoke-hole in the rim J, the shoulder of each spoke
bearing against the inner face of the rim.
K represents the tire, the inner face of which 18 grooved or channeled to receive
the rim or felloe, and to provide overlapping flanges k, k, to protect the sides of
the rim That part of each spoke I contained between the spoke flanges is so
tapered as to permit of the said inner ends of the spokes filling the space between
the spoke flanges and abutting against each other In assembling the wheel the
tire is first made of the requisite size and shape, the felloe is then fitted into the
annular groove of the tire, after which the spokes are fitted into the spoke holes
in the felloe, with their shoulders abutting against its inner face
The spokes
being of exactly the same length. their innei ends are in circular alignment when
assembled in position, the hub is then inserted between the spokes and pressed
home until the inner face of the fixed flange D presses against the side faces of the
spokes The spokes and the hub are arranged in such relation to each other that
when the hub is placed in position the inner ends of the spokes are located in the
longitudinal concavities C, and when the hub has been driven home until the ado
face of the flange D rests against the adjacent side faces of the spokes I, the
divergement of the enlargement B will expand the spokes tightly against the
inner face of the felloe As the enlargement B forces the spokes outwards there
will be a natural interval between their inner ends, and to take up that interval, or,
in other words, fill the space between the inner ends of the spokes, the inner side
face of the spoke flange 18 provided with expanding wedges E The partitions G
and H hold the spokes firmly against circumferential displacement, whilst the
inner faces of the spoke flanges hold them against lateral displacement When
the hub and the spokes are properly assembled the removeable spoke flange F 1s
fitted on the hub and locked tightly in position by a lock-nut L, screwed on the
outer face of the hub and tightly against the outer face of the spoke flange. A

page_text: hub constructed on this principle obviates the necessity of employing skilled labor
to construct the wheel It reverses the principle of construction by rendering it
possible to make the tire first, then fit the felloe to the tire, the spokes to the felloe,
and the hub to the spokes. The fitting of the hub to the spokes wedges the spokes
tightly against the im, and presses the run more firmly into the tire
By pio-
viding the hub with a removeable flange it is possible to dis-assemble the parts
for repair or other purposes, and to easily replace them without unnecessary loss
of time or trouble The principal part of the work on a wheel of this construction
15 done on a machine, and when the machine work 18 completed the parts can be
easily and accurately assembled by unskilled labour, and can be made at a much
smaller cost than if made by skilled labour under the old system.
Again, the wheel can be repaued by unskilled labour without sending it to the
repair shop, or without having special tools for that purpose
The side face of each of the expanding wedges E is provided with two or more
rbs el, arranged diagonally to the horizontal axis of the hub, the purpose of these
ribs being to grip the spokes and assist in expanding them against the felloe
whilst the hub is being fitted to the inner ends of the spokes The removeable
spoke flange F 18 provided with a plurality of expanding wedges F¹, corresponding
in number and location with the expanding wedges E and for the same purpose,
each expanding wedge F¹ having both its faces concaved and arranged to drive
the spokes well home against the side face of the fixed flange before completing
the expansion of the spokes
In Fig 7 I have shown a hub to consist of a cylindrical boxing or sleeve, on
which is screwed or otherwise fitted a lock-nut, corresponding to the lock-nut L
previously described and for the purpose of locking the removeable flange in posi-
tion Integrally formed with the lock-nut L is a frustro-conical enlargement B,
diverging from its outer end towards the lock-nut The bore of the removeable
flange F is shaped to fit the frustro-conical enlargement at its greatest diameter
The perimeter of the frustro-conical enlargement is smooth in order that when the
lock-nut and enlargement are being fitted into place the enlargement can revolve
without interference from the adjacent or inner ends of the spokes I can, if I
so desire, separate the enlargement from the lock-nut, and use the lock-nut to
wedge, force or press the enlargement into position whilst being fitted on the hub
The fitting of the lock-nut into place jams the removeable flange tightly against
the adjacent side faces of the spokes
I am also able, when the frustro-conical enlargement is made separate from the
lock-nut, to provide the frustro-conical enlargement with longitudinal grooves,
similar to those shown and described in connection with Figs 1 and 2
In Fig 8 I have shown a separate or independent wedge B' for cach spoke.
These wedges are placed between the ends of the spokes and the hub, and are
pressed home by the removeable flange.
The ends of the felloe are mitred in order that they can be interlocked by the
expansion of the spokes and felloes, and thus dispense with the use of the tire
plates
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same 18 to be performed, I declare that what I
claim 18:-
1. A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange integially formed
with the hub, a frustro-conical enlargement on the hub converging from the inner
Bide face of the flange outwards, a series of longitudinal cavities formed in the
enlargement, a plurality of expanding wedges connected to the inner face of the
flange, and extending radially outwards from the enlargement, a removeable flange
fitted on the hub, and a series of spoke partitions dividing the space between the
flanges into sockets for the spokes, substantially as specified
2 A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange integially formed
with the hub, a frustro-conical enlargement on the hub converging from the inner

page_text: side face of the flange outwards, a series of longitudinal cavities formed in the
enlargement, a plurality of expanding wedges connected to the inner face of the
flange, and extending radially outwards from the enlargement, the inner end of
each expanding wedge contiguous to its respective raised poition between two
concavities, partition members connected to the inner side face of the hxed flange,
the inner end of each partition member contiguous to the outer end of its respec-
tive expanding wedge, a removeable flange, a series of partition members corre-
sponding in number and location with the partition members of the fixed flange,
and adapted to interlock therewith, and a nut to lock the removeable flange in
position when assembled, substantially as specified.
3 A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange on the hub, a
removeable flange opposed to the fixed flange, and an expanding wedge or wedges
to force the spokes outwardly against the felloe when the hub is being fitted into
position, substantially as specified
4 A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange on the hub, a
removeable flange opposed to the fixed flange, a wedge-shaped enlargement con-
nected to the hub to expand the spokes against the felloe when the hub is being
fitted into place, and a lock-nut to hold the removeable flange, substantially as
specified
5. A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange fitted to the hub,
a frustro-conical enlargement on the hub converging from the inner side face of
the flange outwards, a removeable flange opposed to the fixed flange, a plurality of
apokes held between the flanges and expanded outwards by the frustio-conical
enlargement, when the hub is being fitted into place, and a lock-uut to hold the
removeable flange into position, substantially as specified
6 A wheel embracing in its construction a hub, a fixed flange fitted to the hub,
a frustro-conical enlargement on the hub converging from the inner side face of
the flange outwards, a removable flange opposed to the fixed flange, a plurality of
spokes held between the flanges and expanded outwards by the fiustio-conical
enlargement when the hub is being fitted into place, a lock-nut to hold the remove-
able Hange into position, and a plurality of expanding wedges connected to the
inner side face of one or both of the flanges extending radially outwards from the
enlargement, adapted to be interposed between the spoke ends, substantially as
specified.
7 The wheel hub herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
1000