An Improved Method of and Device for Tightening Wheel Tyres.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
An Improved Method of and Device for Tightening Wheel Tyres.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co.,
The General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me by William Thompson Mackey, of 191, Barton Street, East
Hamilton, Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Contractor) to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in a method of and device for tightening
wheel tyres, or rather swelling the wheels so that they will fit snugly within the
tyres; and the object of the invention is to provide means for expanding the wheels
after they have shrunk and become loose in the tyres so that they will snugly fill
the tyres, and also to provide means for holding the wheels in this expanded
position or shape.
A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and powerful screw
actuated apparatus, which may be conveniently clamped to a spoke of a wheel and
applied to the felloe thereof so as to pull out the felloe in relation to the spoke
and separate the ends of the felloe sections.
To these ends the invention consists of a method of expanding wheels within
their tyres and a device for causing such expansion, and comprises a method of
tightening wheel tyres, which consists of expanding the wheel within the tyre and
wedging in the spaces between the ends of the spokes and between the felloe
sections.
A method of tightening wheel tyres which consists in forcing the felloe outward
from the ends of the spokes, thus also separating the felloe sections and then
placing filling wedges or equivalent devices between the spoke ends and the felloe
and between the several sections.
A device for expanding wheels, which comprises a lift-bar having arms to
project beneath the felloe, clamping jaws to engage a spoke adjacent to the felloe,
toggle levers to operate the jaws, a screw for actuating the toggle levers, and an
operative connection between the screw and the lift bar whereby the latter may
be moved in relation to the jaws.
A device for expanding wheels, comprising an adjusting screw, a lift bar
operatively connected with the screw and provided with projecting arms to engage
a felloe, a roller mounted on the screw, a pair of jaws to clamp a wheel spoke,
toggle levers connecting the roller with the jaws, and a tie-bar mounted loosely on
the screw and connecting two of the toggle levers.
A wheel expander, comprising an adjusting screw, a nut on the screw, a lifter
journalled on the nut and provided with projecting arms to engage a felloe, a tie-
bar journalled on the lower end of the screw, a roller threaded on the screw,
toggle levers connecting the roller and tie bar, two of the levers being fulcrummed
on the latter, and oppositely arranged jaws carried by toggle levers and adapted to
clamp the spoke.
The combination, with the lifter and the screw mechanism for removing it, of
the oppositely arranged clamping jaws adapted to be fastened to a spoke, an
operative connection between these jaws and the screw which actuates the lifter,
and a packing for the inner faces of the jaws.

page_text: In a wheel expander oppositely arranged clamping jaws, having concave
adjacent surfaces to fit a spoke, and a suitable packing for the said faces.
Dated this 14th day of October 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method of and Device for Tightening Wheel Tyres.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by William Thompson Mackey of 191, Barton Street, East Hamilton,
Ontario, Dominion of Canada, Contractor) and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in a method of and device for tightening
wheel tyres, or rather swelling the wheels so that they will fit snugly within the
tyres; and the object of the invention is to provide means for expanding the
wheels after they have shrunk and become loose in the tyres so that they will
snugly fill the tyres, and also to provide means for holding the wheels in this
expanded position or shape.
A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and powerful screw
actuated apparatus which may be conveniently clamped to a spoke of a wheel and
applied to the felloe thereof so as to pull out the felloe in relation to the spoke
and separate the ends of the felloe sections.
To these ends the invention consists of a method of expanding wheels within
their tyres and a device for causing such expansion, which method and device are
hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a wheel having my expanding device
applied thereto and showing the felloe separated from one of the spokes and the
ends of the felloe sections also separated;
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the expanding device ;
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3, of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of a slotted wedge which is adapted to enter
between two felloe sections so as to fill the intervening space; and,
Figure 6 is a perspective view of two half washers which are adapted to fill the
space between the end of a spoke and the adjacent felloe and to be clasped around
the tenon of the spoke.
Figures 2 to 6 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1 and similar letters in all
the figures indicate similar parts.
The device for expanding the wheel is provided with a lifter having a bar 10
which at its lower end is forked, as shown at 11, and terminates in outwardly
extending parallel arms 12 which are adapted to be placed beneath a felloe so that
when the lifter is raised or forced outward, in relation to the wheel hub, it will lift
up the felloe and raise the latter from the spoke. The upper end of the lift bar
terminates in a laterally extending collar 13, which encloses a nut 15 which turns
freely in the collar, and the nut has a flange 14 at its lower end which abuts against
the under side of the collar. The upper end of the nut projects above the collar
and is squared or faceted to receive a wrench.
The nut 15 fits a screw 16 which extends parallel with the lift bar 10 and has its
upper end squared, as shown at 17, to receive a wrench, while its lower end portion

page_text: is cylindrical and smooth, as shown at 18, in order that it may turn freely in a tie
bar 19 through which it projects and to which it is held by means of its head 20 and
a collar 21, which is on the lower portion of the screw and is held in place by a set
screw 22.
The tie bar 19 connects two toggle levers 24 and its outer ends are pivotted, as
shown at 23, to the said levers which are arranged opposite each other, and the
studs 23 on which they are pivotted serve as their fulcra. The levers 24 are pivotted
to two short levers or links 25 which are in turn pivotted to opposite ends or sides
of a wing nut 26 which is mounted on the screw 16 and which is internally screw
threaded to fit the thread of the screw. The lower ends of the levers 24 carry
clamping jaws 27 which are adapted to be clamped to the spokes of a wheel and
which are connected to the levers by means of suitable pins 28, or equivalent devices,
each jaw having its inner face concave and provided with a lining 29 which is of
some yielding material such as leather or rubber, so that it will not injure the
spokes with which it is brought in contact.
After the device has been applied to the spokes and felloes of a wheel, as herein-
after described, and the wheel has been expanded, as shown in Figure 1, so as to
slightly remove the felloe from the spokes and to separate the felloe sections, a
split washer inserted between the ends of the spokes and the felloe so as to fill
the space between them and prevent the felloe from dropping back to place, and
One side of each half
this washer comprises two half washers 30, having limbs 31.
washer is tapered from end to end and smooth, while the other side is serrated or
roughened to prevent them from working out. These half washers being of horse-
shoe shape, but slightly elongated can be pushed together from opposite sides of a
wheel, and embrace the spoke tenon and when driven home they will form practically
a solid washer of uniform thickness.
To fill the space between the felloe sections, a wedge plate 32 is used which has
a slot 33 extending from one end towards the middle it being adapted to slide over
the tenon of the felloe sections, and the wedge plate has also terminal edges 34
which enable it to be easily driven, and it has on opposite sides barbed ribs 35 which
are adapted to be imbedded in the ends of the felloe sections and which thus serve
to prevent the displacement of the wedge plate.
The device is applied to a wheel and the latter expanded in the following way :-
The device is placed opposite the felloe of the wheel, with the jaws 27 on opposite
sides of one of the spokes 36 and with the arms 12 of the lifter projecting beneath
the felloe 37; a wrench is then applied to the square 17 of the screw 16 and the
screw is turned so as to force down the wing nut 26, and this carries down the inner
ends of the links or levers 25 and throws out their lower or outer ends, which acting
on the levers 24 cause the lower ends of the levers 24 to be forced toward each
A wrench is then
other, thus clamping the jaws 27 firmly against the spoke 36.
applied to the nut 15 which is turned so as to rise up the screw 16 and in so doing
it lifts the collar 13, lift bar 10 and arms 12, and the latter pull the felloe 37 from
the spoke 36 so as to cause the felloe to be held tight against the tyre.
In lifting the felloe, as described, the felloe sections are separated, as shown in
Figure 1, and while the lifting device is still in position the spoke-washers and the
wedge plate are applied in the manner already described, so as to hold the wheel
in its expanded shape, after which the expanding tool can be removed and applied
to another portion of the wheel, the operation above described being performed on
several portions of the wheel so as to cause the wheel to be evenly and
thoroughly expanded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. The herein-described method of tightening wheel tyres, which consists of
expanding the wheel within the tyre and wedging in the spaces between the ends of
the spokes and between the felloe sections.

page_text: 2. The herein-described method of tightening wheel tyres which consists in forcing
the felloe outward from the ends of the spokes, thus also separating the felloe
sections and then placing filling wedges or equivalent devices between the spoke
ends and the felloe and between the several sections.
3. The herein-described device for expanding wheels, which comprises a lift bar
having arms to project beneath the felloe, clamping jaws to embrace a spoke
adjacent to the felloe, toggle levers to operate the jaws, a screw for actuating the
toggle levers, and an operative connection between the screw and the lift bar
whereby the latter can be moved in relation to the jaws, substantially as described.
4. A device for expanding wheels, comprising an adjusting screw, a lift bar
operatively connected with the screw and provided with projecting arms to engage
a felloe, a wing nut mounted on the screw, a pair of jaws to clamp a wheel spoke,
toggle levers connecting the wing nut with the jaws, and a tie bar mounted loosely
on the screw and connecting two of the toggle levers, substantially as described.
5. A wheel expander, comprising an adjusting screw, a nut on the screw, a lifter
journalled on the nut and provided with projecting arms to engage a felloe, a tie bar
journalled on the lower end of the screw, a wing nut working on the screw, toggle
levers connecting the wing nut and tie bar, two of the levers being fulcrummed on
the latter, and oppositely arranged jaws carried by the toggle levers and adapted
to clamp the spoke, substantially as described.
6. The combination, with the lifter and the screw mechanism for operating it, of
the oppositely arranged clamping jaws adapted to be fastened to a spoke, an operative
connection between these jaws and the screw which actuates the lifter, and a lining
for the inner faces of the jaws, substantially as described.
7. In a wheel expander, the oppositely arranged clamping jaws, having concave
adjacent surfaces to fit a spoke, and a suitable lining for the said faces, substantially
as described.
8. The improved device for tightening wheel tyres hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 10th day of July 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.