Improvements in the Construction of Wheels for Light Vehicles, such for instance as Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Wheels for Light Vehicles,
such for instance as Velocipedes.
A communication by JULIUS VON OLIVIER, of 136, Plinganserstrasse, Munich, in
the Kingdom of Bavaria, Empire of Germany, Technologist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The tyre of this wheel is flexible and consists of a rim of strip steel in one or
more layers without felloes. For light loads, for instance, for velocipedes, a rim of
only one thickness of metal is used; for greater loads, a greater thickness of the
rim becomes necessary and thereby the latter always loses more of its flexibility.
In such cases, the steel rim is made in several pieces, that is, several concentric rings
are inserted in one another; or a longer band is coiled in several layers one over
another and the encountering ends are riveted together. The carrying capacity
and the flexibility of the wheel thereby become united. The spokes of the wheel
may be made both of hard spring steel wires as well as of the above mentioned strips
of sheet steel. Each of the spokes made of such a material must, before being
inserted in place, be bent somewhat to a quarter circle, and, when inserted in the
wheel, they are strongly drawn until they are almost straight, but when the tension
yields strongly they bend again to a similar degree. The arrangement whereby
the spokes are drawn or stretched is hereinafter more particularly described. By
this arrangement, it will be seen that the spokes only act as draw springs. On the
one hand, they facilitate a shortening of the distance of the rim of the wheel from
the nave, on the other hand, they offer a spring resistance to any extension of this
distance and limit the same to any given degree which can be very finely and exactly
regulated. With the increase of this degree, the carrying capacity of the wheel
diminishes and on the other hand its elasticity increases; the reverse is the case
when this degree is diminished. The number and tension of the spokes may be
adjusted to suit the most varied requirements by means of alterations in the number
and dimensions of the strips of the tyre.
On the loading of the axle of this wheel, its distance from the supporting point
on the earth diminishes, the spokes situated at this point become shortened in
consequence of their mode of construction, whilst all the remaining ones become
somewhat extended. In this case it is a question of very small dimensions, as the
following particulars, of a wheel on which experiments were made, will show.
The proportions are taken from a safety bicycle, the rear wheel of which was
80 cemtimetres diameter. The tyre is 3 millimetres thick, 30 millimetres broad and
secured with 32 spokes. With a normal load of 75 kilos., the 3 lower spokes
diminish, one of them about 3 millimetres, the other two about 1 millimetre. For
obvious reasons the sum of the diminution of these spokes must be approximately
equal to the sum of the extension of the remaining 29 spokes. Each separate one
extends therefore on an average about, that is, about millimetre.
With the shortening of the spokes at the point of support, a corresponding
increase in the radius of curve of the tyre at this point takes place, conjoined with
a suitable reduction in the frictional resistance in the track. Therein lies the
advantage of this wheel. In the example above named, this radius of curve
increases by more than double; the friction is thereby inversely diminished,
that is to say to half the extent. As far as the spokes shorten, the rim of the wheel

page_text: forms to a certain extent an inverted arch, the resting point of which is the remain-
ing tyre which is retained in its circular position by means of the spokes. From
this it results that the tyre may be made lighter by this mode of construction than
in any other.
The attachment of the spokes to the rim and to the nave may be made in any
suitable manner. For instance, the spokes may be made in two parts. The inner
part is hung by means of a hook in suitable holes of the nave and is provided at
the other end with a screw which is carried into a union. The latter holds at the
same time the inner end of the outer part of the spoke, in such a way that the
latter does not prevent the turning of the union. It is therefore preferably made
cylindrical in form and provided with a small head which prevents it coming out of
the counter union. The connection of the outer part of the spoke with the rim is
similar to that of the inner part with the union. The spokes may be tightened by
turning the union. In another variety of attachment, the spokes are screwed between
flanges of the nave of the wheel, whilst at the outside they are attached to guide
holders. The latter fit over bolts attached to the rim and project inwards, their
free ends project beyond the holder and carry a nut; by screwing up this latter the
spokes may be tightened each two simultaneously.
DL: ol 1
A TA
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Wheels for Light Vehicles,
such for instance as Velocipedes.
A communication by JULIUS VON OLIVIER, of 136, Plinganserstrasse, Munich, in
the Kingdom of Bavaria, Empire of Germany, Technologist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Man-
chester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex Civil 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:-
The mode of construction of the wheels forming the object of this invention is
based on a rim without felloes, which may be made, for instance, of strip-, or puddle-
spring steel. The same must be tough, flexible and elastic, as, when in use, it must
flatten out at the point of support. This flattening is combined with a shortening
of the distance between the rim and the axis, at this point, which is only possible
when a lengthening of such distance takes place on the remainder of the circum-
ference. The connection of the rim with the nave must, therefore, permit of both
these alterations of form. This is the case, if this connection act all round as a
strongly stretched draw spring which offers no resistance to the shortening (of the
distance) but still admits of a little extension.
This connection is most simply made by means of hard spring steel wire spokes,
which, having been previously strongly curved, when drawn tight, are strongly
stretched until they are almost drawn into a straight line.
Figure 1, on the accompanying drawing, shows a section in an axial direction of
a wheel constructed according to this invention, in which a is the elastic tyre.
Figure 2 is a view of a spoke with the tension device.
The attachment of the spokes to the rim and nave of the wheel, or the tension of
the same may take place in the manner shown for instance in Figure 2. In this
case, the spokes are made in two parts. One part is attached by means of a hook h
in suitable holes q in the nave disc, and has, at its other end, a screw thread
which is screwed into the nut u. This latter also receives the inner end of the
outer part of the spoke, the other end of which is provided with a small head t,

page_text: which is inserted in the wheel rim. By revolving the upper part of the spoke, the
spoke may be drawn taut. This may be equally well performed by turning the nut,
if the inner part of the spoke be provided with a left thread.
In view of the stability of the wheel, the wires may be crossed in pairs as usual,
and, if necessary, the width and diameter of the nave discs may also be increased.
There is no difficulty in still further increasing the elasticity of such a wheel by
means of elastic tyres or bands, such as shown, for instance, by k in Figure 1, and
for the purpose of, at the same time, producing a noiseless running.
In Figure 3 (which is a section vertical to the axis) the wires are replaced by
strips of metal. A wide nave is, in this case, not requisite.
The increased weight of this mode of construction must, however, limit its use to
carts and similar vehicles.
In Figure 3, S S are the metallic strips above named; // the same after being
strained by means of the screws p p. The spokes (metallic strips) are screwed
between flanges of the nave of the wheel, whilst, at the outside, they are attached
to thimble pieces g. These latter fit over bolts p which point inwards, and are
attached to the rim of the wheel, and the free ends of which have nuts m projecting
beyond the thimble pieces g. By screwing down these nuts, both spokes may be
tightened simultaneously, as shown in Figure 3.
In Figure 4, the section of a wheel rim is shown, in which the same principle is
applied in a somewhat modified form. a is the elastic rim; c, an elastic unclosed
ring, the ends of which are flattened off so that they can overlap one another
somewhat, by which means the diameter of this ring is diminished. The wire
spokes are attached to this wire ring drawn taut by means of the device shown
in Figure 1, whereby the ring may be fixed according to requirements. m is a
tube of a dense, watertight material (canvas) which is sewn together at y and
encloses both rings, and which is also stretched by the drawing taut of the wires.
The elastic pull of the wires is here largely replaced by that of the canvas.
In this case, a much smaller distance apart of the nave spokes suffices to make
the tyre stable, as the wire ring, when drawn taut, fulfils this purpose. This
mode of construction necessitates the use of an india rubber tyre kk for pro-
tecting the fabric. It should also be mentioned that the use of larger nave
rings allows of the nuts U, shown in Figures 1 and 2, being entirely omitted.
The wire spokes, which in this case are no longer made in two parts, have at one
end the head t before mentioned, and, at the other, are bent into a hook h, which
engages in a suitable hole of the disc, Figure 1.
The centric position of the rim is obtained by arranging the heads of the spokes
at exactly equal distances from the bends of the hooks. Several holes are bored
radially in the nave disc for each spoke wire, which serve for correcting the
tension.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A wheel with an elastic flexible tyre, the spokes of which, which are also
elastic and flexible, are strongly curved before being inserted and afterwards are
drawn almost straight by tension, so that they act exclusively as trussed springs.
2. A wheel with an elastic, flexible tyre which is connected, by means of a tube
of watertight material, with an unclosed ring, which latter forms a connection with
the nave, whereby the spokes, as well as the unclosed ring and the fabric of the
tube, are put in a state of tension, so that the same acts from all sides as a trussed
spring.
Dated this 21 1. of Ontahan 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.