A New or Improved Method and Means of Constructing Carriage Wheels and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method and Means of Constructing Carriage
Wheels and the like.
I, WILLIAM BEALE of 33 Totteridge Road, Battersea, in the County of
London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved method and means of constructing
wheels for carriages and other vehicles and according to my present invention I am
enabled to construct wheels with wooden or other suitable spokes without the usual
wooden felloe such as had hitherto been used in wheels of the character in question
riz. cab carriage omnibus cart and the like wheels which have heretofore usually
been constructed with wooden felloes.
My present invention is as follows:-
I provide a metal socket somewhat in the form of a T-piece and the shank of
this socket is formed tubular or hollow having a clear passage way right through
while the extending arms on such socket are formed with suitable countersunk or
other holes to receive rivets or other suitable fastenings therethrough as hereinafter
explained.
For the sake of example I will describe my invention as carried out with
wooden spokes.
The outer end of each wooden spoke is passed through the said tubular or
hollow shank and a wedge (or wedges) is then driven (through the outer end of
the passage through the shank) into the outer end of the wooden spoke so as
thereby to firmly wedge such spoke in position in the hollow shank or other
equivalent or suitable meaus may be adopted to fix the spoke firmly in its separate
socket.
A shoulder or recess is or may be provided on the spoke so that the end of the
shank will lie flush against said shoulder and a ring or washer (of hard rubber
vulcanite or other suitable material) may advantageously be placed between the
latter and the end of the shank.
The outer end of the aforesaid wedge or other wedging or fixing device is then
cut off or made flush or thereabouts with the outermost surface on the top of the
extending arms-such outermost surface being advantageously formed of a shape to
correspond with the inside circumference of the metal tyre to which it is to be
fixed i.e. the arms of the T are curved to a radins corresponding or thereabouts to
the inside circumference of the metal tyre.
The metal tyre is formed in any suitable manner and either as an ordinary metal
tyre running on the roads or a channel or channels of dove-tail or other suitable
shape may be formed therein or thereon or other suitable means adopted to receive
and hold an india-rubber or other suitable elastic or noiseless tyre as is well
understood the provision of such elastic or noiseless tyre forming no part
separately of my present invention.
The form of the metal tyre having been settled-before the elastic tyre is
placed therein or thereon the hub and spokes (each of the latter having its
separate metal socket fixed thereon as already described) is now placed within
the metal rim which thus becomes both felloe and metal tyre-the aforesaid
curved arms on each socket fitting up closely against the under-side of the
metal tyre.
Each such socket is now carefully and strongly rivetted bolted or otherwise

page_text: suitably and strongly secured to the metal tyre until the wheel is thus built up
and complete without the introduction of any wooden felloe.
The elastic or noiseless tyre (if used) is now introduced into the metal tyre or
fixed thereto in any suitable manner and the wheel is ready for use.
It will thus be seen that a very strong and lasting wheel is produced according
to my present invention.
Rattle or shake of the spokes is almost impossible as the outer end of each
spoke will lie close against the inside circumference of the metal tyre besides
being separately fixed and held in its separate metal socket which latter in its turn
is rivetted and strongly secured to the metal tyre.
For omnibuses or other heavy vehicle wheels for use with elastic or non-
lipping tyres I may construct the metal felloe with two or three parallel
channels of under cut or other suitable form running. all round or as an
alternative two or more separate metal tyres may be mounted alongside of one
another and firmly secured to the aforesaid sockets which thereby secure all the
metal tyres together.
Dated this 6th day of May 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method and Means of Constructing Carriage
Wheels and the like.
I, WILLIAM BEALE of 33 Totteridge Road, Battersea, in the County of
London, Manufacturer 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 :-
This invention relates to a new or improved method and means of constructing
wheels having cushion or other elastic tyres thereon-for carriages and other
road vehicles and according to my present invention I am enabled to construct such
wheels with wooden or other suitable spokes without the usual wooden felloe such
as has hitherto been used in wheels of the character in question viz.: cab
carriage and the like wheels which have heretofore usually been constructed with
wooden felloes.
My present invention is as follows:-
I provide a metal socket somewhat in the form of a T-piece and the shank of
this socket is formed tubular or hollow having a clear passage way right through
while the extending arms or lugs on such socket are formed with suitable counter-
sunk or other holes to receive rivets or other suitable fastenings therethrough to
rigidly attach same to the metal tyre as hereinafter explained.
The outer end of each wooden spoke is passed through the said tubular or
hollow shank and a wedge (or wedges) is then driven (through the outer end
of the passage through the shank) into the outer end of the wooden spoke
so as thereby to firmly wedge such spoke in position in the hollow shank or
other equivalent or suitable means may be adopted to fix each spoke firmly in its
socket.
A shoulder or recess is or may be provided on the spoke so that the end of the
shank will lie flush against said shoulder and a ring or washer (of hard rubber
vulcanite or other suitable material) may if desired be placed between the latter
and the end of the shank.
The outer end of the spoke (and the aforesaid wedge or other suitable wedging
or fixing device) is then finished off in any suitable manner for instance
"dowelled" (as is now commonly done in securing the outer end of the wooden

page_text: spokes in wood felloes) or cut off or made flush or thereabouts with the outermost
surface on the top of the extending arms-such outermost surface of the socket
being advantageously formed of a shape to correspond with the inside circum-
ference of the metal tyre to which it is to be fixed i.e. the arms of the T are
curved to a radius corresponding or thereabouts to the said inside circumference of
the metal tyre.
The metal tyre is formed in any suitable manner to hold an elastic tyre thereon
(or equivalent or other suitable running surface) which comes in contact with the
roads for instance a channel or channels of dove-tail or other suitable shape
may be formed therein or thereon or other suitable means adopted to receive
and hold an india-rubber or other suitable elastic or noiseless tyre as is well
understood.
The form of the metal tyre having been determined-before the elastic tyre
is placed therein or thereon the hub and spokes (each of the latter having
its separate metal socket fixed thereon as already described) is now placed within
the metal rim which thus becomes both felloe and metal tyre-the aforesaid
curved arms on each socket fitting up closely against the under-side of the
metal tyre.
'
Each such socket is now strongly rivetted bolted or otherwise suitably and
strongly secured to the metal tyre until the wheel is thus built up and complete
without the introduction of any wooden felloe.
The elastic tyre is now introduced into the metal tyre or fixed thereto in any
suitable manner and the wheel is ready for use-the elastic tyre or equivalent thus
serving to cover and protect the outer end of the rivets or other fastenings of the
sockets from contact with the roadway.
It will thus be seen that a very strong and lasting wheel is produced according
to my present invention.
Rattle or shake of the spokes is almost impossible-the outer end of each
spoke being separately fixed and rigidly held in its separate metal socket which
latter in its turn is rivetted and strongly secured to the metal tyre.
For omnibuses or other heavy vehicle wheels for use with elastic or non-slipping
tyres I may construct the metal rim or tyre with two or three parallel channels of
under cut or other suitable form running all round or as an alternative two or
more separate metal tyres or rims may he mounted alongside of one another and
firmly secured to the aforesaid sockets which thereby secure such several metal
tyres together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of part of the rim and one spoke of a
wooden spoked felloeless wheel according to my present invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 1-1 Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spoke-holding metal socket according to my present.
invention.
Fig. 4 is a side view of this said metal socket.
a is the ordinary wooden spoke the outer end of which is reduced in size to fit
the hollow shank of the metal socket 6-thus forming a shoulder a¹ on the spoke a
which fits up flush against the said metal socket so that after said spoke a and
metal socket 6 have been firmly mounted together (as hereinafter explained) and
the exterior thereof painted and finished off the junction of a and b is hardly
perceptible if not altogether imperceptible.
cc are the extending arms on the metal socket b and by means of passing screws
rivets or other suitable fastenings through the extending arms cc into the metal
tyre d and there rivetting or otherwise suitably securing same thereby this metal
socket 6 is firmly and rigidly secured to the metal tyre d.
In order to fix the spokes to the metal tyre according to my present invention I
proceed as follows:-
:-
Before attaching the metal socket b to the tyre d I first introduce the outer end

page_text: of the spoke a into the metal socket which socket such spoke is formed and
arranged to fit. From the outer end of the metal socket I then drive or insert
a wedge e into the outer end of the spoke a and thereby the spoke a is firmly fixed
in the socket so that it cannot be drawn out of same.
te
The outer end of the spoke is now
" dowelled or otherwise suitably finished
off as desired and the metal socket is now fixed to the under-side of the metal
tyre d (before insertion in the latter of the elastic tyre f) and by means of rivets
or other suitable fastenings as before explained the socket by means of these
extending arms cc is thereby firmly and rigidly affixed direct to the metal tyre
and so on with all the spokes around the wheel.
The elastic tyre f is now introduced so that when in use such wheels run upon
the elastic tyre and thereby the outer ends of the rivets or other fastening which
secure bc to d are thereby protected from wear or contact with the ground
and by this means I am enabled to produce a very light but at the same time
strong and durable wheel particularly suitable for Hansom cabs carriages or the
like purposes.
It will be obvious that I do not confine myself to any particular form of metal
tyre for receiving and holding the elastic tyre neither do 1 confine myself to any
particular form of (or material for forming) the elastic tyre for equivalent
wearing surface-so long as same are applicable to my purpose.
It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that the metal socket is shown of a thicker
-form and slightly different shape one side than the other-the object being so that
the exterior of said socket shall correspond with the exterior shape of the spoke
and it will therefore be obvious that the shape of said socket may be varied-
according to the form of spoke to be used-without departing from the nature of
my invention..
L
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-
1. In the construction of elastic tyred wheels for road vehicles-the arrange-
ment and combination with the outer end of a wooden spoke such as a, of a
metal socket such as b within which said outer end is firmly wedged or secured,
lugs or projections such as c on said metal socket, a metal tyre such as d adapted
to carry an elastic tyre therein or thereon and means to rigidly fix said metal
sockets to said metal tyre substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated by way of example in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. As a means of attaching the wooden spokes direct to the metal tyre of a
wheel of the character described-I claim the use of a metal socket having a
hollow shank part within which the outer end of the spoke is firmly secured from
the outer end of the hollow shank and said shank carrying projecting arins or
other suitable means by which same is rigidly fixed to the inner circumference of
the metal tyre and thus each of the spokes of a wheel are respectively secured
direct to the metal tyre.
3. The improved construction of wheels of the character described-substantially
in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 6th day of March 1894.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.