Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes for Velocipede or other Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes for Velocipede or
other Wheels.
I, WILLIAM STEVENSON LOUDON of Warwick Road Coventry in the County of
Warwick, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to hollow or double section rims or felloes adapted to be
fitted with tires to break the contact with the road or other surface and with
suspension spokes to connect them to the hubs or naves of the wheels and has for
its object the production of an efficient rim of great rigidity and of light weight.
To attain my object 1 make each rim of two strips of sheet metal of a suitable
kind or kinds and dimensions respectively.
One strip is about three and a half times as wide as the finished rim, the other is
narrower but their widths depend in each individual rim upon the tire which it is
constructed to hold.
Along the centre of the wider strip I make a concave groove and fold the sides
of the strip over into the groove so that the edges overlap and a second groove is
made within the first. The foldings in of the sides form rounded edges for the
rim and the two grooved sections are nearer together at the bottom than at the
sides. I arrange the second strip, which may or may not be flat in cross section
according to circumstances, within the second groove with its edges equidistant
from the corresponding edges of the rim and secure it to the sides of the said
groove. The outer ends of the spokes are secured directly or indirectly to the
double thickness of metal formed by the overlapping of the edges of the wider strip
at the bottom of the second groove. The said overlapping edges are preferably
secured to one another by brazing or otherwise. The strips having been arranged
and secured together as described the whole is formed into a circle and the ends
joined by brazing or otherwise.
In making up a wheel built with one of these rims the tension on the spokes
tends to draw the bottom of the second groove down towards the bottom of the
first groove and consequently to draw the edges of the rim closer together, so
putting the rim in compression transversely as well as circumferentially. This
adds considerably to its rigidity and allows of a thinner strip being used than
would otherwise be sufficiently strong. The spokes being secured to the double
thickness of metal at the bottom of the second groove the use of washers for
holding the spoke heads or nipples is rendered unnecessary, and their cost may be
saved.
The parts may vary in their proportions as may be found most convenient and
may be brought into the form described or its equivalent, or by other means if so
desired.
Dated thie 14th day of Fehmi 1803
W. B. MAXFIELD,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes for Velocipede or
other Wheels.
I, WILLIAM STEVENSON LOUDON, of Warwick Road Coventry in the County
of Warwick Merchant, 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:-
My invention relates to hollow or double section rims or felloes adapted to be
fitted with tires to break the contact with the road or other surface and with
suspension spokes to connect them to the hubs or naves of the wheels and has for
its object the production of an efficient rim of great rigidity and of light weight.
To attain my object I make each rim of two strips of sheet metal of a suitable
kind, or kinds and dimensions respectively.
One strip is about three and a half times as wide as the finished rim, the other is
narrower but their widths depend in each individual rim upon the tire which it is
constructed to hold.
Along the centre of the wider strip I make a concave groove and fold the sides
of the strip over into the groove so that the edges overlap and a second groove is
made within the first. The foldings in of the sides form rounded edges for the
rim and the two grooved sections are nearer together at the bottom than at the
sides. I arrange the second strip which may or may not be flat in cross section
according to circumstances, within the second groove with its edges equidistant.
from the corresponding edges of the rim and secure it to the sides of the said
groove.
The outer ends of the spokes are secured directly or indirectly to the double
thickness of metal formed by the overlapping of the edges of the wider strip at the
bottom of the second groove. The said overlapping edges are preferably secured
to one another by brazing or otherwise. The strips having been arranged and
secured together as described the whole is formed into a circle and. the ends joined
by brazing or otherwise. In making up a wheel built with one of these rims the
tension on the spokes tends to draw the bottom of the second groove down towards
the bottom of the first groove and consequently to draw the edges of the rim closer
together, so putting the rim in compression transversely as well as circumferentially.
This adds considerably to its rigidity and allows of a thinner strip being used than
would otherwise be sufficiently strong. The spokes being secured to the double
thickness of metal at the bottom of the second groove, the use of washers for
holding the spoke heads or nipples is rendered unnecessary and their cost may be
saved.
In order that my invention may be well understood I append drawings which
show the general form and arrangement of the parts of my invention but modifi-
Ications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. In the
drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts.
Figure I shows a transverse section of part of a rim constructed according to my
invention.
66
Figures II III and IV show transverse sections of parts of rims, adapted to be
fitted with the well known "Dunlop," Seddon," and "Boothroyd" pneumatic
tires respectively, and constructed according to a modification of my invention.
Referring to Figure 1. The rim is made of two strips of sheet metal the strip 2
of which, is wider than the strip 3. Such strip 2 forming a concave groove 4 along
the centre, and the sides are folded over into the groove 4 so that the edges 5, 6
overlap and a second groove (7), is made within the first (4). The foldings in of
the sides form rounded edges 8, 9 and the two grooved sections are nearer together
at the bottom 10 than at the sides 11, 12. The other strip 3 may be curved, as

page_text: shown, or flat or not flat in cross section as seen in Figures II, III, IV, and
arranged within the second groove (7), with its edges 13, 14 equidistant from the
corresponding edges 8, 9 of the rim and is secured to the sides of the said groove (7)
by brazing the respective parts which come in contact, or otherwise. The outer
ends of the spokes 15 are secured directly by their heads as shown in the several
figures of the drawings or indirectly by nipples to the double thickness of metal
formed by the overlapping of the edges 5,6 at the bottom of the second groove (7).
The said overlapping edges are preferably secured to one another by brazing or
otherwise.
The strips 2, 3 having been arranged and secured together as described the whole
is formed into a circle and the ends are joined by brazing or otherwise. The
spokes being secured to the double thickness of metal at the bottom of the second
groove (7), the use of the washers for holding the spoke heads or nipples is
rendered unnecessary and their cost may be saved.
In making up a wheel built as berein described and illustrated the tension on the
spokes tends to draw the bottom of the second groove (7) down towards the bottom
of the first groove 4 and consequently to draw the edges of the rim closer together,
so putting the rim in compression transversely as well as circumferentially.
This adds considerably to the rigidity of the rim and allows of a thinner strip of
metal being used than would otherwise be sufficiently strong. The parts may vary
in their forms and proportions such as in Figures II, III and IV to suit any
particular tire, or otherwise, as may be found most convenient and may be brought
into the forms set forth or their equivalents by other means than those hereinbefore
described, if so desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A rim or felloe for a velocipede or other wheel, constructed from two strips of
sheet metal and with rounded edges, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by way of example in Figure I of the accompanying drawings.
2. Constructing a rim or felloe for a velocipede or other wheel from strips of
sheet metal, so that one or two (as the case may be) of the strips form two grooves,
the second being within the first, the other being secured to the sides of the second
groove, so that the two grooved sections are nearer together at the bottom than at
the sides, and so that, the outer ends of the spokes being secured either directly
or indirectly to the bottom of the said groove, the tension of the said spokes tends
to draw the edges of the rim closer together, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. Constructing a rim or felloe for a velocipede or other wheel and attaching the
spokes thereto so that the tension on the spokes tends to draw the edges of the rim
together or prevents their (the said edges) spreading apart, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
4. The improvements in rims or felloes for velocipede and other wheels
substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 14th day of Novembe
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
The "Central" Office for Patents, &c.,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester,
Applicant's Agent.