Tubular Wheel for Road Vehicles and other purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
ROWLAND WILLIAM FROST, 1 Glyn Villas Gordon Street Darlaston Staffs,
Galvanizer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A wheel for road vehicles &c. made from wrought iron, steel, or other metallic
tubing.
The rim of the wheel is made from tubing (of any desired section) beut & fitted
together to form the complete rim, to the outer side of which could be attached
the ordinary iron or steel tyres, if desired, as the case may be.
The spokes of the wheel are also made from tubing of smaller dia. than that of
the rim.
Holes are made at the required points in the rim to admit of the spokes being
fastened into it.
The hub of the wheel is made from a short piece of tubing, larger in dia. than
either that of the rim or spokes, which runs horizontally.
Holes are made in the hub to admit of the spokes being fastened into it.
This wheel can be attached to the axle box of any vehicle by ordinary mechanical
means.
This wheel could also be used for wheelbarrows &c.
The advantages of such a wheel as the above are many & of great importance.
It would be lighter & stronger than the ordinary wooden ones in proportion to the
weight required to be carried. It would be more durable which is one of its
greatest advantages, since there are no wooden parts to decay in wet weather &
shrink & get loose in dry weather, which is the cause of much expense & many
breakdowns on the road.
This wheel would last an almost indefinate period & it should be of great value &
public good.
Dated this 7th day of April 1896.
Tubular Wheel for Road Vehicles and other purposes.
I, ROWLAND WILLIAM FROST of 1, Glyn Villas, Gordon Street, Darlaston,
in the County of Stafford, Galvanizer, 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 pertains to wheels for road vehicles and has for its object the
manufacture, construction, and building up of the same, in such a manner and of
such material that extreme lightuess combined with great strength is ensured and,
furthermore, the durability of the said wheel is greatly increased, as there are no
parts to decay when exposed to wet weather, or to shrink and get loose in dry
weather.

page_text: Now my invention consists in constructing the said wheels from metallic tubing,
that is to say, forming the hub or nave, rim or felly, and spokes, from lengths of
suitable section tubing, which component parts are fitted together in such a manner
that a perfectly rigid and strong wheel is produced.
To illustrate my invention and the way in which the same is carried into effect
I annex herewith a sheet of drawings which, in Fig. 1, represents in side cloration
(with part broken in section) a wheel constructed and built up from tubing, as
hereinafter fully described. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section of
Fig. 1 upon the dotted line F, whilst Fig. 3 is a section taken upon the dotted
line H, Fig. 2, showing the tubular construction and the hollow interior of the hub
or nave, the body of which is shown separately in section and side view in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 illustrates a section and end view of a length of metallic tube to form one
of the spokes of the wheel, whilst Fig. 6 is a section and elevation of a length
of D sectioned tubing from which the rim or felly of the wheel is made; a length
being cut off and formed into a ring, the free ends of which are connected as
shown in Fig. 7.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts in the whole of the figures in
the sheet of drawings.
a is a wheel constructed or built up of a metallic rim or felly a², metallic
spokes b, and a metallic nave or hub c, suitably fitted and connected together
as hereinafter described. The body of the hub or nave c is made from a short
length of round tubing c³, (shown separately in Fig. 4) the open ends of which are
closed by side plates c³, c, pierced centrally to constitute beams for the reception
of a tubular axle box d, having a circular flange d², and a screwed portion d³
for its affixment, the latter being accomplished through the intervention of lock
nuts d³, do.
The side plates c³, c, as aforesaid, are provided with outstanding cars or lugs c
adapted to fit into corresponding recesses or slots e, made within the metal of
the tubular hub or nave, for the purpose of rigidly connecting them to it, the
connection of the axle box d to the side plates being also rigidly effected by
suitable means.
Radially through the metal of the tubular hub or nave c, as aforesaid, and at
equi-distances apart in its circumference, are formed screwed holes c', adapted each
to receive the screwed end 63, of one of the spokes b, made from a length of
metallic tubing, the other ends 6 of which are screwed for their affixment to the
rim or felly. A washer e and a nut f are fitted to the hub end of each of the
spokes to effectively lock the same in position when adjusted.
means.
The rim or felly a2 of the wheel a is constructed and fashioned from a length of
metallic tube preferably of a D section, as shown in Fig. 6, the same being coiled
or shaped into a ring, and the free ends thereof connected by a dowel pin a, (as
shown in section at Fig. 7 and in dotted lines at Fig. 1,) or by other suitable
Within the metal of the rim or felly a² from the inner side, and disposed
radially and opposite to the holes c' in the hub or nave c, are formed screwed
holes a, adapted to receive the screwed ends of the tubular spokes b, by which
they are secured to the said rim or felly. The outer circumference or periphery a
of the rim or felly a² is fashioned flat for the purpose of affixing thereto a suitable
tire g.
Thus I build up a wheel which will answer all the requirements of the present
day without having any of the inconveniences accompanying the ordinary wooden
wheels, whilst the attachment of its component parts is such that the said parts
can be replaced in a simple and expeditious manner without taking the whole of the
wheel apart, or taking off the tire.
I wish it to be understood that the method of joining up the tubular ring of
which the rim is formed, and also the connection of the spokes to the same, and to
the hub or nave, can be accomplished in various ways, and the point of connection
of the said parts to each other suitably strengthened, without departing from my
invention. Furthermore, the particular construction of the axle box and its

page_text: connection to the hub I do not wish to confine myself to, as the same may be
rigidly fitted in various ways, and mounted to anti-frictionally rotate upon the arm
of the axle.
The sectional shapes of the tubing from which the component parts are made
may be various, and the spokes may be fitted to the hub and felly in a front and
back manner as is well known; also the hollow interior of the hub or nave may be
constructed to contain a lubricant for the axle.
My improved construction of wheel can also constitute a pulley over which a
belt or band may run.
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 :-
First. In wheels for road vehicles and other purposes, building up or making
the component parts of the same of suitable section metallic tubing, for the purpose
and in the manner substantially as described and set forth.
Second. In wheels made from metallic tubing, as claimed in the preceeding claim,
the method of fitting the component parts together, substantially as described and
set forth.
Dated this 25th day of June 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicant.