Improvements in and relating to Metallic Wheels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Metallic Wheels.
A communication from abroad by WILLIAM PETER BETTENDORF, of Davenport,
in the County of Scott, State of Iowa, United States of America.
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 and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a metallic wheel which shall combine
in a marked degree, the qualities of lightness and strength, and to this end it
consists, essentially in the combination of a metallic hub provided with mortises or
openings with tubular metallic spokes, which are inserted and expanded within the
socket to secure them in position.
The invention also consists in the herein described method of securing the spokes
in place and also in a metallic felloe, of peculiar form, attached to the outer ends
of the spokes, and a metallic tire applied to the felloe.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a cross section through a wheel constructed in accordance with this
invention, a spoke on one side being shown in a condition in which it appears after
being inserted, and before it is secured.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with one of the spokes, and the
surrounding portion of the hub, in section.
Figure 3 is a view through the hub of a wheel with the spokes in a slightly
different form.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the wheel.
Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 of Figures 1 and 4, and
Figure 6 is a modification.
In constructing the wheel according to this invention, an annular metallic hub 1
is provided of any suitable form provided with a series of spokes receiving
sockets 2, into each of which the inner end of a tubular metallic spoke 3 is
inserted. It is preferred to enlarge the mortises internally between their ends, as
shown in Figure 1, in which case the spoke of uniform, or substantially uniform,
diameter at the inner end is inserted into the mortise as shown in the lower part of
Figure 1, and then enlarged by the application of internal pressure, so as to swell
it tightly within the interior of the mortise. The spoke thus enlarged by the
application of internal pressure, and seated tightly against the inner walls of the
mortise, is held firmly in place, so that it resists both torsional and longitudinal
strains.
If preferred, the mortises may be of uniform, or substantially uniform, diameter
from their inner to their outer ends as shown in Figure 3, in which case the spokes
will be made of corresponding form, and expanded or enlarged to tightly fit the
mortises.
If desired, the spoke may be provided with a shoulder, as shown at 4, Figure 3,
to bear against the outer surface of the hub.
The spokes and their receiving sockets may be of round or other suitable form
in cross section, and the enlargement of the spoke may be effected by mechanism
of any suitable character.
The internal pressure to effect the enlargement of the spoke within the mortise
or socket may be effected by a tool of any suitable construction inserted within
the spoke. A tool such as is used for flanging the ends of boiler tubes, consisting

page_text: of a rotary mandrel carrying rollers and means for forcing the same outward, will
answer. As these devices are foreign to this invention, it is unnecessary to
illustrate them berein.
At the outer end each spoke is inserted through a felloe 5, which is preferably
rolled complete in one piece from soft steel or iron. This felloe is channelled
longitudinally in its outer face, as shown at 6, and is provided at suitable intervals
with hollow bosses 7, perforated to receive the ends of the spokes which are
inserted therethrough, and secured by heading down on their outer ends, as
shown at S, and by enlarging them radially to form shoulders 9, which bear against
the inner face of the felloe, that is to say, against the face nearest the hub of the
wheel.
It will be observed that the heads on the ends of the spokes are seated within
the felloe below its outer surface. This permits the use of a flat metallic tire 10
which is seated tightly around and upon the felloe.
In order to prevent lateral displacement of this tire it is provided with lips or
shoulders 11, to engage the inner walls of the felloe, as shown in Figure 1.
Instead, however, of placing these lips on the inside, the tire may be made of
greater width than the felloe, and the lips 11, formed at the edges of the tire and
adapted to engage the outer edges of the felloe, as shown in Figure 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manuer the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a wheel, a tubular hub formed in one piece with spoke receiving sockets
therein, in combination with tubular metallic spokes seated and tightly expanded
within the sockets into forcible frictional contact with their walls.
2. A metallic hub having a socket or mortise internally notched between its
ends, in combination with a tubular metallic spoke scated in said mortise, and
enlarged to fit the same, substantially as described and shown.
3. The improved method of securing tubular metallic spokes in metallic hubs
consisting in first seating the spoke in the mortise, and thereafter applying
pressure internally to enlarge the spoke.
4. The metallic felloe having the longitudinal channel and the perforated
bosses.
5. In combination with the metallic tire, the longitudinally channelled metallic
felloe provided with the hollow perforated bosses, and the metal spokes inserted
through the bosses and notched on both sides of the same.
Dated this 31st day of August 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.