Improvements in the Method of Manufacturing Wheel Rims.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Manufacturing Wheel Rims.
I, CHESTER MARSHALL MOORE, of 51 Fairmont Street Malden, in the County
of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Mechanic, 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 wheel rims and consists in an improved method of
manufacturing the same, particularly such as are designed for use in bicycle
wheels; as likewise in a novel article of manufacture created by said method.
One of the ulterior objects in the manufacture of a rim for a bicycle wheel
is to have lightness; combined with this feature there must be strength, and a
certain amount of resiliency. Hitherto the rims of bicycles have been con-
structed of metal, as steel, aluminium, or other suitable metals, while in some
instances the rim has been made up of a series of thin layers or laminæ of wood
or other tough material.
The purpose of my invention is to produce a rim, which is to consist of a
seamless or integral ring composed of some finely comminuted fibrous material,
or materials in different proportions, and so united or matted together as to form
a homogeneous sheet or mass.
Further said mass is to be applied, when in a plastic, or moist, unshrunk
condition upon a mould or former by means of which, in the process of drying
or curing, the requisite shape in cross-section is to be imparted to the blank or
unformed rim.
The various steps and the subsequent treatment, which the blank successively
undergoes in order to produce a perfect and complete rim under my method will be
hereinafter fully described.
The drawings herewith presented represent in Fig. 1. a perspective view of one
form of apparatus by means of which my method is carried out, and the rim there-
under is produced. Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of a separable mold by which
requisite shape in cross-section is imparted to the rim blanks. Fig. 3 is a side
elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-section in part of a mould enlarged
showing the position of the rim after shrinkage has taken place.
In the production of wheel rims, particularly such as are designed for bicycles,
experiments under my method have demonstrated that given a certain quantity of
wet pulp, or comminuted fibre, such as is used in the manufacture of paper,
leatherboard and the like analogous articles, provided said material in the form of
a blank and before shrinkage has occurred, or while it is in a plastic condition, is
placed upon a suitable mold and then allowed to shrink and be properly cured, a
rim will be produced not only of any desired shape in cross-section, but it will
combine great strength and toughness with the proper amount of resiliency. To
produce a rim under the conditions, hereinbefore premised, embodies the spirit of
my invention, and I shall now proceed to describe the several steps which are
necessary in the carrying out of my process..
My first proceeding is to procure a quantity of stock or pulp composed of such
material, or admixture of materials, as will impart the requisite degree of
strength to the finished product, preferably rope fibre. This material is to be
properly treated in a beating engine until it is reduced to a finely comminuted
nass, which is to be sized in the beater, and then delivered upon an endless
pron or felt 2. This latter is to travel continuously and is arranged to pass
etween two rolls 3, 4, by means of which said pulp is transferred to, or picked up
ID 021

page_text: and formed about the upper roll 4. In this manner a quantity of the pulp is
matted in a homogeneous endless mass about the periphery of the upper roll.
Rotation of the rolls is continued until the requisite thickness of material is
obtained.
.
Inasmuch as the rims are to be produced in quantity, and in order to form a
number of the blanks for the rims simultaneously I proceed as follows. In lieu of
forming the material in a single sheet of a width equal to the length of the roll
and then subdividing it, I have provided said upper roll with a series of annular
rings 5 5 5 which are grouped together and held upon the body portion of the
roll by one or more fastening devices 6. In connection with said rings, a group of
revolvable discs 7' 7' 7' adjusted opposite the joint or division line between any two
of the rings, are mounted upon a movable carriage 8. Preferably this carriage or
stand is attached to a swinging shelf 9, temporarily upheld by posts 10 in such
manner that the carriage and discs may be easily displaced to allow the roll to be
taken out of its bearings.
Thus it will be understood that during the formation of the material about the
upper roll the discs are operating to remove pulp at certain designated points upon
the periphery of the roll, each disc describing a transverse path; by this means
the material or pulp accumulating upon said roll is divided into as many annular
blanks 12, as there are rings grouped upon the roll; when the desired thickness is
attained the machine is stopped. The roll 4 is now removed and the rings having
the blanks are slipped off, while empty ones are substituted.
In this way a series of blanks are created, which are plain annular pieces, each
designed to form a rim; after being removed from the rings, they are then to be
placed upon a mould. To enable the blanks to be easily removed from the rings
without disturbing or breaking said blanks, since the material composing them is
now in a moist plastic condition, said rings are made in two pieces 5. 5. joined by
interconnecting keys 13 held in place by screws or other means 14.
After removal from the rings the blanks are laid upon some smooth flat surface
and the molds or formers 15 are applied upon their inner circumference, it being
understood that the blanks in diameter are the same or slightly larger than the
diameter of the edges 16 of the moulds. These latter as will be seen, are made
separable, and split longitudinally in lieu of being formed of sections radially
divided. This form of construction is necessary in order to enable the blanks to
be removed after they have been cured and properly shrunk. . The molds in their
entirety are inserted within the blanks, as shown in Fig. 2 where the dotted line
indicates the position of the inside face of the blank. Since the central
circumference 16¹ of the mold is somewhat less than that of the two edges 16, it is
evident that an excess of material occurs in the median line of the blank; hence,
when shrinkage takes place the thickness of the blank is not reduced so much, and
consequently greater thickness occurs at this point where it is desired. Conversely
the edges of the blank having an equal amount of material with the center are
stretched or drawn out and made somewhat thinner for the reason that the same
quantity of material as is contained in the central portion must encircle the
edges 16 of the mould, which exceed in length by considerable the length of the
central circumference 16.
Reference to Figs. 2 and 3 shows that the mould proper 15 is composed of two
halves 18, 18, the latter including a central hub 19 with a series of radial
arms 20, to which the opposite corresponding half 18 is bolted at 21. Moreover
the face of this mold is such that a curved surface is formed in order to produce a
rim of which the inner periphery is convex, the outer concave, thus creating the
general shape and cross-section found in rims designed for the wheels of bicycles.
When the two halves are bolted together a firm unyielding mold is produced.
After the blanks are applied to the moulds the latter are to be maintained in a
horizontal position, and stacked up, thin flat boards being interposed between each
mould. In this way a horizontal support is afforded the blank at all points and
prevents any distortion, when first applied about the mold. Furthermore. the

page_text: hubs of the latter are transversely bored in order that they may be mounted upon
an arbor and the blank trued up before removal from the mold. After the
blanks are placed about the molds and to compel the particles comprising said
blank to assume the exact shape of the mold, the latter may be subjected to
artificial heat, if rapidity in the process is desired; or cool dry air may be passed
over them, when the process is conducted more slowly. When the blanks have
been thoroughly dried, and cured, and the shrinkage has taken place, a firm, tough,
homogeneous rim is produced without seam or joint of any kind and conforming
exactly in dimensions and shape with that of an ordinary rim for a bicycle wheel.
After, or preferably before removal of the bolts 21, whereby the two halves are
separated, the rim is in readiness for final touches by a cutting or trimming tool at
points where it may be needed. Subsequently as a last step, it is treated with
some water-proof finish and is in readiness for the spokes. In Fig. 4, the dotted
lines represent the rim after it has been shaped up.
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 :-
1st. The process for producing wheel rims, comprising the following steps: In
accumulating comminuted fibrous material in a homogeneous mass about a roll;
in subdividing the same into a number of annular blanks; in removing the blanks
and applying within each blank a mould of the desired shape; and finally causing
the blank to shrink about the mould to compel it to assume a predetermined shape
in cross section, as herein explained.
2nd. The method of manufacturing wheel rims, consisting in collecting a
bomogeneous mass of fibrous pulp in annular form; in applying said mass in a
plastic condition about a mould; in causing said mass to assume the shape of the
mould by changes in the position of the particles due to shrinkage; and finally in
water-proofing the rim, so produced, as herein stated and described.
3rd. As a new article of manufacture a wheel rim curved in cross-section and
consisting of an annular, seamless ring, composed of a mass of comminuted fibres
felted together, as specified.
4th. As a new article of manufacture, a wheel rim consisting of an annular
blank composed of a homogeneous mass of comminuted fibres, said rim being
shaped to a definite form by shrinkage about a mold, as stated.
Dated October the Eighth 1894.
CHESTER MARSHALL MOORE.