Improvement in the Manufacture of Wheels for Pulleys and other Purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in the Manufacture of Wheels for Pulleys and other
Purposes.
JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR, of 21, Agate Road, in the Parish of
Hammersmith, in the County of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
By the following processes I propose by a simple method or methods to form a
wheel or wheels, which by reducing or enlarging may be used for pulleys sheaves
blocks trollies and other purposes; the mode of proceedure is as follows, I first
take a strip or strips of suitable metal, which I cut blank or otherwise shape to
a convenient form, for instance, in this case; at one end of said strip or strips
I cut or form a tongued projection and at the opposite end I cut or form an indent
to correspond to said projection at the side or sides I cut blank or form toothed
or other projections, preferably in the form of straight machine teeth, I then bend
the strip and place the ends with the tongued projections and indents together
or lap same, I then either place same on mandrel, in die or upon other suitable
tool or machine and form thereby a ring rim or tube; when the ring rim or tube
is formed, the toothed projections be still in their relative position to the ring
rim or tube; then I bend or otherwise force down; or draw in the said toothed
projections to an axis common to the ring rim or tube thereby forming the outer
sides of wheel which may be any given desired shape. I can also draw the points
or apex of said toothed projections, constituting the sides of wheel, inward or
outward or otherwise bend over or form same to any convenient shape thereby
giving a substantial bearing surface of resistance to the pin or axle of the wheel,
which said axle may be either fixed or loose. These strips are either elongated
or reduced for different sizes of wheels.
I can if desirable take another piece of tube; either from sheet metal or made
in the ordinary way of smaller size, which shall form a bush sheath or cover to
said points of projections and also forming a larger and more substantial bearing
surface for axle.
For heavier wheels I propose to bend or otherwise form a groove grooves corru-
gations or ribs of suitable shape in said ring rim or tube with or without toothed
or other shaped projections but joined in the same way or ways aforesaid.
For tyred wheels I propose to form a groove or grooves central or at any
distance from one another in the ring rim or tube, such grooves or groove to take
a tyre of any given shape, or in the case of pulley wheels for chain rope or cable
use I propose to form grooves or groove to be so formed by process stated herein-
before, suitable for use to which said wheel may be put, these wheels may be used
with or without axles.
Further for strength I can set a disc or discs or washers of suitable metal and
thickness to bear upon said axle or bush such disc or dises may be placed inside
of ring rim or tube or on the outside, to take weight of said ring and also to

page_text: give rigidity to wheel and they be fixed or held in position by pressure of sides
of wheel or by rivetting through discs and wheel.
Another mode is to cut, form, or blank two or more discs, preferably in the
shape of a star with as many points as may be required and of suitable length;
then bend or cup same; so that the apex of angular or other shaped points shall
be at right angles to the bottom of cup, in preferance, place same one within the
other, or by cutting slots to correspond to to the points place said points through
the said slots in other cup or cups then I form groove or grooves as hereinbefore
mentioned, then I force or bend over said points to a common centre or axis of
wheel thereby arriving at an article of similar appearance to my other methods
of manufacture of wheels.
Again for rolling stock, such as/railway tram or other wheels I take a cup or
cups ring or rings as hereinbefore mentioned and form suitable flange on same
then bend in, out or down edge of cup or ring to lap or otherwise join another
cup or cups or ring or rings so formed as to key or hold itself in any given
required position in regard to the flanged cup or ring, preferably at right angles
to said flange, by the edge of second cup being bent in out or down.
I can also use suitably shaped discs placed in any position to inner surface of
cups thereby strengthening said wheel."
Further I can use one or more of said methods of construction in conjunction
with any other of my processes to form any type of wheel.
Dated this 19th day of February 1898.
JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR.
Improvement in the Manufacture of Wheels for Pulleys and other
Purposes.
I, JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR, formerly of 21, Agate Road,
Hammersmith, in the County of London, but now of Clyde Villa, 123, High Road,
Lee, in the County of Kent, Electrical 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:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of wheels suitable for use as pulleys,
sheaves, trolley wheels, and other purposes, and it has for object to enable
such articles to be made of a light, strong, and durable construction in a cheap
and convenient manner, as I shall now describe with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein Fig. 1 shows a strip of material such as sheet metal adapted
to form the rim and sides of a wheel, and Fig. 1 shows in plan how the two end
portions of the strip are interlocked with one another after the strip has been
bent to circular shape to form a ring, rim or tube. Figs. 2 and 2 show respec-
tively in plan and side elevation, the jointed portion of the said ring, rim or tube
with the edge portions thereof turned inward for the purpose of fixing the inter-
locked ends in place according to this invention.
In the manufacture of a wheel according to this invention, there is employed
a strip or long blank 1 of suitable material. such as sheet or plate metal, one of
the ends of which is formed with a dove-tailed shape projection 1" and the other
end with a correspondingly shaped indent or recess 1b, the side portions of the said
strip being preferably stamped or cut to form lateral teeth or projections 2 with
intervening spaces 3. To form a wheel, the strip is bent to a circular shape, and
the projection 1 on its one end engaged with the indent or recess 1 on its other

page_text: end as shown in Fig. 1 so as to form a continuous ring, rim or tube from which
the side portions 2 extend laterally as shown in Fig. 1. The side portions of
the ring, rim or tube thus formed are then turned over and bent inwardly towards
the axis of the ring, rim or tube whereupon it will be found that the two inter-
locked ends will become so securely fixed together that they cannot afterwards
become disengaged, thus obviating the necessity of brazing, welding or otherwise
jointing the said ends. The inwardly bent side portions of the strip may extend
directly from the periphery of the wheel rim towards the axis; or they may bend
under the said rim as shown in cross section in Fig. 2" before extending towards
the axis. The bending over of the sides of the rim may be effected by any suit-
able means; it may be by placing the circularly bent strip after its ends have
been interlocked as described, in a cylindrical mould and subjecting it to end
pressure between two dies that fit the mould and have curved inner faces that act
upon the side portions of the strip and bend them towards the axis of the mould
for the purpose set forth. Wheels of various kinds may advantageously have
their rims constructed as described.
The toothed portions 2 at the sides of the strip 1, in the example taken, are
preferably of triangular shape as shown so that when they are bent towards the
axis of the wheel they will fit together and form the sides of the wheel as shown
in Figs. 3 and 4, which represent respectively in longitudinal section and side
elevation, a wheel made according to this invention. The points of the teeth or
projections 2 may in some cases be removed so that when the two sets of said
teeth or projections are turned inward, as shown in Fig. 3, there will be left,
between their inner ends, central apertures 2. Or the points of the teeth or
projections 2 instead of being removed, may be bent horizontally either inwards,
as shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 5, or outwards; or some may be bent
inwards and others outwards. In each case the arrangement is such as to provide
a bearing or seat 5 for an axle for the wheel. To provide a greater bearing
surface, and also to add strength to the wheel, a tube 6 (Fig. 6) may be suitably
secured in the wheel as shown in Fig. 5. Or the tube may be replaced by a solid
spindle to form an axle for the wheel.
Wheels constructed according to this invention may have their rims formed to
receive a suitable tyre as shown for example in longitudinal section in Fig. 8;
or in the case of wheels to be used with chains or ropes, one or more grooves may
be formed in the rim, see Fig. 9.
Wheels and wheel rims constructed as described may be strengthened in various
ways. Thus, for large wheels, the rim, or the sides, or both the rim and sides,
may be formed with grooves, corrugations or ribs. Fig. 7 shows by way of
example, flutings or depressions 7 formed in the turned down sector shaped
portions 2. Further strength may be given by means of reinforcing discs 8, 8
(see Figs. 8 and 9 respectively) that may be fixed in place by the pressing of the
wheel into shape, or be otherwise fastened. Or sometimes the reinforcing disc
may he placed outside the wheel and arranged on the axle so as to support the
rim of the wheel as indicated at 8 in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 shows a modified construction in which the rim and sides of the wheel
are made as herein before described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 and there is
provided within the wheel a support made from two of the star shaped blanks 9
shown in Fig. 11. For this purpose the teeth or projections 9" of each of such
blanks are bent at right angles to the central portion and the two parts so bent
to shape are brought together so that the teeth or projections on each fit into
the recesses between the teeth on the other. The body thus formed is placed
within the ring, rim or tube 1-2 (Fig. 2) designed to form the wheel rim, after
which the teeth or projections 2 at the ends of the tube are closed down onto the
sides of the central body 9. 9 so that the several parts co-operate to hold and
support each other and produce a strong wheel.
Fig. 13 shows partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation, a
flanged wheel suitable for trolleys, railway vehicles and the like. It is composed

page_text: of an inner body portion comprising a rim 1, sides 2, and internal support 9, 9",
which may be built up as described with reference to Fig. 12, and an outer rim
or tyre formed of a strip of metal such as shown in Fig. I interlocked at its ends
as hereinbefore described, its central portion forming the tyre rim which is
reduced to the flanged shape shown in section, and its two sets of lateral projecting
portions 2 being bent towards the axis of the wheel so as to secure the central
body portion in position between them.
As will be obvious, wheel or pulley rims, wheels, pulleys and the like according
to my invention can be constructed of various dimensions, and of sheet or plate
material of various thicknesses and kinds; also the shapes and dimensions of the
teeth or lateral projections may vary, as well as the subsidiary details of
construction.
In the case of wheels having wide peripheries the ends of the strip of material
from which it is made may be formed with two or more inter-locking projections
and recesses, only the adjacent angular parts of the engaged ends at the sides of
the rim being bent inward as described."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do
not claim forming the sides of a wheel by means of lateral teeth or projections
on the sides of a strip of material from which the periphery of the wheel is made
but that what I do claim is:
1. In the manufacture of wheels and the like from strip material, connecting
the ends of the strip to form a wheel rim by forming them with one or more
interlocking projections and recesses, engaging the said ends with one another,
and bending the side portions of the interlocked ends of the strip inward toward
the axis of the wheel so that the connected ends cannot become disengaged,
substantially as described.
2. Wheels, pulleys and the like constructed from strip material substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the several examples shown in the
drawings annexed, the ends of the strip forming the rim of the wheel or the like
being iointed' and secured as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of November 1898.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.