IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING SPOKES, FELLIES, AND OTHER PARTS OF WHEELS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE of CERTAIN OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest de Pass, of the Office for British and Foreign
Patents, 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING SPOKES, FELLIES,
AND OTHER PARTS OF WHEELS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE of
CERTAIN OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by Léon Pugh,
of 17. Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest de Pass at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th July 1878.
"
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for British and Foreign Patents, 68, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent. IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFAC-
TURING SPOKES, FELLIES, AND OTHER PARTS OF WHEELS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by
Léon Pugh, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
This Invention relates specially to improved machinery for manufacturing the
spokes, tenons, tongues, and fellies of wheels, but is also applicable to the manu-
facture of mouldings, cornices, and the like, and to the manufacture of handles for
tools and brooms, billiard cues, rollers for blinds, and all sorts of conical pieces,
whether of round, grooved, oval, square, or other section.
In a rectangular cast-iron framework provided with a table or platform åre
mounted two vertical shafts carrying revolving cutting tools which turn in opposite
directions to each other in sockets cast in a piece with two puppets or stocks,
independent of each other; these two puppets or stocks slide horizontally in grooves
cast in a piece with a frame, moving vertically in grooves in the framework. Two
plates having slots are fixed to the framework of the puppets or stocks, and studs
ID 471

page_text: or pins fixed to cross pieces slide in the slots of these plates. The cross pieces are
also provided with slots, and into these slots the studs or pins travel.
The two shafts while turning are also capable of moving either horizontally or
vertically, independently of each other, and these movements are effected by means
of two levers connected together; one of which, for purposes of description I call
driving lever," is set in motion by a double acting cam keyed on a horizontal shaft
driven by a pulley. When the cam lifts the driving lever these two vertical shafts
carrying the cutting tools also rise, and at the same time retire from each other by
means of the two slotted plates before mentioned.
Two other shafts carrying revolving cutting tools and independent of the two
shafts first mentioned, turn also in the sockets of a sliding puppet frame similar
to those already described. These puppets slide horizontally, as in the first case, in
grooves cast. with a frame like the one first mentioned, and which travels in
vertical grooves. Here the vertical movement is given by means of a screw.
The above grooves are 'cast in the same piece with two other frames capable of
being moved horizontally (by hand) by means of a screw in slides cast on the
framework. Here these two shafts should when working at the making of spokes
only separate one from the other when they have been regulated and placed at the
desired height, and at the desired distance apart from the two first shafts, according
to the length of spoke to be made. This movement of separation is given by a
cam keyed on a horizontal shaft by a connecting rod held constantly against this
cam by a counterweight and by a slotted plate, to which are fixed two connecting
rods fixed also to the puppets or stocks corresponding with these shafts.
Grooved cast-iron rollers set in motion by pulley and gearing and fixed on
vertical shafts, turning in sockets, moving in horizontal grooves, serve for advancing
the spokes under treatment.
When all the parts of the machine are properly regulated the spoke is placed
between the first two rollers on the left of the machine, and the machine being
'set in motion the spokes are then advanced by the rollers.
The "foot" of the spoke is first made, the shafts carrying for this purpose cutters
of suitable form, and when the spoke arrives between the two shafts at the
beginning of its "throat" the shafts descend; approaching each other to the end of
the "throat" of the spoke and thence return upward, at the same time separating
from each other. The spoke now comes between the two other shafts which are
for the moment sufficiently apart from each other to allow passage for the "throat."
The spoke being at the end of its "throat" these two shafts separate from each
other little by little, while turning in such a manner as to give to the spoke from
the "throat" to the end of its body the desired shape and the form which the
space between the cutters represents. The spokes which must follow each other
without interruption are thus made except their "tenons" and the smoothing or
polishing.
The spoke on coming out from between the cutters of the two last shafts passes
into a spokeshave or scraping tool. This tool is fixed on the table or platform and
is made in two pieces moving in grooves contrived in the said table. These two
pieces tend continually to approach each other by means of a counterweight. Two
blades placed one under each of the pieces are fixed and regulated by set screws,
and when the spoke passes into this spokeshaving tool or scraper the two blades
separate from and approach each other according to the form which has been
already given to the spoke by the cutters of the four revolving shafts. The spoke
on leaving this tool is completely smoothed or polished.
The making of the "tenons" is next proceeded with, and for this purpose the
spoke is placed in a box where it is held vertically by a lever in such manner
that it cannot leave its position. This box is fixed on a vertical carriage which
is itself fixed to a horizontal carriage, moved by hand by means of a screw, and
which slides and travels upon a frame which may be placed at the right end of
the machine.

page_text: The spoke being placed in the box a connecting rod imparts motion to the hori-
zontal carriage and to the spoke, and presents the "foot" or square part of the
spoke to revolving cutters set in motion by means of a pulley, and the "tenon" is
then cut.
To make or to plane the "fellies" inwardly and outwardly a slide is fixed on the
table or platform at the side of either of the shafts and carries the revolving cutters;
this slide also carries a small column to which is fixed two slotted bars provided
with two jaws to hold the two ends of the felly, and which jaws can be opened or
closed as desired (by means of a slotted segment and screw nuts) according to the
length of felly to be planed. The distance of this column to the centre point
between the two cutting tools is regulated according to the radius of the fellies.
In pivoting the felly around the column every point of its curve is presented
successively to the cutting tool, and thereby it is planed inwardly and outwardly.
The "nave or "hub" of the wheel being furnished with its spokes is placed
on a horizontal shaft mounted in a frame on the table or platform of the machine,
and placed opposite either of the two revolving cutting tools. This frame is fur-
nished with a carriage which works up and down by means of a connecting rod and
hand lever; this said carriage has a socket into which the horizontal shaft, screw
threaded at both ends, is passed, and it is furnished with a disc against which
abuts the nave or hub of the wheel which is held in place by the tapped head of
a crank handle.
"
One of the shafts carrying the revolving cutting tools is screw threaded at its
upper end, in order to receive a disc havig a horizontal cutter and an oblique
cutter, the former of which cuts the wood lengthwise while the latter cuts it end-
wise. These cutters are so placed that when one end of the spoke is presented to
the centre of the disc and the spoke allowed to descend little by little by means of
the carriage, the tongue is formed. When the first tongue is formed the wheel is
raised up by means of the hand lever, and the following spoke is presented, and so
on, until all the tongues are cut or made.
When the wheel is fellied and the tire put on it is placed on the horizontal shaft,
and is presented between either of the two sets of revolving cutting tools, which
are, in this instance, furnished with cutters so fixed, that after one revolution of
the wheel the felly is completely planed on both its faces until the tire is reached.

page_text: .
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest de Pass in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th January
1879.
ERNEST DE PASS, of the Office for British and Foreign Patents, 68, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFAC-
TURING SPOKES, FELLIES, AND OTHER PARTS OF WHEELS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE
MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by
Léon Pugh, of 17, Boulevart Saint Martin, Paris, France.
This Invention relates specially to improved machinery for manufacturing spokes,
tenons, tongues of spokes, and fellies of wheels, but is also applicable to manufactu-
ring moulding, cornices, flooring, planed, tongued, and grooved sticks for brooms,
handles for tools, billiard cues, rollers for blinds, and in general all pieces, whether
conical, round, square, three cornered, grooved, or fluted, or the like; and it will
be readily understood on reference to the annexed Drawings which represent, by
way of example, a special arrangement of the improved machinery, the same, con-
sisting in an assemblage of tools which can be grouped together on the same
framework, and the successive working of which co-operates to one and the same
result, that is to say, the manufacture of the articles above named.
Figures 1 and 2 are elevations in planes at right angles, and Figure 3 is a plan
of the main framework of the machinery, and of part of the tools and the driving
gear of which it consists.
Figures 4 and 5 shew the spokeshave or apparatus for polishing the spokes, and
Figure 6 is an elevation of a spoke.
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a plan of the tool for making the tenons.
Figure 9 is a side view, and Figure 10 a plan of the tool for planing the segments
of the felly of the wheels; and Figures 11 and 12 are views in elevation of the
tools for making the tongues of the spokes, and for planing, dressing, or trimming
the fellies of wheels fitted with tires..
.For all those of these Figures which correspond, the same letters of reference
indicate the same constitutive parts of the whole.
The machine consists of a rectangular cast-iron framework A in the form of a
case, and covered with a cast-iron platform B. C¹, C¹, are two revolving cutters
turning in contrary directions to one another in sockets D, D, which are cast in a
piece with two plates E, E, independent of each other; these two plates travel.
horizontally in slides F cast with a frame G which can itself move vertically in
slides H. I, I, are two iron sectors fixed to the framework of puppets or head
stocks E by means of bolts J, J.
Guide pins K, K, are fixed to cross heads L, L, and slide in the slots of the
sectors I, I. These cross heads have slots M, M, into which the guide pins K, K,
travel.
It has been seen from the above that the two spindles C¹, C', whilst revolving
can be moved independently of one another, either horizontally or vertically. These
movements are effected by means of levers N and O.
The lever O is set in motion by a cam P, which presents in profile the appearance
somewhat of a champignon-headed rail; this cam is keyed on the horizontal shaft Q
which is driven by the pulley R.
When the cam raises the lever O, the two spindles C¹, C¹, carrying the cutters
are also raised, and at the same time separate one from the other by means of the
two sectors I, I..
Two other revolving spindles C, C, independent like the spindles C¹, revolve
likewise in the sockets of a puppet frame similar to that of the puppets or bead-
stocks already described. These puppets can travel horizontally, as in the first

page_text: instance, in slides cast on a frame analogous to that marked G, and which frame can
move in vertical slides. Here the vertical motion is given by means of a screw.
The above-mentioned slides are cast with two other frames which can be moved
horizontally by hand by means of a screw in the slides cast on the frame A, A.
Here the two spindles C, C, should, when they are working at the making of spokes,
only separate from each other after they have been set and placed at the required
height, and at the suitable distance apart from the two first spindles C¹, C', according
to the length of spoke to be made. This movement of separation is given by means
of a cam V keyed on the horizontal shaft W by a connecting rod a, by a bar d in
which two slots c, c, are contrived, and likewise by two connecting rods b, b, fixed
to the bar d and to the puppets or headstocks corresponding to the spindles C, C.
The connecting rod is held constantly against the cain V by means of a counter-
weight (not shewn in the Drawings) fixed to the lever . Six grooved or fluted
rollers g of cast iron, and of variable height according to the pieces to be worked
up, serve for the advancement of the spokes, and are set in motion by means of
the pulley R and by a train of gear wheels h, h, i, i. These rollers are fixed on
vertical spindles revolving in the sockets m, m, which can move in the horizontal
slides n, m, n, n. Counterweights, not shewn in the Drawings, are fixed to these
sockets, and cause the rollers to press betwen them the pieces to be made, and at
the same time to serve as guides for the said pieces.
Manufacture of the Spoke.-When all the parts of the machine have been set,
the spoke is presented between the two first rollers to the left (Figure 1), and the
machine is then set in motion. These rollers, as above stated, advance the piece.
The part of the spoke which is first inade is the "foot" x, as shewn in Figure 6;
the spindles C, C¹, carrying for this purpose cutters of appropriate form, and when
the spoke comes between the two spindles at the part ẞ the two spindles descend,
whilst drawing closer, from the position that they occupied at Figure 1 at w to that
that they have on the same Figure 1 at w¹ to the point 8, "the throat;" from this
point they rise, separating as they do so. Then the spoke comes between the other
spindles C, C, which are for the moment sufficiently apart to allow passage to the
part B, 8, "the throat." The spoke being at 8, the spindles C, C, separate little
by little whilst revolving in such way as to give to the "body" of the spoke from
to E the required section, and from that the space represents between the cutters C, C,
at Figure 2, this section increasing in surface whilst leaving off at the same
shape.
The spokes can and should follow one another without interruption. The spoke
is then inade except the polishing and the tenon.
Polishing. The spoke on coming out from between the cutters of the two last
spindles passes into a spokeshave Y shewn in elevation, Figure 4, and in plan,
Figure 5. This spokeshave is fixed on the platform B, at X, Figure 1, for instance,
and is made in two pieces which move in slides contrived in the said platform.
These pieces tend continually to approach one another by means of counterweights
not shewn in the Drawings; the two blades z, z, are fixed and adjusted by means
of binding screws.
When the spoke passes into the spokeshave the two blades separate and approach
each other, according to the form which has been already given to the spoke by the
cutters of the four revolving spindles C, C, C¹, C¹. On leaving this tool the spoke
is completely smoothed or polished.
Manufacture of the Tenon.-After the operation just described the spoke is placed
in a box A (Figures 7 and 8) wherein it is held vertically by a lever B in such way
that it cannot be displaced from this position. This box is fixed on a vertical
carriage C which is itself fixed on a horizontal carriage D. This horizontal carriage
can be displaced by hand by means of a screw and slides E, E, and travels on a
frame which may be placed at the right end of the platform B of the main-frame-
work of the machine, at Z for instance (see Figure 1). The spoke being placed in
the box, the connecting rod G, which is none else than an eccentric rod, moves the
"

page_text: carriage D and likewise the spoke, and presents the square part of the spoke comprised
between the points ẞ and x (Figure 6) to the cutters K, K, which are set in motion
by the pulley P, and the tenon is thus cut as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 6
aforesaid.
Fellies. To make or to plane the felly inwardly and outwardly I fix a slide (see
Figures 9 and 10) on the platform of the main framework by means of two bolts b, b,
and near two of the revolving spindles, either C, C, or C', C¹, the said slide carrying
a small pillar c which receives at its upper part two slides D, D, which are placed
at a suitable distance apart, according to the length of segment of the felly to be
planed, and this by means of the sector E and corresponding screw bolts; the ends
of the two slides carry two jaws F by means of which the two ends of the segment
of the felly are held.
The distance from the central column c to the middle point between the two
revolving cutter spindles is regulated according to the diameter of the fellies.
The compass space formed by the slides D, D, passes into a plane situate above
the ends of the cutter spindles C, C, so as in no way to interfere with the motion of
these spindles.
By pivoting the segment of the felly on the point c, as centre, its different points
are presented successively between the revolving cutters. The felly is thus planed
inwardly and outwardly.
Tongues. The wheel being spoked, that is to say, the nave or hub being furnished
with its spokes, a framework A (see Figure 11) is fixed on the platform of the main
framework opposite two of the revolving cutter spindles, either C, C, or C', C'. This
framework A carries a carriage B worked downwards by the aid of a connecting
rod C and a hand lever D, which is seen in front view on the said Figure 11.
carriage carries a socket E into which passes a shaft H screw-threaded at F.
The
A hand wheel G revolving on the socket allows of the shaft H being brought
forward or moved backward; this shaft carries a face plate J, and is also screw-
threaded at K. The nave or hub of the wheel is placed on the horizontal
shaft H, and is pressed against the face plate J by means of the nut with the
handle L.
One of the spindles C, C, or C', C', is screw-threaded at its upper part so as to
receive the plate or disc M which carries a horizontal cutter a, and an inclined
one b. The inclined cutter b cuts the wood endways, and the vertical cutter cuts
it lengthways. These cutters are so placed that if the end of the spoke be presented
to the centre of the disc M, and allowed to descend little by little by means of the
carriage B, the tongue is formed, such as is shown in full lines and in dotted lines at
Figure 11. During this operation the end of the spoke thus made in the form of a
tongue can be held and guided in its vertical movement of descent into a space of
cylindrical form contrived between the two cutter holders.
When the first tongue is formed, the wheel is raised by the lever D and the
next spoke is presented, and so on till all the tongues of the mounted wheel are
successively made.
When the wheel is fellied and the tires put on, it is also placed, and as before on
the shaft H, and it is then presented (see Figure 12) to the centre of the revolving
cutter spindles C, C, or C, C, which carry in this instance cutters a¹, b', so adjusted
that the felly is completely planed on its two faces up to the tire after a single
revolution of the wheel on the shaft H.
With such machinery, and for wheels of medium diameter, the following can be
made:-
1st. About 5,400 spokes in 10 working hours.
2nd. About 3,000 fellies do. do. do. do.
3rd. The tongues of 150 spoked wheels.
4th. The planing of the fellies of 100 wheels which have had the tires put on.
This machinery can also be used for other purposes, such as,—
(1.) The manufacture of mouldings, cornices, and the like; the said mouldings

page_text: being, if desired, made in duplicate, so that if a piece of wood of 8 meters in length
be taken, 16 meters of moulding would be made a minute.
(2.) The manufacture of handles for tools, sticks for brooms, billiard cues, rollers
for blinds, and indeed all kinds of conical pieces, whether round, fluted, oval, square,
three-cornered, or the like.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim,—
First. The improved machinery for manufacturing spokes, fellies, and other parts
of wheels, and other articles such as are herein set forth, the said machinery being
constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein described and shown.
Second. The special arrangement of machines or apparatus described under the
various heads, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest de Pass, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-nine.