IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nahum Salamon, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of
London, Sewing Machine Factor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES." A communication from abroad by Jules
Truffault, of Tours, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 8th March 1878, and dated the 3rd October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nahum Salamon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd October 1877.
NAHUM SALAMON, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London, Sewing Machine
Factor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES." [A communi-
cation from abroad by Jules Truffault, of Tours, in the Republic of France.]
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To a novel construction of wheel for velocipedes, in which lightness and
strength are combined.
Secondly. To an improved mode of mounting the saddle of velocipedes, whereby
the transmission to the saddle of the tremor of the backbone, produced by the rapid
movement of the vehicle, is prevented.
The felloe of the wheel is made hollow, and the spokes, which consists of fine wire,
are passed through the felloe to the nave, and are firmly secured thereto, the outer
ends of the spokes being provided with heads, which bind against the interior of
the hollow felloe.
This hollow felloe may be made in the following manner: -Take a strip of thin
sheet iron or steel of a length equal to the periphery of the wheel intended to be
made, and of a breadth somewhat in excess of twice the depth of the felloe, and by
means of swages or rollers convert the strip into a V shaped trough, then join the
ends, and the hoop thus formed over lay with sheet metal, also made trough shaped,
and with its edges turned over to lap the edges of the hoop. By soldering or
brazing the parts together, a strong hollow felloe will be produced.
If desired hollow stages may be inserted at given intervals to increase the

page_text: stiffness of the felloe. Holes are then to be drilled through the felloe for the in-
sertion of the spokes, the inner ends of which may be secured in any approved
manner to the nave.
The recess in the periphery of the felloe is made to receive the ordinary india-
rubber tyre, which may be secured in place by cement or otherwise.
Another mode of constructing the felloe is to provide a steel tube of suitable
dimensions, and to form therewith a hoop corresponding in diameter to the wheel
desired to be made, then by means of compressing rollers or swages to compress
the tube to the desired hollow section by forcing inwards the outer side of the tube,
and thus doubling the metal upon itself; a recess will thus be formed for the elastic
tyre as before, and the operation of soldering or brazing before mentioned may thus
be dispensed with.
In carrying out the second part of the Invention, instead of mounting the saddle
on the back bone or on a spring attached thereto, as heretofore, it is mounted on a
rocking frame, which is hinged to a T piece projecting from the forward end of the
backbone. The weight of this frame and its load is carried by a helical spring
surrounding the stem of the driving wheel fork, and adjustable to suit the weight
of the rider. The seat thus carried will be easy to the rider, and will be little or not
at all affected by the tremor or jolting of the backbone, the weight of the seat being
virtually placed immediately above the centre of the driving wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Nahum Salamon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd April
1878.
NAHUM SALAMON, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London, Sewing Machine
Factor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES." A communi-
cation from abroad by Jules Truffault, of Tours, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates,-
Firstly. To a novel construction of wheel for velocipedes, in which lightness and
strength are combined.
Secondly. To an improved mode of mounting the saddle of velocipedes, whereby
the transmission to the saddle of the tremor of the backbone, produced by the rapid
movement of the vehicle, is prevented.
.
The felloe of the wheel is made hollow, and the spokes, which consist of fine
wire, are passed through the felloe to the nave, and are firmly secured thereto, the
outer ends of the spokes being provided with heads, which bind against the interior
of the hollow plate.
This hollow felloe is made in the following manner:-A steel tube of suitable
dimensions is provided, and, by means of compressing rollers or swages, is com-
pressed to the desired hollow section by forcing inwards one side of the tube, and
thus doubling the metal upon itself. The tube is then bent round to the form of a
hoop, with the hollow or recessed side outwards, and the ends of the tube are then
joined up to complete the formation of the felloe. The recess in the felloe will
serve for the elastic tyre to bed in.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figures 1 show in side and end view a portion of a drawn steel tube suitable
for conversion into a hollow felloe; and Figures 2 show in side and end view the
same tube reduced to the form which it is intended to take under the rolling or
swaging operation.
The tube being made of the best drawn steel is submitted, while in a heated
state, to the action of a pair of rolls, one roll having a convex annular projection, the
counterpart of the concave form, which one side of the tube is intended to take, and
the other roll having a round annular groove, the counterpart of the convex side of
the tube. By passing the tube several times between these rolls, and after each
passage bringing these rolls closer together, the tube will gradually acquire the form
shown at Figures 2, care being taken that the heat of the metal is maintained
during the rolling process, so as to prevent the fracture of the metal. The tube,
thus changing from a circular to a hollow crescent-shaped section, is ready for con-
version into a wheel felloe. For this purpose it it reheated, and by means of an
ordinary bending machine brought to the form of a hoop, the concave side of the
tube being outwards. The ends of the tube are then joined up by brazing, the
same together, or to a filling piece or core inserted at the joint of the felloe. To
complete the wheel, the felloe A (see the partial side view of a driving wheel, Fig. 3) is
pierced through its two thicknesses of metal to receive the wire spokes B, B, the outer
ends of which carry rivet heads that rest in the hollow of the felloe. The inner ends of
these spokes may be connected to the hub of the wheel in any approved manner,
but that preferred is the plan shewn at Fig. 3, and in cross section at Fig. 4. These
Figures show the hub formed with a flange, through which the ends of the spokes
are passed. These ends are fitted with hollow screws C, which are brazed thereto,
and fit into threaded holes made in the hub. Each spoke is provided with a nipple-
shaped cap D, which is threaded to fit on the outer end of the screw C. When the
spokes have been tightened up these caps are screwed up into contact with the hub,
and serve not only as a lock nut, but also give support to the spokes, and thereby
stiffen the wheel at the hub.
The second part of the Invention is shown at Figures 5, 6, and 7; Fig. 5 being a
partial side elevation of a bicycle constructed according to this improvement;

page_text: Fig. 6, a front elevation; and Fig. 7, a partial plan view of the same. In these
Figures E is the backbone carrying at its forward end a forked piece e. Standing
up from the prongs of this fork, in line with the stem of the steering fork, are
vertical pins e, which are screwed at their upper ends to receive adjusting nuts e²;
F is the saddle mounted on a forked rock lever G, which works on a pivot pin g
passing through and supported by the backbone E. The forked ends of the lever (+
overlie the fork e, and are pierced with holes to allow of the pins e¹ passing freely
through them. These pins are surrounded each by a coiled spring H, which springs
bear upon the prongs of the forked lever, their pressure being adjusted by means of
the nuts o². By the downward pressure of these springs the saddle is maintained in
position, and they are readily adjusted to suit the weight of the rider. By thus
mounting the saddle on a rock lever, which is held in position by elastic pressure,
as described, the seat will be easy to the rider, and will be little (if at all) affected
by the tremor or jolting of the backbone, the weight of the seat being placed im-
mediately above the centre of the driving wheel.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Velocipedes," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
Firstly. Constructing the wheels of velocipedes with hollow felloes, in the manner
and for the purpose above described.
Secondly. Mounting the saddles of velocipedes on a rock lever carried by the
backbone and supported in position by elastic pressure applied to the rock lever in
or near the vertical plane of the axle of the driving wheel, such elastic support
being made adjustable, as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nahum Salamon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
NAHUM SALAMON. (LS.)