Improvements in the Manufacture of the Metallic Rims of Wheels for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes and Wheel Carriages.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1892-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Metallic Rims of Wheels
for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes and Wheel
Carriages.
I CHARLES HENRY PUGH of Whitworth Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of the processes or combinations of processes hereinafter
described for manufacturing from sheet iron or steel or other metal or alloy hoops
or rings, hollow or tubular unbrazed rims of wheels for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes and wheel carriages.
According to my invention I make each of the said hollow or tubular unbrazed
metallic rims either from one hoop or ring or from two hoops or rings.
In making according to one of my improvements a metallic rim from a hoop or
manner.
ring I proceed in the following me a circular disc of sheet iron or steel or other
metal or alloy a shallow dish and pierce out a portion of the bottom thereof so as
to form a hoop or ring having at its bottom a short internal flange. By means of a
series of bending or pressing operations effected either by dies or rolls, about one
half of the ring or hoop is bent at right angles to the other part and parallel to the
flange of the hoop, so as thereby to form a trough shaped ring having parallel
sides. By further bending or shaping operations the bottom of the trough ring is
made concave externally and the sides of the trough ring bent inwards so as to
form a partly made hollow rim having a nearly triangular figure in cross section,
one of the bent flat sides projecting beyond the other flat side. The two flat sides
of the partly made rim are next shaped to form the convex inner face of the rim
and their marginal parts so bent as to be brought parallel to and in contact with
one another and at right angles to the rim. These projecting parallel portions are
situated out of the middle line of the rim and from them a folded joint is made,
one of the projecting parts being double the length of the other. The longer
projecting part is by a series of bendings folded upon the shorter portion and the
doubled or folded part thus made is bent flat upon and lies at the middle of the
convex or inner side of the rim. To the folded joint thus made at the middle of
the inner convex side of the rim, the spokes of the wheel are fixed.
Instead of making the folded joint at the middle of the inner convex side of the
rim, it may be made along one side of the rim at the junction of the concave and
convex sides of the rim.
In this case, a flat ring is used nearly two thirds of which are bent parallel to
the other third part so as to form a trough shaped ring, the sides of the trough
being of unequal lengths.
The marginal parts of these unequal sides of the trough are brought together
so as to form a folded joint at one side of the rim substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described with respect to the folded joint at the middle of the rim.
The inner side of the rim has a convex figure given to it at an early stage of the
manufacture and the outer side of the rim has a concave figure given to it after
the folded joint has been made.
In making according to my invention a hollow unbrazed rim from two rings I
proceed as follows:-
I take two concave rings made by a stamping process from flat sheet iron or
steel rings, one of the said concave rings being shallower than the other and having

page_text: flat marginal parts. The last named ring forms the outer side of the rim and the
other deeper ring forms the convex or inner side of the rim. When the shallow or
outer ring is placed upon the deeper inner ring, the flat marginal parts of the
former project beyond the edges of the latter and by closing the said projecting
marginal parts upon the edges of the inner ring the two rings are joined together
and a hollow unbrazed ring formed.
The joint may be formed by folding the edges of the inner ring upon the edges
of the outer or concave ring; or both rings may have marginal parts of such length
that they may be folded twice or more times upon one another to form the folded
joints. Or the folded joints of the two half rings may be made at the middles
of the inner and outer portions of the rim instead of at their edges as before
described.
The outer ring of the rim may be made of two longitudinal halves joined
together by a folded joint.
Dated the 5th day of December 1891.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of the Metallic Rims of Wheels
for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes and Wheel
Carriages.
I, CHARLES HENRY PUGH, of Whitworth Works, Rea Street South,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of the process or combination of processes hereinafter
described for manufacturing from sheet iron or steel or other metal or alloy hoops
or rings, hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed rims of wheels for bicycles,
tricycles and other velocipedes and wheel carriages.
According to my invention I make each of the said hollow or tubular junctionless
or unbrazed metallic rims either from one hoop or ring or from two hoops or rings.
In making according to one of my improvements a metallic rim from a hoop or
ring, I proceed in the following manner.
I raise by a stamping process from a circular disc of sheet iron or steel or other
metal or alloy a shallow dish and pierce out a portion of the bottom thereof so as
to form a hoop or ring having at its bottom a short internal flange. By means of a
series of bending or pressing operations effected either by dies or rolls, about one
half of the ring or hoop is bent at right angles to the other part and parallel to the
flange of the hoop so as thereby to form a trough shaped ring having parallel
sides. By further bending or shaping operations the bottom of the trough ring is
made concave externally and the sides of the trough ring bent inwards so as to
form a partly made hollow rim having a nearly triangular figure in cross section,
one of the bent flat sides projecting beyond the other flat side. The two flat sides
of the partly made rim are next shaped to form the convex or inner face of the
rin and their marginal parts so bent as to be brought parallel to and in contact
with one another and at right angles to the rim. These projecting parallel portions
are situated out of the middle line of the rim and from them a folded joint is made,
one of the projecting parts being double the length of the other. The longer pro-
jecting part is by a series of bendings folded upon the shorter portion and the
doubled or folded part thus made is bent flat upon and lies at the middle of the
convex or inner side of the rim. To the folded joint thus made at the middle of
the inner or convex side of the rim the spokes of the wheel are fixed.

page_text: This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 both inclusive of the
accompanying drawings, Figure 1 representing in section a portion of the hoop or
ring formed from the circular shallow dish herein before referred to, by piercing or
cutting out a portion of the bottom of the same. In the said Figure 1, a is the
hoop or ring proper and the internal flange. By the action of dies or rolls I bend
a portion (nearly one half) of the cylindrical part of the hoop or ring into a
conical figure as represented in Figure 2. By operating on the conical part of the
ring or hoop in the way described with reference to Figure 2, I form the said ring
or hoop into an annular trough the open side of the trough being inwards as
represented by the portion in section in Figure 3. By bending or shaping operations
the bottom of the trough ring is made concave externally and the parallel sides of
the trough ring bent inwards as represented in Figure 4 so as to form a partly
made hollow rim having in cross section a nearly triangular figure. From the
inuer inclined flat sides of the partly made rim Figure 4, the inner or convex face
of the rim is made, the extreme edges of the said inclined flat sides being turned
inwards as represented in Figure 5. The longer of the inwardly projecting edges
is next turned at right angles on the other inwardly projecting edge as represented
in Figure 6 and by further bending operations the said longer inwardly projecting
edge made to embrace or engage with the shorter inwardly projecting edge as
represented by the portions in cross section in Figure 8: Figure 7 representing
the figure in cross section given to the rim by an intermediate bending operation.
By other bending operations the said doubled or folded edges Figure 8 are bent
flat upon the convex or inner face of the rim as represented in Figure 10.
Figure 9 represents the figure in cross section given to the partly made rim by
the bending operation preceding that necessary to form the finished rim Figure 10.
The folded joint at the middle of the inner or convex face represented in Figure 10
forms a thickened or strengthened part for the outer ends of the spokes of the wheel
to take into.
Instead of cutting out a portion only of the bottom of the circular shallow dish
herein before described and thereby forming a hoop or ring with a flange at bottom
I may cut out the whole of the said bottom of the circular dish thereby forming a
flat hoop or ring from which the said rim Figure 10 is made. When I make the
rim Figure 10 in this way I take the flat hoop or ring, a portion of which is
represented in section in Figure 11, and by a series of bending or pressing operations
give to the said hoop or ring the successive figures represented in cross section in
Figures 12 to 22 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Instead of making the folded joint at the middle of the inner or convex side of
the rim it may be made along one side of the rim at the junction of the concave
and convex sides of the rim. In this case, a flat ring is used nearly two thirds of
which are bent parallel to the other third part so as to form a trough shaped ring,
the sides of the trough being of unequal lengths. The marginal parts of these
unequal sides of the trough are brought together so as to form a folded joint at
one side of the rim substantially in the manner hereinbefore described with respect
to the folded joint at the middle of the rim. The inner side of the rim has a convex
figure given to it at an early stage of its manufacture and the outer side of the rim
has a concave figure given to it after the folded joint has been made.
This part of iny invention is illustrated in Figures 23 to 31 both inclusive of
the accompanying drawings. The ring or hoop operated upon is similar to that
represented in Figure 11, the successive figures in cross section given to the said
ring or hoop by the bending or pressing operations herein before described being
represented by the said Figures 23 to 31 both inclusive of the accompanying
drawings.
In making according to my invention a hollow junctionless or unbrazed rim from
two rings, I proceed as follows:-
I take two concave rings made by a stamping process from flat sheet iron or
steel rings, one of the said concave rings being shallower than the other and having

page_text: flat marginal parts. The last named ring forms the outer side of the rim and the
other deeper ring forms the convex or inner side of the rim. When the shallow or
outer ring is placed upon the deeper inner ring the flat marginal parts of the former
project beyond the edges of the latter and by closing the said projecting marginal
parts upon the edges of the inner ring the two rings are joined together and a
hollow unbrazed rim formed.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 32 to 36 both inclusive of the
accompanying drawings, Figure 32 representing a portion of the hoop or ring in
cross section from which the outer or concave part of the rim is made and Figure 33
representing a portion of the hoop or ring in cross section from which the inner or
convex part of the rim is made.
The hoop or ring Figure 32 is placed upon the hoop or ring Figure 33 as
represented in section in Figure 34.
By a rolling or pressing operation the marginal parts c. c of the hoop or ring
Figure 34 are turned down nearly at right angles as represented in Figure 35 and
by further rolling or pressing the said marginal parts c, c they are made to seat
themselves on the edges of the inner hoop or ring thereby forming a complete
hollow rim as represented in Figure 36.
In order to more securely bind the two hoops or rings together I operate upon
the edges of the hollow rim Figure 36 by pressing rolls so as to give the rim in
succession the figures in cross section represented by Figures 37, 38 and 39,
Figure 39 representing the finished rim.
Instead of making the folding marginal parts or edges on the outer hoop or
ring, folding marginal parts may be formed on the inner hoop or ring which parts
are folded upon the edges of the outer hoop or ring.
This arrangement is represented in Figures 40 to 44 both inclusive of the
accompanying drawings: Figures 40 and 41 represent portions of the two hoops
or rings from which the finished rim Figure 44 is made: Figure 42 represents the
two concave hoops or rings when the outer hoop or ring has been placed upon the
inner hoop or ring and the folding marginal parts or edges turned up prior to being
bent over into the position represented in Figure 43. By a final rolling operation
the said marginal edges are pressed upon the edges of the outer hoop or ring as
represented in the finished rim Figure 44.
The edges of the rim Figure 44 may by further rolling and pressing operations
be more securely locked together as represented in Figure 46, the said rim
Figure 46 having had previously given to it the figure in cross section represented
in Figure 45.
Or both rings may have folding marginal parts of such lengths that they may
be folded twice or more times upon one another to form the folded joint.
This arrangement of my invention is represented in Figures 47 to 64 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Figures 47 to 57 represent this arrangement when the folding marginal parts or
edges of the hoops or rings are in the finished rim turned upon the outer concave
portion.of the rim and Figures 58 to 65 represent the same arrangement when the
folding marginal parts or edges of the hoops or rings are in the finished rim turned
upon the inner or convex side of the rim.
Figure 53 represents a portion of a rim in cross section made from two hoops or
rings having the sectional figures represented in Figures 47 and 48 given to them
before being brought together and Figures 49 to 52 both inclusive represent
respectively the figures in cross section given to the hoops or rings by the successive
rolling or pressing operations.
Figure 57 represents a similar rim to that represented in Figure 53 but made
from two plain concave hoops or rings, and Figures 54, 55 and 56 respectively
represent the figures in cross section given to the said plain concave hoops or rings
in the later of the rolling and pressing operations necessary to form the said rim
Figure 57.

page_text: Figures 60 to 65 both inclusive respectively represent in cross section the figures
given in succession to the two hoops or rings represented in cross section in
Figures 58 and 59, when engaged together, by the successive rolling and pressing
operations necessary to produce the rim Figure 65.
When it is desired to make a folding or doubling of the metal at the middle of
the inner or convex portion of the rim in any of the arrangements represented in
Figures 32 to 65 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings so as to strengthen
the inner or convex face of the rim at the part where the spokes of the wheel are
inserted in the same, I make the said folding or doubling of the said metal at the
middle of the hoop or ring to form the inner part of the rim before the concave
figure is given to the said hoop or ring as represented in Figures 66 to 70 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings, the said Figure 66 representing a portion
of the flat hoop or ring in cross section and Figures 67, 68 and 69 respectively
representing in cross section the figures given to the said flat hoop or ring prior to
troughing or making the same concave as represented in Figure 70.
In manufacturing rims of either of the forms represented in Figures 36, 39, 44,
46, 53, 57 and 65 I support either the inner hoop or ring, which is to form the
inner or convex face of the finished rim, internally, or the outer hoop or ring,
which is to form the outer or concave face of the finished rim, externally by a
rotating chuck or tool, the said chuck or tool being divided at its middle to
facilitate the introduction of the said hoop or ring into and its removal from the
concavity formed in the periphery of the chuck when the two half chucks are
brought together.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 72, 73, 74 and 75 in its
application to the manufacture of a rim of a form similar to that represented in
Figures 53 and 57. Figure 71 represents a portion of the two shaped hoops or
rings in cross section when brought together to be operated upon: m represents
the outer hoop or ring and n represents the inner hoop or ring.
Figure 72 represents in section a portion of the blocking or shaping tools by
the action of which the two hoops or rings m, n are engaged together and by which
the inner hoop or ring n has the proper trough figure given to it to form the convex
side of the finished rim. The said hoops or rings m, n Figure 71 are introduced
into the concavity formed by the meeting faces of the two tools while the said
tools are some distance apart. By the action of a stamp or press the said tools are
brought together and the inner hoop or ring n is made to take the convex figure
corresponding to the concave figure formed by the meeting of the said tools.
The partly formed rim is removed from the tools Figure 72 and introduced into
the divided chuck f, 9 Figure 73. By pressing upon one of the overlapping
edges n² of the hoop or ring n by the pressing roll during the rapid rotation
of the said chuck f g the said overlapping edge n³ is made to embrace or engage
with the turned in edge m' of the hoop or ring m.
By applying the pressing roll to the other overlapping edge n² of the hoop n
as represented in Figure 74 the other two edges m³, n³ of the hoops or rings m, n
are engaged together.
By bringing the pressing roll i Figure 75 against the engaged edges of the partly
made rim Figure 74 and at the same time rapidly rotating the chuck carrying it,
the said engaged edges are flattened upon the outer or concave face of the finished
rim as represented in the said Figure 75.
Instead of performing the operations just described with reference to Figures 73,
74 and 75 separately, I may by arranging three pressing rolls, similar to the
pressing rolls represented in the said Figures 73, 74 and 75 at equidistant points
around the periphery of the said chuck, perform the said operations simultaneously
or nearly so.
Instead of making the joints of the two hoops or rings at the edges of the
finished rim they may be made at the middle of the concave and convex faces of
the said rim.

page_text: This arrangement of my invention is represented in Figures 76 to 81 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 76 represents the sectional form of the hoops or rings employed as well
as showing the manner in which the hoops or rings are brought together
preparatory to the engaging of the edges of the said hoops or rings together in
the manner hereinafter described.
I represents a portion of one of the said hoops or rings and o represents a
portion of the other of the said hoops or rings. By a pressing or rolling operation
the edges of the ring are partially turned over the edges o' of the hoop o as
represented in Figure 77 and by a further pressing or rolling operation the
complete engagement of the said edges and of is effected as represented in
Figure 78. By other pressing and rolling operations the engaged edges are first
turned into the position represented in Figure 79 and afterwards turned flat upon
the outer flat face and inner or convex face of the partly made rim respectively
as represented in Figure 80. By a final rolling operation the beading formed on
the outer flat face and on the inner or convex face of the partly made rim are
pressed into the interior of the said hollow rim and at the same time the flat
face of the partly made rim is made slightly concave for the purpose of receiving
the india rubber tyre of the wheel as represented in Figure 81.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "Improvements in the manufacture of the metallic rims of
wheels for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, and wheel carriages":
:-
First-Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic rims
of the sectional figure represented in Figure 10 by the process or combination
of processes hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 10 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings from cylindrical hoops or rings having
internal flanges, the said hoops or rings being made by cutting away a portion of
the bottom of a shallow dish.
Secondly Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic
rims of the sectional figure represented in Figure 10 from plain hoops or rings by
the process or combination of processes herein before described with reference to
Figures 11 to 22 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly-Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic
rims of the sectional figure represented in Figure 31 from plain hoops or rings
by the process or combination of processes herein before described with reference
to Figures 23 to 31 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Fourthly-Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic
rims from two hoops or rings by forming on one or other of the said hoops or
rings, folding marginal parts or edges which folding marginal parts or edges are
turned over the edges of the other hoop or ring by the process or combination
of processes described and represented with reference to Figures 32 to 46 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
-
Fifthly Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic
rims from two hoops or rings by forming both of the said hoops or rings with
folding marginal parts or edges which said edges are engaged together by the
process or combination of processes hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 47 to 65 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Sixthly Making in the hoops or rings to form the inner or convex faces of
the hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic rims claimed in the fourth
and fifth claims, middle foldings or doublings of the metal for the purpose of
strengthening the finished rims at the part which is to receive the spokes of the
wheel, by the process or combination of processes hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 66 to 70 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Seventhly Making hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic rims

page_text: from two hoops or rings by the process or combination of processes and by the
use of the tools described and illustrated in Figures 72 to 75 both inclusive of the
accompanying drawings.
Lastly-Manufacturing hollow or tubular junctionless or unbrazed metallic
rims from two hoops or rings by joining the edges of the said hoops or rings at the
middle of the concave and convex faces of the rims by the process or combina-
tion of processes herein before described with reference to Figures 76 to 81 both
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Thirtieth day of August 1892.