IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE WHEELS AND AXLES, AND IN VEHICLES FOR COMMON ROADS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Swift, of Brompton Row, Brompton, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
Sealed the 15th April 1856, and dated the 1st January 1856..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Swift at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
January 1856.
I, FERDINAND SWIFT, of Brompton Row, Brompton, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE WHEELS AND AXLES, AND IN VEHICLES FOR COMMON
ROADS, to be as follows:-
My improvements in wheels for vehicles consist in constructing them with
a double set of spokes, somewhat similar to the ordinary iron tension wheels
with one series of spokes, which at the hub or axle are placed at a distance
from a second series, but both converging to the same plane at the tyre. I
make wheels of this kind with the one series of spokes in the plane of the tyre
or rim throughout their whole length, or in other words, at right angles to the
shaft, while the second series of spokes are sufficiently inclined to the first to
form the necessary stay and support for the rim. I fix each wheel to its
respective axle, which I make in two pieces, and incline them in opposite
directions, so that the rim or tyre and one series of spokes stands at an incline

page_text: outwards equal to the incline of the second series of spokes inwards. I mount
each axle in two bearings fixed to the carriages, which bearings are bushed
with brass or other metal bushes, having convex bearing surfaces, in order
to produce little friction, and which can be removed or renewed at pleasure.
In making these wheels and axles I form suitable enlargements on the axles
for the reception of the screwed ends of the spokes, which may have counter-
sunk leads in the tyre or rim, or may be fitted with countersunk nuts at those
points, fitting into proper recesses.in the rim. In making wheels of wood to
suit my improved axles, before mentioned, I make the boss or hub in pieces,
and wedge it round the axles with metal hoops; but instead of placing all
spokes in the same plane around the hub, I dispose them in three or four
series, in as many different planes round the hub, all converging to the same
plane at the rim or tyre, thus distributing the mortises to receive the spokes
clear of each other throughout a considerable length of hub or nave, whereby
a small hub only is necessary.
The second part of my Invention refers to single-horse vehicles for common
roads, and consists in constructing them with a single pole instead of a pair of
shafts as usual. This pole springs from the carriage somewhat in the manner
of the shaft, but in the middle of the breadth of the carriage; it rises up. and'
is carried entirely over the horse's back, and is fixed at the end to the top of
the saddle; thus the horse has freedom of motion in turning round, and is not.
confined by the shafts. In order to afford still greater facility for this, I make
the trace partly of vulcanized india-rubber next the carriage, so as to give or
expand when pressed on by the side of the horse in that movement.
the body of the vehicle of light iron or other suitable material.
I form
A further improvement consists in covering the dash iron with woven wire,
or other closely woven material, which will prevent dirt passing through, and
at the same time permit air to pass through, and thus relieve the pressure when
going against a head wind. I also make the splash iron or guards at the sides
of the vehicle of the same pervious material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ferdinand Swift in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
1st July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINAND
'
SWIFT, of Brompton Row, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 3
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Ferdinand Swift, Her special licence that I, the said Ferdinand Swift, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ferdinand
Swift, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CARRIAGE WHEELS AND AXLES, AND IN VEHICLES FOR COMMON ROADS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ferdinand Swift, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ferdinand Swift, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon. (that is to say):-
My improvement in wheels for vehicles consist in constructing them with
a double set of spokes, somewhat similar to the ordinary tension wheels with
one series of spokes, which at the hub or axle are placed at a distance from a
second series, but both converging to the same plane at the tyre. I make
wheels of this kind with the one series of spokes in the plane of the tyre or
rim, throughout their whole length, or in other words, at right angles to the
shaft, while the second series of spokes are sufficiently inclined to the first to
form the necessary stay and support for the rim. I fix each wheel to its
respective axle-tree, which I make in two pieces, and incline them in opposite
directions, so that the rim or. tyre and one series of spokes stand at an incline
outwards, equal to the incline of the second series of spokes inwards. I mount
each axle in two bearings fixed to the carriages, which bearings are bushed
with brass or other proper metal surfaces, in order to produce little friction,
and which can be removed or renewed at pleasure. In making these wheels
and axles I form suitable enlargements on the axles for the reception of the

page_text: screwed ends of the spokes, which may have countersunk heads in the tyre or
rim, or may be fitted with countersunk nuts at those points, fitting into proper
recesses in the rim.
A further improvement consists in covering the dash iron with woven. wire,
or other closely woven material, which will prevent dirt passing through, and
at the same time permit air to pass through, and thus relieve the pressure
when going against a head wind. I also make the splash iron or guards at the
sides of the vehicle of the same pervious material.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents, in a transverse position, a pair of carriage wheels and
their axles, constructed according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 a side view of
the same; Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the axle box or carriage, with
tho axles in their places; while Fig. 4 represents a similar section, with the
axles removed; Fig. 5 represents a cross section at 1, 2, and Fig. 6 a cross
section at 3, 4, (Fig. 1). The wheels A, A, are constructed in the ordinary
manner of iron wheels, the spokes a, a', being fixed in the rim and centre, and
drawn up to a state of tension, but with this difference, that the disposition of
the spokes is such that the spokes a, a, are in the same plane as the tyre,
while the spokes a¹, a¹, are inclined thereto, at sufficient distance apart to
give the requisite stability to the wheel. For iron wheels it is not necessary
that there should be any hub or nave, as in ordinary wheels, as the axle may
be in one piece with the wheel centre. The axles b, b, here shown, have the
centres of the wheels formed on the ends, suitable enlargements being made to
receive the ends of the spokes, which are screwed or otherwise fixed therein.
I place the axles b, b, at an incline to each other, in order to incline the tyre C
to the plane of the road 4, 5, on which it runs, in about the same degree
as wheels usually are; and I arrange the spokes a', a', at about the same
'inclination from the road as the spokes a, a, when below the centre. The
outer ends of the spokes may be passed through the rim, and with counter-
sunk heads or ends, as shewn in the Drawing, or fixed in any other usual or
suitable manner. The axles b, b, are received into a carriage or frame B, B,
in the form of a square tube, having one of its sides removeable, for the inser-
tion of the bearings and the axles within it B, B. This moveable side may be
fixed by means of clamps or hoops d, d, on the exterior of B.
e, e, are the
intermediate bearings for the support of the inner ends of axles 6, 6; these
bearings are divided longitudinally for the insertion of the enlarged ends f,f,
of the axles, and are fitted into the tube B, B, as shown. g is a cavity for oil,
which has a small opening into either bearing off, f. Bearings h, h, are fitted

page_text: into either end of the tube or carriage B, into which the neck of the axles b, b,
fit, and take their. principal bearing. Surfaces i, i, are formed on or fixed to
B, B, to which the springs of the carriage may be fixed, as at C (Fig. 2), or
the tube B, B, may be otherwise attached to the body of the carriage.
The bearings e, e, and h, h, are first placed on the axles b, b, and the whole
inserted in tube B, B, with the side removed; this moveable side (which I
place underneath) is then fixed in its position, and so retains the several
bearings in their places, and also excludes all dirt from the bearings: A leather
should be placed between the collar k and the end bearing h, to prevent dirt
entering, and to retain the oil in the bearing. Instead of placing the move-
able side underneath, it may be above, in which case, in addition to the
lubricating matter inserted in g, the tube B between the bearing e and h may
be more or less filled with lubricating matter. Instead of forming the tube
with one side removeable, the bearings for f, f, may be divided transversely
into two parts, in addition to the horizontal division. In this case the bearings
are placed on the axles, and inserted from either end of the tube, the bearings
e, e, are then fixed in their position in the middle of B, B, by cross pins passing
through them and B, B, or by other suitable means. Instead of bearings h, h,
being cylindrical, as shown at Figures 3 & 4, they may be spherical or rounded,
as at Fig. 7.
Instead of making the tube or carriage B, B, square, it may be cylindrical,
as shewn on an enlarged scale at B', Figs. 8 and 9, Fig. 8 being a. longi-
tudinal section, and Fig. 9. an end view thereof; Fig. 10 represents a separate
view of one axle. I have represented this, as adapted for a wooden wheel of
the ordinary construction, or a wheel of any other construction, having the
nave or centre fixed to the axle D. In this example I have represented the
central bearings e, e, as in one piece in its length, as before described, and with
the end bearings h, h, fitted inside the cylindrical ends of B, B. The collar
is fitted to slide on the axle D, so that the axle may be passed quite through
the tube. B. The bearings e, e, and h, h, are all placed on the axles when out
of the tube B, and when in that position, the whole is slid in from either end
of the tube B to the proper position. The collars 1, 1, are then put on, and the
wheels placed on the axles, and held by nuts m, m, or other suitable fixings.
The collars 1; 1, coming against either end of the tube B, keeps the whole of
the: bearings in their proper places. The hub of the wheel is shown as of
wood, having an iron box x or centre fixed permanently and firmly therein,
which iron box is of a square, hexagonal, or other sided figure on the interior,
adapted to fit and fix to the ends n, n, of the axle D, D.. Leathers are placed
between collar and the ends of tubes B, B, & bearings h, h, to prevent the

page_text: escape of the lubricating matter from the bearings h, h. The interior of the
tube B unoccupied by the axles D, D, may be filled with lubricating matter.
In Figure 8 the tube B, B, is represented straight, therefore the wheels would
have no outward inclination at the upper part, as usual. To give this incli-
nation the tube may be bent a little, and if so much as to interfere with the
introduction of the axles in the manner described, the bearings e, e, should be
in two parts, and inserted from either end, and fixed in position, as before
described with reference to Fig. 4. In Fig. 8 the bearings should be fixed
with small pins, to prevent them turning round in the tube. Axles D, D,
have the enlarged ends p, p, of a cylindrical form. This enlargement, as also
that of the parts f, f, in Fig. 4, retains the axles in their proper position, and
takes any end thrust to which they are subject.
The tube B, B, (Fig. 8) is fitted externally with half round pieces r, r, fixed
thereto by straps 8, 8, and suitable cross plates t, t, to which the springs or
other attachments to the carriage body may be fixed. The tube B, B, is
further strengthened by connecting the pieces r, r, by a cross tie u, or the
plates t, t, may be extended for the purpose. Instead of placing the axle
bearings e, e, and h, h, in a tube, they may be fixed to any suitable frame-
adapted as a connection between the axles and the carriage body, such for
instance, as that shewn at Fig. 11; the bearings are fitted into suitable boxes
affixed to frame F, F. The bearings y, y, in this case slide into the boxes
W, W, and are separately fixed therein by cross pins or other suitable ineans,
and have collars at either end of boxes W, W, with leathers between those
collars, and boxes to retain the lubricating matter to prevent dirt or grit
entering the bearings. Each bearing is separately furnished with an oil
chamber filled at a suitably plugged aperture for the purpose. The frame F
may be of any suitable form, having sufficient strength to sustain the bearings
in their proper position, and to connect them with the carriage body; or the
bearings e, e, and h, h, may be fixed in their proper position to any suitable
parts of the carriage to form the necessary communication between the axles
and the carriage body, having sufficient strength for the purpose.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same may be performed, I desire it to be understood that what I claim, and
desire to be protected by the before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the construction of wheels with two sets of spokes, combined and a
arranged as herein-before described.
Secondly, mounting wheels and axles of common road carriages in bearings,
as herein-before described.
Thirdly, covering the dash iron and side wings or mud guards of two-

page_text: wheeled vehicles with wire cloth, perforated zinc, or other pervious material,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Swift, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
FERDINAND SWIFT. (L.S.)