IMPROVEMENTS' IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES
Year: 1866

page_text: ETTERS PÅTENT to Ellis Wesley Morton, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of América, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman; for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS' IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES."--A. communi
cation from abroad by Ellis Johnson Morton; of Cambridge, Massa-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ellis Wesley Morton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1866...
I. ELLIS WESLEY MORTON, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES," a
communication, to be as follows:-
The nature of the said Invention consists in the application of india-rubber
or other elastic or yielding material between two metallic bands or between
metallic plates on the rim or tread of a'wheel for the purpose of lessening' the
shock and noise as well as the wear and tear of vehicles by the impinging of

page_text: the wheels against the roadway or track upon which they travel, and also in
the mode of applying and protecting the said elastic or yielding material.
The most advantageous mode of making the application will vary somewhat
with the description or character of the wheels employed. When the Inven-
tion is to be applied to an ordinary wooden wheel the latter is constructed in
the usual manner with the tire complete. The tire, however, when the
wheel is constructed with a view to the application of this Invention is made
considerably lighter than those usually employed, as its use is only to protect
the wheels and hold all parts of the rim of the wheel firmly together. Upon
the outside of the said tire a band of india-rubber or other elastic material is
placed, the metal having by preference first been covered with a coat of red
lead and varnish. Another metallic tire is set in the usual manner over the
elastic or yielding material, the latter being protected from injury by heat
while the outer tire is being set by means of a cont of cement composed of
potters' clay, borax, and glue, dissolved in water. Red lead and other com-
positions will answer the purpose, the object being to protect the elastic
material from injury by heat while the tire is shrunk on or set. In case of
heavy tires, it will be found desirable to use a thin hoop of metal instead of
the cement or composition, or in connection therewith, placed between the
outer tire, and the elastic band. When the said thin hoop is employed with
the band of india-rubber or other elastic material the said band may be
advantageously made in connection with the hoop before it is bent, and by
forming holes in the straight strip before the rubber or other elastic material
is applied thereto the two become firmly united. The outer tire as well
as the inner may have. flanged edges or a corrugated, concave, or convex
surface for the greater protection of the elastic band. The outer and inner
tires are united together with the elastic material interposed, and are firmly
secured to the rim or felloes of the wheel by means of screw bolts or other
suitable fastenings. When the Invention is applied to a wheel formed of
.metal, as, for instance, a railway carriage wheel, the elastic band may, be
placed direct upon the rim and the outside tyre set around the band in a
similar manner to that before described. The outer tire may be fastened to
the inner tire or rim in any convenient manner and the elastic material pro-
tected and kept in place between the two metal surfaces by flanges on the
tire or rim of the wheel or any other suitable means. Wheels constructed in
this manner are much more durable than those now. used; the pleasure of
riding, especially on uneven roads or pavements, is greatly increased; and the
labor of drawing carriages is materially lessened by the use of these wheels,
while this application of an elastic band between metallic bands or plates
..

page_text: obviates the disadvantages heretofore experienced in the application of
india-rubber or other yielding materials or devices to wheels for the purpose
stated
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ellis Wesley Morton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELLIS
WESLEY MORTON, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, now
of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
ro
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by: Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign; did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant-unto me,
the said Ellis Wesley Morton, Her especial licence that I,, the said Ellis
Wesley Morton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Ellis Wesley Morton, 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 WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES," a communication,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ellis Wesley Morton, 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 Ellis Wesley Morton, do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to. the accompanying Sheet of Drawings
forming part of this Specification:—
The nature of the said Invention consists in the application of india-rubber
or other elastic or yielding material between two metallic bands on the rim or

page_text: tread of a wheel for the purpose of lessening the shock and noise as well as
'the wear and tear of vehicles by the impinging of the wheels against the road.
way or track upon which they travel, and also in the mode of applying and
protecting the said elastic or yielding material. .
The most advantageous mode of making the application will vary somewhat
with the description or character of the wheels employed. When the Inven
tion is to be applied to an ordinary wooden wheel the latter is constructed in
the usual manner with the tire complete. The tire, however, when the wheel
is constructed with a view to the application of this Invention is made con-
siderably lighter than those usually employed, as its use is only to protect the
wheel and hold all parts of the rim of the wheel firmly together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section of a portion of one of my improved wheels; Figure 2
is a section on the lineæ, æ, Figure 1. Like letters indicate the same parts
each of the Figures.
Upon the outside of the tire A, which is formed of iron or other suitable
metal, a band or strip B, of india-rubber or other elastic material, is placed;
the surface of the metal tire having, by preference, first been covered with a
coat of red lead and varnish. Another metallic tire C is set in the usual
manner over the india-rubber or other elastic or yielding material, the latter
being protected from injury by heat while the outer tire C is being set by
means of a coat of cement composed of fullers' clay, borax, and glue dissolved
in water. Red lead and other compositions will answer as a substitute for the
cement, the object being to protect the elastic material from injury by heat
while the tire is shrunk on or set. In cases where heavy tires are used it will
be found desirable to use a thin hoop of metal instead of the cement or com-
position, or in connection therewith, the said hoop" being placed between the
outer tire and the elastic band B to intercept the heat from the former. When
the said thin hoop is employed with the band of india-rubber or other elastic
material the said band may be advantageously connected with the thin hoop
before it is bent, and by forming holes in the straight strip before the rubber
or other elastic material is applied thereto the two become firmly united. The
outer tire C as well as the inner tire A may be flanged on the edges, or may
have a corrugated concave or convex inside surface for the greater protection
of the elastic band. The outer and inner tires are united together with the
elastic material interposed, and are firmly secured to the rim or felloe D of the
wheel by means of screws E or other suitable fastenings.
"When the Invention is applied to a wheel formed entirely of metal, as, for

page_text: instance, a railway carriage wheel, the elastic band may be placed upon the
surface of the rim of the said wheel, and the outside tire set around the band
in a similar manner to that before described. The outer tire may be fastened
to the rim in any convenient manner, and the elastic material protected and
kept in place between the two metal surfaces by flanges on the rim of the
wheel or any other suitable means.
My improved wheels are much more durable than those now used, and the
pleasure of riding, especially on uneven roads or pavements, is greatly increased.
The labor of driving carriages is materially lessened by the use of these wheels,
while the application of an elastic band between metallic hoops or plates
obviates the disadvantages heretofore experienced in the application of india-
rubber or other yielding materials or devices to wheels for the purposes
stated.
Having thus fully described the said improvements as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and 'shown how the same,may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First, the application of india-rubber or other similar elastic and yielding
material between two tires or bands on the rim of a wheel for the purposes
described.
. Second, applying the said india-rubber or other elastic material and pro-
tecting the same from heat while the tire is being set, substantially in the.
manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said 'Ellis Wesley Morton, have hereunto
- set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ELLIS WESLEY MORTON
ELLIS WESLEY MORTON. (...)