Improvements in Wood Rims, Hoops, Pulleys, and the like, and in the Method of and Apparatus for Constructing the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM WALTER STALL, Manufacturer,
of 509, Tormont Street, Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of
Massachusetts, U.S.A.]
Improvements in Wood Rims, Hoops, Pulleys, and the like, and in
the Method of and Apparatus for Constructing the same.
I, WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley and
Mackenzie, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in wood fellys, hoops, pulleys, and the
like, and to the method of, and apparatus for constructing the same.
One object of this invention is to construct a felly or band having a true circular
contour. Another object of the invention is to impart great lateral strength to
such bands as are composed of two or more concentric layers or plies of wood.
Another object of the invention relates to the method of constructing such bands
or fellys and to apparatus for carrying out such method, whereby the object of the
invention first named may be attained.
To this end the invention consists in the matters described in detail in this
Specification, and then set forth in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings wherein are illustrated various arrangements of
devices embodying the principles of the invention,
Fig. 1, is a plan view of one form of apparatus embodying this invention.
Fig. 2, is a section thereof taken on line a-a of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 5, are plan views of so much of apparatus embodying my invention
as to illustrate modifications therein.
Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4, of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6, is a section on line 6-6, of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, is a plan view illustrating further modifications of the apparatus.
Fig. 8, is a section on line 8-8, of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9, is a section on line 9-9, of Fig. 7.
Figs. 10 and 11, illustrate, in transverse section, fellys constructed in accordance
with my invention.
The elements or devices constituting this improved apparatus embrace a circular
female die or mold A, and an expansible male die B, adapted to operate within the
female die A, to exert an even pressure outward radially upon all parts of the rim
stock; the outer or female die A, serving as a fixed circular abutment against
the walls of which ribands of rimi stock, or blanks, may be forcibly pressed by the
adjustable male die B.
For various reasons, such as freedom from warping, and facility of manufacture
and handling the female die A, is preferably constructed of metal and may be in
the form of a continuous ring or hoop the inner circumference of which is equal to
the desired circumference of the fellies to be formed therein, though this is not
essential, as said die A, may be made in sections as will hereinafter appear.
The adjustable male die B, may comprise any suitable or known form or arrange-
ment of mechanical devices which will exert the required pressure, outward,

page_text: radially, upon all parts of the rim stock simultaneously such as a cone supported
centrally within the die A, and adapted to be moved in the line of the axis,
thereof, or, as shown in Fig. 1, a stout metal ring, preferably of spring steel,
divided at one point, the adjoining ends of said ring, being adapted to be-thrust
asunder, by suitable means, such as a wedge B', or thrust bolts b, or both, to
increase the diameter of the ring or die B, as a whole, to exert a pressure outward
radially towards the opposing circular wall of the female die A. The meeting or
adjacent ends of this band shaped die B, are in practice fitted with lugs or bosses b',
which may be formed integral with the band, or secured thereto by rivets, said
bosses being provided, one or both, with a tapped hole to receive the thrust bolt or
screw bolt b, by the operation of which said adjacent ends of the band may be
thrust or maintained asunder, and the band be thus distended or increased in
diameter. This ring shaped male die B, may be made in the form of sectors, as
shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, the adjacent ends of the respective sections thereof
being thrust asunder by wedge blocks B', or said sections may be fitted at their
respective ends with lugs b', as in said fig., and be thrust asunder by screw bolts b,
such as shown. In practice both the wedge B', and screw b, have been used at one
point with good effects, the one supplementing the other, so that greater force is
obtained than would he possible with but one device, and it will be apparent that
other well-known mechanical devices, such as an eccentric or cam, or rack and
pinion may be used in lieu of either the wedge or screw, or both.
In Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the apparatus is illustrated in a simple, though
practically operative form, the female die, A, consists of a solid ring or hoop of
iron, which may be secured to or supported upon any suitable base or stand C.
This die must be of such proportions as to withstand great outward pressure, and
has, in practice, been made of a width equal to that of the blank or blanks 1, 2, &c.,
from which the rim is made, (see Fig. 2) to afford facility for handling. The
die A, is turned or dressed interiorly to a true circle of any diameter it is desired
to give the rim formed therein.
A liner or "caul" D, is interposed between the male and female dies, its
purpose being to prevent contact of the male die B, with the rim blanks 1, 2, &c.
In practice this caul D has been formed of a strip of wood which is surfaced
with soap, soapstone or some other material to which the glue or cement used in
building up the rims or tellies will not adhere and which acts also as an anti-
friction surfacing, to provide for the sliding of the die band B, upon the
adjacent surface of the caul during the distention of said die band while said
parts are pressed forcibly in contact.
The layers or plys 1, 2, 3, &c., of a multi-ply rim are laid successively within
the female die A, in the order in which they are numbered on the drawing,
a layer or film of cement or glue preferably hot, being applied to those surfaces
of the respective strips or blanks which are to come 10 contact with other
blanks, the caul D, and male die B, being then placed in position within
the innermost blank 3, and said die B, being then distended to press the blanks
or plys of the rim tightly together, the outermost ply being confined by die A,
and thus form a multi-ply hoop conforming exactly in shape and diameter to the
interior surface of the female die A.
To give lateral strength to the felly or band, and counteract the possible
tendency of the wood to split under unequal side pressure, I interpose between
the respective layers or plies, (Fig. 10) or between the outermost ply and the
next inner one (Fig. 11) a thin strip ƒ of silk, cotton, or other fabric, as shown.
I also make the thickness of the outermost ply greater than the depth of the tire
groove as shown.
The outward radial pressure of the male die B, to attain the best results
should be sufficient to press all excess of cement from between the adjacent
surfaces of the adjacent rim blanks leaving but a thin film of cement between
said, blanks,, so that in the finished rim there will be no body or bodies of
cement to be attacked by or subjected to moisture.

page_text: In bending up and cementing the stock to form rims or bands it is important
that the outward pressure exerted by the male die upon the stock to force it
outward forcibly in contact with the die surface of the female die, shall be the
same at all points throughout the entire circumference of the rim, in other
words, that there shall not be at any one point a pressure in excess of that
exerted at all other points, so that said stock throughout its entire circumference
shall be free to adapt itself to the form of the female die. This should.be
specially observed in making up multi-ply rings or bands, as it is of the utmost.
importance that the several plys shall not be confined at any one point, but be
free to adjust themselves individually under the outward pressure of the expanding
male die, thus avoiding any lengthwise tension or compression which would tend to
make the seams between, plys insecure, or the cemented plys, as a whole,
uneven.,For, this reason, among others, the male die formed of a steel band, as, in
Fig. 1, has given the best results, in practice, as the. thrusting of its. ends asunder
expands the die equally and simultaneously throughout its entire circumference,, so
that the outward pressure of said die upon the rim. is applied equally at all parts of
the rim,and, not at one or more points in, excess of others. This leaves, the several
plys free to adjust themselves individually, and with relation to each other, and
admits of tightly: cementing the plys to each other, at all points notwithstanding
light unevenness of one or more of the plys. The wedge B₁ employed with the
band die. B, constitutes, in effect, a part or section of said die, inasmuch as it fills
the gap or interval between the meeting. ends of the die-ring, and renders the,outer
peripheral or working surface of said die continuous or unbroken.
.
In the modified form of female die illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a supplementary
die A', is seated, within the annular, recess, or, shoulder of the die proper, A, the
latter in this instance being, constructed to form, the upper surface of a base or
stand. The purpose of this arrangement. is-to admit of the, coiling, and cementing
of the rim within, a light, portable die. (as .A!) which may be removed, with the
cemented rim, from the die proper A, and put aside to permit the cement to,set,
while the die proper A, is, in use with another supplementary, die A¹ in forming
additional rims. In this. arrangement the die A, may be provided at intervals, with
cavities a, to admit of the insertion, of. one;
e, leg or member of a series of clamps, by
means of which the cemented rim may be clamped..to the supplemental die (Alto
avoid any possibility of the separation of the cemented plies from each other when
released from the pressure of the male die. B.
In the form of apparatus illustrated. in Figs. 5, and 6, the supplemental die, A',, is
separated from the vertical aunular shoulder of the die, A, by a liner, A², sectional
or otherwise, the purpose of this arrangement..being to admit of the use of
supplemental dies A', of different diameter with a single die, proper A.
"
In making wooden, rims, it has been found advantageous, if not necessary, to
heat the wood in order to render it pliable for coiling, and also to avoid suddenly
chilling the hot glue or cement used in making multi-ply rims.
In the practical
manufacture of these rims we. have, applied heat to the wooden, stock, or blanks by
the use of heated. dies A, and. B and, while these dies, may be heated in any, suitable
way prior to the operation, of coiling the blanks, or, stock therein, we prefer to
employ a construction by which the dies, as also the material operated upon, may
be heated in situ while undergoing operation.
י,
.heat
One form of mechanical devices for carrying out this part of the invention is
illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the die proper A, which supports the male and
female dies and stock during the operation. of coiling, is shown as, provided with
hollow walls, a, a,, which enclose an annular. space or chamber a², through which
steam,may be circulated to beat the walls a' a', and thus, impart the necessary.)
to the dies A', and B,, and to the stock undergoing operation. The steam space or
chamber a², is here shown as divided horizontally, to form two passages, the upper
one, being connected with a steam, supply pipe E, and the lower..with, an, exhaust
pipe E, so that a continuous current of live steam may be passed forward and back

page_text: through the steam chamber a³, to maintain the walls a', thereof at the required
temperature.
The die A, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is in two parts, supported at a convenient
height in any suitable manner, as for instance, by the legs A³. One part a³, of said
die is stationary while the other part a', thereof is movable horizontally so that a
cemented rim, and die A', or a die and liner therein may be readily released for
removal upon moving the part a¹, of the die proper A, slightly apart from the
stationary part a³, thereof.
A convenient construction is shown in Fig. 7, the movable part a', being pivoted
to the stationary part a³, at one point a, and the two parts being provided at a
point diametrically opposite the pivot a', with lugs adapted to be clamped together
by a screw bolt, or otherwise. As so constructed, a very slight movement of the
movable part a', will serve to release the die A', and permit of its ready removal
and replacement by another. To avoid flexible joints in the steam supply and
exhaust pipes E and E', connected with the movable part at, of the die A, they
may be nested, as shown in the detail, Fig. 9, and led up through the pivot a, a
hollow supporting leg being preferably located at this point. The steam supply
and exhaust of the fixed member a³, of the die A, may or not be independent of
that of the movable member at, and arranged as will best suit the convenience of
the surroundings.
While the invention herein described is specially applicable to the manufacture
of multi-ply wheel rims for bicycles, sulkies, &c., it will be apparent that single lap
or ply wheel rims, or bands designed for other purposes, may be made in accordance
therewith, whether of single lap, or multi-ply lap formed from a single blank, or a
multi-ply lap formed from a plurality of blanks, as for instance the single or
multi-ply bands for the band wheels of band sawing machines, and the rims of
banjoes, in both of which structures it is desirable that the rims or bands have
great strength to resist inward radial pressure, and that they maintain, peripherally
a true circular contour.
While we have referred herein to the use of steam for heating the female die A,
it will be apparent that any other heating fluid may be used, such as hot water, or
hot air or indeed that said die may be subjected directly to the heating action of a
gas flame or other source of heat.
It will also be understood that while the shaping dies herein before described
have been designed and used with special reference to the shaping therein of blanks
of wood that we do not intend to confine ourselves to this specific use of said dies,
as we contemplate also shaping rings, hoops or rims of paper stock or board, fibre,
or other material therein, if occasion shall demand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim, is:-
1. The method of making wooden rims which consists in coiling a blank or blanks
within a female die, cementing said blank or blanks, and then clamping said blank
or blanks, tightly within said female die, by outward radial pressure exerted by a
male die, substantially as described.
2. The method of making wooden rims which consists in coiling a blank or blanks
within a female die, cementing said blank or blanks, then clamping said blank or
blanks tightly within said female die, while subjected to heat, by outward radial
pressure exerted by a male die, substantially as described.
3. An expansible male die for wood coiling apparatus consisting of an annular
strap divided at one point and a wedge designed for insertion between the ends so
. formed to complete the circular contour of the die and to distend the same
annularly, substantially as described.
4. An apparatus for making rims comprising a female die, within which the rim
blanks are coiled, and a male die adapted to clamp said rim blanks within the
female die without excess of pressure at any point, substantially as described.

page_text: 5. An apparatus for making rims comprising a female die within which the rim
blanks are coiled, a male die adapted to distend said rim blanks without excess of
pressure thereon at any point, and a caul, designed to rest between the blanks and
the male die, substantially as described.
6. An apparatus for making rims comprising a female die within which the rim
blanks are coiled, and a male die adapted to be distended circularly to shape and
clamp the rim blanks within said female die, substantially as described.
7. An apparatus for making wood rims comprising a female die within which the
rim blanks are coiled, a male die adapted to be distended circularly to shape and
clamp blanks within said female die, and devices for distending said male die,
substantially as described.
8. An apparatus for making rims comprising a rigid female die within which the
rim blanks are cciled, and a male die adapted to be distended circularly to shape
and clamp rim blanks within said female die, substantially as described.
9. An apparatus for making rims comprising a sectional die ring adapted to form
a rigid female die of given diameter within which rim blanks are coiled, and a male
die adapted to be distended circularly to shape and clamp rim blanks within said
female die, substantially as described.
10. An apparatus for making rims comprising a female die, a supplemental
female die seated therein and removable therefrom within which rim blanks are
coiled, and a male die adapted to be distended circularly to clamp said rim blanks
within said die, substantially as described.
11. An apparatus for making rims comprising a female die, a supplemental die
seated therein and removable therefrom within which rim blanks are coiled, a male
die adapted to be disiended circularly to clamp said rim blanks within said
supplemental die, and clamps to bind the shaped rim blanks to the supplemental
die, substantially as described.
12. A wood coiling apparatus comprising a circular female die within which
blanks are to be coiled, a male die consisting of a strap of metal adapted to be bent
within the female die, and ineans for thrusting the meeting ends of said male die
asunder to distend the same and clamp stock forcibly within the female die,
substantially as described.
13. A wood coiling apparatus comprising a circular female die, a male die
consisting of a strap of metal adapted to be bent within the female die, means for
thrusting the meeting ends of said male die forcibly asunder, and an anti-friction
caul interposed between the inale and female dies, substantially as described.
14. A wood coiling apparatus comprising a female die, a male die consisting of a
strap of metal adapted to be bent within the female die, and a wedge for thrusting
the meeting ends of said male die forcibly asunder to distend the same within the
female die, substantially as described.
15. A wood coiling apparatus comprising a female die, a male die consisting of a
strap of metal adapted to be bent within the female die, and a wedge and screw for
thrusting the meeting ends of the male die forcibly asunder to distend the same
within the female die, substantially as described.
16. A female die for a wood coiling apparatus, consisting of pivoted sections
constructed to jointly form an annular shoulder which constitutes a die surface, and
provided with steam passages whereby the die surface may be heated, substantially
as described.
17. A female die for a wood coiling apparatus consisting of hollow sections
pivoted one to another and constructed to jointly form an aunular shoulder, which
constitutes a die surface, the walls of one of said hollow body having steam supply
and exhaust passages, substantially as described.
18. A band or felly comprising a plurality of concentric layers or plies cemented
together, a strip or ribbon of fabric being interposed between the outermost and
next adjacent ply to afford lateral strength, substantially as described.
19. A band or felly comprising a plurality of layers or plies cemented together,

page_text: a strip or ribbon of fabric being interposed between the respective plies to afford
lateral strength, substantially as described.
20. A felly comprising a plurality of layers or plies cemented together the
outermost ply being of greater thickness than the tire groove of the felly, and
having a strip or ribbon of fabric interposed between it and the next inner ply to
afford lateral strength, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of January 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents."