IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Humber, Thomas Rushforth
Marriott, and Fredorick Cooper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 4th September 1880.
THOMAS HUMBER, THOMAS RUSHFORTH MARRIOTT, and FREDERICK COOPER, all
of Beeston, in the County of Nottingham, Bicycle Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES."
Our Invention consists of improvements in the construction of cellular wheel
rims for bicycles and other vehicles, and in attaching the spokes to such rims.
Cellular rims are usually constructed of one or two plates of thin metal, put
together or formed into a single cell and of various sectional forms. This mode of
construction may be described as the "single cell " principle.
Such rims although stronger and more rigid than ordinary rims as long as they
keep their shape, yet when they are subjected to sudden strains the shape of the
cellular rim may become altered and distorted from its original sectional form, such
alteration or distortion causing weakness; and moreover, one of the plates, or a
portion of the plate, may also in consequence of such distortion split or break away,
or become sheared from the other portion, the source of weakness and want of
rigidity being in consequence of and arising from the possibility of change of shape
of the single cell construction.
In addition to the foregoing remarks it may also be mentioned that by the usual
mode of attaching the spokes to the "single cell" rim the tension of the spoke is
exerted in a manner which tends to cause rupture or breaking apart of the plate or
plates forming the single cell rim.
Now our said improvements consist, first, in so constructing and arranging the
several parts that the change of sectional form and shape is prevented, and thereby
the strength and rigidity is greatly increased; and, secondly, in attaching the
spokes to the rims in such a manner that such attachment also adds to the strength
of the rim by forcibly drawing the plates together, and thus imparting an
additional security against bending or rupture of the rim.
We carry out the first part of our Invention by forming our cellular rims of
three plates of metal, two of such plates forming what we may term the shell of
the rim, and the third plate being suitably formed in various symmetrical ways,
Pone 71

page_text: so as to abut against and suitably support the two outside plates of the rim. The
two outer plates are placed together, and the edges of one of such plates overlaps
the other of such plates, while the third plate is so confined between the two that
it acts as a strut and stay to prevent change of form, and thereby prevent any
alteration of sectional form of such rim when subjected to the strains which arise
in the ordinary working of bicycles.
It will thus be seen that we increase the number of cells, and by our multiple
cell system the rigidity and strength of the rim is greatly increased.
We carry out the second part of our Invention by attaching the spokes to that
part of the shell of the rim which is farthest from the axle (the spokes passing
through holes in the two other plates), and thereby causing the powerful tensional
strain of the spokes to act centripetally upon the rim. By this mode of construction
the ordinary tensional force of the spokes is utilised in forcibly holding the several
plates of the rim together, and thereby rendering the separation of the plates
forming the rim an impossibility.
The outer ends of the spokes may have rivet heads formed upon them, and such
rivet heads rest in countersunk holes in the plates farthest from the axle, so as
to form an even, smooth, and regular groove for the india rubber tire of bicycle
wheels.
.
-=In-applying-our-said improvements_to_wheels of other vehicles we either provide
for an india rubber or other clastic tire or not, as may be required, and-suitably
arrange the form according to such requirements and the weight and character of
the vehicles to which our improved-wheels-may-be-applied.