Improvements in Wheel Hubs and Bearings for Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel Hubs and Bearings for Cycles.
We, LANCE DELABERE of Burbage Hall, Hinckley, in the County of
Leicester, Gentleman, and REUBEN WHITE of Castle Street, Hinckley,
aforesaid county, Cycle Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:--
Our invention relates to wheel hubs and bearings for cycles and other like
road vehicles, and has for its object a wheel hub and bearing more simple in.
its construction than hitherto, cheaper in its manufacture, and in which
extreme lightness has been considered and obtained with the required maximum
of strength.
Our improved wheel hub and bearing is in some cases practically without a
spindle, a thin rod or pin being substituted therefor and, further, the ball bearings
within the hub or bearing proper are more easily adjusted or set up than before,
and the general construction and arrangement is such as to constitute practically a
dust-proof bearing.
In carrying out our invention in connection with a wheel hub or wheel centre
of a cycle, and assuming the same to be the chain wheel hub, we proceed as
follows:-
We construct the body of the hub or bearing from a short length of steel tube
of a suitable diameter and length and attach or affix on to the same, by brazing
or other suitable means, the chain wheel over which the chain runs when driving;
the spokes of the wheel being also suitably connected to the tubular body.
Rigidly fitted within each of the open ends of the tubular body of the hub or
bearing, as aforesaid, is a cup or ball race of hardened steel. within which the
anti-friction balls are located. The cups or ball races, as aforesaid, are centrally
pierced to accomodate a long central adjustment pin or rod adapted to carry on
both its ends bearing cones or ball races, one of the same being mounted on to a
plain part of the centre pin, and the other connected thereto by screwing.
These said bearing cones or adjustable ball races have concentric recesses
formed on their inside faces into which the ends of the tubular body, as aforesaid,
take, and are provided on their outer faces with outwardly directed bushes or
sleeves adapted to receive the free members of the cycle framing, or to pass into
the gaps of the forked extensions thereof, and thus constitute the means of
connecting the wheel to the cycle framing.
Between the cups or ball races and the curved inner parts of the bearing cones
anti-friction balls are disposed and work, the adjustment of the same being effected
without removing any part of the bearing. To effect this adjustment one of the
cones is practically fixed or nou-adjustable whilst the other, which is connected
to the centre pin by a worm or screw, is made to travel backwards and forwards
by the turning of the said centre pin, which adjusts both sides of the bearing
simultaneously and, when the adjustment has taken place, the cones are locked on
to the centre pin or rod by lock-nuts. Thus, by this arrangement of the cones, it
is only necessary when adjusting the bearing to slacken the lock-nuts, then
rotate the centre pin through its head by a spanner, when the cones are brought
nearer to each other or taken away from each other, as may be desired, and,

page_text: when finally adjusted, it is only necessary to set up the lock-nuts to seal the
adjustment.
My invention can be applied in a like manner to the front wheel hub or centre
of a cycle, and also to the bottom bracket and its axis, without departing from the
essential points set forth in the fully described arrangement.
Dated this 24th day of March 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicants.
шепиз
Bearings
стен.
We, LANCE DELA BERE of Burbage Hall, Hinckley, in the County of
Leicester, Gentleman, and REUBEN WHITE of Castle Street, Hinckley, aforesaid
county, Cycle Maker, 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 wheel hubs or centres and their bearings for cycles and
other like road vehicles, and has for its primary object constructing the same in such
a manner that the adjustment of the said bearings or anti-frictionally mounted
wheel centres can be more easily and accurately effected than. hitherto whilst,
secondarily, the general construction is such as to combine extreme lightness with
simplicity of manufacture.
In bearings or wheel centres as usually constructed the cones have been made
the moving medium for adjustment, the same having flats upon them and being
rotated with a spanner and caused to travel upon the screwed centre pin or
spindle. The dispositions of these cones are inwards of the framing, consequently,
there is great difficulty in getting at them to adjust and, even after an adjustment
has been effected, in locking or sealing the same by the screwing home of nuts,
the said adjustment is frequently rendered.a bad one by being.either slackened or
set up too tight.
Now this invention overcomes the difficulties mentioned, the adjustment of the
bearing being effected outside of the framing members, and by means of the
rotation of the centre pin or spindle passing.axially.through the hub.
The cones are carried upon the said pin or spindle but do not.rotate when an
adjustment is being effected, the same being adapted to carry and receive the
forked or other extensions of the cycle framing and be held by them so as to allow
of a traversing but non-rotating movement.
The said cones have differentially screwed holes axially through them and take
upon like screwed parts of the centre pin or spindle, the rotation of which
traverses them back and forth; or one cone is made rigid or solid with the centre
pin, and one only made to traverse but, in either case, the same are fitted with a
locking nut or its equivalent to connect them rigidly to the spindle after having
been-adjusted.
To practically illustrate the invention a sheet of drawings is annexed herewith
showing the same applied to the back wheel hub of a cycle.
Fig. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section.; Fig..2 represents a side elevation of
Fig. 1 and clearly shows how the bearing cones carry.the forked or other extensions
of the cycle framing, and how the latter prevent their rotation.;. a separate view of
one of the said cones being shown at Fig. 3. In this arrangement, Figs. 1-3, both
cones traverse upon the centre pin or spindle, the latter being right. and left hand
screw threaded for the purpose, but in Figs. 4 and 5 one of the cones is made.fast

page_text: with the centre pin or spindle. Fig. 4 representing the said .cone locked upon a
screwed part, and Fig. 5 stamped solid or in one piece.
The same letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures of the sheet of drawings.
In Figs. 1-3 the hub or barrel of the bearing is made from a.steel tube a, and
has made fast with it an axially directed inner tube b, and steel cups, which latter
seat themselves against concentric depressions bas stops, and constitute races for
the anti-friction balls c. A chain wheel d is fixedly connected to the one end a* of
the barrel or hub a, and externally screwed parts a, a, are provided for the
connection of dust-proof caps e, e, which effectively cover up the cones. Through
the tubular body a holes are drilled for the attachment of the spokes, and
longitudinally and centrally through the inside tube b, and the ball cups ³, is a
centre pin or spindle, having right and left hand "screw threaded parts a
facetted head, and a lock nut f, and upon these screwed parts the bearing-
cones g, g, are carried, the one being cut with a right hand screw and the other a
left to suit the particular part of the spindle upon which they work. The said cones.
bave outwardly directed extensions 9,9, a portion g of which is facetted, or has
flats formed thereon, to receive the forked extensions m of the cycle framing, and a
screwed part g is also cut on each of them, upon which screw nuts g' work, their
function being to clamp the said framing parts to the cones.
Thus the cones g. 9, which are prevented from rotating by the framing members m,.
through the flats 9, are mounted upon differentially screwed parts of a turning or
rotatable centre pin or spindle f, having a facetted head f, and a lock nut, for
effecting the adjustment and sealing of the same; the rotation of which said centre
pin traverses inwards or outwards simultaneously the said cones, the direction of
their movement depending upon the direction of rotation. The inner face of the
head stands clear of the end of the serewed part g, of the cone extension, g³,
leaving a space or clearance f between them to allow of the back traverse of the
cone g, and also of the rotation of the spindle f.
To effect an adjustment it is only necessary to loosen the nut, turn the spindle
by its facetted head, which causes the cones g, g³, to traverse and set up the balls
between their rolling surfaces and those of the cups. When this has been accom-
plished to the degree required the screwing home of the nut locks the spindle
to the cones and prevents its rotation, the said cones being held non-rotating by
the framing members.
In Figs. 4 and 5, which differ only in construction, the same adjustment action is.
retained, but the cone g' in both cases is made rigid with the spindle f, and is free-
to be turned or rotated within its particular framing member m', the facets on the
part 9 being dispensed with.
The cone is held from rotating by the framing member m, and traverses.
inwards and outwards upon and by the centre piu in the same manner as in the
arrangement of Fig. 1, but the locking out is dispensed with; the nut g', which
clamps the cone y' to the framing after adjustment, taking its place.
The invention can be applied in like manner to the front wheel hub or centre of
a cycle, and also to the bubs of similar wheels anti-frictionally mounted in like.
manner as described in connection with the rear wheel of a cycle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. The combination with the hub body part of a wheel centre, and the-
wheel connection extensions of a cycle or other framing, of non-rotating but.
traversing bearing cones, and a rotatable adjusting spindle or centre pin to carry
and operate them, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Second. The combination of a differentially screw threaded and rotatable centre
pin or spindle with its locking means, non-rotating but traversing cones g, g
framing extensions m, ball races 6, and hub body a, as set forth in Figs 1-3.

page_text: Third. The combination of a screw threaded and rotatable centre pin f and its
locking means, non-rotating but traversing cone g, framing extensions m, m2, ball
races, and hub body a, as set forth in Figs. 4 and 5.
Fourth. The general arrangement, construction, and fitting of the various parts as
set forth in Figs. 1-6.
Dated this 24th day of December 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicants.