Improvements relating to Cycle and like Vehicle Wheels.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Cycle and like Vehicle Wheels.
We EDWARD HURST, and ARTHUR JOHN EDWARD JONES, of Rear 31, Buck
Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements relating to cycle and like vehicle
wheels, our object being to produce a simple and convenient machine for the
building or construction of such wheels whereby the rim and hub shall be
securely held in their true relative positions, whilst the whole of the spokes are
expeditiously fixed by the machine with a uniformity of tension.
We construct a machine in one convenient manner in accordance with our
invention, with the wheel retaining part arranged at right angles to the spoke
fixing spindle and its connections, but mount both parts upon the one support-
ing table or standard. The wheel retaining part consists of a pair of clamping
discs or rings, each having a central boss connected by arms with the peripheries,
such peripheries being arranged to receive jaw pieces having apertures of varying
width to meet varying wheel rims. The rings are mounted upon separate trun-
nions having sufficient space between their adjacent ends to admit the hub of
the wheel. At the extremities of each trunnion we fit a screwed or adjustable
centre piece which is shaped to fit within the ball race of the wheel hub. The
rings are connected together at their peripheries, after the wheel has been placed
in position, by dowel bolts or by other convenient and ordinary fastenings.
When thus connected together the rings have the appearance of a hollow wheel
or pulley with the cycle or like wheel between them, the outer or rim ends of
the spokes being in position but not fixed to their wheel rim.
The spoke fixing spindle which is mounted upon suitable bearings at right
angles with the trunnions supporting the wheel, is in two parts, arranged in line
with each other and connected by a spring clutch, consisting preferably of a
drum mounted upon the rear part or end of the spindle, such part being con-
tinuously driven during the working of the machine by a belt or other power
transmitter and connected by spring arms with a cam like disc secured to the
front part or end of the spindle. The forward extremity of such part of the
spindle is fitted with a turn screw or other suitable tool or appliance for engaging
the screw sockets by which the outer ends of the spokes are secured to their
wheel rim. The complete spindle is moved in a longitudinal direction and thus
caused to advance upon and engage with the screw sockets or to recede from the
same, by means of a handle lever pivoted upon the bed or framing of the machine
and connected in any suitable manner with the spindle.
The cycle wheel mounted within the clamping discs or rings is intermittently
rotated upon the trunnions to bring each spoke end in its turn in line with the
tightening spindle. On the engagement of the turn screw or like tool with the
screw socket, the latter is rotated by the spindle until its resistance, due to
the tightening of the spoke, exceeds the resistance of the clutch spring arms

page_text: herein before described; the fore part of the spindle is thus brought to rest, and
the operator by means of the lever, withdraws the complete spindle. The wheel
is then rotated until the next socket is brought into line with the turn screw,
and the tightening operation is then repeated.
By the use of our machine we are enabled to readily and expeditiously secure
the spokes with a uniform and known tension and to fix the hub and the wheel
in their true relative positions.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
& 13, Temple Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to Cycle and like Vehicle Wheels.
We EDWARD HURST, and ARTHUR JOHN EDWARD JONES, of Rear 31, Buck
Street, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention consists of improvements relating to cycle and like vehicle
wheels, our object being to produce a simple and convenient machine for the
building or construction of such wheels whereby the rim and hub shall be
securely held in their true relative positions whilst the whole of the spokes are
expeditiously fixed by the machine with a uniformity of tension.
In the three accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to.-
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 an end elevation (with part in
section) representing our improved wheel building machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation, to a larger scale, of the spoke fixing spindle
with its bearings and connections, whilst Figure 4 is an end elevation and
Figure 5 a sectional side elevation to a still larger scale showing one form of
the spring connection between the forward and rear parts of the spindle.
Figure 6 is an end elevation and Figure 7 a sectional side elevation showing a
modified form of spring clutch for the spoke fixing spindle.
Figures 8 to 13 inclusive illustrate three forms of spoke tightening tools for
attachment to the forward end of the spindle, whilst Figure 14 represents one
of the screw sockets by which the outer ends of the spokes are secured to the
wheel rim.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate similar parts.
In the construction of a wheel building machine in accordance with our in-
vention, we arrange the wheel holder or wheel retaining part at right angles
to the spoke fixing spindle and its connections. The wheel retaining part con-
sists of a pair of clamping discs or rings as A A¹ each having a central boss
connected by arms with the peripheries, such peripheries being arranged to
receive jaw pieces as B B suitable for the reception between them of the rim of
the wheel to be built up. The rings A A¹ are mounted upon separate trun-
nions C C and have sufficient space between their adjacent ends to admit the
hub D of the wheel to be built up. At the extremities of each trunnion we fit
a screwed or adjustable centre piece as E which is shaped to fit within the ball
races of the wheel hub. The centre E of the trunnion C is fitted as illustrated
after the manner of the poppet head of a lathe. The ring A¹ and its gudgeon C¹

page_text: can be caused to slide endwise in the supporting bearings cc, but the two
rings A and A' are connected together at their peripheries, after the wheel has
been placed in position, by dowel bolts For by other convenient and ordinary
fastenings. When thus connected together the rings have the appearance of a
hollow wheel or pulley with the cycle or like wheel between them the outer or
rim ends of the spokes as G being in position but not fixed to their wheel rim H.
The spoke fixing spindle which is mounted upon suitable bearings at right
angles with the trunnions supporting the wheel, is in two parts J and J¹, arranged
in line with each other and connected by a spring clutch K, consisting preferably
of a drum mounted upon the rear part or end J of the spindle, such part being
continuously driven during the working of the machine, (the driving being
effected in one manner by a power transmitting belt working over the pulley L),
and connected by spring arms K¹ and K2 with a cam like disc M. secured to the
front part or end J of the spindle. The forward extremity of such part of the
spindle is arranged to be fitted with a drill for drilling the apertures in the rim
for the spokes and also with a turn-screw or other suitable tool or appliance as N
for engaging the screw sockets G by which the outer ends of the spokes are
secured to their wheel rim. The complete spindle is moved in a longitudinal
direction and thus caused to advance upon and engage with the screw sockets
or to recede from the same, by means of a hand lever O pivotted upon the bed
or framing of the machine and connected with the spindle by the rod O' and
lever . The tightening tool N is kept in engagement with the spoke sockets
as G by the spring N¹, but at the conclusion of the tightening operation the
tool is withdrawn, against the action of the spring N¹, by the withdrawal of
the spindle on the movement of the hand lever O. The ball bearing sleeve j
for the front part J of the spindle rotates with the spindle, but the latter slides
independently on the operation of the lever O.
When using the spoke fixing spindle for the drilling of the spoke holes in
the wheel rim we sometimes rigidly connect the two parts of the spindle together
by a suitable screw set pin passing through the disc M and into the clutch K.
The cycle wheel mounted within the clamping discs or rings A A¹ is inter-
mittently rotated upon the trunnions to bring the required parts of the rim in
turn in line with the tool operating spindle, by the action of the helical cam
disc P which is rotated by the lever 1, on the gapped wheel P2 secured to the
trunnion C. On the engagement of the turn screw or like tool N with the screw
socket G', the latter is rotated by the spindle until its resistance due to the tightening
of the spoke, exceeds the resistance of the clutch spring arms K¹ K2 hercin-
before described; the fore part J of the spindle is thus brought to rest, and the
operator by means of the lever O withdraws the complete spindle and with it
the tool N. The wheel is then rotated until the next socket is brought into line
with the turn-screw, when the tightening operation is repeated. The spring
armis K¹ K² are each fitted with a roller k, at the free end, whilst by the additional
springs at the back of the arms K1 K2, and the screws 3, the resistance
of the said arms K' Kª can be adjusted.
The complete spindle formed by the parts J J¹ is carried in a framing Q which
is itself supported in bearings on the standard R. The hand wheel Q₁ is keyed
on the outer extremity of the framing Q. The driving pulley L is secured to
a sleeve L¹ which has a bevel pinion or toothed wheel L² formed at its opposite
end for engagement with the wheel L³ secured with the end J₁ of the spindle.
By a rotating movement of the hand wheel Q₁ the framing Q secured with it is
also rotated, and thus the inclination of the spindle carried by the framing can
be readily adjusted to suit the inclination of the wheel spokes G. The framing
is retained in any desired position by the engagement of the lever stop S with
notches in the hand wheel Q³.
In the modified form of clutch shown at Figures 6 and 7 we employ a single
spring arm or carrier T secured at its inner end to the boss on the part J of

page_text: the spoke tightening spindle and abutting at its opposite end against a roller
fixed on the body of the clutch secured to the part J of the spindle.
The spoke tightening tool at Figures 8 and 9 is provided with internal fang
like projections as to grip upon the rim of the socket G', whilst the tool shown
at Figures 10 and 11 is slotted to enable it to obtain a spring like grip upon
the socket. The tool shown at Figures 12 and 13 is provided with a reamer like
end to engage the circular aperture 2 of the socket.
By the use of our machine we are enabled to readily and expeditiously secure
the spokes with a uniform and known tension and to fix the hub and the wheel
in their true relative positions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
-
1. In cycle and like wheel building machines, the combination with a wheel
holder of a spoke fixing apparatus substantially as described and as illustrated.
2. In cycle and like wheel building machines the combination comprising
the wheel holding discs or rings such as A A¹ fitted with jaw pieces as B B¹ and
mounted upon shafts or trunnions CC, the two rings being connected by bolts
and together moved by the intermittent rotating gear, substantially as described
and as illustrated.
3. In cycle and like wheel building machines, the combination with a spoke
fixing tool operating spindle formed by the two parts J J connected by a spring
clutch of the withdrawing lever O rod O and lever 02 and of the spring N¹, substan-
tially as described and as illustrated.
4. The combination with the two part spoke fixing tool operating spindle of a
cycle and like wheel building machine, of a connecting clutch comprised by a
drum secured upon the inner end of one spindle part and a cam like disc secured
upon the adjacent end of the other part, the drum and disc being connected by
spring arms K K carrying rollers at the free ends and provided with adjust-
ment springs, substantially as described and as illustrated.
5. In cycle and, like wheel building machines, the combination comprising
the two part spoke fixing tool operating spindle supported in a framing Qrota-
table within the bearings of a standard R and arranged with spindle operating
gear, substantially as described and as illustrated.
6. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming the improved
cycle and like wheel building machine, substantially as described and as illus
trated.
Dated this 1st day of July 1898.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
& 13, Temple Street, Birmingham,
Agents for the Applicants.