AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR ALL KINDS OF CARRIAGES IN WHICH SPRINGS ARE COMMONLY USED
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BRIDGES ADAMS, of Long Acre, in the Parish of Saint Martin in the Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Coachmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Thirteenth day of March, in the fifth year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Bridges Adams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial
licence and authority that I, the said William Bridges Adams, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Bridges
Adams, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term of fourteen years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR
ALL KINDS OF CARRIAGES IN WHICH SPRINGS ARE COMMONLY USED;" in which said
Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said William
Bridges Adams, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, parti-
cularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Bridges Adams, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention is described and ascertained in manner following, that is to say:-
My Improved Construction of Wheels for all Kind of Carriages in which
Springs are commonly used, consists in employing metallic springs of par-
ticular kinds, and by modes herein-after described, as substitutes for the
ordinary spokes, radii, or arms of such wheels, in order that all the connection
between the circular rim and the central axle box of each wheel may be
formed solely by the said springs, which by their elasticity will sustain the
weight of the axle box and axle, as well as all other weight which is carried
upon the axle, and by the pliancy of such springs they will yield to that
weight, or to any otther adequate force which urges the central axle box to
depart slightly from the exact centre of the circular rim of the wheel; but the
said springs will act with a strong tendency to restore the axle box instantly
and exactly to that centre on cessation of the force which caused such depar-
ture therefrom, wherefore whenever the circular rim of such a wheel jumps, or
is suddenly raised up, by rolling over obstacles and irregularities on the
surface of the road, only a portion of such uprising of the circular rim will be
transmitted to the axle box and axle; and in like manner whenever the
circular rim of the wheel drops or descends suddenly in passing over hollows
or cavities in the surface of the road, the said springs, by their tendency to
restore the axle box and axle to the exact centre of the circular rim, will
sustain the axle from descending so far or so suddenly as the same would do
if the central axle box were confined as usual by unyielding spokes to be
always in the exact centre of the circular rim of the wheel. And further, the
said springs which are to be substituted for unyielding spokes being pliable in
all directions, will yield to any adequate force, so as to permit the central axle
box to depart slightly from the exact centre of the circular rim of the wheel
in a horizontal direction backwards or forwards in respect to the advancing
motion of the carriage, as well as upwards or downwards, or else to depart
slightly from the centre in any oblique direction of upwards and downwards,
combined with backwards and forwards, wherefore whenever the rolling pro-
gress of the circular rims of such wheels along the road is retarded or lags
for an instant by the obstruction of any obstacles over which they must
mount, the yielding of the said springs will allow the central axle, and all
parts of the carriage which are sustained thereby, to advance forwards in their

page_text: proper intended course with less retardation or lagging than the circular rims
of the wheels are subjected to; and in like manner after the circular rims of
the wheels have mounted over any obstacles, and make a sudden advance or
jump forwards in descending therefrom, the yielding of the springs will permit
the carriage to preserve a more uniform progress without jumping forwards so
much or so suddenly as the circular rims of the wheels do. And again, the
said springs, by their pliability, will permit the circular rim of the wheel to
depart slightly from its perpendicularity or squareness to the length of the
central line of the axle box and axle, whenever the wheel is urged by any
adequate lateral force to go sideways on the road, or crossways to its proper
advancing progress; but the said springs will act with a strong tendency to
restore the circular rim instantly and exactly to its proper perpendicularity or
squareness to the central line of its axle on the cessation of such lateral force,
wherefore whenever sudden inequalities or turnings of the road subject the
carriage to sway aside laterally with a tendency to lunge sideways, and pro-
duce what is termed end play on the axles, the springs of the wheels, by
yielding laterally, and allowing the circular rims to depart from their square-
ness to their axles, will abate and diminish such tendency, and ease the lateral
shocks which otherwise would be given thereby to the axle, and to all parts of
the carriage which are borne by the axle. And hence, in consequence of the
aforesaid action of the springs which are so substituted for unyielding spokes,
the sudden shocks and concussions which the wheels of carriages must of
necessity endure in travelling rapidly over rough roads, whether such shocks
operate upwards or downwards, backwards or forwards, or sideways, they will
only be operative with their full intensity and violence upon the circular rims
of such wheels; but all shocks and concussions to which the circular rims are
thus subjected will be transmitted with a diminished intensity and without
violence to the central axle boxes and axles of the wheels, as well as to all
other parts of the carriage which are supported by these axles. And
whereas several persons have heretofore proposed to apply elastic or springy
spokes to the wheels of carriages for the purposes aforesaid, and although no
such wheels have been brought to bear in practice for want of any knowledge
of an efficient construction for the same, I wish to be understood that I do not
claim the Invention of applying springs in wheels, except when the application
thereof is made according to my improved construction, in manner following;
that is to say, I make the circular rim of the wheel of sufficient strength
and firmness to enable it to maintain its circular form by its own rigidity.
without dependance upon the springs which are to be applied within it as sub-
stitutes for spokes, and which rigidity may be attained by means of an interior

page_text: hoop of iron applied within the usual circle of wooden felloes, in addition to
the usual external hoop of iron or tire which encompasses the wooden felloes,
and forms the external circumference of the wheel which is to roll on the
ground, all the three rings being securely united together by suitable rivetted
pins. And to form the springs for my improved construction, I take four
broad strips of thin steel plate rather longer than the outside diameter of the
wheel, and each plate being bended into a circular hoop with its two ends
overlapping, and united either by welding, soldering, brazing bolts, or small
rivets, they will form four circular springs or hoops, which will have a tendency
to preserve their circular figure by the elasticity of the steel, but will yield
slightly to a suitable force of compression applied in the direction across a
diameter of their circular form, so as to press the two opposite sides of the
circle nearer towards each other, or the same circular hoop springs will yield
slightly to a suitable force of extension applied in the same direction to draw
the two opposite sides of the circle further apart from each other; but in
either case, when left to themselves, the said springs will resume their original
circular figure; and I apply the said four circular or hoop springs within the
circular rim of the wheel in the plane thereof, or nearly so, in order to occupy
and fill up its interior circular area, disposing them at equal distances apart
from each other around the rim, but without touching each other; and I fix
them firmly therein, so as to form the only connection between the interior
of the said rim and the central axle box of the wheel, which latter
must be formed with four suitable projections from it to affix the four
circular hoop springs very securely and firmly by suitable screw bolts to the
said central axle box at four opposite sides thereof, and four suitable
projections or blockings must likewise be fixed in the interior of the circular
rim at four equidistant parts of the circumference, in order to connect the
four circular hoop springs to the rim by suitable screw bolts. Wherefore
each of the four circular hoop springs will become very firmly fixed to
the central axle box, and also to the circular rim of the wheel at four
equidistant parts of the circumference thereof, and at two opposite parts of the
eircumference of each circular hoop spring, those two parts being diametrically
across the circle of each spring, the parts being put together in such manner
that the said springs when left to themselves and unconstrained will all four
concur in retaining the central axle box truly in the centre of the circular rim
of the wheel, and also with the length of the central line of that axle box
truly square or at right angles to the plane of the circular rim, so that the said
four circular hoop springs will answer all the purposes of the spokes or radii
of ordinary carriage wheels; but nevertheless the said four springs will all

page_text: yield simultaneously to the pressure occasioned by the weight which they
sustain, as well as to all jolts and concussions to which the circular rim will
be subject in rolling over an uneven road, so as to allow the axle box to
depart so much from the centre of the circular rim or from its squareness to
the plane of that rim as is requisite to diminish the extent and ease the
abruptness of the jolts and concussions which but for the application of such
springs would be transmitted to the central axle box and axle. And I
make the hollow axle box of my said improved construction of wheels with a
cylindrical oil chamber surrounding or enveloping the middle part of the
length of the box, so as to carry a considerable quantity of oil at the outside
thereof, with small holes or narrow clefts perforated through the thickness of
the metal of the box for introducing the oil from the said enveloping oil
chamber into the interior of the box, where the axle arm fits into the same, so
as to supply oil to the rubbing surfaces, and the revolving motion of the said
oil chamber will continually raise up the oil therein so as to pour the same
over the said holes or clefts, and keep the rubbing surfaces always well oiled.
When wheels of my improved construction are required to carry a considerable
weight, each of the aforesaid circular hoop springs which are to be substituted
for spokes in such wheels may be fortified by multiplying the thicknesses of
the springy steel plates whereof each such hoop is formed, so as to give
the hoop a requisite degree of strength. This may be done by making each
hoop spring of two thin strips or thicknesses of steel plate, forming two
concentric hoops, one within the other, their adjacent surfaces being in close
contact in order to support each other, in which case the hoop spring will
consist of two thicknesses all round, and additional thicknesses of springy steel
plate may be applied around particular portions of each hoop where strength
will be most useful; for instance, each hoop may be formed out of a strip of
steel plate, which is considerably longer than is requisite to form the circular
hoop, and therefore the two extremities of the said long strips will overlap
each other considerably, and the overlap inay extend around one third or one
half or more of the circle of the hoop, so as to double such portion of each
hoop spring, and the part which is thus composed of two thicknesses may be
firmly fastened by screws or bolts to the central axle box or nave of the
wheel, with the two overlapping ends extending equally far each way around
the hoop from the said fastening, which must bind both thicknesses together
at the place of attachment without confining the extreme ends. Or, instead
of thus making the two ends of the hoop to overlap each other, extra steel
plates bended to segments of the circle may be applied to fortify each
hoop spring, such segment plates being disposed either withinside of the hoep,

page_text: or at the outside thereof, or both outside and inside thereof, so as to extend
around a portion of the hoop, in order to give double or treble thickness to
that portion, and which portion may be fastened to the central axle box or
nave of the wheel by screws or bolts binding all the thicknesses together, but
leaving the extreme ends unconfined, or the additional thickness which is given
to the hoop springs either by the aforesaid overlapping of their extremities,
or by the application of extra plates as aforesaid, may be at the part which
is fastened to the circular rim of the wheel, and other additional plates may in
that case be applied to multiply the thickness of the portion which is fastened
to the central nave of the wheel. Or, instead of making each hoop spring out
of one long strip of steel plate, bended into a circle as aforesaid, two shorter
strips may be used, each one forming a semicircle, and prolonged as much
beyond a semicircle as is requisite for overlapping in order to unite the two
semicircles into one circular hoop by rivet pins put through the overlapping
ends, and those overlapped rivetted parts being fastened to the central nave
and to the circular rim, the fastening screws or bolts will assist the rivets in
holding the overlapping parts firmly together. And the said overlapping ends,
which are prolonged beyond the semicircular, as aforesaid, may extend around
the hoop considerably beyond the rivetted and fastening part, each extreme
end being unconfined in order to give double thicknesses of springy plate to a
suitable portion of the hoop, which portion may either be that which is
fastened to the central axle box of the wheel, or that which is fastened to the
rim of the wheel, or if the two ends of each portion of each hoop spring is so
overlapped as to give doubled thicknesses to two plates at opposite sides of each
hoop, then there may be such doubled thicknesses at the circular rim of the
wheel as well as at the central nave thereof. The strips of steel plate for
each of the circular hoop springs may be wider at that part of the hoop which
is to be fastened to the central nave than at the part which is to be fastened
to the rim of the wheel, or the thickness of the steel plate may be greater at
the part which is to be fastened to the central nave, and tapered away thinner
at the other part which is to be fastened to the rim. Or the steel may be
tapered in thickness as well as in width, in order by leaving more substance of
steel in those parts of the boops which are fastened to the central nave to give
greater lateral strength to the wheel to resist shocks, which tend to agitate the
carriage sideways. The strips of steel plate which are to form the circular
hoop springs for my improved wheel may be bended into a circular or semi-
circular form by hammering, and the overlapping ends fitted to each other,
and holes made for the bolts and rivets either before or after being hardened,
and tempered in the same degree as is usual for the plates of ordinary coach

page_text: springs. And wheels of my said improved construction may be made with
only three circular hoop springs in each wheel instead of four, or else with five,
six, or more such hoops of a suitable size and figure, so that they may all be
arranged around within the circular rim of the wheel to form the connection
between that rim and the central nave without touching each other. And note,
although I have termed the said hoop springs circular, it is not necessary that
they should be bended to an exact circular form, but the same may be bended
into elliptical or oval shapes, if preferred, for the extremities of each hoop
spring being united together to form a complete hoop, which, as before
explained, though pliable and yielding will resist the compression, as well as
extension of its diameter by its elasticity, the operation of such hoop springs
in my improved construction of wheels will be the same whether the said
hoop springs are truly circular or of an oval form, approaching towards a
circular figure; and the said circular hoop springs, which are substituted for
spokes in wheels of my said improved construction, may be all arranged and
fixed in the same plane with each other, and also with the circular rim of the
wheel, in order to form a flat wheel, or else the said hoop springs may be so
fixed to the circular rim and to the central nave as to give a dishing form to
the wheel, that is to say, those parts of the central nave, around which all the
several hoop springs are fixed, being nearer the carriage than the plane of the
rim, each of the hoop springs will stand in a different plane from all the other
hoop springs, as well as from the plane of the rim.
And for the more complete explanation of the manner of carrying my said
Invention into effect, I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings wherein
wheels of my said improved construction are exhibited, as well as their mode
of application to particular carriages, for which they are well adopted.
a is
Sheet 1, Figure 1, represents a hoop spring wheel of my improved
construction suitable for light carriages, such as are usually mounted on
two wheels. Figure 2 is a cross section of the same wheel. The same
letters of reference are attached in each Figure to the same parts.
the exterior tire of iron to run upon the road. b, b, is the circle of
wood forming the felloe, which may either be composed of several seg-
ments jointed and dowelled, on the common plan of making the wood
rims of carriage wheels, or it may be one piece of wood bended into a
circular form, as is sometimes done for carriage wheels. c is the interior
circle or hoop of rolled iron or steel, with the ends firmly welded together, and
the wood felloe b, b, is fitted very truly and closely around the outer circum-
ference of c, and then the external tire a, being formed of rolled iron with the

page_text: ends firmly welded into a truly circular hoop of a proper size, is applied while
hot around the wood, and shrunk on so as to bind the wood very tight by the
contraction of the iron tire in cooling, which mode, being the usual practice
for applying tires around coach wheels, requires no further explanation. The
circular rim, so formed of two iron hoops with a wooden ring interposed
between the two, must then be fastened with suitable pins or screws inserted
through all three thicknesses at different places around the ring in a direction
from the circumference to the centre thereof, and the ends of the pins or
screws being rivetted will make a very firm rim to the wheel, which by its
own rigidity will be capable of maintaining its true circular form when in use
as a carriage wheel without requiring any material aid from spokes or radiating
arms to keep the circle true. d, d, d, d, are wooden blocks fixed to the inside
of the interior ring c at four equidistant places around the circumference, to
receive the four circular hoop springs g, g, g, g, and which latter are, as well
as the blocks, firmly fastened to the rim c by suitable screw bolts f, which pass
through all the three thicknesses of the circular rim a, b, and c, and also
through the hoop springs, with heads countersunk flush into the outermost
tire a. e, e, e, e, are iron clips, which include the edges of the spring hoops 9, 9,
to confine the same to the wood blocks by the compression of binding nuts
screwed on the ends of the screw bolts f, or two such screw bolts f may be
provided to each of the blocks d to fasten each hoop spring more securely
thereto, and to the rim of the wheel. The hoop springs g, g, are each formed
of one or two strips of steel plate bended to a circular or semicircular figure,
with the two ends of each plate over-lapped and rivetted together to form a
circular hoop, as before explained, and the plates may be tapered in breadth or
in thickness, or both, and if requisite for heavier carriages or carriages required
to carry greater weights, or for railway carriages, they may be fortified by over-
lapping the ends so much one end beyond the other as to give double thick-
nesses to portions of each hoop, or otherwise by applying additional steel plates
in any of the ways before explained, or by making such plates of greater
substance or width, so as to obtain strength adequate to the weight which is
to be carried by the wheel.
Figure 6 shews the mode of forming a circular hoop spring of two
steel plates rivitted together. k, in Figure 2, is the central axle box, which
also serves for the nave of the wheel, having flange plates h, h, projecting
outwards around the middle part of the pipe or box k in a suitable manner to
give the means of fastening the four circular hoop springs firmly to the central
axle box. The said plates may be of malleable iron, applied hot to and

page_text: shrunk on the box and otherwise secured with bolts, so as to become fixed
fast thereon; wood blockings being fitted into the spaces between the
said plates h to form a bedding for the hoop springs, the edges of which
hoops will be included between the flanges to retain the hoops laterally,
and the said hoop springs may be finally fastened against the said wood
blockings by bolts passing through the wood blocks with heads countersunk
beneath, and with plates and nuts serewed on the outer ends of such bolts,
where they come out through the thickness of the hoop springs, in which case
the wood blocks must be firmly fastened in their places between the flange
plates by cross bolts, or else the hoop springs may be fastened on the wood
blockings by clip plates applied across the width of the hoop springs, with
binding bolts at each end of each clip, those clips being notched into the
edges of the flange plates h, to retain them from being displaced, by which
means there will be four bolts to fasten each hoop spring to the nave, as shewn
in Figure 3. One of these clip plates is shewn in Figure 4.
Figure 5 is a cross section, shewing the central flange plates and clip
fastenings. For wheels of my improved construction which revolve round the
axle, the central axle box k, Figure 2, may be made of cast iron with
a hollow chamber m, m, surrounding the middle part of the length of
the box in order to contain a store of oil, which, by the revolving motion
of the wheel, will be continually carried upwards and poured down
again from above over the pipe part of the axle box, and that oil
will gain admission by suitable apertures through the thickness of the
box to the interior thereof where the axle fits into the box, and where
oil is required, and those apertures may either be several small holes
through the thickness of the box, or two or more oblong slits may be
left open at opposite sides of the box, extending in the direction of the length
of the axle; or in case the axle box and oil chamber are formed in one piece
of casting the oil chamber may be an enlargement around the interior of the
box, with an open communication between them extending all round the axle,
and in that case the exterior of the said oil chamber may be formed with
suitable prominences from it for bedding my circular hoop springs upon and
for securely fastening them thereto by screw bolts and clips, as is shewn in
Figure 7, where the same is represented both in side elevation and also in
cross section; but for light carriages I prefer to cast the axle box with two
small circular flanges projecting around the middle part of its exterior at a
proper distance asunder to form the sides of the oil chamber, and then affix a
broad cylindrical hoop of thin malleable iron around the circumference of both
those flanges so as to enclose the space between them and form the oil chamber;

page_text: those circumferences and the interior of the said hoops being truly fitted to
each other, and the hoops applied hot so as to shrink tight on, will make a
secure joint, which may also be soldered all round; and also in that case I
affix two flat plange plates of malleable iron around the outside of the pipe of
the box, and applying flat against the two flanges which form the sides of the
oil chamber, but projecting so much outwards beyond that chamber, and with
such form of projection as is requisite to constitute the central nave to which
my circular hoop springs are to be severally affixed, the said flat flange plates
and the box with its oil chamber flanges being truly fitted to each other. The
flanges may be put on hot so as to shrink tight upon the box, and they may
be further secured by bolts extending horizontally through from one flat flange
plate to the other. The space between the said flange plates, where they
extend beyond the oil chamber, may be filled with wood blockings bearing
upon the outside hoop of the oil chamber, and forming a bed for the hoop
springs, the edges of the flanges projecting out so much beyond the wood as
to include the edges of the spring hoops, and also of the clip plates, between
the edges of the flanges, in order to retain them laterally on their bedding.
The said wood blockings may be fastened in their places by the same hori-
zontal bolts which fasten the flange plates together. The hoop springs may
be bound down upon their wood beddings by clips passing horizontally across
the width of the springs withinside their hoop, the ends of each clip being
notched into the projecting edges of the flange plates to keep them steady, and
the screw bolts for binding the ends of each clip being hooked into suitable
holes formed in the flat sides of the flange plates; or those bolts may have
eyes to hook over the ends of the horizontal bolts before mentioned, which
pass through both flange plates and the wood blockings which are filled in
between them, or otherwise the said bolts may have heads inlaid into corre-
sponding apertures in the flat surfaces of the flange plates; and the axle arm
to be used to my improved wheels may be made cylindrical, like the one known
as Collinge's Patent, with double nuts, collet, and close cap, or with single nut
and lynch pin, or it may be made in a conical form with a lynch pin and collar,
as in the common form of axles for ordinary vehicles, or it may be like the
axles known under the name of mail axles, to which the wheels are secured
by means of three or more screw bolts and nuts. And as to the application
and use of wheels made as aforesaid on my improved construction with elastic
hoop springs in lieu of spokes, the same may be snbstituted for ordinary kinds
of wheels with unyielding spokes for all kinds of carriages in which springs
are commonly used, and by the yielding of the elastic hoop springs the central
naves and axle boxes and axles of my said wheels will not be subjected to

page_text: the violence of jolts and concussions, which the corresponding parts of ordi-
nary wheels must endure, whereby those parts will be less liable to be strained
and broken, and the upper part or body of the carriage which is sustained by
the axles of such wheels will be less affected by jolts and concussions than if
ordinary wheels were used, and the body of the carriage being suspended or
supported upon the usual kind of springs in addition to the springiness of the
wheels, the motion thereof will become extremely easy; or if such extreme ease
of motion be not required, the said suspending or supporting springs for the
body of the carriage may be made less springy than usual so as to diminish
the weight of such springs, and also when two-wheeled carriages are required
to be made light and easy of draught larger wheels than ordinary may be used,
in which case, if very great ease of motion be not required, the springs of
the wheels alone may suffice. And whereas carriages are now frequently
made with two kinds of springs combined, namely, those called under springs,
applied upon the axles to sustain the frame of the carriage, in addition to
upper or suspending springs for the body thereof, such carriages may be
rendered equally springy by substituting wheels of my improved construction
for the ordinary wheels, and using only one of the aforesaid kinds of springs
instead of both kinds combined. And whereas it is desirable for ease of
draught to have the foremost wheels of carriages of a large size as well as
the hinder wheels. And whereas wheels of my said improved construction
will be more springy when they are of large size, such as is usual for the
hinder wheels of carriages, than they will be when made on a small size, as
is usual for the fore wheels of carriages, a kind of carriage which admits of all
four wheels being of a large size will be very suitable for wheels of carriages of
my improved construction, such carriages have been invented but have not
been brought into use, wherefore I have exhibited such a carriage in
Figure 8 and 9, Sheet 1, of the Drawings hereunto annexed, in order to
explain how the same may be constructed with a fore body and an after body
united together with a vertical hinge joint to permit the carriage to bend or
turn; but I make no claim to such a carriage as part of my Invention, but
only recommend it as very suitable for the application of wheels on my
And in like manner, and for the same reasons, I have
improved construction.
also represented in Sheet 2, Figures 4 and 5, a coach suitable for travelling
on an iron railway with wheels of my improved construction, but I make no
claim to any other part than the wheels there represented. The said wheels
are made in the same manner as the other wheels herein-before described,
except being stronger to bear more weight, and also with flanges around their

page_text: circumferences, and the central nave is adapted to be firmly fastened upon the
axis, which will revolve therewith, instead of an axle box revolving round
the axle the extremities of the said revolving axles are to be formed with
cylindrical pivots, as usual for railways, and fitted into bearing brasses of the
usual kind, and supplied with oil or grease by any of the means commonly used
for railway carriages. Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 2 represent a side elevation and
a cross section of a circular spring wheel for a railroad. The same letters of
reference are attached to the parts which are similar to the circular spring wheel
before described for common roads. p is the nave, and 7, 1, 9, are the clip plates,
and v, v, v, the bolts and nuts for fastening the circular hoop springs thereto.
Figure 3 of Sheet 2 shews a method of strengthening the circular hoop
springs by additional plates.
Having now described my said improved construction of wheels, and the
manner of constructing and using the same, I, the said William Bridges
Adams, do hereby declare that the new Invention whereof the exclusive use
is granted to me by the aforesaid Letters Patent, consists in applying the four
or more elastic hoop springs of a a circular or nearly circular form, within
the circular rim of the wheel, and around the central nave thereof, each such
hoop spring being firmly fastened to both the rim and the nave, and forming
the only connection between the rim and the nave. And whereas springs in
different forms have been heretofore proposed to be substituted for the spokes
of wheels, but have never been brought to bear in practice, I confine my
Invention to the application of the kind of elastic hoop springs herein-before
described, which having the property of resisting extension as well as com-
pression, all the several hoop springs which are combined in the same wheel
will act in correct concert to sustain the weight which is to be carried by the
wheel, but by their yielding will ease the jolts and concussions which the rim
of the wheel will be subjected to in travelling.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bridges Adams, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of May, in
the fifth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the said
William Bridges Adams came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-five.