IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FASTENING OF TYRES TO RAILWAY WHEELS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Longsdon, of New Broad Street, in the City of
London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FASTENING OF TYRES
TO RAILWAY WHEELS." A communication from abroad by Alfred Krupp,
of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Longsdon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1881.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of New Broad Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FASTENING OF TYRES TO RAILWAY WHEELS." A communication
from abroad. by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel
Manufacturer.
The object of this Invention is to secure the tyre on the rim of the wheel so
securely that disruption therefrom becomes impossible even in case the tyre should
break.
For this purpose the rim of the wheel is on the inner or flange side provided
with a hook formed ring, which hooks into or over or abuts against a dovetailed
or otherwise suitably formed part of the tyre, and the other side of the rim there
is a lip flange which is rivetted over, and there is in addition thereto or for further
assisting this rivetted part a number of slanting screws. The advantages of this
construction are as follows:-As the hook ring is on the flange side the tyre may
be worn down to a minimum. The rivetted-over lip flange securely prevents the
tyre from getting out of the hook ring; the screws serve the same purpose, and
at the same time prevent the tyre from turning round on the wheel. As they
stand in a slanting direction they offer a considerable resistance and complete
security against being shorn off; they are especially active when the tyre breaks,
and then prevent the tyre from receding from the hook ring on the flanged side of
the wheel, for in case of such a breakage the rivetting on the opposite side might
fail to counteract such receding.
While in other modes of fastening of wheel tyres by means of screws or bolts
there is a danger of their shaking loose by the constant blows or vibrations to
which they are exposed, and thus fail to accomplish the object in view any longer;

page_text: there is in this present Invention in the rivetting alone provided a sufficient safety
against the tyre coming loose, and by the combination of the slanting screws and
the rivetted lip flange there is a double security.
This construction is applicable to all existing wheels and in various
modifications.
The lip flange or rivet ring may be formed on the wheel rim itself, and cither be
rivetted into a plain straight recess in the tyre, or by rivetting be made to hook
into a dovetail part of the tyre. These two forms will usually be found suitable
for wrought iron wheels.
For applications to wheels which have not originally been made to suit this
Invention, and especially old wheels which are to have new tyres, and wheels of
steel or iron of bad quality which does not admit of rivetting, a separate rivetting
ring which rests against or hooks against the tyre is used; these rings are shrunk
on, and so that a shallow projecting part on the interior of same when cool will
fit in a corresponding recess turned into the wheel rim and prevent its coming off.
According to another arrangement the rivetting ring and the opposite hook
formed ring may be formed in one piece intermediate between the wheel proper
and the tyre, and shrunk on to the former and rivetted over the wheel rim at both
sides, or formed with a radially inward projecting flange on one side and rivetted
over the rim at the other side; this flange may be made so thick that there may
be stuff enough for a projecting ring for rivetting against or into the tyre when
a new tyre is next required.
The hook formed ring on the body of the wheel may be made separately, and
shrunk on similarly as the rivetting ring described.
"
When shrinking on the rings on the wheels it is in all cases important to observe
that the surfaces be smooth and close fitting.
Instead of the rivetting ring the tyre may be formed with a hook formed inner
flange fitting on the edge of the wheel rim; but in that case the slanting screws
would offer the only security against the sliding off of the tyre towards the inside.
In the application of the before described modes of fastening it is of especial
value to proceed in the following manner:-
The inner surface of the tyre and the outer surface of the wheel or the auxiliary
pieces to be shrunk on when used are to be made accurately and somewhat taper,
and should be ground or polished so that they fit quite close on each other. The
tyres should be put on cold by strong pressure, by preference hydraulic. The tyre
may however be heated somewhat and shrunk on to within a short distance of the
hook ring. Then it should be forced home cold, so that the hook ring of the wheel
fits in the corresponding groove in the tyre.
After this forcing on of the tyre the rivetting is done and the work otherwise
finished, about which the following should be observed.
In order to be able to screw the screws further in, when the spanner cannot
any longer take the square end thereon, they may be made with a notch in
the end.
The front end of the screws may be turned down plain and hardened, the
screwed part passing mainly through the wheel rim.
When a material is used for the rivetting ring that will not admit of turning
the edge of same down bodily, the edge may be formed with cuts or notches, so
that the intermediate parts may be turned down.
Obviously the tyre may be of a harder quality of steel than usual with other
modes of fastening. As the tensional strains which the tyre acquires by the
shrinking on are here done away with, the danger of breaking by the blows it is
exposed to is obviated, or at least much reduced; but should it break, there is
complete security against its springing off.
By the use of a harder steel a greater durability is attained, which will amply
repay the possible extra first cost of this mode of fastening.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Longsdon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th November 1881.
ALFRED LONGSDON, of New Broad Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FASTENING OF TYRES TO RAILWAY WHEELS." (A communication
from abroad by Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Empire of Germany, Cast Steel
Manufacturer.)
The object of this Invention is to secure the tyre on the rim of the wheel so
securely that disruption therefrom becomes impossible even in case the tyre should
break.
For this purpose the rim of the wheel is on the inner or flange side provided
with a hook formed rim which hooks into or over, or abuts against a dovetailed or
otherwise suitably formed part of the tyre, and the other side of the rim there is a
lip flange which is rivetted over, and there is in addition thereto or for further
assisting this rivetted part a number of slanting screws.
The advantages of this construction are as follows:-As the hook ring is on the
flange side, the tyre may be worn down to a minimum. The rivetted overlip flange
securely prevents the tyre from getting out of the hook ring. The screws serve the
same purpose, and at the same time prevent the tyre from turning round on the
wheel. As they stand in a slanting direction they offer a considerable resistance,
and complete security against being shorn off; they are especially active when the
tyre breaks, and then prevent the tyre from receding from the hook ring on the
flanged side of the wheel, for in case of such a breakage, the rivetting on the
opposite side might fail to counteract such receding.
While in other modes of fastening of wheel tyres by means of screws or bolts,
there is a danger of their shaking loose by the constant blows or vibrations to
which they are exposed, and thus fail to accomplish the object in view any longer;
there is in this present Invention in the riveting alone provided a sufficient safety
against the tyre coming loose, and by the combination of the slanting screws and
the rivetted lip flange there is a double security.
This construction is applicable to all existing wheels, and in various modifi-
cations.
Figures 1 and 2 represent two chief forms. The lip flange or rivet ring may, as
here shown, be formed on the wheel rim itself, and either, as in Figure 1, be
rivetted into a plain straight recess in the tyre, or as in Figure 2 by rivetting, be
made to hook into a dovetail part of the tyre. These two forms will usually be
found suitable for wrought iron wheels.
>
Figure 3 supposes a case when a wheel of the form shewn in Figure 2 has to
be provided with a tyre for the second time.
Figures 4-11 show the application to wheels which have not originally been
made to suit this Invention, especially old wheels which are to have new tyres, and
wheels of steel or iron of bad quality which does not admit of rivetting. For such
cases a separate rivetting ring, which rests against or hooks against the tyre is used,
as shown in Figures 4 to 8; these rings are shrunk on and so that a shallow
projecting part on the interior of same, when cool, will fit in a corresponding
recess turned into the wheel rim and prevent it coming off. These constructions
are especially suitable for steel disc wheels, with cast on tyre rim which is to have
a new tyre put on. When turning down the old wheel rim the hooked formed
projection is left standing.
According to another arrangement shown at Figures 9 to 11, the rivetting ring
and the opposite hooked formed ring may be formed in one piece, intermediate

page_text: between the wheel proper and the tyre, and shrunk on to the former and rivetted
over the wheel rim at both sides, as shewn in Figure 9, or formed with a radially
inward projecting flange on one side, and rivetted over the rim at the other side,
as shewn in Figures 10 and 11; this flange may, as in Figure 10, be made so thick
that there may be stuff enough for a projecting ring for rivetting against or into
the tyre (as in Figure 1) when a new tyre is next required, it would look as in
Figure 11.
The hook formed ring on the body of the wheel may be made separately and
shrunk on similarly as the rivetting ring in Figures 4 to 8.
When shrinking on the rings on the wheels, it is in all cases important to observe
that the surfaces be smooth and close fitting.
Instead of the rivetting ring the tyre may, as shown in Figure 12, be formed
with a hook formed inner flange fitting on the edge of the wheel rim, but in that
case the slanting screws would offer the only security against the sliding off of the
tyre towards the inside.
In the application of the before described modes of fastening, it is of especial
value to proceed in the following manner :-
The inner surface of the tyre and the outer surface of the wheel or the auxiliary
pieces to be shrunk on when used are to be made accurately and somewhat taper,
and should be ground or polished so that they fit quite close on each other.
The tyres should be put on cold by strong pressure, by preference hydraulic.
The tyre may however be heated somewhat and shrunk on to within a short
distance of the hook ring, as shown in Figure 13. Then it should be forced home
cold, as shewn in Figure 15, so that the hook ring of the wheel fits in the core-
sponding groove in the tyre. The exterior of the hook should be an open fit, as
shewn at , while there should be a tight fit between the inner side of the hook
part and the corresponding part of the rim, as shewn at k, and a rather casy fit
at g and . The close fit at i and can only be ensured by using the described
mode of putting on the tyre.
After this forcing on of the tyre the rivetting is done and the work otherwise
finished, about which the following should be observed.
In order to be able to screw the screws further in when the spanner cannot any
longer take the square end thereon, they may be made with a notch in the end.
The front end a of the screws may be turned down plain and hardened, the
screwed part b passing mainly through the wheel rim.
When a material is used for the rivetting ring that will not admit of turning the
edge of same down. bodily, the edge may be formed with cuts or notches, so that
the intermediate parts, as shewn in Figure 15, may be turned down.
Obviously the tyre may be of a harder quality of steel than usual, with other
modes of fastening. As the tensional strains which the tyre acquires by the
shrinking on are here done away with, the danger of breaking by the blows it is
exposed to is obviated, or at least much reduced; but should it break there is
complete security against it springing off..
By the use of a harder steel a greater durability is attained, which will amply
repay the possible extra first cost of this mode of fastening.
And having thus described the nature of this Invention, and the manner in
which it is carried into effect, I declare that I claim,-.
First. Forming or fitting the rim of the wheel on one side with a hook shaped
flange, and on the other side with a rivetted over part for the purpose of securing
a correspondingly shaped tyre thereto, all substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1 to 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In combination with the means claimed in Claim 1 for fastening the
tyre, the application of slanting screws exerting a pressure towards the flange side
of the wheel, in order to afford additional security against the coming off of the
tyre, and for holding the pieces of same in case of breakage, all substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1 to 11 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. Forming the wheel rim with a hook shaped flange on one side the tyre,

page_text: on the opposite side hooking over the rim, in combination with screws slanting
towards the flange side, all substantially as described with reference to Figure 12
of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The combined method of securing the tyre to the wheel by forcing and
rivetting over as applied to the constructions herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Longsdon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
ALFRED LONGSDON. (L.S.)