Improvements in or connected with Hand-tools for Tightening Spokes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left. 1st D:c., 1996-4ccepted. 30th Jan., 1397
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Hand-tools for Tightening
Spokes.
I. JOHN HENRY PLAYER, 5, Wren Street, Coventry, Cycle Manufacturer, do
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My spoke tension gauge consists of a top plate extended at one end, with a
slot formed therein, which is enlarged at the end to suit the shape and size of
the spoke nipple or an adjustable slot may be formed at this end by a loose piece
and thumb screw so as to suit different sized nipples. Pivotted at about the centre
of the top plate is a short arm or lever extending beyond the top plate and at the
top end of which is secured a suitably shaped flat steel spring. Also screwed to
the top plate by screws or otherwise is a projecting piece slightly thicker than
the short arm and against one end of which the flat tension spring presses, the
short arm butting against the other end. This projecting piece has a recess formed
below the part against which the tension spring bears. I then screw over these
parts by the same screws which hold the projecting pieces, another plate of the
same shape as the top plate, but without the extended end. At the end of the
short arm which extends beyond the top and bottom plate I secure a cranked
lever at right angles to the short arm. When tightening up a spoke, the slot at
the extended end of the top plate is passed around it, so as to allow the enlarged
part to fit around the nipple and by turning the plates around (and consequently,
the nipples) the spoke is tightened and immediately sufficient tension has been
obtained the strain on the tension spring will cause the end which bears against
the projecting piece to slip into the recess, thus indicating that the spoke has been
adjusted to the required tension.
Instead of forming my spoke tension gauge to pass around the body of the
nipple for adjusting purposes, I may form it so as to turn the nipple by means of
a screw driver blade. In this case I form the top and bottom plates alike, omitting
the extended portion on the top plate, in about the centre of the outer face of
which I form a stud or projection and on the inner face central with the stud I
form a recess. The bottom plate has a hole formed in-it, also central with the
stud on the top plate and this hole is countersunk on the inner face of the plate.
The short arm or lever and tension spring herein-before described are secured near
to the top end of a screw driver blade a collar being formed around this blade
underneath the short arm or lever. This screw driver passes through the hole in
the bottom plate the shoulder fitting into the counter sunk portion, the projecting
piece herein before mentioned being put in position the top plate is then placed
over the part, the recessed portion in the underside taking over that end of the
screw driver blade which extends slightly beyond the short arm or lever and forming
a bearing for it to pivot on, and the two plates are then screwed or otherwise,
fastened together. When tightening up a spoke the stud or projection on the top
plate is fitted into any ordinary brace and the screw driver inserted in the usual
slot in the head of the nipple which is then tightened up till sufficient tension has
been obtained, when the tension spring will act as previously described thus indicating
that sufficient tension has been put upon the spoke.
Dated this 16th day of Octoba 1000
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Hand-tools for Tightening
Spokes.
I, JOHN HENRY PLAYER, Tool Maker, of 5 Wren Street, Coventry, in the
County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object a wheel spoke tension gauge by which I can
gauge when sufficient tension has been put upon each spoke when building up a
wheel.
My spoke tension gauge consists of a top plate extended at one end with a slot
formed therein which is enlarged at the end to suit the shape and size of the spoke
nipple, or an adjustable slot may be formed at this end by a loose piece and thumb
screw so as to suit the different sized nipples. Pivotted at about the centre of this
top plate is a short arm or lever extending beyond the top plate and at the top
end of which is secured a suitably shaped flat steel spring. Also secured to the
top plate by screws, or otherwise is a projecting piece slightly thicker than the
short arm and against one end of which the flat tension spring presses the short
arm butting against the other end and this projecting piece has a recess formed
below the part against which the tension spring bears. I then secure over these
parts by the same screws which hold the projecting piece another plate of the same
shape as the top plate but without the extended end. At the end of the short arm
which extends beyond the top and bottom plate I secure a cranked lever at right
angles to the short arm. When tightening up a spoke the slot at the extended
end of the top plate is passed around it so as to allow the enlarged part to fit
around the nipple and by turning the plates around and consequently the nipple
the spoke is tightened and immediately sufficient tension has been obtained the strain
on the tension spring will cause the end which bears against the projecting piece to
slip into the recess thus indicating that the spoke has been adjusted to the required
tension.
Instead of forming my spoke tension gauge to pass around the body of the nipple
for adjusting purposes I may form it so as to turn the nipple by means of a screw
driver blade. In this case I form the top and bottom plates alike leaving off the
extended portion on the top plate. In about the centre of the outer face of which I
form a stud or projection and on the inner face central with this stud I form a
recess. The bottom plate has a hole formed in it also central with the stud on the top
plate and this hole is countersunk on the inner face of the plate. The short arm or
lever and tension spring hereinbefore described are secured near to the top end of a
screw driver blade a collar being formed around this blade underneath the short arm
or lever. This screw driver passes through the hole in the bottom plate the shoulder
fitting into the countersunk portion, the projecting piece herein before mentioned
being put in position, the top plate is then placed over the parts, the recessed portion
in the underside taking over that end of the screw driver blade which extends slightly
beyond the short arm or lever and forming a bearing for it to pivot on and the two
plates are then screwed or otherwise fastened together. When tightening up a spoke
the stud or projection on the top plate is fitted into any ordinary brace and the screw
driver inserted in the usual slot in the head of the nipple which is then tightened up
until sufficient tension has been obtained when the tension spring will act as
previously described thus indicating that sufficient tension has been put upon the
spoke.

page_text: practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings upon which
I have illustrated examples of my tension gauge.
Figure 1 is perspective view of my spoke tension gauge.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the top plate.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the bottom plate.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the interior of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan view showing the end adjustable.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modification of my spoke tension grip.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the bottom plate of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the lever secured to the screw driver blade.
In carrying my invention into practice I form the top plate T extended at the
end t' with a slot 2 formed therein enlarged at the top to suit the shape and size of
the spoke nipple, or this slot may be made adjustable by the loose piece 3 and thumb
screw as clearly shown at Figure 5 so as to suit different sized nipples. Pivotted
at m' in about the centre of the plate T is the short arm or lever M to the top end of
which is secured one end of the spring S the other end bearing against the inner edge
of the plate N which fits around the lever and spring and between the top plate T
and the bottom plate V and is secured thereto by screws or rivets passing through
the holes to and to. The end m³ of the arm or lever M projects beyond the top and
bottom plates and is provided with the cranked lever L for operating the tension
gauge. After the parts have been secured together the enlarged end of the slot t
is fitted around the nipple and the spokes tightened up until the necessary tension
is obtained when the strain on the tension spring will cause the end which bears
against the inner edge of the plate N to slip into the recess n¹ thus indicating that
sufficient tension has been put upon the spoke.
Instead of forming a slot at the end of the top plate T for the purpose as
hereinbefore described I form the top and bottom plates alike and on the outer
face in about the centre of the plate T I form the stud or projection t' and on
the inner face central with this projection I form a recess into which the end d
of the screw driver blade D fits. The bottom plate K has a hole k¹ formed in it
also central with the stud on the top plate and this hole is countersunk on the inner
face as clearly shown at Figure 7. The short arm or lever M and tension spring S
are secured near to the top end of the screw driver blade D a collar d² being formed
around this blade underneath the lever. When putting the parts together the screw
driver blade is passed through the hole in the bottom plate, the collar de fitting
into the countersunk portion and the centre plate N placed in position around the
lever M and tension spring S after which the top plate is screwed on, the end d¹ of
the screw driver blade fitting into the hole on the inner face of this plate.
To tighten up a spoke the projection t' is first fitted into any ordinary brace, then
the end of the blade D inserted in the slot formed on the head of the nipple as
shewn at Fig. 9 which is then tightened up until the necessary tension is obtained
when the strain on the short lever M will depress the tension spring causing the end
to slide into the recess n¹ thus indicating that sufficient tension has been put upon the
spoke.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
clain is :-
First. A spoke tension gauge consisting essentially of the arm or lever such as M
spring such as S and centre plate such as N in combination with the top and bottom
plates such as T and V respectively operated in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein before described and shewn on the accompanying drawings.
Second. A spoke tension gauge consisting essentially of the arm or lever such
as M, spring S and centre plate such as N in combination with the screw driver blade
such as D or its equivalent and top and bottom plates such as T and K respectively

page_text: operated in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before described
and shewn.
Dated this 14th day of November 1896.
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.