Improvements in Wheels for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
I, JACOB SYLVESTER BRETZ, Manufacturer, of No. 55 Liberty Street, City
of New York, State of New York, United States of America, 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:
My invention has relation to wheels for bicycles, and other vehicles, and consists
in the device hereinafter particularly described and claimed.
The object of my present invention is to obviate and overcome the angular strain
on the hub in wheels having wire or metal tangential spokes, also to enable the
spokes to be secured to the hub without bending or twisting, and a further object
of my present invention is to provide a construction wherein the parts may be
readily and speedily assembled and the cost of manufacture reduced to a minimum,
at the same time providing for strength and rigidity of construction.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts
throughout.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved wheel.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the spokes secured to the hub, two
spokes being secured to each spur or tooth extending in opposite directions.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hub of the construction shown in Fig. 2 with
the spokes detached.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view as in Fig. 2, but showing a construction wherein
each spoke is secured to an independent spur or tooth.
Fig. 5 is a perspective section showing the construction illustrated in Fig. 4 with
each alternate spur disposed to one side to prevent the spurs from interfering with
the line of the spokes.
A, A, are the outer portions of the hub united together through the medium of
the sleeve, B, the whole forming a rigid hub adapted to revolve on the axle, C,
being preferably provided with ball bearings of the usual construction, and secured
in position on the axle, C, through the medium of the nuts, n, or by other suitable
means. Upon the circumference of the hub sections, A, are provided radiating
spurs, a, which said spurs, a, are transversely drilled with the orifices, o, for the
reception of the spokes, d, said orifices being preferably reamed on one side to receive
the rivet head or end, e, of the spokes, d; the spurs, a, may be provided with one
or more orifices, o, for the reception of one or more spokes, d, but the preferable
construction is that having two orifices in each spur for securing but two spokes
having their rivet heads, e, on opposite sides of the spur and extending to the rim, r,
of the wheel in opposite directions; the spokes are secured to the rim at the other
end by a nut and screw-thread, or by other suitable means; each spoke in the
construction of the wheel is readily and easily passed through the orifice, o, provided
in the spurs, a, and it is then in a position in the hub to be screwed or otherwise
rigidly secured to the rim at its outer end, and when all the spokes are properly
adjusted to the proper tension a wheel of great strength and rigidity is secured;-
the spokes are preferably tangentially disposed. As previously stated each spoke
may be secured to an independent spur, in which case each proximate spur preferably
secures spokes extending in substantially opposite directions, in this construction
in order to allow the spoke to remain at a right angle to the face of its spur and to
clear the spur next to that to which it is secured each set of spurs are preferably
arranged in two proximate series alternately disposed. In the preferable construction
two spokes extending in opposite directions are secured to the same spur with
their head engaging on opposite sides of the same spur; the tension of the two

page_text: spokes thus operating in opposite directions readily secures the hub in its proper
relative position to the rim and provides great rigidity of construction.
A most important part in the manufacture of bicycle wheels which consumes a
great deal of labor, time and expense is the assembling of the spokes to the hub
and to the rim, as much care must be exercised in "trueing" and securing the
proper tension of the parts, as in a metallic wheel, the employment of a multiplicity
of wire spokes is necessary in order to give sufficient strength and rigidity. In the
class of wheel heretofore invented where the spoke is secured to the hub flange
directly without angular strain the construction has been such as to require the
employment of much time in assembling the spokes to the flange. I do away
in my
present invention with all screw-threading in the securing of the spoke to the
flange and rely upon a head, e, provided on the inner end of the spoke, a; the
spurs, a, are provided with smooth bored orifices, o, of a diameter slightly greater
than the exterior diameter of the spoke, d, the said spurs being arranged on the
circumference of the hub flange at such intervals apart as will allow of the
unobstructed insertion of the outer end of the spoke, d, and the ready threading or
running through of the entire spoke up to the head, e, provided on the inner end
of the spoke; in the manner of sewing; the orifice, o, as hereinbefore stated, is
preferably reamed to allow of the entrance of the head, e, so that a smooth surface
with that side of the spur may be presented. In this my improved construction of
wheel, herein described, it is estimated that one man in the assembling of the spokes
to the hub can accomplish the work of three or four men operating upon other
constructions of this class of wheel heretofore invented, at the same time providing
a superior wheel for strength and cost of manufacture.
The spurs, a, are preferably cast solidly with the hub section, A, though they
may be otherwise constructed and secured thereto.
Where each spoke is secured to an independent spur, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5,
the diameter of the hub section, A, should be preferably greater to provide
sufficient circumferential area for the additional number of spurs.
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
claim is :-
1. In a vehicle wheel a hub or sleeve, circumferential plates or hub sections
provided rigidly to the ends of the hub or sleeve, independent, radiating spurs
provided circumferentially upon said outer hub sections radially projecting there-
from, orifices provided in said spurs for the passage of the spoke, spokes secured
through said orifices provided with heads which impinge against the side of the
spurs, said spurs secured at their outer end to the rim of the wheel substantially as
described.
2. In a vehicle wheel the combination of a metallic hub, series of independent
spurs provided upon the circumference of said hub and radiating therefrom, said
spurs provided with smooth bored orifices disposed on a line tangentially to the
hub, and spokes inserted through said orifices and provided with heads which impinge
against the side of the spurs, and the outer ends of the spokes secured to the rim
of the wheel substantially as described.
3. In a wheel the combination of a hub having a series of integral independent
spurs, a, radiating therefrom, each of the said spurs being provided with smooth
bored orifices, o, spokes, d, inserted through said orifices, tangentially disposed to
the hub, said spokes provided at their inner ends with heads, e, which impinge
against the side of the spurs, the outer ends of the spokes being secured to the
rim of the wheel, substantially as described.
4. In a wheel a metallic hub consisting of the central section, B, and end
flanges, A, two series of integral independent spurs, a, provided circumferentially
upon each flange, A, radiating therefrom, each spur of a series alternately disposed
at one side of the circumferential line of the adjoining series of spurs, each of
the spurs provided with a smooth bored orifice, o, and spokes tangentially

page_text: disposed inserted through said orifices and provided at or near their inner ends
with heads which impinge against the sides of the spurs substantially as
described.
Dated this 5th day of July 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.