An Improved Vehicle Wheel.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Vehicle Wheel.
I. WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108, Victoria Chambers, 55 and
56 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Richard
Edgar Jeffery, of Grass Valley, California, U.S.A. Inventor,) to be ag
follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved vehicle wheel, and the object of
the invention is to provide a wheel which facilitates any one of its parts being
removed and repaired without disturbing the remaining parts. By this invention
the wheel is constructed with a hollow hub which is provided at each end with an
interior annular shoulder. A single exteriorly threaded core projects entirely
through said hub, and is provided at one end with an integral circular plate having
a rearwardly extending unshouldered peripheral flange which fits within the
adjacent end of the hub, and abuts against the shoulder therein. A retaining
cap is fitted within the opposite end of the hub and binds against the shoulder
therein. An interiorly threaded conical sleeve works upon the core within the
hub, and is adapted to adjust the spokes. The tire of the wheel is provided
with a hollow or concaved inner face, and the felly is provided with a rounded or
convexed periphery which is adapted to fit within the latter, and is formed of two
or more sections having their abutting ends bevelled.
DL:
11001
W. H. MUNNS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Vehicle Wheel.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of 106, 107, and 108 Victoria Chambers, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London. Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Richard Edgar Jeffery,
of Grass Valley, California, U.S.A. Inventor,) and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to vehicle-wheels; and it has for its object to provide a
simple and improved wheel of this character constructed entirely of interchangeable
parts, whereby when one part thereof becomes broken or worn a duplicate may be
quickly and readily substituted.
A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with the hub,
simple and improved means for tightening the spokes and tire or loosening the
same when desired.
A further object of the invention is to so construct the felly and tire as to
dispense with the necessity for securing bolts or rivets.
To this end the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of
parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and set forth in the claims.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle-wheel embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken through the centre of the hub.
Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the hub removed.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view.

page_text: Fig. 6 is a similar view of the two sections forming the hub proper and
illustrating the construction of the two-part ribs, which project between the
spokes.
Fig. 7 is a similar view of a section of the felly and tire.
Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters of
reference.
Referring to the drawings, A designates the tire provided with a hollowed or
concave inner face a.
B designates the felly formed of two or more sections having their abutting
ends correspondingly bevelled, as shown. The periphery of the felly is formed
rounded or convex, and is adapted to fit tightly within the hollowed inner face of
the tire, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth.
C designates the spokes provided with reduced outer ends c, which fit within
sockets, provided at equidistant points through the felly. The opposing sides
of the spokes are bevelled at their inner ends, as shown at e¹, and abut against
cach other, and the extreme inner end of each spoke is correspondingly bevelled,
as shown at, thus forming a flaring circular opening Cat the centre of the
wheel.
The hub proper is formed in two sections D D', each section comprising a flat
disc or plated d', respectively, disposed one at each side the inner ends of the
spokes. The discs d and d' are provided with corresponding circular openings dª d²
at the centre thereof and with reversely-projecting cylindrical flanges D D² at the
outer faces of the dises and inclosing the openings d². The flanges D' taper
slightly from the discs and are provided in their extreme ends with a socket ³ ³
Upon the inner face of the disc d at its periphery are provided the main portions E
of inwardly projecting equidistant ribs adapted to project between the spokes and
retain the same rigid. The sections of the ribs taper from their outer to their
inner edges, as shown, and project to the transverse centre of the spokes, and from
the outer edges of said sections project extensions e, which overlap the periphery of
the disc D. To complete the ribs, the latter disc is provided with a correspondingly-
disposed series of sections E' at the periphery thereof, said sections projecting under
the extensions and abutting against the inner ends of the sections E, the sections E'
being also tapered inwardly to correspond with the latter.
For securing the sections D and D' together I provide a core F, provided with
a straight or tapering axle-bearing and with exterior screw-threads f. The
core is also provided at its rear end with a circular plate F¹, having a rearwardly-
projecting peripheral flange / forming the inner flange of the hub, the adjacent
end of said flange being adapted to project within the socket of the section D'.
The core projects through the centre of the hub from the rear or inner end, and
upon the projecting front threaded end is adapted to be screwed an interiorly-
threaded retaining-cap G, provided with an outwardly-projecting peripheral flange g,
serving as the outer flange of the hub, the inner end of said flange projecting within
the socket d³ of the section D.
II designates the tightening device, which consists of an interiorly-threaded
conical-shaped sleeve adjustable upon the threads of the core F, and has its con-
tracted end passed through the opening C, formed at the inner ends of the spokes
from the flaring side of said opening.
In constructing my improved wheel the sections of the felly are first placed in
position within the tire and the spokes inserted in the former. The sections of
the hub are then di-po-ed at the respective sides of the wheel and the ribs formed
upon said sections projected between the spokes. The whole is then secured together
by the core, which is passed through the hub from the rear or inner side (the
tightening-sleeve having first been adjusted) and the retaining-cap applied to the
free end of said core. As the retaining-cap tightened, the tightening-sleeve is
drawn outwardly, forcing the spokes toward the felly, and thus tightening
the latter against the tire. The edges of the tire projecting down over the

page_text: felly, the former is retained in place without the necessity of securing bolts or
rivets.
The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood by
those skilled in the art to which it appertains.
When it is desired to tighten the wheel, it is simply necessary to unscrew the
core slightly, (the sleeve I remaining stationary during this operation owing to the
pressure of the spokes thereon), bringing the tightening-sleeve nearer the outer end
thereof, and then tightening the retaining-cap, thus drawing the sleeve farther
forward and foreing the spokes outwardly. To loosen the wheel it is but necessary
to partly unscrew the cap and then operate the core to draw the sleeve rearwardly,
when the cap can be again screwed home.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination, with the spokes, of a sectional hub formed
of two hollow sections, a core extending entirely through said sections and provided
with a retaining-cap adapted to bind the parts together and secure the spokes, said
core being exteriorly screw-threaded, and an interiorly-threaded conical sleeve
working upon the core within the hub and adapted to engage the ends of the spokes,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination, with a hollow hub and the spokes
projecting therein, the hub being provided at each end with an interior annular
shoulder, of a single exteriorly-threaded core projecting entirely through said hub
and provided at one end with an integral circular plate having a rearwardly-
extending unshouldered peripheral flange fitting within the adjacent end of
the hub and abutting against the shoulder therein, a retaining-cap fitting
within the opposite end of the hub and binding against the shoulder therein,
and an interiorly-threaded conical sleeve working upon the core within the hub
and adapted to adjust the spokes, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination, with the spokes, of a hub formed of two
sections comprising two circular plates provided with inwardly-projecting lugs, the
lugs of one plate having each an extension projecting over the opposing lug of the
other plate, said lugs forming conjunctively ribs fitting between the spokes, and a
retaining-core and cap therefor for securing the sections of the hub together, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination, with the tire provided with a hollowed or
concave inner face, of the felly provided with a rounded or convex periphery adapted
to fit within the latter and formed of two or more sections having their abutting ends
bevelled, the spokes, and the hub provided with means for tightening the wheel,
substantially as set forth.
1003