Improvements in Suspension Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1893—Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Suspension Wheels.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM RUDOLPH DUERRE, of 466, Kings Road, Chelsea, in
the County of Middlesex, Watch and Clock Maker and Jeweller, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
My invention consists in improvemonts in suspension wheels, and rolates firstly,
to improvements in the spring devices by means of which provision is made for
holding the two rims together and at the same time for allowing the inner one to be
pulled by the weight of the rider or load downwards from the top of the outer one,
and secondly, to improvements in devices for preventing side swing in either the
outer rim or the inner wheel.
In carrying the invention into effect, I arrange pairs of elliptical springs of steel,
rubber or other suitable material, between the two rims. These springs are made
fast to the rims at their centre and ends respectively. The details by which they
are so made fast may be of any convenient or suitable type. I do not confine
myself to the number of springs which I make use of, but I prefer that they should
be opposite to each other, so that when the one at the top of the rim is in tension
there is one opposite to it undergoing compression. Or a band of rubber is
serpentined between the two rims, being made fast to them alternately, thereby
connecting the two rims together.
The devices for preventing side swing are as follows. Pairs of straps are made
fast to the outer rim from both sides of which they project radially towards the
hub. The two straps of a pair are preferably opposite to each other and aro con-
nected by cross ties. The inner ends of all these straps are connected by other ties
which are made to be adjustable in point of longth so that the said ends can be
drawn nearer to each other or pushed farther apart. Antifriction rollers may be
applied between the inner faces of the straps and the adjacent edges of the
inner rim.
Dated the 27th day of January 1893.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Suspension Wheels.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM RUDOLPH DUERRE, of 466, Kings Road, Chelsea, in
the County of Middlesex, Watch and Clock Maker and Jeweller, 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 consists in improvements in suspension wheels, and relates firstly,
to improvements in the spring devices by means of which provision is mado for
holding the two rims together and at the same time for allowing the inner one to be
pulled by the weight of the rider or load downwards from the top of the outer one,
and secondly, to improvements in devices for preventing side swing in either the
outer rim or the inner wheel.
In carrying the invention into effect, I arrange pairs of springs of steel, rubber,
or other suitable material, between the two rims. These springs may be either
elliptical or of any other equivalent shape so long as they are practically
continuous round the wheel. They are made fast to the rims at their centro and

page_text: ends, respectively. The details by which they are so made fast may be of any
convenient or suitable type. I do not confine myself to the number of springs
which I make use of, but I prefer that they should be opposite to each other, so
that when the one at the top of the rim is in tension, there is one opposite to it
undergoing compression. Or a band of rubber is serpentined between the two
rims, being made fast to them alternately, thereby connecting the two rims
together.
The devices for preventing side swing are as follows. Pairs of straps are made
fast to tlie outer rim from both sides of which they project radially towards the
hub: The two straps of a pair aro, preferably, opposite to each other and are
connected by cross ties. The inner ends of all these straps are connected by other
ties which are made to be adjustable in point of length, so that the said ends.can
bo drawn nearer to each other or pushed farther apart. Antifriction rollers may
be applied between the inner faces of the straps and the adjacent edges of the
inner rim.
In order that my invention and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe it in detail,
referring in so doing to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of
this Specification and read therewith.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a wheol made according to my
invention each suspension spring consisting of two spiral springs set at an angle
with each other.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 assuming the plane
of section to bo vertical.
Figure 3 is a sectional illustration, on an enlarged scale, of a modified form of
suspension spring.
Figure 4 is a sectional illustration, also on an onlarged scale, of a further
modification.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a is the outer, and b, the inner wheel rim. c, o are
the spiral springs. These are arranged in pairs, each pair forming one suspension
spring. Figure 1 shews the use of sixteen suspension springs, but the number is
immaterial provided it be an even one, for unless it be an evon number, the springs
cannot be set opposite each other, and it is decidedly advantageous for them to
occupy that relative position, inasmuch as then the compression of one is directly
opposed by the tension of the opposite one.. This is especially, the case when. the
suspension springs are of the elliptical type illustrated in Figure 3. When spiral
springs are used, they may be duplicated in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.
Each spiral spring is fastened by one end to the outer, and by the other end to the
inner rim, all the springs being of the same size and strength. Each spring meets
its neighbour at the rims on a radius of the wheel, the angles which their axes 4
make with the said radius being equal to each other and the apex angles i.., the
angles which the adjoining spiral springs make with each other being equal all round
the wheel. A suspension spring may be regarded as the combination of two spiral
springs making their apex angle in the outer rim or in the iuner rim and having
their opposite ends made fast symmetrically of the radius which bisects their apex
angle, to the other rim, respectively.
In whichever way the suspension spring is looked at, it will be seen that any
individual spiral spring is common to two suspension springs, one having its apex
angle in the outer rim and the other having its apex angle in the inner rim.
The device for fixing an apex angle to a rim which I have chosen for illustration
consists of a plate d having a hook d' at each end adapted to receive an eye d* on
the end of a spiral spring. A plate is held to the outer rim by being passed over
a screwed pine projecting rigidly and radially therefrom, up which a nut is then
screwed; and to the inner rim by a bolt and nut device which presents' its screwed
end and unt on the inside of the inner rim.
The details of the devices for preventing side swing of the inner rim are as follows.
,e are four pairs of straps bolted to eyes projecting inwardly from the outer

page_text: rim a. The straps have a slight pivotal motion upon the shanks of their respective
bolts in the plane of the wheel. They are rigidly held by them against motion in
any other. The eyes stand on tho rim at equal distances from each other and the
straps are long enough to pass the inner rim in the direction of the centre of the
wheel, for a sufficient distance to prevent the rim and rods next mentioned being
brought into contact.
square
f is a transverse rod or tie the shouldered ends of which pass through the eyed
inner ends of the straps of each pair. is an angled hole formed through the
rod transversely of its length and is a tie passed through it and bent to a right
angle. The ends of the four ties meet half way along the sides of the
which has its angles in the axes of the ties f. The adjacent ends of the ties fare
sorewed right and left and fitted with sockets. When they are held in tension
by means of the said sockets, all the straps are hold aligned with the respective
diagonals of the square above mentioned.
The inner rim b stands between the straps, i.e., with four straps on one side of it
and four on the other. 9, 9 are antifriction rollers mounted in the adjacent portions
of the edges of the inner rim and practically aligned therewith. Each roller bears
upon an antifriction roller g' which has a vertical axis in the inner face of the strap.
The rollers & prevent friction in one direction and those g' in the other.
The modification illustrated in Figure 3 consists in using elliptical springs h for
suspension springs instead of the combination of spiral springs previously described.
They are bolted together at their adjacent ends, and to the outer and inner rims
along radii of the wheels. All the springs are counterparts of each other and,
preferably, of an even number for the reason already given with reference to
Figures I and 2.
The modification illustrated in Figure 4 consists in making all the springs con-
tinuous with each other. In carrying it into effect, I lead a cord or rod i of elastic
material round the wheel in a serpentine direction through the space between the
outer and inner rims a and b. The arcs of the serpentine are counterparts of each
other and, preferably, of an even number for the reason already given with reference
to Figures 1 and 2. Each aro is held to its respective rim by a suitable bolt and
nut or its equivalent. These holding devices occur, consequently, alternately on
the outer and inner rims round the wheel.
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. The hereinbefore described combination of inner and outer rims, suspension
springs and device for preventing side swing, as set forth with reference to
Figures 1 and 2.
2. The hereinbefore described combination of inner and outer rims, auspension
springs and device for preventing side swing, as set forth with reference to Figure 3.
3. The heroinbefore described combination of inner and outer rims, suspension
springs and device for preventing side swing, as set forth with reference to Figure 4.
Dated this 27th day of October 1893.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.