BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES •
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Warwick of Aston juxta Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Engineer for an Invention of "
BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES
•
IMPROVEMENTS
IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Warwick at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1883.
GEORGE WARWICK of Aston juxta Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES
The first part of my invention relates to improvements in the construction of
hollow rims for the wheels of those vehicles mentioned in the title from sheet steel.
Hitherto rims of this description have been either drawn as weldless tubes or have
been soldered with a lap joint but in these cases, and more particularly the former
they objectionable on the ground of expense. In my improved rim I roll or
draw the sheet steel into any convenient shape leaving the two. edges to butt
against each other. I next provide a piece of metal which is so shaped that when
it is secured by soldering or brazing on the under side of the rim it forms a
strengthening piece through which the spokes pass and it will be understood that
by preference the butt joint is formed on the under side of the rim. To perfect
the shape of the rim it is drawn through a suitable die after the said piece has
been secured to the rim. The next part of my invention relates to an improved
method of. detaching one or both of the driving wheels of trycicles and other
vehicles so that they may be easily taken through a narrow passage or opening
this I accomplish by turning or cutting a groove round the end of the axle. In
the hub of the wheel I provide one or more suitable catches which are held forward
by suitable springs these catches are so. arranged that when the wheel is placed
upon its axle they take into the before mentioned groove and securely hold the
wheel thereon. In cases where it is desired to detach the axle and driving wheel
or wheels I affix to the lug which carries the axle a short lever which is held
inward by a spring this lever has a semicircular aperture which takes into the
groove which is turned on the end of the axle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said George Warwick in the
Patent Office on the 25th January 1884.
GEORGE WARWICK of Aston-juxta-Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VEHICLES
The first part of my invention relates to improvements' in the construction of
hollow rims for the wheels of those vehicles mentioned in the title from sheet steel.
Hitherto rims of this description have been either drawn as weldless tubes or have
been soldered with a lap joint, but in these cases and more particularly the former
they are objectionable on the ground of expense. In my improved rim I roll or
draw the sheet steel into any convenient shape leaving the two edges to butt
against each other. I next provide a piece of metal which is so shaped that when
it is secured (by soldering or brazing) on the underside of the rim it forms a
strengthening piece through which the spokes pass and it will be understood that
by preference the butt joint is formed on the under side of the rim. To perfect
the 'shape of the rim it is drawn through a suitable die after the said piece has been
secured to the rim The next part of my invention relates to an improved method
of detaching one or both of the driving wheels of Tricycles and other vehicles so
that they may be easily taken through a narrow passage or opening. This I
accomplish by turning or cutting a groove round the end of the axle. In the hob
of the wheel I provide one or more suitable catches which are held forward by
suitable springs these catches are so arranged that when the wheel is placed upon
its axle they take into the before mentioned groove and securely hold the wheel
thereon. In cases where it is desired to detach the axle and driving wheel or
wheels I affix to the lug which carries the axle a short lever which is held inward
by a spring this lever has a semicircular aperture which takes into the groove
which is turned on the end of the axle. That my invention may be better
understood I have. annexed drawings. thereof which I will now proceed to describe.
Fig 1 is a section through a piece of sheet steel or other suitable material bent
into the shape of an unfinished tube for a tyre for a wheel for a bicycle tricycle or
other similar vehicle hereinafter called a "Cycle."-At a the two edges nearly
meet so, that when pressed and soldered or brazed together they form a butt joint
Fig 3 shows a section of the strengthening piece to receive the ends of the spokes
and Fig 2 is a section of the tyre when finished so far as the metal work is
concerned Fig 4 being a partial elevation of the same Figs 5 and 6 are two
elevations of a die through which the tyre tube is drawn after brazing or soldering,
to give the exact shape required Fig 7 is a front view of the hub of a wheel
made according to my invention so as to be easily removed and replaced Fig 8 is
a longitudinal section of same and Fig 9 another longitudinal section on a plane at
right angles to the former, these three figures show all the parts in their respective
places Fig 10 is a section through the casing containing the catches Fig 11 is'a
view of the end of the axle Fig 12 is one of the catches shown in four different
views Fig. 13 is a front view of the hub only Fig 14 a front view of the casing
with catches Fig 15 a side view of same and Fig 16 an end view. Fig 17 is a
view of part of the framing with catch and spring of a "cycle" in which the axle
as well as the wheel is made detachable Fig 18 is a side view of same Fig 19
is a view of tlie catch detached and Fig. 20 the end part of the axle. In referring
to the drawing the same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the different
figures. Figs 1 to 6 inclusive I have already described. In Figs 7 to 16,-"b” is
the hub of the "Cycle" wheel having a recess b¹ in its outer face in which fits a
casing "c" containing two catches & d these catches when the wheel is on the

page_text: axle "
e" éngage into a groove "e" near the end of the axle and are kept in place
by means of the india rubber springs "ff." Instead of the india rubber springs
spiral springs 'g' Fig 10 may be used. When it is desired to release the wheel
the two screw heads d¹ d¹ which are fastened to the catches d d and move in
slots cc', are moved by hand outwards from the centre of the wheel and thus
release the catches d from the groove e¹ of the axle e, the wheel is then free to
be removed. Preferably I form the ends d' Fig 12 of the catches & which engage
in the axlegroove inclined so that the wheel may easily slip into place and I bore
out the other ends d³ to form a recess for the springs In Figs 17 to 20, "h" is a
portion of the cycle framing to which the axle bearing h¹ is attached and also a
fulcrum h for the catch lever j. This catch lever has a small handle ji at the
outer end and a semicircular ended recess j2 which fits into a groove k¹ on the
axle k when the latter is in place being kept in position by a spring attached at
one end to a pin h³ in the framing hand at the other to a pin 3 on the inner end
of the catch j. When it is desired to release the axle the catch; is raised by the
handle and the axle can then be withdrawn endwise. Having thus described the
nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is or may be carried
into effect I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact form or
configuration of parts described in this specification or shown on the accompanying
drawings but what I claim to be protected by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is
First The construction of a tyre of a wheel for a bicycle, tricycle, or other
vehicle as herein before described and illustrated by Figures 1 to 6 of the
accompanying drawings
Second The construction arrangement and combination of parts for a removable
wheel for a bicycle tricycle or other vehicle as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 7 to 16 in the accompanying drawings.
Third The construction and combination of parts for an easily removable wheel
and axle for a bicycle. tricycle or other vehicle as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 17 to 20 in the accompanying drawings
In witness whereof I the said George Warwick have hereunto set my hand and
seal this seventh day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
Witness
J. EMERY DAVIES.
Solicitor
Birmingham
GEO. WARWICK (L.S.)