Improvements in Wheels for Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Vehicles.
I, JACQUES PLAS, of 41 Rue Broguiez, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Carriage Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in wheels for all kinds of vehicles.
According to my invention instead of employing rigid spokes as hitherto I
employ flat spokes curved to such a shape as to render them flexible or elastic in a
direction parallel to the rim or felloe and perpendicular to the axle, at the same
time preserving the necessary rigidity in a direction parallel to the axle and
perpendicular to the plan of the rim or felloe, the object of the invention being to
obtain a greater degree of resilience and to lessen the vibrations on the axle.
In carrying out my invention I make my spokes straight from the nave for a
certain distance curving them near the rim. Or they may be curved from the nave,
the curve being increased up to the rim for obtaining greater elasticity. For fixing
the spokes to the nave, the latter is provided with slotted projections into which the
inner ends of the spokes pass and are secured in position by means of bolts, rivets or
by other suitable means. In order to attach the outer ends of the spokes to the rim
this latter is grooved on its interior periphery, the said groove being of the width of
the spokes and somewhat deeper than their thickness. The curved ends of the
spokes are placed in the said groove and fixed therein by any suitable means.
Dated the 20th day of January 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Vehicles.
1, JACQUES PLAS, of 41^, Rue Broguiez, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Carriage Builder, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in wheels for all kinds of vehicles.
According to my invention instead of employing rigid spokes as hitherto I
employ flat spokes curved to such a shape as to render them flexible or elastic in a
direction parallel to the rim or fellee and perpendicular to the axle, at the same
time preserving the necessary rigidity in a direction parallel to the axle and
perpendicular to the plan of the rim or felloe, the object of the invention being to
obtain a greater degree of resilience and to lessen the vibrations on the axle.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel constructed according to my
invention, and,
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a section illustrating the application of my invention to a velocipede
wheel, and,
Figure 4 is a section of an iron band or tire of special form showing how I can
apply my invention directly to the tire without the intervention of a rim.
In carrying out my invention I make my spokes A. A straight from the nave D
for a certain distance curving them near the rim B. Or they may be curved from
the nave, the curve being increased up to the rim for obtaining greater elasticity.

page_text: For fixing the spokes A. A to the nave D, the latter is provided with projections E E
having slots FF, Figure 2 made therein of the width and thickness of the spokes A
and into which the inner ends of the spokes pass and are secured in position by
means of bolts, rivets or by other suitable means.
The projections E are shewn in the drawing Figure 2 arranged in the form that
is known as staggering to produce a staggered wheel but I can if required obviously
arrange all the spokes in one plane.
In order to attach the outer ends of the spokes A to the rim B this latter is
grooved on its interior periphery.
Figures 2 and 3 shew the said groove made in a rim B adapted to receive a tire C,
while Figure 4 shews the groove made in a rim which has no separate tire. The
said groove is of the width of the spokes and somewhat deeper than their thickness.
The curved ends of the spokes are placed in the said groove and fixed therein by
any suitable means.
The groove in the rim or tire can be produced in various ways such as by turning,
or rolling or by applying strips to a flat band of iron.
The wheel may have a wooden rim provided with a metal tire like a coach wheel
as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, or a metal rim provided with an india rubber tire like
a velocipede wheel as shewn in Figure 3 or a grooved combined metal rim and tire
as shewn in Figure 4.
By my invention the axle of the wheel, whether the driving force be tractional
or impellent, will always be in advance of the centre thereby considerably econo-
mising the power required to move the vehicle.
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. Wheels for vehicles having flat spokes straight from the nave for a certain
distance and curved near the rim, or curved from the nave the curve being increased
up to the rim, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. In a wheel for vehicles the combination with flat spokes curved or arranged
as described of a hub having projections provided with slots in which one end of
the spokes is inserted and fixed, substantially as hereinbefore described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawing.
3. In a wheel for vehicles the combination with the flat spokes and the hub
herein described of a rim provided or not with a tire and having on its inner
periphery a groove in which one end of the spokes is inserted and fixed, substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 19th day of October 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.