IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ENGINES AND CARRIAGES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Beckett, of Wathon Dearne, near Rotherham,
Yorkshire, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ENGINES AND CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Beckett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1876.
GEORGE BECKETT, of Wathon Dearne, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ENGINES AND
CARRIAGES."
My Invention relates to an improved method of securing the rims or felloes of
railway wheel centres with the tyres, by means of combining certain shaped tyres
and rims.
1st. The rim felloe or "trod" is rolled from wrought iron to an angular section,
the broader side forming when bent to a circle the rim or felloe, and the other
smaller side standing at right angles forming a "ring" which clutches the tyre
when attached. The smaller side, herein-after called the "ring," may be thinner than
the larger side of the angle, which larger side, hercin-after called the rim, is bevelled
at the edge farthest away from the angle to admit of the rim being secured at the
lip of the tyre; this rim and ring are bent to a circle, and are attached to single or
double armed spokes by welding over a hollow hearth fire, or any other known way,
and part of the rim and ring are welded to complete the felloe unless the ring and
rim are rolled weldless.
2nd. The tyre is rolled as other tyres outside, but the inside periphery is rolled
flat to receive the rim previously described, with two exceptions; in the first place,
a space may be left at the side of the tyre under the flange to receive the ring
previously described, and in the second place a lip may be rolled under the off side
of the tyre, which lip may be afterwards beveled to receive the bevelled edge of
the rim.
Having prepared the wheel of a boss or nave by such an angular felloe as
described attached to spokes, and having prepared the tyre by boring and turning
the inner periphery of the tyre, and the corresponding part of the rim and ring so
as to fit (allowance being made for shrinkage if needed) respectively the tyre is
dropped heated upon the wheel centre, the angular part being downwards, and the

page_text: tyre and wheel centre fastened by the process of shrinking the heated tyre on the
cold wheel centre. The shrinking being done there is tapped at any given distances
in the circumference the ring clutching the tyre through the said ring and into the
tyre. Then the ring and the tyre are screwed together by a set screw, which is
inserted with a square head by a key brace tool, the said square head of the screw
being afterwards cut off so as to leave no projection.
The principle of my Invention is making the rim and ring in one piece of iron
rolled in one angular section, or cast iron moulded, such a section on the felloe or
any felloe mitred to a disc wheel whether iron or wood, or a combination of both of
such angular section.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Beckett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
September 1876.
GEORGE BECKETT, of Wathon Dearne, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR RAILWAY ENGINES AND
CARRIAGES."
My said Invention relates to the construction of railway wheels, and consists of an
improved mode or method of securing the tyres to the rims or felloes, whereby the
tyres are prevented from becoming detached even in the event of their becoming
fractured.
In carrying out my Invention I weld, roll, or otherwise form on one side or edge
of the felloe of the wheel a triangular, rectangular, or other suitable shaped annular
projection, and provide a corresponding recess in the tyre for its reception. On
the opposite side or edge of the felloe I form a lip or flange of greater diameter
than that of the body of the felloe, which flange enter a recess provided in the
corresponding side of the tyre, and is secured therein by means of metal screws or
other suitable fastenings passed through the flange into the body of the tyre at
suitable intervals round the circumference.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood, I have annexed
to this my Specification an explanatory Drawing, which represents (full size) a
transverse section of a portion of a railway wheel constructed according to my
Invention.
The central portion a of the wheel may consist either of a disc of wood or metal,
or of metal spokes (as shewn in my Drawing) welded or otherwise secured to the
rim or felloe B. On the side or edge of the felloe I form by rolling or otherwise
an annular projection C either of a triangular form as shewn by the full lines, or
rectangular as shown by the dotted lines a; or it may be made of a semicircular
or any other suitable shape, and on the opposite side or edge of the felloe I form a
lip or flange D, the external diameter of which is greater than that of the body of
the felloe. The annular projection C and flange D fit. respectively corresponding
recesses E and F provided for their reception in the tyre Ġ, which tyre is shrunk
on to the felloe in the ordinary manner, and is secured in position by screws H
which pass through the flange D at suitable distances apart round the circumference
into the body of the tyre. The heads of the screws may be either countersunk into
the flange D, or cut off after the screws have been inserted; and if desired other
screws may be inserted through the felloe from the interior thereof into the tyre in
addition to those inserted through the flange.
In order to more effectually prevent the tyre from becoming detached, I some-
times form a projection on the inner surface of the flange D, and dish or form the
recess provided in the tyre for its reception to correspond as shewn by the dotted
lines by connecting the tyre to the felloe in the manner herein-before described,
such tyre will remain in position until it is entirely worn through, and will not
become detached from the felloe even if fractured in several places, the screws H

page_text: serving to maintain the fractured portions in contact with the projections C and
thereby prevent them from flying off.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that what I claim
as my Invention is, the mode or method of securing tyres to the rims or felloes of
railway wheels, substantially as herein-before described and as illustrated by my
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Beckett, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
GEO. BECKETT. (LS.)