IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR WAGONS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph Barrett of Kingston upon Hull in the
County of York, Commission Merchant for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph Barrett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th August 1882.
HENRY JOSEPH BARRETT of Kingston-upon-Hull in the County of York,
Commission Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR
WAGONS AND OTHER VEHICLES."
The object of this invention is to construct wheels which shall combine immense
strength with comparatively little weight, and be thereby specially suited for
wagous and other vehicles in which heavy loads have to be carried over rough
ground. This class of wheel is well adapted for use in the transport wagon for
which I applied for Letters Patent on the 5th April, 1882 N° 1656, and is especially
designed to withstand lateral wrenching strains.
In carrying out my invention I make my improved wheels preferably of steel,
or other suitable metal, in the following manner.
The nave is made of cast steel or malleable cast iron and provided with a broad
annular groove around it for the reception of the inner ends of the spokes which
are secured to the sides of the said groove, or to annular flanges on the nave, by screw
bolts. To resist side strain the spokes may be let into recesses formed in the sides
of the said groove or in the flanges.
The spokes are formed of steel rods or bars of suitable cross section, such as
1 shape, concave, or flat, the latter answering well for all ordinary purposes.
These spokes are so constructed and applied that they may be individually taken
off and replaced in case of a breakage. The lower ends of the spokes are bent
horizontally so as to rest in the broad groove in the nave above referred to, or in
some cases the unbent end of the spoke may rest in the said groove, and their
upper or outer ends are bent over and attached alternately to the inside and the
outside halves respectively of the rim or felloe of the wheel being secured thereto
ונ...D

page_text: by bolts, and in such a manner that the said spokes cross each other, in side view,
one set springing from the inner side of the groove or from the inner flange of the
nave and extending to the outside half of the rim or felloe; the other set springing
from the outer side of the groove or from the outer flange, and extending to the
inside half of the felloe; thereby binding the two halves of the felloe together while
preserving a little elasticity. The spokes may also be run out to the rim or felloe
of the wheel without crossing, but they will be so arranged that one set of spokes
shall sustain the heavy downward thrust, and the other set shall sustain any
twisting strain thrown upon the wheel. Each of the two halves of the rim or
felloe above referred to is made from a bar of angle iron or steel curved and welded
to form a circle; these two circular halves being placed together so as to form a rim
or felloe trough-shaped in cross section, and the outer ends of the spokes being bent
to fit accurately within this trough-shaped felloe. The tyre is shrunk on to the
felloe when the halves thereof are in their proper relative position. I preferably
surround the horizontal inner ends of the spokes as they lie in the broad groove in
the nave with a metal strap, which serves to materially strengthen the nave.
It
also stiffens the spokes when the wheel has lateral pressure put upon it and is the
means of keeping the nuts which secure the spokes to the nave from working
loose. If a spoke is required to be removed, this may be easily done by unscrewing
the bolts which tighten up the strap, and detaching the bolts which fasten the
spokes to the nave and felloe respectively.
The wheel is " dished," ie as the wheel stands perpendicularly if a straight line
be let fall through the centre of the nave and another line close to the inner edge
of the felloe, there will be a space of about 4 inches more or less between the said
lines representing the amount of dish." This "dish" is most useful in travelling
over sloping roads to prevent the vehicle from overturning.
24
This result is attained by the arrangement of the spokes those springing from
the outer end of the boss being nearly perpendicular when the wheel is in its
normal position on level ground and capable of sustaining a great thrust, while
the spokes springing from the inner end of the boss slope outwards to a considerable
degree and exert an immense sustaining puil when the wheel is subjected to a
twisting strain.
The felloe rim in its complete form is of shape in cross section the side walls
thereof preventing dirt from being carried round, and adding to the strength of the
wheel. The wheel is lubricated by a passage through the boss from a groove around
the inner end thereof and this passage is protected by a suitable cap. The usual
brass cap screwed on may also be employed and in either case it will not be
necessary to remove the wheels for lubricating.
Wheels thus constructed may be used for all kinds of wagons and vehicles where
great strength and comparative lightness are required.
As a modification of the above form of wheel I may fit the inner ends of the
spokes into grooves or sockets cast in the nave securing them therein by belts or
otherwise, but preserving the peculiar set of the spokes with reference to the nave
and the felloe as above described.
A loose washer with an eye formed therein may be fitted to the outer end of
the nave to attach a draught chain or rope when an extra pulley on the wheel is
required

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Joseph Barrett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th February 1883.
HENRY. JOSEPH BARRETT of Kingston-upon-Hull in the County of York,
Commission Merchant "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS FOR
WAGONS AND OTHER VEHICLES
"
The object of this Invention is to construct wheels which shall combine immense
strength with comparatively little weight, and be thereby specially suited for
wagons and other vehicles in which heavy loads have to be carried. over rough
ground. This class of wheel is well adapted for use in the improved transport
wagon for which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date the fifth April
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two N° 1656, and is especially designed
to withstand lateral wrenching strains. The invention has also for its object to
facilitate the removal of a broken or damaged spoke, and its replacement by a
sound one.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn the construction of my improved
wheel. Fig 1 is an elevation of one of the hind wheels seen from the inside.
Fig 2 is a section taken on the line 1. 2. of Fig 1 and shewing the mode of
attaching the vertical front or outer spokes. Fig: 3. is a similar view shewing the
mode of attaching the sloping or inclined inner spokes. Fig: 4 is an elevation of
one of the front wheels seen from the outside. Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views
of the same corresponding to Figures 2 and 3, and Fig: 7 is a section taken on
the line 3. 4 of Fig: 5.
In all these figures the same letters of reference indicate like or corresponding
parts.
A is the axle of mild steel tapered as usual as its extremity. B is the nave,
made of cast steel annealed or of malleable cast iron with a groove or flat bottomed
recess around it to receive the horizontal base of each of the detachable spokes C. C',
and with annular flanges b. b¹ to which the said spokes are alternately bolted.
C. C. represent the vertical front or outer spokes and C. C. the inner inclined
spokes.
D is the rim or felloe formed of a bar of mild steel curved and welded to a circle
and E is the tyre also of mild steel having its outer surface slightly rounded in
cross section.
The nave B of mild steel is cast upon a chill pin so as to ensure smoothness of
surface and trueness, and is then annealed so as to get toughness especially in the
flanges b. b to which the spokes are attached.
a. is a steel bush also cast upon a chill pin but left so hard on its interior that
even a file will not touch its surface on the inside the outside end of this bush
is threaded to receive the internally threadled washer a* and cap a¹. The inner
end is cast with a slight collar 62 around it through which two key ways are cut
exactly opposite similar keyways cut in the nave. Into these key ways a key K
is put of peculiar shape similar to the letter L so that when the bush is put in
position through the nave B and the washer a* is screwed on tight to the outer
end, the brush a. is secured from either coming out or turning round. The reason.
for making this bush loose is that it is positively necessary to have the surface
upon which the axle bears quite hard which can only be done by casting upon a
chill pin. At the same time toughness is essential in the flanges and other parts of
the nave, and this can only be attained by the process of annealing which entirely
destroys the brittleness caused by chill casting.

page_text: It is therefore necessary to have a loose bush which can be cast chilled, and thus
allow the nave to be annealed independently of the bush.
The bush a. and nave B turn around the axle A which is secured in its place
with a washer and a linch pin a³ which goes through a hole in the axle and keeps
the washer in its place.-A small set screw a' is inserted at the end of the axle
and is screwed in tight against the linch pin a³ thus preventing its coming out
through jolts &c. The iron oil box cup a' is also screwed onto the end of the
bush a. which projects beyond the washer a* and being hollow, a large space is
formed for a supply of oil or other lubricant which can be readily introduced into
the cap by taking out the small set screw a², an arrangement which allows of the
wheels being readily lubricated without taking them off the axle. This set screw
also acts as a fulcrum for the lever key to lay hold of and enable the cap to be
unscrewed when it is necessary to take off the wheels from the axle.
The detachable spokes C. C' it will be observed are each somewhat of Z shape and
are twisted midway of their length to give greater strength and a certain amount of
elasticity. The front vertical spokes Care bolted to the outer flange b. of the nave
and right through both the felloe and tyre at the points c. c. while the inclined
spokes C. are bolted to the inner flange b¹ of the nave and right through both the
felloe and tyre at the points c¹. c¹.
On reference to Figures 1 and 4 it will be seen that the spreading heads of the
spokes C. C serve to greatly strengthen the felloe and tyre.
In Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the end of the spoke which crosses the
rim clips hold of the latter and helps it to resist the pressure, thus relieving the
side strain on the bolt while the horizontal bases of the spokes fit snugly side by
side within the grooved or recessed nave B, and the spokes are further stiffened and
held in place by a metal strap F (shown best in Fig: 7) which is tightened around
the horizontal bases of the said spokes by means of the bolts and nuts f.-This
strap or ring F prevents also the nuts of the bolts (passing through the flanges b
and b) from working loose, and in the event of a bolt or nut giving way the spokes
are still held in their places at the nave and the efficacy of the wheel preserved.
The faces of the flanges b. ' are also slightly recessed on the inside to receive the
vertical portion of the spokes C. C. and strengthen them laterally.
It will be observed that the bolts used for attaching together the tyre, felloe and
spreading outer ends of the spokes C C. are tapered and fit into holes of corre-
sponding form so that their heads lie flush with the surface of the tyre E and as
the tyre wears away it is still held in position upon the rim by the taper heads of
the bolts which are still unworn.
The inner end of the nave B is also cast hollow as shewn at 63 thereby catching
the lubricant as it runs out of the bush, and serving as the nave turns round to still
further lubricate the axle. That part of the axle which lies within the bush is
recessed or turned away in the middle to allow the lubricant to flow more freely
and the axle on either side of this reduced portion is turned slightly convex so as
to reduce the friction in the centre and throw the bearing surface chiefly at ench
end. This axle is unusually long in the bush or nave part, which gives more.
power or leverage in pulling the wheel out of a rut.
In setting up these wheels upon any sort of vehicle, the axle which is always
tapered towards the outer end is so placed or set at the shoulder that the under side
line of the axle through the bush is not quite level-e not at right angles with
a line drawn perfectly plumb through the wheel, this it will be readily seen gives
an incline down the bush, down which the lubricant flows into the hollow box b³.
This set of the wheel (or "underline" as it is more properly termed) is modified
according to the circumstances under which the vehicle is intended to be used.
By this construction of wheel great strength and elasticity combined with com-
paratively little weight are secured, the spokes being so arranged that they are
capable of withstanding both heavy downward thrusts and twisting and pulling
strains, each spoke bearing its own share of pressure no matter what position the
wheel may be in.

page_text: In some cases where still greater strength of rim is required I make the
continuous felloe of ☐ or channel shape in cross section securing the spokes
thereto by nuts and bolts passing through the sides of the channel shaped rim or
felloe, but as sand and mud are apt to be carried up by such a rim or felloe I
sometimes employ a simple continuous welded rim of mild steel of T section.
There
A wheel thus constructed is practically indestructible but should a spoke become
bent or broken it can be readily replaced by a spare one in a few minutes.
will moreover be no necessity for shrinking on the tyre at short intervals as is the
case with wooden wheels used in hot climates, the tyre of my wheel being firmly
secured to the rim and spokes by the steel lock nut bolts.
I would remark that I employ lock nuts and bolts such as are made by
Mess Ibbotson Brothers of Sheffield, as they are not liable to work loose, a matter
of the utmost importance in a wheel built up and held together in the manner
above described.
By the above described arrangement of spokes I am able to obtain a "dished"
wheel affording an extended bearing for wagons, thereby adding greatly to their
stability on hill sides and sloping roads.
Wheels constructed as above described may be used for all kinds of wagons and
vehicles where great strength and comparative lightness are required.
As a modification of the above form of wheel I may fit the inner ends of the
spokes into key shaped grooves or sockets cast in the nave securing them therein
by bolts or otherwise but preserving the peculiar disposition or set of the spokes
with reference to the nave and the rim or felloe as above described.
If desired the rim D and tyre E may each be made for convenience of packing and
transport in three or four separate segments properly "fished" together.
Having now setforth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
construction of wheels for wagons and other vehicles" and having described the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect I wish it to be understood that
I claim.
First-Constructing metal wheels of readily detachable and renewable parts in
the manner above described whereby great strength and elasticity are combined
with comparatively little weight and a "dished" wheel affording a widely extended
bearing for wagons and other vehicles is obtained.
Secondly The peculiar construction and disposition of the detachable metal
spokes CC for sustaining respectively a heavy downward thrust and resisting
pulling and lateral twisting strains, while at the same time largely increasing the
"dish" of the wheel substantially as set forth.
Thirdly. The nave B of cast metal recessed as above described to receive the
inner ends or bases of the detachable spokes C C', and doubly flanged to form
points of attachment for the said spokes alternately; in combination with a stiffening
and retaining strap F, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Joseph Barrett have hereunto set my
hand and seal the third day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
HENRY J. BARRETT
(L.S.)