Year: 1897

page_text: HEINRICH SÖSs of 17 Traitteurstrasse Mannheim, in the empire of Germany,
Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The vehicle-wheel being the object of my invention, has the advantage of being
firmly put together in all its parts and is specially distinguished by a particular
central adjustment and a manner of fixing which allows the felloe to be readily
detached from the spokes. Moreover, the axle tree possesses a special device for
distributing the oil, as well as a cap-piece screwed on, up to its top, which can
however, be taken off without affecting the rigidity of the other parts.
The device for automatic adjustment and for tightening the felloe consists in
making the two sets of arms, forming conical-shaped disks capable of being drawn
together, as in hinged or articulated joints, the effect of which is to press outwards
the exterior ends of the spokes, thus tightening the felloe. For this purpose, I
arrange on the axle-tree mounted on the neck, a box having a rear disk formed
on it.
In the box there is passed a second disk, formed in the same way, capable of being
brought alongside the first one, by means of a nut. Between the two interior edges,
formed around these disks, the spokes are symmetrically lodged, those of the fixed disk
being placed alternately in relation to those of the moveable disk; these spokes can
therefore be drawn together, so as to form a uniform support against the felloe. In
order that the two boxes may still hold to the axle, even when the cap piece is
withdrawn, I have provided a disk forming a fastener, which fits directly behind
these boxes in an annular recess or grooving of the axle. The automatic stoppage of
the cap piece is effected during the screwing of it, by a crown, toothed inside. A
flexible pin is inserted therein, which the tightening causes to engage automatically
in the successive teeth whilst it is released by the withdrawal of the pin, which
comes out on the outside. Any loosening, therefore, of the felloe is impossible. The
wooden spokes are furnished with metal knobs and heads; the latter are introduced
into corresponding holes provided in the felloe and which are countersunk for this
purpose. The holes may be provided in the felloe, following a uniform arrangement.
To avoid any lateral sliding of the spokes their metal knobs fit in between lateral
ribs.
For oiling, the cap piece is unscrewed and the oil is introduced through a hole in
the neave until all the distributing grooves surrounding the box in spiral form, are
full. Thence, the oil passes to the axle by way of small holes. The four distributing
grooves in front and near the rear extremity of the box lead into semi-circular
recesses which are thus supplied with oil, the whole thus forming a sufficient oil
reservoir. To prevent the oil from escaping through the opening by which it is
introduced, the cap-piece closes this hole hermetically. It serves, besides, as a jam-
nut for the tightening nut. By an interior annular flange of the box the latter is
made to fit into the nave and rests therein against a leather washer, which prevents
•

page_text: the oil from escaping. Two rings admitting the knobs of the spokes and capable of
sliding one upon the other completely close the nave on the outside.
L. DUVINAGE
Agent for Applicant.
I, HEINRICH SÜSS of 17 Traitteurstrasse, Mannheim in the empire of Germany.
Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this inventlon, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The present invention concerns a new wheel for vehicles with which a specia
arrangement of the nave and spokes allows the joining of the latter with the felloes,
giving them a sufficient compression to ensure a great solidity of the wheel and a
suitable tightening of the tyre against the felloes.
The advantages this new system offers are, besides its simplicity and solidity, to
give the rigidity to the wheels when its different parts have too much play owing to
the wearing, and to allow a perfect oiling of the rubbing parts by a special arrange-
ment for distributing the oil.
In the annexed drawing a mode of execution of this wheel is given as an example.
Fig is a longitudinal section of the nave showing the arrangement of the
spokes and of the oiling device.
Fig 2 is a transversal section of the nave on the line A. B.
The nave of this wheel is formed of a bush 6 through which the axle-end a passes
and provided with two grooves n of semi-circular profile inter-communicating by
means of helicoidal channels m made in the periphery of the bush, these channels or
grooves forming a reservoir for the oil and being put, by means of holes 62, into
communication with the axle-end a to ensure the oiling of the latter.
On the bush b a sleeve c is placed, provided at its back extremity with a disk cl
and a shoulder o this latter serving to tighten the leather washer p in the groove
made in the axle in order to avoid all flowing of the oil on this side.
The sleeve c has a disk d at its fore-extremity, forming with this sleeve and the
disk ci a box D in which the shoes k¹ are fitted between the ribs 2 of the disks and
cannot consequently be displaced laterally; besides, the box D is completely shut by
two rings o¹ & pl allowing a passage to the shoes or sockets k¹ of the spokes, and
slipping one on the other.
The disk d is movable longitudinally on the sleeve c and approaches c¹ under the
action of a nut e screwing upon the threaded end of the sleeve c and which by
pressing against the outside face of the disk d draws the shoes k¹ of the right spokes
to those of the left.
In order that the bush b and the sleeve c might not slide longitudinally upon the
axle-end a the latter is provided at its forepart with a neck in which a ring fis fixed
holding the bush b and sleeve c and forming a joint to prevent the flowing of the oil;
moreover, the sleeve c has a hole cs made in it for the introduction of the oil and
bears a cap g screwed upon its threaded end serving as a lock nut for the tightening
nute and preventing the dust from getting between the rubbing parts.
The cap g has, on its interior side a toothed crown g¹ whose teeth have the same
shape as those of a ratchet wheel in order to escape during the screwing of the cap,
from the pin h which is pressed against the teeth by the helicoidal spring fixed in
the box screwed in the disk d and serving as a guide for the pin. This latter

page_text: prevents all loosening of the cap g and consequently of the felloes; but it suffices to
withdrawn the pin h by means of the cotter i to uncrew the cap when necessary.
The wooden spokes k are provided with metallic shoes k¹ fixed lozenge like on the
nave and with metallic heads k² introduced into the corresponding caps / fixed to the
felloes.
The fitting together of this wheel is very simple and easy to understand; after
fixing the bush b, sleeve c, ring f and disk d and placing the spokes in their
respective position, it suffices to screw the nut e to draw the disks c and d together
as much as possible and consequently to tighten the spokes k and the felloes against
the tyre, to give the necessary solidity to the wheel; then the grooves n and m are
filled with oil poured into the hole c³ and the cap g is screwed against the nut e and
locks it.
If through wearing, a looseness is produced at the support points or hip of the
spokes, it suffices to unscrew the cap g by withdrawing the pin h, then tighten the
nut e again to give the necessary compression.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare the what I claim is:
1. A wheel for vehicles having a center arrangement for tightening the spokes and
the felloes to the tyre, distinguished by a nave with a tightening arrangement and
by spokes supplied with metallic fittings.
2. A nave with a tightening contrivance claimed in 1) and distinguished by a
sleeve placed on the bush the latter being traversed by the axle-end and supplied
with grooves and channels for the oiling, and being moreover held by a ring fixed in
a groove of the fore-end of the axle-tree and which also serves to hold the sleeve
which is threaded at its fore-end, supplied with an oiling hole and provided at its
back end with a shoulder and a disk the shoulder serving to tighten a leather washer
in a groove of the axle to prevent the flowing of the oil, and the disk which is pro-
vided with ribs, forming a box with the sleeve and another disk which is also provided
with ribs and moving on the forepart of the sleeve; the said box being completely
shut by two rings allowing a passage to the shoes of the spokes, these spokes being
arranged lozenge-like and fitted between the ribs of the disks; the movable disk
being drawn towards the fixed disk and tightening the spokes, under the action of a
nut which screws upon the threaded end of the sleeve and held by a cap screwing
upon the same sleeve and serving as a lock-nut, the said cap being provided on its
interior side with a toothed crown in the teeth of which a pin is introduced, this pin
being pressed by a spring and supplied with a cotter which serves to withdraw this
pin which is guided by a box screwed into the movable disk, the said pin allowing
the cap to be screwed but preventing its becoming loose when it is not withdrawn.
3. Spokes fitted with metallic fittings claimed in 1) and distinguished by a body
in wood or metal introduced at one of its ends into a metallic shoe fixed in the nave
and at its other end into a metallic head likewise and pressing against the felloes; the
shoe and the head having suitable shapes.
4. An improved vehicle wheel substantially as described and shown.