IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SPOKES OF WHEELS SUITABLE FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES PERAMBULATORS AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ANDREWS Engineer Victoria Works Victoria Road Aston' Warwick-
shire do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SPOKES OF WHEELS SUITABLE FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES PERAMBULATORS AND
OTHER VEHICLES to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved method of fastening and adjusting the
wire spokes of Wheels for use in Bicycles Tricyoles Perambulators and other
Vehicles.
Numerous and various methods of fixing the wire spokes are now in general use,
in most of these ordinary methods it is usual to rivet one end of the wire spoke,
the other end being fastened and adjusted tight by means of lock nuts sunk in the
rim of the wheel or by means of lock nuts adjusted on the hub of the wheel, or by
means of screwing the wire spoke direct into the hub of the wheel.
My improvement consists in forming a rivet on both ends of the wire spoke and
adjusting it tight at any convenient distance between the extreme ends by means
of a tubular connection as hereinunder further described.
A piece of wire a little shorter than the half of a spoke is riveted at one end
and formed into a screw at the other end, this half spoke is then passed through a
hole in the rim of the wheel, a similar half spoke is then passed through a hole in
the flange of the hub.
The two half spokes are then joined together by means of a tubular connection
one end of which may be provided with a right-hand-she-screw-thread' the other
end being provided with a left hand she screw thread.
The screwed ends of the half spokes are then introduced into the tubular con-
nection. It will be readily understood that by turning the tubular connection in
one direction the two half spokes can be tightened up to the required tension.
I can in some cases fasten the tubular connection on one wire permanently so
that only one end of said tubular connection will need to be provided with a screw
thread.
I can where preferable join the wire spokes out of the centre that is to say near
to the hub or near to the rim of wheel.
1004

page_text: WILLIAM ANDREWS Engineer Victoria Works, Victoria Road Aston Warwickshire
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SPOKES
OF WHEELS, SUITABLE FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, PERAMBULATORS AND
VEHICLES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
OTHER
This invention consists of an improved method of fastening and adjusting the
wire spokes of wheels for use in Bicycles Tricycles Perambulators and other
Vehicles.
Numerous and various methods of fixing the wire spokes are now in general use,
in most of these ordinary methods it is usual to rivet one end of the wire spoke,
the other end being fastened and adjusted tight by means of lock nuts, sunk in
the rim of the wheel, or by means of lock nuts, adjusted to the hub of the wheel, or
by means of screwing the wire spoke direct into the hub of the wheel.
My improvement consists in forming a rivet on both ends of the wire spoke and
adjusting it tight at any convenient distance between the extreme ends by means
of a tubular connection as hereinunder father described.
A piece of wire a little shorter than the half of a spoke is riveted at one end,
and formed into a screw at the other end, this half spoke is then passed through a
hole in the rim of the wheel, a similar half spoke is then passed through a hole in
the flange of the hub.
The two half spokes are then jointed together by means of a tubular connection,
one end of which may be provided with a right hand she screw thread, the other
end being provided with a left hand she screw thread; The screwed ends of the
half spokes are then introduced into the tubular connection, it will be readily
understood that by turning the tubular connection in one direction the two half
spokes can be tightened up to the required tension.
I can in some cases fasten the said tubular connection on one wire permanently
so that only one end of the tubular connection will need to be provided with a
thread.
I can where preferable join the wire spokes out of the centre, that is to say near
to the hub, or near to the rim of wheel.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings,
the manner in which my invention is constructed and carried out.
Figure 1 represents the tubular connection constructed with a right hand female
screw thread at one end, and a left hand female screw thread at the other end, the
ordinary kind of wire spokes therein represented being screwed at the ends to fit
the threads in the tubular connection.
Figure 2 represents the tubular connection permanently fastened to one half
spoke the other half spoke being constructed to screw into the connection.
Figure 3 represents a tubular connection with a right hand thread runing
through it, the half spokes being provided with ordinary right hand threads to fit
either end of the connection.
In carrying out my invention I proceed in the following manner, the half
spoke A being placed in position with the riveted head secured to the rim of the
wheel the half spoke B would then be placed in position with the riveted head
secured to the hub of the wheel, the tubular connection C being passed on to the
ends of the half spokes; the tubular connection when rotated in one direction
would then tighten the complete length of spoke to the desired tension. -
In some cases as represented at figure 2 when the half spokes had been con-
nected, one to the rim and the other to the hub, the tubular connection could be

page_text: fixed permanently as represented at E, by brazing, compressing, or other suitable
means, the complete spoke could then be tightened by rotating the tubular
connection on the screwed end of half spoke F.
In other cases as represented at Figure 3 the half spokes having been connected,
the one to the rim of the wheel and the other to the hub of the wheel, the tubular
connection G with an ordinary right hand she screw thread throughout its entire
length could be connected to the half spokes H. J; in order then to tighten the
complete spoke it would simply be necessary to hold the connection & tightly,
and rotate either half of the spoke.
Either of the three methods of using the tubular connection will produce the
same result.
In fixing a complete set of spokes, I find it advantageous to make the connection
of one spoke about midway of its length, the next spoke at about three fourths of
its length-near the rim, the next spoke at about three fourths of its length-near
the hub, and so on alternately.
I do not confine myself to making the connection at any particular part in the
length of the spoke as that will depend upon the purpose for which the wheel is to
be used when completed, and in using the herein before mentioned term 'half
spoke' I intend it to apply to any case where divided spokes are fastened by
means of the tubular connection.
I am aware that it is not new to connect iron rods or wires, by means of
tubular connections, but my invention consists in applying the system to the
spokes of wheels, suitable for use on bicycles, tricycles perambulators and other
vehicles.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st The connecting of the spokes of wheels, and adjusting the tension of same
by the use of tubular connections.
2nd The method of connection shewn at Figure 1.
3rd The method of connection shewn at Figure 2.
4th The method of connection shewn at Figure 3.
D