Improvements in Wheels and Pulleys.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels and Pulleys.
We, WILLIAM BLACKBAND, of Broad Street, Welshpool, in the County of
Montgomery, Grocer, and HENRY RICHARD LUNN, of Newport, in the County of
Salop, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This said invention relates to improvements hereinafter described, in the con-
struction, making, and adjusting or tensioning of wheels and pulleys, and our said
invention, consists 1st, in the construction of wheels for vehicles, such as velocipedes,
carriages, curts, wheelbarrows, perambulators, railway carriages, and the like; also
in the construction of pulleys for machinery, an other purposes, which are alike
in construction, to the aforesaid wheels. 2ndly, in means for distending or giving
tension or rigidity to the sides or spoke supports of the said wheels or pulleys.
3rdly, in divided hubs. 4thly, in the formation of the rims or tyres of the said
wheels and pulleys. 5thly, in the construction of the sides of disc wheels and
pulleys. 6thly, in the formation of the axle boxes, and also the bearings of the
aforesaid wheels and pulleys.
In carrying out one form of our invention, as applied to a disc-wheel or pulley,
two thin sheet metal discs or blanks are taken, of the size of the wheel or pulley to
be made, and weld the outer edges and middle parts of them to the rim and bosses
respectively.
Thus in the formation of a disc-wheel, two sheet metal blanks are taken, with the
middle parts of them, pierced to the size of the axle, and with the metal surrounding
the said pierced parts, thickened. The metal of the outer edges of the said discs,
are also thickened, so that both inner parts, and outer edges have sufficient metal
for them to be welded to their respective parts, viz. :—the rim or tyre and hub
centres.
In carrying out another form of wheel pulley construction, the hubs or wheel
centres, and sides, or discs, are made in one piece, thus we roll down the discs, and
leave thickened metal parts at their middles, and outer edges, thus dispensing with
the rims and hubs or wheel centres, as the rims or tyres are formed from the
thickened outer edges as aforesaid, and the hubs or centres, from the thickened
middles.
In the making of the said sides, with thickened parts, left at their edges and
middles, the rolling is performed in a circular manner, while the acting faces of
the rolls employed, are of the section of the said sides or discs to be produced.
The inner side of one of the wheel centres, is socketed or recessed, and the hole
or bush of the other side, screwed. The axle box is also screwed, and takes through
the screw part of the said box, and with its one end, which is reduced, lying in the
socket of the other wheel centre as aforesaid.
The axle box, is arranged to take any axle, as may be required, according to the
kind of wheel, or pulley required.
Rigidity or tension is imparted to the said sides, by rotating the axle box, when
the parts are opened out, forming a disc-wheel or pulley, alike unto a narrow drum,
with the sides sloping inwardly, and outwardly, from the wheel or pulley centre, to
the rim.
The means as aforesaid, for the distending of the sides, is applicable to spoke and
laced wheels of various kinds.
'
The rims of the said wheels or pulleys, may be formed from the metal of the
sides, or be attachedly connected, welded or riveted.

page_text: The drawing-to, or distending of the side, may be performed by a wedge shape
cottar or like device, drawn or driven home between axle box segments or hubs,
instead of employing screw expedients.
In a wheel or pulley, with a fixed or non-rotating axle, the opening out, or
drawing in of the said sides, may be performed, by screwing the middle, or part,
or parts, of it; and which screwing, worms within hollow screwings in hubs or half
hubs as aforesaid.
In sheet metal sides, (of uniform thickness) the outer edges may be connected
to the rim, by turning them over the front sides, with the adjacent parts to some
extent, following the contour of the underside of the said rim.
Although the disc sheet metal sides, have been described, as attached to its
cognate parts, by welding, yet the same may be attached by riveting or
otherwise.
The hub, or divided hub, for the pushing outwards, or drawing inwards, of the
sides, may be a solid or hollow screw.
In a cart or bicycle wheel, the tyre or rim, may be of a Ṭ shaped section,
with the wires connected or threaded through the stem or web, and with their
ends bent and attached or passed through or into slots, cut around the hub.
The divided rim is particularly applicable to a velocipede wheel, as the laced or
other wires, could pass through, or take into the tyre, and so secure it from coming
off, and further, by such means, smaller tyres could be advantageously used.
The application of our invention to other wheels, and pulleys, not herein
described, differs in no essential respect from that already described.
D
101 1
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1000
WILLIAM BLACKBAND.
HENRY RICHARD LUNN.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels and Pulleys.
We, WILLIAM BLACKBAND, of Broad Street, Welshpool, in the County of
Montgomery, Grocer, and HENRY RICHARD LUNN, of Newport, in the County of
Salop, Printer, 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 hereinafter described, in the construction,
making and adjusting or tensioning, of wheels and pulleys.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in front elevation, a portion
of a cart wheel, constructed and arranged according to one form of our invention.
The axle box of the wheel centre, is shown in section, and with a tension nut, which
constitutes the front of the hub, and the. means for giving tension to the spokes,
by the rotation of the same, upon a screwed outer end of the said axle box,
removed, in order to exhibit the shape or configuration of the inner ends of the
said spokes.
Figure 2 represents a longitudinal section of the said wheel, or portion of a wheel,
Figure 1, and shows the connection of the hollow spokes, with the wheel centre,
and rim, respectively, and the means employed for the collapsing or taking in
of the said centre, for giving tension to the spoke, and imparting perfect rigidity
to the wheel.
This said Figure 2 is upon the dotted lines A B Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section of the wheel centre, through the dotted lines CD Figure 2,
showing the disposition of the spokes, and the connecting feet or inner ends of them

page_text: which when brought together, as shown, fill up a circumference, or an annulus,
formed between the outside of the axle box, and the insides of holding collars or
annuluses, taper screwed upon their insides, so as to take upon the taper screwed
feet or ends, of the spokes, as aforesaid.
Figure 4 represents the lower end of one of the hollow spokes, in section.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the same, whilst Figure 6 is a front elevation of
the combined hub front, and tensioning device or nut, separately.
It will be understood or observed, that if the said nut be screwed from right to
left, the wheel centre, or those parts at the foot ends of the hollow spokes, are
contracted, and that the carrying parts of them, to wit:-the collars or annuluses,
slide upon the axle box.
The same letters of reference, indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is the axle box, with an outside screwed end a², and an axle collar and oil cup
end a³. bare hollow spokes, with their inner ends 12, provided with feet or segment
pieces 63, with the inner extension parts of them, coned or inclined and screwed upon
their top sides and marked 4, so that on the said ends meeting or coming together
at the wheel centre, they form taper collars or flanges, screwed upon their outsides,
and upon which, an inside screwed collar or annulus c, takes, and thereby collectively
connects together the whole of the said spokes, and forms equivalents to inside
hubs, as represented in Figure 2, and which said inside portions of the wheel centre,
are capable of sliding upon the plain outside part of the axle box, when the spokes
are required to be slackened or tensioned, which is performed by unscrewing, or
screwing home, the inside wormed nut a', which constitutes in itself, both a nut, and
a face-hub.
The inner ends of the spokes, or hollow spokes, are chamfered inwardly to the
direction of radii, so that on the whole of the spokes being placed in position, no
space is left between them at their inner ends.
The tensioning is, (as before described) performed by the centralizing and
curtailment of the distances between the spokes inner ends, consequent upon the
screwing up of the combined face-hub and nut d, upon the screwed end a², of the
axle box a.
The circumference of the wheel, consists of a rim e, wherein the outer ends of
the hollow spokes b, take.
e, fis an ordinary rim and tyre.
Instead of the spokes being made froin tubing, which combines lightness, with
strength, wire, or other spokes may be substituted for them.
In the case of wire or solid sectioned spokes, the inner ends are turned inwards,
and tapered.
Figure 7 represents in longitudinal vertical section, a wheel centre, with axle
box, constructed and arranged according to another form of our invention. This
arrangement is similar to the preceding one, other than the employment of a distance
sleeve, with clamping ends, for holding and keeping the spokes in their respective
positions.
a is the axle box, a² the outer and outside screwed end, and a³ the axle collar
end. bare hollow spokes, with feet or solid terminations 63, fitted within the lower
ends of them. These feet or solid terminations, are transverse segments of a
ring, which when fitted and secured within the said inner ends, constitute the means
for holding and keeping the spokes in their respective positions, which is performed
by distance sleeves, with coned or expanded ends, taking their bearings upon the
inclines, of the said feet or solid extensions b³.
d is an inside screwed nut, taking upon the end a², of the axle box a, and con-
stituting both a nut and face-hub, by the screwing up of which, the spokes are
tensioned and clamped between the impingement face d of it, and the shoulder a
of the axle box a, and with the distance and holding sleeve or hollow stay, between
them.

page_text: To give further tension to the spokes, a distance sleeve of less length is substituted
in lieu of the one employed; so that varying lengths of sleeves are required for
varying tensions.
Figure 8 represents a modification of the wheel centre Figure 7. In this arrange-
-ment, the inner ends of the hollow spokes are expanded lengthwise, so as to form
feet or enlargements, for the ends of the distance sleeves to impinge or take their
bearings upon.
a is the axle box, a² the inside screwed outer end, a³ the axle collar and oil cup
end. are hollow spokes, with expanded inner ends 3. i is a distance sleeve,
between the said spokes, and 2 opened ends, taking their bearings upon the inner
inclines of the said feet 63, of the spokes b.
The shoulder at of the axle box end a³, is undercut, and so is the impingement
shoulder d², of the combined nut and face-hub d.
The tensioning is accomplished, in manner alike unto Figure 7.
Figure 9 represents in vertical section, a wheel centre, (with spokes partly broken
away) constructed and arranged according to another form of our invention, in
which the said spokes are formed of wire, and tensioned by the displacement or
inward curtailment of them at their inner ends; and which displacement and con-
sequent shortening, is performed by opposite screw nuts, with bossed inner ends,
which impinge upon the wires of the spokes above their inner points of attachment,
which consist of hooked ends, passing in opposite directions, around the mouths of
bell nuts, screwing upon the outside wormed periphery of the axle box, alike unto
the impingement screw nuts.
a is the axle box, outwardly screwed at its outer ends a², and upon the inner
screwed parts of which, bell nuts k, with outwardly directed mouths k², take, and
around and under the lip of the said mouth, the hooked ends b³, of the inner ends ²,
of the wire spokes b, take, and are thereby held, while screwing upon the said ends,
are nuts d, with impingement collars d², which on being advanced inwardly, and
towards each other, bends or forces the inner ends of the wires, over the outsides of
the bell parts, hence the tensioning.
From this it will be rendered apparent, that the taking or curtailing inwards of
the inner ends of the spokes, by the advancing towards each other of the impinge-
ment collars d², of the nuts d, that any desired tension or tightness may be imparted
to the said spokes.
If desired, a distance sleeve without mouthed ends, may be disposed between the
inside shoulders of the bell nut k, alike unto that in the preceding Figures 7 and 8,
in consequence of which, a single adjustment nut only, is required.
To tighten the spokes, advance the nuts din opposite directions, on the right
and left handed threads a², of the axle box a, when in consequence of the bell nuts,
and the attached ends of the spokes remaining quiescent, the bulging inwards of the
spokes, by the impingement of the collar parts, imparts the necessary tension.
Figure 10 represents another wheel centre, constructed according to a further
form of our invention. In this arrangement, the inner ends of the spokes, are
turned hook-wise around clamping or holding collars, whilst tension is performed,
by the forcing inwards of the inner ends of the wires, into and between the ends of
a distance sleeve.
a is the axle box, with a screwed end a², and a head end a³. are collar rings,
around and under the inside and outside edges of which, the hooked ends 63, of the
inner ends b², of the wire spokes take, while i is a distance sleeve or wheel centre,
with mouth ends, 2, forming abutments and leads, for the contraction of the said
inner ends, and the consequent tightening or tensioning of the spokes, which is
performed by the nut d, taking upon the end a².
Thus the screwing up of the nut d, upon the end a², forces the collar rings k, up
the mouths, or into the open ends of the distance sleeves i, and the consequent
contraction of the spokes, by the curtailment of the distances between their inner
secured ends.

page_text: Figure 11 represents another wheel centre, with spoke. tightening means, con-
structed according to a further form of our invention.
al is an axle, with right and left handed screw threads a², a², cut upon it, for the
taking of right and left handed bell nuts k, whose outsides are coned, while sur-
rounding the inner ends of the said bell nuts, are collar rings k', which when in
position, leave annular spaces between the insides of them, and the spokes, of the
thickness of the inner ends 62, of the wire spokes b, which are inwardly terminated
by knobs or heads 63, to prevent their withdrawal.
Disposed between the inner ends of the said spokes, and surrounding, or partly
surrounding, the collar rings and bell nuts, is a distance, sleeve i, with mouthed
ends, alike unto the arrangements in some of the preceding figures.
To tighten or tension the spokes, rotate the collar nuts in opposite directions,
when the collar rings k³, and inner ends of spokes, are carried inwardly with them,
whereby the adjustment parts are made to approach each other, hence the tightening
or tensioning.
By forming and arranging the middle of the wheel centre as described, to wit:-
with a distance sleeve disposed between the opposite spokes, of greater diameter.
than the collar rings, the said wheel centre, is made yielding or cushion-like.
Figure 13 represents a front elevation of the collar ring, separately.
In carrying out our improvements in connection with pulleys, we substitute for
the ordinary metal tyre and rim e f, a broad concave or other shaped drum,
suitably affixed to the outer ends of the spokes or arms, which may be considerably
increased in thickness; and further, instead of connecting the outer ends of the
spokes or arms to the inside middle of the open ended drum, constituting the
periphery as aforesaid, the said ends may be disposed at distances apart, so as to
give a broader bearing, than when connected in the middle.
In further carrying out our improvements, in connection with pulleys with sides,
we substitute two thin sheet metal discs for the spokes or arms, and connect the
inner ends, to rings or thickened parts, and the outer circumferences or peripheries,
to the rims or tyres, or a thickening of the said outer peripheries, to the said rims
or tyres.
Thus, in carrying out one form of our invention, in connection with a disc wheel
or pulley, we take two thin sheet metal discs, of a size to form the sides, and with
the middle pierced to take upon the axle, or axle box, and with the metal
surrounding the said pierced part, and at the circumference, preferably thickened,
so as to have sufficient metal at those parts, for the welding or connection of them,
to supplementary parts surrounding axle box or axle, and rim or tyre.
To give rigidity or tension to the sides, which are obliquely directed from rim to
hub, we employ like expedients as described in the several arrangements herein-
before referred to.
Figure 14 represents in longitudinal vertical section, partly in elevation, a wheel,
provided with wooden spokes, constructed and arranged according to our invention.
a is an axle box, a² its outside screwed end, and as the axle collar end. a is a
slipped-on sleeve, with zig-zag inclined planes, directed around it; or in other
words, an annulus of inclined planes, disposed in opposite directions, so that a
portion of the spokes rest upon the inclined planes, in the one direction, and the
other portion upon the inclined planes directed in the reverse direction, and which
inclined planes, are adapted to automatically lift the spokes, bence the tensioning,
by the respective forcing inwards of the said spokes by the nut d, or the combined
nut and face-hub, which is inside screwed, and takes upon the screwed end a².
The rear of the axle box, has an abutment shoulder a³, against which, the
alternate spokes b, come, while the intermediate ones b', are pressed home edgewise,
by the impingement face 2 of the nut d.
The said spokes have inclined inner ends, which take upon the inclines a, a,
respectively; that is to say, the inclines of the sides 68, of the intermediate
spokes-, rest upon the incline a, while the inner inclined ends b', of the alternate

page_text: spokes b, rest upon the incline a", of the sleeve a', so that by forcing the spokes b',
between the spokes b, (which are of the section represented, in Figure 15) the same
are caused respectively to travel up the inclines in opposite directions, and thereby
tighten or fix up the same.
The spaces left between the outsides of one set of spokes, and those of the other
are filled up by rubber, or other blocks y of yielding material, to prevent the
.displacement, by shrinking or otherwise.
If desired, the inner ends of the spokes may rest upon rubber facings or pads, to
stop off vibration.
Thus, the forcing up of the nut d, or front of the wheel centre, causes the spokes
to be forced between each other, in manner that the distance between the outer
,edges of the one set with the other, is curtailed or reduced, whereby the spokes are
made to travel up the respective inclines, and so tighten them.
To keep the rubber blocks within their assigned positions, the shoulders on the
respective sides of the spokes, are channeled or undercut, wherein the rubber
adjacent to them, expands, thereby preventing the said blocks becoming displaced.
These channels are respectively marked n, m.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First In wheels for vehicles, such as carts, cycles, and perambulators, and
machinery pulleys, tightening, tensioning, or fixing up, obliquely directed spokes
of the same, by bringing together laterally, the inner or hub ends of them,
substantially as described and set forth in the several figures of the drawings.
Secondly-An adjustable wheel centre, or hub, consisting of an axle box,
encircled by the inner ends of obliquely directed spokes, or the inner ends of
hollow spokes, which are secured by inside screwed annuluses, and adjusted by
a nut, or a combined nut, and face-hub, taking upon one end, or nuts, or the
equivalents, taking upon both ends of the axle box, or its equivalent, substan-
tially as, and for the purpose as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Thirdly-In wheels for vehicles, making the spokes of the same, hollow,
with connecting feet at their inner terminations, whereby the said spokes are united
together ringwise, at their hub ends, and by such uniting together, they admit
of collectively sliding upon the axle box, or axle of a wheel, for the purpose
of adjusting or tensioning the said spokes, substantially as described and set
forth.
:
Fourthly In wheels, and pulleys, and the adjusting or tensioning of the
spokes or sides of the same, by the construction, arrangement and combination
of parts, as herein described and set forth in Figures 1 and 2, and referred to in the
description relating thereto.
:-
Fifthly In a wheel centre, or hub, for tightening or tensioning the spokes, by
contraction, consisting of axle box, or axle, spokes and tightening nut, with
distance sleeve, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 7 and 8.
Sixthly In wire spoke wheel centres, consisting of an axle box, or axle a,
screwed at one end, or both ends, spoke holders or bell nuts k, and adjustment
nut, or nuts d, for the purpose, substantially as described and set forth in
Figure 9.
Seventhly Tensioning wire spokes, by a contracting or inward impingement
or impingements, of a nut, or nuts, on the end or ends of an axle box, or axle,
on the inner ends of the spokes being held, substantially as described and set
forth in Figures 9, 10, and 11.
Eighthly:-The construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts of
wheel centres, and means of tightening the spokes, and obtaining elasticity in the
aid wheel centres, as set forth in Figures 10 and 11.
Ninthly In a wheel, or wheel centre, and in means of tightening the spokes

page_text: thereof, consisting of axle box, or axle, reverse inclines, tightening nut, and spokes
with inclined inner ends, constructed, arranged, and operating, substantially as
described and set forth in Figures 14 and 15.
Dated this 11th day of December 1800
WILLIAM BLACKBAND.
HENRY RICHARD LUNN.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.