Improved Means of Securing the Spokes of Wheels of Bicycles and Tricycles, applicable also to other Wire Spoke Wheels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1893--Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
Improved Means of Securing the Spokes of Wheels of Bicycles and
Tricycles, applicable also to other Wire Spoke Wheels.
We, FREDERICK JONES, of 66 Wakehurst Road, in the Parish of Battersea,
County of Surrey, Electrician, and ALFRED JAMES JONES of 77 Darien Road,
in the Parish and County aforesaid, Packer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention consists in furthering the prevention of spokes of
bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes (applicable also to wire spoke wheels of
other vehicles) from becoming broken or damaged, and also if broken providing a
ready means of enabling any person to readily and easily secure the spoke into
position.
For the purpose of this Specification we will proceed to describe the invention
as applied to safety bicycles though we would have it particularly understood that
the same principle would be applied to all other wire spoke wheels, the only modifica-
tion necessary being a difference in size to suit respective wheels.
In carrying our invention into practical effect we take a length or strip of flat
steel or other suitable metal and bend or form it to the shape of an ordinary.
longitudinally split key-ring, of any convenient diameter greater than the diameter
of flange of hub. Round the face of this longitudinally split ring are drilled small
bolt or screw holes for a purpose that will be presently made clear. In applying
our invention we mount on that side of the wheel where the damaged or broken
spokes require securing, a split ring-as herein described a little over and above
the flange of the hub, and embracing between its longitudinal split (the inner faces
of which are roughened) all the said spokes on that side of the wheel. The split
ring is mounted into position in the following manner:-The longitudinal split
ring being passed through the spokes and sprung over the neck or spindle of the
hub, one of the free ends is then passed outside a spoke and the ring worked round
till the inner flat faces of the split ring embrace firmly between the longitudinal
split all the spokes on that side of the wheel including those broken, as before
mentioned. Screws or bolts are then inserted into the holes, herein before referred
to, of the face of the split ring, and the inner roughened faces of the ring are so
drawn together, thereby firmly securing loose or broken spokes.
It will be seen that this split ring can be easily fixed into position by any person
without practical or technical knowledge, there being no brazing or rivetting to be
done, and as it is made of light weight one or two could be carried by the rider in
case of emergencies and could be fixed within two minutes by the rider.
We wish it to be particularly understood that we do not wish to limit ourselves
to the use of the exact construction of ring described as it is obvious that this
would be altered to suit the circumstances for which it is required; for example,
where it would be inconvenient to use a longitudinally split ring as described, two
ordinary plain rings could be used, one on cach side of the spokes, and drawn
together as heretofore by screws, holts or other suitable means, both rings could if
found necessary be transversely split to enable them to pass over or through any
obstacle that it is desired to clear.
Our invention may be applied as a preventative against loose or broken spokes
to those wheels whose spokes are still intact; as the rings tend to take off all strain
and vibration from the spokes at the weakest point viz. at or near the junction of
the spokes to the flange of the hub, in this case of course two longitudinal split

page_text: rings would have to be used for each individual wheel, i.e. one longitudinal split
ring to each flange of the hub.
Dond day of Antahan 1802
FREDERICK JONES.
ALFRED JAMES JONES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Securing the Spokes of Wheels of Bicycles and
Tricycles, applicable also to other Wire Spoke Wheels.
We, FREDERICK JONES, of 66 Wakehurst Road, in the Parish of Battersea,
County of Surrey, Electrician, and ALFRED JAMES JONES, of 77 Darien Road,
in the Parish and County aforesaid Packer, do hereby declare the nature of this
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of our invention consists in furthering the prevention of spokes of
wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes (applicable also to wire spoke
wheels of other vehicles) from becoming broken or damaged, and also if broken
providing a ready means of enabling any person to readily and easily secure the.
spoke into position.
For the purpose of this Specification we will proceed to describe the invention
as applied to safety bicycles though we would have it particularly understood that
the same principle would apply to all other wire spoke wheels, the only modification
necessary being a difference in size to suit respective wheels.
In carrying our invention into practical effect we take a length or strip of flat
steel or other suitable metal, and bend or coil it into a continuous double ring, in
the form of an ordinary longitudinally split key-ring, and of such convenient
diameter greater than the diameter of flange of the hub of the wheel. Round
the face of this continuous double ring or longitudinally split ring are drilled small
bolt or screw holes for a purpose that will be presently made clear. In applying
our invention we mount on that side of the wheel where the damaged or broken
spokes require securing, a continuous double ring-as hereinbefore described-a
little over and above the flange of the hub of the wheel, and impinging between
its coil or longitudinal split (the inner surfaces of which may be roughened) all
the said spokes on that side of the wheel. The continuous double or split ring is
mounted into position in the following, manner;-The said ring being passed
through the spokes and sprung over the neck or spindle of the hub,, one of the free
ends is then passed outside a spoke and the ring worked round till the inner flat
surfaces of the ring impinge between its coil or longitudinal split all the spokes on
that side of the wheel including those broken, as before mentioned. Screws or
bolts are then. inserted into the holes herein before referred to, drilled in the faces
of the said ring, the sides or coils of the ring, being drawn together and this firmly.
holding in position loose or broken spokes..
In order that our invention may be more fully understood, we will now more
particularly describe it making reference to the accompanying drawings in which
throughout the several figures similar parts are marked with like letters of
reference.
Figure 1. shows a perspective view of the continuous double ring in the form --
i.e. of a longitudinally split key-ring-I prefer to use for bicycles, tricycles and the
like, for maintaining broken spokes in position or making a further security against
spokes becoming broken. In this view the said. ring is shown sprung or distorted
as it would assume when being applied to the spokes of the wheel in order to clear
such parts of the machine as would interfere with its. being placed into position.
e representing the drilled holes into which small screws or bolts are passed to draw
the coils or sides together.
Figures 2. and 3 are views in side and end elevation respectively showing a

page_text: portion of the rear or driving wheel of a safety bicycle having a pair of continuous
double rings A. and A' fixed in position more as a preventative against spokes
becoming broken (though the same method would apply when broken). The
ring A impinging between its coil or inner surfaces (which may be roughened) all
those spokes a on that side of the hub; and the ring A' all those spokes a¹ on the
opposite side of the hub. The coils of the said rings A and A' being drawn
towards each other by means of small countersunk screws b. and 'respectively.
One screw being preferably placed between each spoke as shown.
Should it be found necessary to even more securely fix a broken spoke we prefer
to use the method shown in Figure 4. In this figure the spoke a. is shown broken
at a² and to secure it in its position the broken end of the spoke a. is tapped and a
nut or locknuts being screwed on impinges on the inner periphery of the continuous
double ring A, and thereby holding the said spoke in position. If desired another
nut could also be placed above the said ring A. and caused to impinge on the upper
periphery of the ring, thus securing the broken spoke in all directions.
It will be seen that this continuous double or split ring can be easily fixed into
position by any person without practical or technical knowledge, there being no
brazing or rivetting to be done, and as it is made of light weight one or two could
be carried by the rider in case of an emergency and could be fixed within two
minutes.
Our invention may be applied to those wheels whose spokes are still intact as a
preventative against them becoming loose or broken as the rings tend to take off
all strain from the spokes at their weakest point ei-at or near the junction of the
spoke to the flange of the hub, in this case of course a pair of continuous double
rings would have to be used for each wheel, one ring for each side of the hub.
We wish it to be particularly understood that we do not wish to limit ourselves
to the use of the exact construction of ring described as it is obvious that this
would be altered to adapt it to the special circumstances for which it is required; for
example, where it would be inconvenient to use a continuous double or longitudinally
split ring as described, two ordinary endless rings could be used, one mounted on
each side of the spokes, and drawn together as heretofore by screws, bolts or other
suitable means; one or both rings could if necessary be transversely split to enable.
it or them to pass over or through any obstruction.
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 ;-
and
or
1st. In the device for further securing spokes of wheels of bicycles, tricycles,
and other wire spoke wheels from becoming broken, for maintaining in position
broken or loose spokes, of a continuous double ring preferably in the form of an
ordinary longitudinally split key-ring, mounted over the hub of the wheel, and
impinging between its roughened coils those spokes on that side of the hub, the said
inner roughened coils being caused to impinge on either side of the spokes by
means of bolts, screws or other mechanical device drawing the coils of the ring
together, all substantially as and for the purpose herein particularly described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In the device for maintaining in position broken or loose spokes of wheels
of bicycles, tricycles and other wire spoke wheels, of a continuous double ring
preferably in the form of an ordinary longitudinally split key-ring, mounted over
the hub of the wheel and impinging between its roughened coils those spokes on
that side of the hub, the said inner roughened coils being caused to impinge on
either side of the spokes by means of bolts, screws or other mechanical device
drawing the coils of the ring together, and of the nut or locknuts mounted on the
broken spoke and impinging on the under periphery (or nuts or locknuts impinging
on both the under and upper periphery) of the continuous double ring," all

page_text: substantially as and for the purpose herein particularly described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In the device for further securing spokes of wheels of bicycles, tricycles
and
ог
and other wire spoke wheels from becoming broken, for maintaining in position.
loose or broken spokes, of a pair of endless rings (or a ring or pair of rings trans-
versely split to enable it or them to pass over any obstruction) roughened on one
surface, mounted over the hub of the wheel and impinging between their roughened
surfaces those spokes on that side of the hub, the said inner roughened surfaces
being caused to impinge on either side of the spoke by means of bolts, screws or
other mechanical device drawing the sides of the two rings towards each other, all
substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1893.
FREDERICK JONES.
ALFRED JAMES JONES.