Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes and Guards for the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes and Guards for the
Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, WALTER HARRY BARTON of Roselynn House, Ford Street, Coventry in the
County of Warwick Works Manager do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the wheels of velocipedes and other vehicles and consists
in the hereinafter described improved constructions of rims and guards for such
wheels.
The rims are of the kind adapted to be fitted with tyres to break the contact
with the road or other surface on which the wheels are adapted to roll, and with
spokes to connect them to the hubs or naves of the said wheels. And we
construct the said rims each of one or more strips of sheet steel or other suitable
material.
According to one method of constructing a rim according to my invention, I take
two strips of suitable dimensions, one (the first) generally being wider than the
other (the second). I bring the first strip to a channel or groove section and turn
the margins inward until the edges touch the bottom or sides of the groove at a
suitable distance apart. I turn back the margins of the second strip and fit the
said second strip into the space between the margins of the first strip, preferably
so that the respective margins of the said first and second strips lie in parallel
contact. I braze or solder together the respective margins in contact and preferably
by the same operations secure their edges, to the bottom or sides of the said
groove.
According to another method I turn the margins of the first strip inward as
above described but in such a manner that the edges do not quite reach the sides
of the groove. The margins of the second strip are turned back on themselves
near the edges thus forming small grooves which are adapted to receive the edges
of the first strip, while the backs of the folds of the second strip bear against the
sides of the groove in the first strip thus attaching the two strips together. The
joints are preferably further secured by brazing or soldering.
The second strip may be secured by brazing or soldering, in position in the
channel of the first strip, before the margins of the said first strip are turned in
and its edges caused to enter the small grooves in the said second strip. As a
modification of this method the small grooves may be formed by returning the
edges of the first strip. In this case the margins of the first strip preferably touch
the sides of the channel or groove and may be brazed or soldered thereto; and the
plain edges of the second strip enter such small grooves in the first strip and are
preferably brazed or soldered in position.
In any of the above described constructions the two strips may be brought into
contact at the place or places to which the spokes are intended to be attached
so as to afford a double thickness of metal and avoid the necessity of using
washers.
According to another method I make the first strip very much wider than the
second and turn wide margins of the first strip inward to form a split groove
within the first groove and I fold narrow margins back on themselves, either
inwardly or outwardly. The narrow second strip has small margins folded back

page_text: to engage with and hold the edges of the first strip; the engaging parts may
be secured by brazing or soldering, or by squeezing with or without brazing or
soldering. The intermediate part of the second strip may bridge a space between
the backs of the folds of the first strip sufficiently wide to receive the heads of the
spokes or of the spoke nipples, as the case may be, without touching the folds of
the first strip. And the two sections of the rim may be brought into contact at
the place or places to which the spokes are intended to be attachel with the object
before mentioned.
According to another method I take a single wide strip and turn margins inward
to form a second groove within the first; narrower margins or portions are turned
and placed in parallel contact to form a double web between the two sections of
the rim. The said double web is preferably arranged parallel to, but not in, the
central plane of the wheel so as not to interfere with the formation of the spoke
holes, and either or both margins is or are turned and laid across the place or places
in the first groove in the rim to which the spokes are intended to be attached with
the object before mentioned. And the part or parts so laid across may be continued
and turned upward to form another (single or double) web between the sections
and at a corresponding distance from the said central plane on the opposite side
thereof from the first web. The joints are secured by brazing or soldering.
According to another method I again employ a single strip and turn wide margins
inward to form a second groove within the first, preferably at the same time
forming large hollow beads at the sides. One margin is wider than the other and
the edge portion thereof is folded back on itself, once, twice or more times, which
folded portion lying in contact with the bottom of the first groove forms an
increased thickness of metal at the place or places to which the spokes are intended
to be attached. The edge of the other margin butts up against the fold or folds
of the first margin and may be turned down to present a larger surface thereto
for brazing or soldering, by which the joint is secured.
According to another method I again employ a wide single strip. I fold the
portions laterally adjacent to a narrow central portion on to such central portion so
as to form a treble thickness of metal except immediately along the central line
where the edges of the folds abut and where, there is consequently, but a single
thickness of metal unless and until such edges are united by brazing or soldering.
One or more narrow additional strips may be enclosed between the said central and
felded portions; these arrangements being intended to strengthen the rim generally
and particularly at the place or places where the spokes are intended to be attached.
Wide margins are folded inward or outward so that two grooves are formed one
within the other and the edges of the strip are inserted between the folds herein-
hefore referred to, which folds may be arranged either inside or outside of the said
grooves. The joints are secured by brazing or soldering or by squeezing with or
without brazing and soldering.
All of these rims may be made of various sections according to the construction
of the tyres they are intended to receive. The lengths are beut into circular form
and the ends united by any suitable means to form the finished rims.
The part of my invention relating to guards for wheels is specially applicable to
the mud-guards and laced dress guards fitted to the rear wheels of velocipedes
commonly known as rear driving safety bicycles. Hitherto it has been usual to
punch holes along each edge of the sheet metal guard provided to check mud
thrown by the said rear wheel. Cords of cotton, silk or other materials are laced
through the said holes in the said mudguards and through holes inade in the edges
of quadrant plates or corresponding devices formed or attached at or near to the
centre of the said driving wheel. The mudguards being of thin sheet metal the
edges of the holes are necessarily sharp and the friction arising from the vibration
of the velocipede is very liable to cut the cords and destroy the dress guards.
According to my invention I construct the mudguard of a comparatively wide strip
of metal and form a series of U shaped or other suitably shaped notches along
each edge thereof. I then roll each edge of the strip round a wire to such an

page_text: extent as to leave holes of convenient size, which holes have their outer edges
formed by the round wire; the wire presents a smooth surface to the cord and
minimises the wear thereon, and at the same time adds to the rigidity of the mud-
guard itself. The holes in the quadrant shaped or like plates may be formed by
notching and wiring the edges of the plates in a similar manner. The wires of
the mudguard and of the plates may be adapted to form stays for supporting
the said mud-guard and plates instead of, or in addition to, employing separate
stays for the purpose.
or
or
Dated this 9th day of March 1896.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18 Hertford Street, Coventry, Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Rims or Felloes and Guards for the
Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, WALTER HARRY BARTON of Roselynn House, Ford Street, Coventry in the
County of Warwick, Works Manager, 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 :-
My invention relates to the wheels of velocipedes and other vehicles and consists
in the hereinafter described improved constructions of rims and guards for such
wheels.
The rims are of the kind adapted to be fitted with tyres to break the contact
with the road or other surface on which the wheels are adapted to roll, and with
spokes to connect them to the hubs or naves of the said wheels. And I construct
the said rims each of one or more strips of sheet steel or other suitable material,
as hereinafter described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying
drawings which show transverse sections of such rims, but with the parts somewhat
separated for clearness.
According to the method of constructing a rim shown in Figures 1 and 2, I take
two strips a and 6 of suitable dimensions, a generally being wider than b. I bring
the strip a to a channel or groove section and turn the margins 2, 2 thereof inward
until the edges touch the bottom or sides of the groove at a suitable distance apart.
I turn back the margins 4, 4 of the strip b and then fit the said strip into the
space between the margins 2, 2 of the strip a, preferably so that the respective
margins 2, 2 and 4, 4 of the said strips lie in parallel contact. I braze or solder
together the respective margins in contact and preferably by the same operations
secure their edges to the bottom or sides of the said groove.
According to another method (Figure 3) 1 turn the margins 2, 2 of the strip a
inward as above described but in such a manner that the edges do not quite reach
the sides of the groove. The margins 4, 4 of the strip b are turned back on
themselves near the edges thus forming small grooves which are adapted to receive
the edges of the strip a, while the backs of the folds of the strip 6 bear against the
sides of the groove in the strip a, thus attaching the two strips together. The
joints are preferably further secured by brazing or soldering. The strip 6 may be
secured, by being brazed or soldered, in position in the channel of the strip a,
before the margins 2, 2 of the strip a are turned in and its (a's) edges caused to
enter the small grooves in the said strip b. As a modification of this method the
small grooves may be formed by re-turning the edges of the strip a, as shown in
Figure 4. In this case the margins 2, 2 of the strip a preferably touch the sides
of the channel or groove and may be brazed or soldered thereto; and the plain

page_text: edges of the strip enter such small grooves in the strip a and are preferably
brazed or soldered in position.
In any of the above described constructions the two strips a, b may, be brought
into contact at the place or places to which the spokes are intended to be attached
as shown at 5 in Figures 1 and 4, thus affording a double thickness of metal aud
avoiding the necessity of using washers.
According to another method, shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, I take a single wide
strip and turn margins 2, 2 inward to form a second groove (7) within the first (6);
narrower margins or portions 3, 3 are turned down and placed in parallel contact
to form a double web between the two sections of the rim. The said double web
is preferably arranged parallel to, but not in, the central plane of the wheel so as
not to interfere with the formation of the spoke holes, and either (Figures 5 and 6)
or both (Figure 7) margins 3, 3 is or are turned and laid across the place or places
in the first groove in the rim to which the spokes are intended to be attached with
the object before mentioned. And the part or parts of the margins 3, 3 so laid
across may be continued and turned upward to form a second web (indicated by
dotted lines) between the sections and at a corresponding distance from the said
central plane on the opposite side thereof from the first web. This second web
may be either single (Figures 5 and 6) or double (Figure 7). The joints are
secured by brazing or soldering.
According to another method (Figure 8) I again employ a single strip and turn
wide margins 2, 2 inward to form a second groove 7 within the first 6, preferably
at the same time forming large hollow beads 8, 8 at the sides. One margin is
wider than the other and the edge portion 3 thereof is folded back on itself once,
twice or more times, which folded portion lying in contact with the bottom of the
groove 6 forms an increased thickness of metal at the place or places to which the
spokes are intended to be attached. The edge 31 of the other margin 2 butts up
against the fold or folds of the first margin and is preferably turned down as shown
to present a larger surface thereto for brazing or soldering, by which the joint is
secured.
All of these rims may be made of various sections according to the construction
of the tyres they are intended to receive. The lengths are bent into circular form
and the ends united by any suitable means to form the finished rims.
The part of my invention relating to guards for wheels is specially applicable to
the mudguards and laced dress-guards fitted to the rear wheels of velocipedes
commonly known as rear driving safety bicycles. Hitherto it has been usual to
punch holes along each edge of the sheet metal guard provided to check mud
thrown by the said rear wheel. Cords of cotton, silk or other materials are laced
through the said holes in the said mudguards and through holes made in the edges
of quadrant plates or corresponding devices formed or attached at or near to the
centre of the said driving wheel. The mudguards being of thin sheet metal the
edges of the holes are necessarily sharp and the friction arising from the vibration
of the velocipede is very liable to cut the cords and destroy the dress guards.
According to my invention the guard presents a smooth surface to the cord and is
of increased rigidity.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 9 shows in plan a strip of metal used in constructing my guard.
Figure 10 shows a transverse section of my improved guard and Figure 11 is a
broken view of part of the same in perspective.
Figure 12 is a side elevation on a reduced scale showing part of the guard with
a stay for the same.
I construct the mudguard of a comparatively wide strip of metal 10 and form a
series of U shaped or other suitably shaped notches 11 along each edge thereof.
I then roll each edge of the strip round a wire 12 to such an extent as to leave
holes 13 of convenient size, which holes have their outer edges formed by the round
wire. The smooth surface of the wire minimises the wear on the cord and the wire
adds to the rigidity of the mudguard itself. The holes in the quadrant-shaped or

page_text: like plates may be formed by notching and wiring the edges of the plates in a similar
manner. The wires of the mudguard may be continued and turned down to form
stays 14 for supporting the mudguard instead of, or in addition to, employing
separate stays for the purpose; and the wires of the plates may be similarly
continued and employed.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described and drawn but hold myself at liberty to make such modifications
and variations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved rims or felloes constructed substantially as herein described
and represented by way of example in Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
2. A mudguard, for a velocipede or other vehicle, constructed of a strip of metal
having its edges notched and rolled round wires so as to form a series of holes
with smooth outer edges along each side of the guard, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. A quadrant-shaped or like plate for a velocipede or other vehicle constructed
of strip or sheet metal having its edge notched and rolled round a wire so as to
form a series of holes with smooth outer edges, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
4. In a mudguard, or a quadrant-shaped or like plate such as referred to in
Clauses 2 and 3, continuing the wires thereof and adapting them to form stays,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The improvements in or relating to guards for the wheels of velocipedes and
other vehicles, substantially as herein described and as illustrated by Figures 9 to 12.
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of December 1896
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18 Hertford Street, Coventry, 75 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
49 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, Patent Agent for the Applicant.