Improvements in the Construction and Manufacture of Car Wheels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1389-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1989
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction and Manufacture of Car Wheels.
I. JAMES RIGBY, of 310 Newton Avenue North, in the City of Minneapolis, State
of Minnesota, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 car wheels in which the web or body and the tire are
made in separate parts and secured together by simple and effective means, made
integral with such body and tire as hereinafter described.
The object of the invention is to provide for constructing car wheels, having a body
and tire interlocking and rigidly securing such parts together by the simplest means
formed integrally with such body and tire and without nuts and bolts, or rivets or
detachable spring locking rings heretofore proposed.
The outer periphery of the body and inner periphery of the tire are formed with
certain annular grooves, beads and flanges corresponding one to the other so as to
interlock when fitted together, and a continuous annular flange is formed on the tire
which is heated and hammered down over the body after the parts are fitted together
so that they are rigidly held in place and cannot work apart or become loose in
ordinary wear.
The method of constructing my improved wheel will now be fully described with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Fig. 1 represents the inner face
view of the tire looking down into the annular grooves formed in the ledges. Fig. 2
represents a vertical diametrical section of the tire. Fig. 5 represents a vertical
diametrical section of the body and tire fitted together. Fig. 4 represents an inside
face view of the completed wheel. Fig. 5 represents a transverse diametrical section
of the wheel and a gas heating device. Fig. 6 represents a top plan thereof.
The body A of the wheel is formed of cast wrought iron or steel or other suitable
metal or alloy and is provided with a large smooth faced flange k free from recesses
or notches extending in the direction of the radii from its periphery and at its inner
face, and with an annular bead a raised upon its outer face just at the junction of
the face and periphery. The body has also the usual hub and axle opening H.
After the body is formed in the rough it is preferably placed in a lathe and turned
where, by means of a suitable tool, there is cut on the inside of flange k, the annular
groovey and bead f. The bead a may be cut at the same time and by the same tool
into smooth regular form, though it is my purpose to cast or otherwise raise the bead a
in the rough condition upon the body before it is put into the lathe.
The tire B is rolled into the proper shape and size in the usual manner and has
formed on its inner periphery the steps or ledges shown in figures 1 and 2, and the
continuous uncut annular flange i extending from its inner face nearly parallel with the
tread of the tire. A flange projects inward from the inner periphery of the tire at
its outer face and forms the inner step or ledge seen in figures 1 and 2. The outer
step or ledge is formed near the inner face of the tire and flange i projects horizontally
outward from such inner face inside of the usual peripheral flange projecting from the
tread of the wheel. The tire having been made in the rough condition it is turned in
a lathe and by means of a suitable tool there is cut in the inside of flange ban
annular groove e forming lip or bead d. The flange i is also cut and dressed to the
proper thickness. The grooves cand e in the tire and the beads a and on the body
are cut of corresponding shape and dimensions so that the bead will fit neatly in the
grooves and be locked therein when the parts are secured together. When the parts
of the body and tire are turned to fit neatly together the tire is laid upon its outer
face and the body, with its outer face downward is dropped into place in the tire and
forced inward till its beads a and fare snugly seated in grooves c and e. Flange b
[Price 671

page_text: abuts against the body and lip d of the tire fits in groove of the body. Small
holes, are now bored in the joint between the body and tire adjacent to flange i,
and into these holes are fitted short dowel pins n, which are only long enough for their
outer ends to be flush with the face of the body. These pins thus inserted serve to pre-
vent the body and tire from turning one upon the other. The parts can now be secured
together and this is accomplished by first heating flange by a series of bunsen or
blow pipe flames, to a welding heat, as illustrated in figures 5 and 6, and then turning
it inward and hammering it down closely all around upon the body. After being
well hammered down it may be turned in a lathe for giving it a smoother finish.
The heating device consists of a vertical gas supply pipe L, a circular chamber M,
and a series of radial burner pipes m, extending outward nearly to flange i.
Pipe L may connect by a turning joint with a horizontal gas pipe, and chamber m
may be provided centrally on its bottom with a pivotal pin resting in a socket formed
in a disk of glass or other suitable material inserted in the axle opening of the hub so
that the pipe and burners may be readily turned for evenly distributing the flame upon
the flange.
The burner pipes may be bent forward so as to discharge the flame tungentially
upon the flange and thereby slowly turn the burners and their supply pipe. The
interlocking bends and flanges hold the tire and body in close contact at every point
in the circumference adjacent to both the outer and inner faces so that the tire
cannot expand away from the body, and the abutting flanges band turned down
flange i securely fastens them together so that they cannot work apart.
Since no bolt holes are used the parts are left stronger and more durable; and by
dispensing with bolts and rivets the construction is much simplified and the cost
reduced. There are no parts about my wheel to wear, shake loose and rattle. It is
every way compact and neat in appearance and is very durable and satisfactory in
use.
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 method of securing together the body and tire of a car wheel which consists
in placing the body within the tire and forcing it against a flange or ledge projecting
inward from the inner periphery at or near one face, heating a flange on the other
face of the tire to the working temperature and after the body is in position, turning
such flange inward and hammering it down upon the body. whereby the parts are
held securely together without the use of bolts, nuts or rivets.
2. The method of constructing car wheels which consists in forming grooves and
interlocking beads or flanges upon the outer periphery of the body and inner
periphery of the tire, and a flange projecting from the face of the tire, then
placing the body within the tire and interlocking their beads or flanges, then heating
the flange projecting from the face of the tire and hammering it down upon the body
for securing them together.
3. In combination with a car-wheel body, a tire formed with annular ledges upon
its inner periphery and near its outer and inner faces for receiving the body, and
having a continuous or uncut annular flange projecting from its inner face and
adapted to be hammered down over the body for holding it in place as described.
4. In a car wheel the tire formed with annular steps or ledges on its inner
periphery and having grooves cut in such ledges, and with a continuous or uncut
annular flange projecting from its face in combination with the body, having a
smooth faced flange k and provided with annular projecting beads adapted to fit in the
grooves of the tire and interlock, said flanges of the tire being adapted to be hammered
down all around over the body to hold it in place substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of September 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.