Improvements in Axles and Wheels for Auto-motive and other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July 1897
PROVISIONAL
DIVIFICATION.
Improvements in Axles and Wheels for Auto-motive and other
Road Vehicles.
I JAMES SHEPHERD of Shird Fold Davenport in the County of Cheshire Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to axles and wheels suitable for Auto motive Carriages,
Waggons, Vans, and other road vehicles and is an improvement upon my Patent
No. 12098 of 7th September 1887 for "Improvements in Axles and Naves for
Wheels."
With all descriptions of road conveyances especially those of the Auto motive type
driven by engine power it is of primary importance to minimize concussive action
imparted to a vehicle when travelling over roads where the obstructions and
irregularities are considerable, and to obviate the twisting motion imparted to wheels
in making sharp curves and turns.
To effect these important advantages especially in connection with Auto motive
conveyances I construct an axle suitable for loose running wheels- composed of a
centre bar of wrought iron or steel of the required length and thickness. At a
given distance from each end I form a flange or collar on this bar, and both ends of
the bar are recessed to receive regulating screws for adjusting purposes. The bar-
forming the axle bar-from each flange or collar to the end is covered by a tube of
Indiarubber, or other compressible material, having a corrugated outer surface; or
discs of India-rubber or other compressible material of different diameters placed
alternately will give the same results. Over the corrugated tube or disc's of India-
rubber I fix a metal cylinder or bush so secured that it cannot turn round on the
elastic tube it covers; the outer surface of the cylinder or bush being turned up true
to receive the nave of the wheel for which it is intended.
The advantages of a corrugated elastic tube or body over one having a plain or
parallel surface is greater elasticity to the working parts with the property of
sustaining and subdividing the sudden and irregular strains thrown upon the axle of
a vehicle in motion.
Compensating axles constructed as described will reduce the amount of concussive
force imparted to vehicles and their propelling parts. For auto motive vehicles fitted
with this compensating axle I prefer wheels made entirely of metal. The nave to be
of steel, cast or malleable iron of suitable design and proportions (but timber built
wheels of ordinary construction can be used.) For metal wheels I make the spokes
from steel or wrought iron bars of any section, the end portions being screwed. One
end of each spoke is secured to the nave of the wheel by drilling and tapping, and to
the other end I attach a steel cross bar forming the head of the arm or spoke.
The tyre is a solid steel hoop or ring of the required width and thickness turned
up true over both the inner and outer surfaces. As a substitute for 'timber felloe's I
employ Tee iron-bent to a circle, and to the web of this Tee iron ring I rivet the
cross bars or head pieces on the bars forming the arms or spokes of a wheel. When
a wheel is so far completed I turn the outer surface of the Tee iron ring perfectly
cylindrical, and to the inner diameter of the steel tyre, allowance being made for

page_text: shrinking the tyre on hot, or pressing it on by hydraulic power. Pair wheels are
turned up to equal diameters and balanced.
To arrange, fix, and adjust wheels of this description to the improved flexible axle
I employ loose metal plates or disc's one to either side of the nave and which are
attached thereto by screws or bolts. The back disc is bored larger than the diameter
of the axle to allow for compressive action of the axle when working. The front disc
is made with a centre bar carrying a screw that fits into the recessed end of the axle
by which the wheel is retained in its position on the axle, and by which the amount
of play or thrust in a lateral direction is regulated. This arrangement renders the
use of loose collars, washers, rings, pins, and bolts unnecessary. Provision also is
made on the front discs for the attachment of Caps and mud guards of any suitable
design.
Dated this 21st day of
amber 180
Improvements in Axles and Wheels for Auto-motive and other
Road Vehicles.
I, JAMES SHEPHERD, of Shird-Fold, Davenport, in the County of Chester, Engineer,
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 in axles and wheels for motor cars,
waggons, vans, carriages, cycles and other road vehicles, the said invention being an
improvement upon that described in the specification of my former Letters Patent
No. 12098 of the 7th September 1887.
In my said former specification I described improved means for mounting wheels
upon axles upon which they are to rotate, such means consisting in forming the axle
of a centre-bar and in inserting between this bar and the nave of the wheel an elastic
bush or-elastic bushes of india-rubber or other suitable material enclosed in a metal
tube or sleeve the outer surface of which exactly fits the bore of the wheel nave. The
india-rubber or other elastic bush was prevented from rotating by forming the part of
the centre-bar upon which it was fitted of square, hexagonal or of any other suitable
cross section. With this construction of wheel axle the joltings and vibrations which
are imparted to a vehicle wheel when in motion are partially taken up or absorbed by
the elastic bush so that the vehicle is subjected to considerably less vibration or
jolting than is the case with an axle of ordinary construction.
Now it is the object of this invention to still further minimize the jolting, vibration
and torsional strains transmitted by the wheel to the vehicle and to this end I so
form the elastic bush and the tube or sleeve surrounding it that they can absorb to a
larger extent the jolting, vibration and torsional strains of the wheel running upon
them.
In carrying out my invention I form the said bush with its outer surface ribbed,
fluted, grooved or corrugated longitudinally, transversely, diagonally or in any other
suitable manner and I provide the inner periphery of the tube or sleeve, enclosing
the said elastic bush, with one or more inwardly projecting teeth, protuberances or
the like which press into the elastic bush so that the sleeve is prevented from
rotating with the nave of the wheel. The elastic bush, in lieu of being formed of a
ribbed or grooved tube, can be built up of a number of discs of different external
diameters so as to form, when placed in position upon the centre-bar, a tube grooved
or fluted upon its periphery.

page_text: or mu
grooving or corrug
outer surface or the
other elastic bush I may form the inner face of the tube or sleeve enclosing it with
grooves or recesses.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a vehicle wheel and axle having my
improvements applied thereto :
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same the section being taken upon the
line 2-2 of figure 1:
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through a bicycle wheel-nave and axle
made according to my invention:
Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 figure 3; and,
Figure 5 is a similar section of a slight modification.
a is the centre-bar of the axle, the said bar being shewn of square cross section and
b, b are the bushes of india-rubber or other elastic material fitted upon the said
centre bar a. In the wheel shewn in figures 1 and 2 only one such elastic bush bis
shewn whilst in the bicycle wheel shewn in figure 3 two such bushes are shewn one
on each end of the centre-bar a.
c, c are the grooves, recesses or flutings formed in the periphery of the bush b. In
figures 1 and 2 these grooves or flutings are shewn as made transversely around the
bush 6 whilst in figure 3 they are shewn longitudinal. It will, however, be clear that
these grooves or recesses can be diagonal or of any other suitable description.
d is the tube or sleeve enclosing the india-rubber bush or bushes b, b and e, e are
the teeth or projections upon the inner face of the said tube or sleeved the said teeth
or projections pressing, as clearly shewn in the sections figures 2 and 4, into the
elastic bush b to prevent it turning round. f is the nave of the wheel which, rotates
upon the sleeve d.
When applying my invention to the wheels of ordinary road vehicles, motor cars
and the like I advantageously form the wheel as shewn in figures 1 and 2.
Each end of the wheel axle is squared as shewn at a and has fitted to it the elastic
cushion b enclosed within the tube or sleeve d the wheel being held in position upon
the end of the axle by two plates g, g¹ bolted to the ends of the said wheel nave and
one g of which is in contact with a shoulder or flange h formed upon the axle and the
other g¹ of which is provided with an adjustable set screw i the inner end of which
enters a recess j in the end of the axle a. The spokes h, are screwed into the nave
fat their inner ends and at their outer ends to the cross pieces which are riveted to
the central rib m of a ring n of T-iron the outer surface of which is turned true and
has a rim o shrunk upon it or otherwise suitably secured to it.
In the cycle-wheel shewn in figures 3 and 4 the whole of the centre bar a is made
square (or it may be of any other suitable section) and an india-rubber bush b is
fitted upon each end. The tubes or sleeves d, d are formed with an external screw
thread so as to adapt them to receive rings p, p formed with inner grooves p¹, p¹.
The nave f of the wheel is also formed with a groove f¹at each end so that the
grooves and p¹ together form ball races for the balls q, q upon which the wheel
rotates.
In the section shewn in figure 5 the elastic cushion b is made smooth on its outer.
surface and the sleeve or tube d is formed with internal flutings, grooves or
corrugations d. The action of this modified form of axle in taking up or absorbing
vibration is exactly similar to that of the axle above described.
Having now particularly 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 :--
1. A wheel axle consisting of a centre-bar partially or wholly covered with one or
more elastic bushes, the outer surface or surfaces of which is or are ribbed, grooved,
fluted or the like and which is or are enclosed in a tube or sleeve, substantially as
described and illustrated.

page_text: 2. A wheel axle consisting of a centre-bar on which is or are fitted one or more
elastic bushes enclosed within a metal tube or sleeve the inner surface of which is
ribbed, grooved or fluted, substantially as described and illustrated.
3. The improved wheel axles herein before described and illustrated in figures 1 and
2; 3 and 4; and 5, respectively of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of May 1897
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London Agents for the Applicant.