Improvements in or connected with Spring Wheels of Velocipedes or other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Spring Wheels of Velocipedes
or other Road Vehicles.
I, ARTHUR BAGSHAWE, of No. 4 Upper Thames Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with spring wheels
of velocipedes or other road vehicles, and has for its object to minimise or lossen the
vibration or shocks which are, at the present time, transmitted to the rider through
the wheels of the vehicle.
In carrying the invention into effect, instead of fixing the spokes in the hub in the
manner heretofore adopted, the diameter of the hub is enlarged, and the spokes are
loosely passed through holes formed therein and within the hub the spokes have
formed upon their ends buttons or enlargements for the purpose hereinafter
described.
Arranged within the hub and in such position that the buttons or enlargements
of the spokes impinge thereon, are a number of inflated or other elastic balls or
spheres, or, a single inflated ball or air cushion or a solid india-rubber cushion, or a
inetal spring or springs might be substituted therefor, but the arrangement first
herein described is the preferred one.
In order to limit the movement of the spokes in the event of a cushion becoming
punctured or otherwise disabled, the spokes are preferably provided outside the hub,
with a projection or stop, which will have the effect of limiting the movement
thereof.
In lieu of forming the hub hollow and arranging the cushions within the same, a
number of sockets containing air or other cushions or springs may be arranged
around the hub, and the enlarged ends of the spokes may fit into the same.
Dated this 16th day of September 1896.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My said invention relates to improvements in or connected with spring wheels of
velocipedes or other road vehicles, and has for its object to minimise or lossen the
vibration or shocks which are, at the present time, transmitted to the rider through
the wheels of the vehicle.
In carrying the invention into effect, instead of fixing the spokes in the hub in the
manner heretofore adopted, the hub is enlarged and the spokes are loosely passed
through holes formed therein, and within the hub the spokes have formed on their
ends buttons or onlargements for the purpose hereinafter described.
Arranged within the hub and in such position that the buttons or enlargements
of the spokes impinge thereon, are a number of inflated or other elastic balls or
spheres, or a single inflated ring or air cushion, or a solid india rubber cushion or a
metal spring or springs might be substitated therefor but the arrangement first
herein described is the preferred one.
In order to limit the movement of the spokes in the event of a cushion becoming
punctured or otherwise disabled, the spokes are preferably provided, outside the
hub with a projection or stop which will have the effect of limiting the movement
thereof.
In lieu of forming the hub hollow, and arranging the cushions within the same,
a number of sockets containing air or other cushions or springs may be arranged
around the hub and the enlarged ends of the spokes may fit into the same.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a side view with parts removed representing the hub and spokes of a
wheel having the present invention applied thereto.
Figure 2. is an irregular transverse section thereof but with said parts in place.
Figuro 3. is a side view partly in section representing the hub and spokes of a
wheel having a modified form of the present invention applied thereto, and,
Figures 4. and 5. are similar views to Figure 3. but representing further slight
modifications.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. and 2, a. represents the axle of the wheel, a' represents
one of the limbs of the fork, b. represents the hub, & represents an enlargement
and modification of the usual flange, and c. represents the spokes.
According to the present invention, instead of fixing the spokes c. in the flange b.'
of the hub b. in the manner heretofore adopted in a bicycle or equivalent wheel the
flange is enlarged and takes the form of a box closed by a cover and the
spokes c. are loosely passed through holes & formed in the periphery thereof, and
within the enlargement & the spokes c. have formed on their ends buttons.
or enlargements cl for the purpose hereinafter described.
Arranged within the enlargement 6 of the hub and in such a position that the
buttons or enlargements c¹ of the spokes e. impinge thereon are a number of
inflated or they might be other than inflated elastic balls or spheres d.
The effect of this device is to impart a considerable elasticity to the wheel
inasmuch as the compression of the rim or felloe of the wheel will cause the button
heads c¹ of the spokes c. to more or less compress the balls or spheres d. as repre-
sented by the dotted lines at the lower side of Figure 2, and a cushioning effect
will thus be obtained.
In order to limit the movement of the spokes c. in the event of a cushion d.
becoming punctured or otherwise disabled, the spokes c. are preferably provided
outside the enlargement of the hub with a projection or stop e which will have

page_text: the effect of limiting the movement thereof in an inward direction whilst the button
head similarly restricts the outward movement thereof.
In the example given at Figure 3, in lieu of employing a separate ball sphere or
cushion d. in connection with each spoke c. a single inflated ring d. is substituted
therefor or such ring d. might be solid if desired but the inflated form is the
preferred one, but in other respects this device is substantially the same as that
hereinbefore described.
In the example given at Figure 4, in lieu of employing an india-rubber cushion
or cushions d. a helical spring d. of steel, bronze or other suitable material is
placed within the enlargement b¹ of the hub and the button heads c¹ of the spokes c.
impinge upon the coils thereof.
In the example given at Figure 5, instead of forming an annular enlargement b¹
upon the hub b. as hereinbefore described a number of separate sockets or cylinders
bi are substituted therefor, within each of which is arranged a coiled spring or
cushion d. upon which the button head c¹ of the spoke c. impinges and these parts
are held in place within the socket or cylinder 6 by means of a cap 62 screwing
thereon, and formed with an opening b³ for the passage therethrough of the spoke c.
but in this case the stops c2 upon the spokes c. are dispensed with.
In connection with this arrangement it will be evident that hollow spheres or
other cushions might be substituted for the springs d.
It will be obvious that the details of construction of the device may be still
further varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, but the
arrangement herein first described is having regard to present knowledge the
preferred one.
By the means hereinbefore described, the shocks which are commonly met with
in consequence of the inequalities of the road and which generally are transmitted
to the rider are greatly lessened or obviated.
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 :-
A velocipede or other wheel, comprising a hub formed with an annular enlarge-
ment or receptacle or sockets or receptacles, an india rubber spring or other cushion
or cushions arranged within the enlargement or receptacles, a number of spokes
loosely mounted in openings provided in the receptacle or receptacles the inner ends
of the spokes being furnished with button heads impinging upon the cushion or
cushions and if desired with stops for limiting the movement thereof, substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 16th day of July 1897
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.