Improvements in the Manufacture of Wheel Hubs for Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1898-Accepted. 5th Nov.. 1898
Certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Wheel Hubs for
Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Vehicles.
I, FRANK IORNS GIBBS, of White House, Crowle, Worcester, in the County of
Worcester, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows;
-
This invention consists of the herein described improvements in the manufac-
ture of wheel hubs for bicycles and other velocipedes and motor vehicles.
The first part of this invention has reference to a wheel hub of that kind
in which the end bosses which contain the cups for the ball bearings are raised
from sheet metal and are secured to the ends of the tubular barrel part of the
hub. According to one part of this invention I construct each of the said end
bosses as follows;-
-
I raise from a sheet metal blank a circular cup which forms the main portion
of the said end boss and has a central hole through which the axle passes. I
also raise from a sheet metal blank an angle section ring which is fixed on to
one end of the tubular barrel part of the hub the flange of the said angle section
ring forming a small flange at the end of the said tube to which flange the rim
of the said cup is fixed by the edge of the flange being closed over the rim of
the cup. In order to prevent the cup part of the boss from turning independently
of the angle section ring and barrel part of the hub to which it is fixed, I make
the rim of the cup with one or more slots in it and to the flange of the angle
section ring I fix by rivets or other means a washer having at its periphery one
or more projections which engage with the notch or notches in the rim of the
cup and thus after the edge of the flange of the angle section ring has been
closed over the rim of the cup the latter by the projections on the washer
engaging in the notches of the cup effectually prevented from turning indepen-
dently of the angle section ring and tubular part of the hub. This method
of construction is particularly useful for one of those hubs such as the back hub
of a safety bicycle to which the sprocket pinion has to be fixed. The ball bear-
ing cup is fitted into the said cap or hollow boss before being closed on to the
angle section ring and in order to fill up the space between the rounded bottom
of the ball bearing cup and the flange part of the angle section ring I provide
a metal washer or ring of corresponding shape which fits in the said recess and
thus assists in maintaining the ball bearing cup in its right position.
According to another method of preventing the hollow end cup part of the boss
from turning on the angle section ring, the rim of the said hollow boss is made
with one two or more projecting parts which engage in a corresponding recess
or in corresponding recesses stamped in the face of the flange of the angle sec-
tion ring or the said face of the angle section ring is stamped with one or more
projections which engage with a corresponding notch or notches in the rim of
the hollow boss.

page_text: Heretofore it has been customary to fix the sprocket wheel on to the said hollow
boss part of the hub by the said wheel and boss being screw threaded and screwed
together but this screw threading of the boss weakens the same when the latter
is raised from sheet metal. According to one part of this invention I fix the
said sprocket wheel onto the raised sheet metal boss of the hub by raising the
said boss with ribs or flutings all round that part on which the sprocket wheel
fits and I make the interior of the boss of the sprocket wheel of corresponding
shape so that when the sprocket wheel is forced on to the said boss the ribs or
flutings will effectually secure the sprocket wheel and boss of the hub together.
In this case the edge of the flange of the angle section ring is or may be notched
ribbed or fluted so as when closed down to engage with the ribs or flutings on
the hollow boss and prevent the same from turning, independently of the angle
section ring.
In order to facilitate the removal of the balls from the ball bearings at the
ends of the hub I tap the interior of the boss of the hub and
therein I screw a cup shaped cap which contains and encloses EL
smaller cap in which the balls of the ball bearing revolve, the front
flange of said cap, is made with holes to be engaged by a spanner for turning
the same when removing the ball bearings from the hub and replacing the same
therein. In order to lock the said screwed cap in place I may make the said flange
of the cap with one or more recesses in its periphery which engage with a washer
or washers threaded on to one or more of the spokes of the wheel so that by first
removing this spoke or spokes the washer will be unlocked and can readily be
unscrewed. Or instead of the said screwed cap I may enclose the balls in the cup
of the ball bearing of the hub by means of a washer which fits against the end
flange of the hub and is there retained by engaging under one or more of the
heads of the spokes or under one or more washers which are threaded on the said
spokes so that by removing the spoke or spokes which are over the said washer
the latter and the ball bearings can be removed from the hub.
In another arrangement of this invention I make the flange of what I call
the angle section ring of such a size that after it has been closed over the rim
of the end cap or boss which contains the cup for the ball bearings, the said
flange extends as a cylinder for some distance along the cup and forms the part
on to which the sprocket wheel is fixed.
In another arrangement of this invention the end boss of the cycle hub is
made in the form of a sleeve with a reduced neck which fits in the said angle
section ring and is secured thereto by tinuing or by other means and the central
tube of the hub on to which the two flanges for the spokes and the distance tube
between the flange and the said sleeve are threaded. The ends of this tube are
spread outwardly into the slseve so as to keep all the parts together. The cup
for the ball bearings fits inside this sleeve and is there secured by a washer in-
serted in the hub and fixed by the edge of the sleeve being closed over the edge
of the washer.
In another arrangement of making a wheel hub in accordance with this in-
vention the two end caps or bosses which are raised from sheet metal are made
equal in depth to one half of the length of the hub so that these caps or bosses
meet at or about the centre of the hub and they fit on to an inner tube which
extends from one end of the hub to the other. Each of these caps which as
aforesaid is raised from sheet metal has one of the flanges formed with it by the
metal being bulged outwardly in dies of suitable form so as to form a flange
of double thickness of metal. The ball bearing cups fit in the ends of the inner
tube and are there retained by flanges on the cups and by the end caps which
are fixed on the inner tubes hy sweating or soldering or by other means. Each
cap is made with an internal flange or rim to retain the balls in the ball bearing
or these flanges may be made of separate end caps which fit on to the ends of the
.so called cups which in this case will have their bottoms pierced out.

page_text: In another arrangement of making a wheel hub in accordance with this in-
vention the two end caps or bosses are cach raised from sheet metal with a flange
for the spokes to pass through and these two end caps or bosses are placed on the
ends of the inner tube which extends from one end of the hub to the other.
Between these two caps and threaded on to the same tube are two cylinders
also raised from sheet metal and meeting at about the centre of the hub and
each of these cylinders is raised with a flange at one end which abuts against
the flange on the end cap and is secured thereto by being closed over the flange
on the end cap, or by the flange of the end cap being closed over the flange
of the cylinder. The inner tube contains the cups for the ball bearings as in
the form above described. The parts are secured together by soldering or other
like means.
Dated this 24th dor of Nawansh 1001
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
Certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Wheel Hubs for
Bicycles and other Velocipedes and Motor Vehicles.
I, FRANK IORNS GIBBS, of White House, Crowle, Worcester, in the County of
Worcester, 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 consists of the improvements in the manufacture of wheel hubs
for bicycles and other velocipedes and motor vehicles as I will describe by
referring to the accompanying drawings on which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section
of a cycle wheel hub constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is
a cross section of the same on line X X of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section of
the same on line Y Y of Fig. 1 and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 shew parts of the
wheel hub separately; Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified
form of cycle wheel hub constructed in accordance with this invention Figs. 10
and 11 shew parts of the said hul separately; Fig. 12 is a side elevation partly
in section of another form of cycle wheel hub constructed in accordance with
this invention and Figs. 13 and 14 shew parts of the said hub separately; Fig. 15
is a sectional elevation and front view of a modified form of one of the parts
of the hub such as illustrated by Fig. 9: Fig. 16 is an elevation partly in section
of another form of cycle wheel hub constructed in accordance with this invention
so as to facilitate the fixing of the sprocket wheel thereon; Fig. 17 is a cross
section on line X X of Fig. 16: Fig. 18 is a front view of a sprocket pinion con-
structed for use with the hub represented by Figs. 16 and 17: Figs. 19 and 20
shew separate parts of the hub represented by Figs. 16 and 17; Fig. 21 is an
elevation partly in section of another form of cycle wheel hub constructed in
accordance with this invention; Figs. 22 and 23 shew parts of the said wheel
hub separately; Fig. 24 is a cross sectional elevation of the end of another form
of cycle wheel hub constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 25 shews
two of the parts of the said hub separately; Fig. 26 is a cross sectional elevation
of another form of cycle hub constructed in accordance with this invention;
Fig. 27 shews three parts of the said hub separately; Fig. 28 is a cross sectional
elevation of a slightly modified form of the hub represented by Fig. 26; Fig. 29
is a cross sectional elevation of another form of wheel hub constructed in accord-

page_text: ance with this invention; Fig. 30 shews parts of the said hub separately: Fig. 31
shews a slightly modified form of the wheel hub represented by Fig. 29.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures.
The first part of this invention has reference to a back driving wheel hub
of that kind in which the end bosses which contain the cups for the ball
bearings are raised from sheet metal and are secured to the ends of the tubular
barrel part of the hub one of the said bosses being adapted for fixing to the
sprocket wheel. According to this part of my invention I construct the said loss
for the sprocket wheel and fix the said boss to the tubular part of the hub in
the various ways which I will now describe by referring to Figs. 1 to 15 both
inclusive so as to effectually prevent the said end boss from turning indepen-
dently of the barrel part of the hub on which the said end boss is fixed.
I raise from a sheet metal blank a circular cup or cap A shown separately
by Fig. 4 which forms the main portion of the end boss and has a central hole a¹
through which the axle passes. I also raise from a sheet metal blank an angle
section ring 1 shewn separately by Fig. 6 which is fixed on to one end of the
tubular, harrel part C of the hub the flange of the angle section ring B forming
a small flange part at the end of the said tube C to which flange the rim a² of
the cap A is fixed by the edge of the flange being closed over the projecting
rim of the cap A. In order to prevent the cap part A from turning independently
of the angle section ring B and barrel part of the hub 1 make the rim a² of
the cap A with one or more say three slots marked in it and to the Hange t
of the angle section ring B I fix by rivets d or other means a washer E (shewn
separately by Fig. 5) having at its periphery projections which engage with
notches in the rim of the cap A. Thus after the edge of the flange 6 of
the angle section ring B has been closed over the rim a of the cap A the latter
is, by the projections el of the washer E engaging in the notches 3 of the cap,
effectually prevented from turning independently of the angle section ring B
and the tubular part of the hub. Thus when the sprocket wheel is fixed on
to the outside of the boss A in the usual way there is no fear of the sprocket
wheel and boss turning independently of the other part of the hub. The ball
bearing cup F is fitted in the cap A before being closed on to the angle section
ring B and in order to fill up the space g between the rounded bottom of the cup F
and the flange of the angle section ring B I may provide a metal washer or
ring such as H (shewn by Fig. 8) which is made of the proper shape to fit in
the said recess and thus assist in maintaining the ball bearing cup F in its
right position.
T1 are the two flanges of the hub which form no part of my present inven-
tion. The boss J at the other end of the hub is of the usual construction.
According to another method (see Figs. 9, 10 and 11) of preventing the hollow
end cap A from turning on the angle section ring B and tubular part C of the
hub, the rim of the hollow cap A is made with one or more say three. pro-
jections (see Fig. 11) which engage in corresponding recesses 3 which are
formed in the angle section ring B so that when the edge of the angle section
ring has been closed or spread over the rim of the end cap A the said cap
and angle section ring B will be secured together and by the projections a
engaging in the notches will be effectually prevented from turning inde-
pendently of one another.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 illustrate another method of fixing the end cap A to the
angle section ring B which I do by the projections a being formed on the face
of the rim of the cap A and engaging in corresponding recesses which I
form in the face of the flange of the angle section ring B; or the face of the
flange of the angle section ring B may be made with projections to engage
with corresponding recesses in the rim of the end cap A.
Fig. 15 illustrates a modified form of the angle section ring B for use with
the end cap A shewn by Fig. 11 and in this case the cap A is prevented from

page_text: turning independently of the angle section ring B by the projections a¹ of the
cap A engaging in the holes which are pierced at a short distance within the
edge 6 of the flange which edge is then rolled or closed over the rim a² so as
to effectually secure the cap A and angle section ring B together.
Heretofore it has been customary to fix the sprocket wheel on to the said
hollow boss part of the hub by the said wheel and boss being screwed together
but this screw threading of the boss A weakens the same when the latter is
raised from sheet metal. According to one part of this invention which I will
now describe by referring to Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, I fix the sprocket
wheel on to the raised sheet metal boss A of the hub by raising the said
boss A with flutings all round that part on which the sprocket wheel is to fit
and I make the interior of the boss of the sprocket wheel with corresponding
ribs so that when the sprocket wheel K is forced onto the said boss A the ribs k¹
of the sprocket wheel will engage with the flutings of the boss and thus secure
the sprocket wheel and boss of the hub together. The edge of the flange of the
angle section ring B is or may be formed with projections corresponding with
the flutings l so that when this edge is closed down the projections 5 will
engage with the flutings on the hollow boss and prevent the same from turning
independently of the angle section ring B.
It will be evident that instead of the flutings being formed on the hollow
hoss A to engage with corresponding ribs on the interior of the sprocket wheel K
this arrangement. may he reversed, that is to say, the flutings may
be formed in the interior of the boss of the sprocket wheel K to
engage with corresponding parallel ribs projecting from the periphery of the
hollow boss A, and the edge of the flange of the angle section ring B be
shaped to correspond.
In another arrangement of this invention (Figs. 21 and 23 both inclusive) I
make the flange of what I call the angle section ring B of such a size that
after it has been closed over the rim a3 of the end cap or boss A which contains
the cup for the ball bearings the said flange 2 extends as a cylinder for some
distance along the end cap A and forms the part on which the sprocket wheel
is fixed.
In another arrangement of this invention illustrated by Figs. 24 and 25, the
end boss of the hub is made in the form of a sleeve M (shewn separately in
Fig. 25) with a reduced neck m which fits in the angle section ring B (see
Fig. 24) and is secured thereto by tinning or other means and secured on to the
end of the tubular part C of the hub (on. which the two flanges for the spokes
and the distance tube between the flanges are threaded) by the end portion cl
of the tube C being spread outwardly into the sleeve M so as to assist in keeping
the parts together. The cup F for the ball bearings fits inside this sleeve M and
is there secured by a washer N which is inserted in the end of the sleeve M and
there fixed by the edge m² of the sleeve being closed over the edge of the washer N.
In another arrangement of this invention. (see Figs. 26 and 27) of making a
wheel hub the two end caps or end bosses which are raised from sheet metal
and in these figures are marked respectively 10%, are made equal in depth to
one half of the length of the hub so that these caps or bosses meet at which
is about the centre of the hub and they fit on to the inner tube C which extends
from one end of the hub to the other. Each of these caps 01 02 which as aforesaid
is raised from sheet metal has one of the spoke flanges marked formed with
it by the metal being bulged outwardly in dies of suitable form or by other means
so as to form each of the flanges of double thickness of metal. The ball
bearing cups F fit in the ends of the inner tube C and are there secured by the
usual means as by the flanges fl on the cups F and by the flanges o³ on the end
caps 002 which latter are fixed on the inner tube Ċ by sweating or soldering
or other means.
Instead of the flanges 3 being formed in a piece with the end caps 0 0º
these flanges may be made separate from the end caps 01 02 and secured

page_text: thereon by any suitable means or the hub may be made without the flanges o³ and
the inner tube will then be screwed interually at each end as shewn for instance
by Fig. 28 to receive the adjusting discs of the ball bearings.
In another arrangement of making a cycle wheel hub in accordance with this
invention (see Figs. 29, 30 and 31) the two end caps or bosses 0³ (ª are each
raised from sheet metal blanks with a flange o for the spokes to pass through and
these two end cups or bosses (30) are placed on the ends of the inner tube C
which extends from one end of the hub to the other. Between these two caps (³ ()*
and threaded on to the same tule C are two cylinders " P also raised from
sheet metal and meeting about the centre of the hub and each of these
cylinders PP is raised with a flange at one end which flange abuts against
the flange of the corresponding end cap and is secured thereto by the edge
of the flange p being closed over the edge of the flange as shewn in Fig. 29,
or by the flange of the end caps 03 04 being closed over the flange p¹ of the
cylinders PP. The inner tube C contains the cups F F for the ball bearings
as in the form above described; or when the hub is required to have the usual
disc adjusting ball bearings, the ball cups F F are dispensed with and the tube C
is screwed internally at each end in the usual way to receive the adjusting discs
of the ball bearings. The parts 03 01 12 are secured on to the tube C by
sweating soldering or other means.
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 hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its end boss to
which the sprocket wheel is to be fixed formed essentially of the cap A angle
section ring B and washer E constructed and fixed together in the manner sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
of the accompanying drawings.
2. A wheel hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its end boss to
which the sprocket wheel is to be fixed formed essentially of the cap A and angle
section ring B constructed and fixed together in any of the several ways substan-
tially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
and 15 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A wheel hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its hollow end hoss
raised with longitudinal ribs or flutings adapted to engage with corresponding
flutings or ribs formed in the boss of the sprocket wheel for securing the
sprocket wheel and end boss together substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 16 to 20 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A wheel, hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its end boss to
which the sprocket wheel is to be fixed formed essentially of the cap A and angle
section ring B fixed together said cap being raised with ribs or flutings to engage
with corresponding flutings or ribs in the boss of the sprocket wheel substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 16 to 20 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. A wheel hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its end boss to
which the sprocket wheel is be fixed formed essentially of the cap A and angle
section ring B said angle section ring being continued as a cylinder outside the
cap A to receive the sprocket wheel substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figs. 21, 22 and 23 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A wheel hub for velocipedes and motor carriages having its end boss to
which the sprocket wheel is to be fixed formed essentially of the sleeve M and
angle section ring B constructed and fixed together and to the tubular part of
the hub in the manner substantially as described with reference to Figs. 24 and 25 of
the accompanying drawings.

page_text: raised
7. The improved wheel hub for velocipedles and motor carriages consisting
essentially of the tube C and the two end caps or end bosses 0 0 enclosing and
secured to said tube, each of said end caps having one of the spoke flanges
therewith of double thickness of metal all substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figs. 26, 27 and 28 of the accompanying drawings.
8. The improved wheel hub for velocipedes and motor carriages consisting
essentially of the tube C, the two Hanged end caps or end bosses 03 04 and the
two flanged cylinders P 13 constructed and fixed together so as to form a wheel
hub substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 29, 30 and 31
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of August 1898
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.