Improved Hubs for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Hubs for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM SMITH, (trading as Smith Bros.,) 63, 65 Piccadilly, Hanley, and
77 Liverpool Road, Stoke-on-Trent, both in the County of Staffordshire, Bicycle
and Tricycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This my Invention has reference to improved metallic-reservoir-hubs for bicycles,
tricycles, perambulators, motor cars, and the like vehicles, the object of my said Inven-
tion being to make such hubs with means for ready and simple adjustment, and
less costly in production than the hubs usually used with such vehicles.
One way of carrying my said Invention into practice is by taking a hollow
cylinder of steel, gun-metal or the like suitable metal or metallic alloy of any
suitable diameter, length and thickness or thicknesses having one closed end, or cast
in one with the body or barrel of such cylinders, the outer surface of such cylinders
when intended for use with the wheels of such vehicles which are fitted with spokes
or their equivalent having at a suitable distance from each of their ends a flange or
projection of suitable shape, height, and thickness or thicknesses forined or cast on
or around same for enabling one end of each of the several spokes or their equivalent
of such wheels to be screwed or otherwise suitably secured to such cylindrical hubs,
the outer or open end of such metallic barrels or cylinders I preferably make slightly
taper and circular in cross-section, and form a screw thread on the outer surface of
same of any suitable length by any suitable means, and in such outer ends I form
three or more slits or saw cuts of suitable length at a suitable distance apart parallel
to the longitudinal axis of same, to enable a suitable metallic cap when screwed
thereon to cause such outer ends to grip or tighen upon a steel or other suitable
inetallic bearing placed or fitted within such outer end, a somewhat similar steel or
other bearing previously being placed within such cylinders from their outer end
and forced tightly by any suitable means against the inner side of the closed end of
such cylinders. It will be readily understood that after a suitable number of steel,
or other suitable metallic balls or spheres have been placed against the bearing at the
closed end of such cylindrical hubs that the axle of a bicycle or like vehicle wheel is
placed in such cylinder, so that one end of such axle will protrude a suitable distance
through a circular hole formed in such closed end, and the bearing fitting against
same, a suitably shaped circumferential projection around such axle near to the
closed end of the cylinder serving to keep the several metallic spheres or balls
against their bearing surface, I then place any suitable number of steel, or other
metallic spheres or balls against a similar circumferential projection formed on and
around, and a suitable distance from the outer end of such steel axle, I then fit into
the outer or open end of such cylinders a steel, or other suitable bearing to keep the
spheres or balls near to the outer end of such cylinders upon their bearing surface, I
then screw a suitably shaped metallic cap on to the outer screwed end of such
cylindrical metallic hubs to keep such bearings in place, and the balls or spheres on

page_text: their bearing surfaces. By screwing up, or turning such cap on the said outer end of
the hub, such bearings are tightened, and wear compensated.
In a modification of the above I take a steel or other suitable metallic cylinder of
any suitable diameter, length and thickness or thicknesses with both ends open, one
end of such cylinder I screw internally for a suitable distance of its length, and screw
therein a steel or other suitable plug having a bearing surface on its inner side for
the several balls or spheres, such plug I fix or secure in place in such cylinder at or
near to its end by pins, rivets, screws or the like passing through such cylinder into
such plug, the other end of such cylinder being provided with an adjustable steel or
the like suitable bearing, and an internally screwed metallic cap as in the previously
described method of construction, so that all wear may be compensated, and the
bearings adjusted or tightened from one end only as before described.
Datod this 13th day of October 1896
JOHN NEWTON,
Longport, Staffs, Agent for Applicant.
LETE SPECIF
Improved Hubs for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM SMITH (trading as Smith Bros.,) 63-65 Piccadilly, Hanley, and
77 Liverpool Road, Stoke-on-Trent both in the County of Staffordshire Bicycle and
Tricycle 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 improved metallic reservoir hubs for bicycles, tricycles,
perambulators, notor-cars and the like vehicles, the object of this my Invention being
to make such hubs with means for ready and simple adjustment, and less costly in
production than the hubs usually used with such vehicles.
One way of carrying my said Invention into practice is by taking a hollow cast-steel,
gun-metal or other cylinder of suitable metal or metallic alloy of suitable diameter
length and thickness with one closed end, or one end cast in one with, or solid with
the body or barrel of such cylinder, the outer surface of such metallic cylinders when
intended for use with the wheels of such vehicles which are fitted with spokes or their
equivalent having a flange or circumferential projection of suitable height, shape and
thickness cast on or around same at a suitable distance from each of their ends for
enabling one end of each of the spokes of the wheels to which they are fitted to be
screwed, or otherwise suitably secured to such circumferential rims or projections,
the outer or open end of such metallic barrels or cylinders I preferably make slightly
taper and circular in transverse section, and I form a suitable screw thread on the
outer surface of such cylindrical barrel or body for a suitable distance from one
of its ends to enable a suitably shaped internally threaded metallic cap to be screwed
thereon so that the underside of such cap will bear against a suitably shaped metallic
bearing fitted or screwed within the outer end of such cylinder, a somewhat similar
bearing having been previously tightly fitted within such cylinders by forcing
such bearing by any suitable means against the inner side of the closed end of
such cylinders.
It will be readily understood that after a suitable number of polished steel, or other
suitable metallic balls or spheres have been placed against the inserted bearing at
the closed end of the barrel of such hubs that the axle of a bicycle or like vehicle is
placed in or through such cylinder, so that one end of such axle will protrude a
suitable distance through a circular hole formed centrally through such closed end
and the bearing fitting against same, a circumferential rib or projection cast on or

page_text: around the axle of such vehicles near to the closed end of such metallic cylinders
keeping the several metallic spheres or balls against their bearing surface, a suitable
number of suitable metallic spheres or balls being then placed against a similar
circumferential rib or projection cast on, or formned on or around such axle near to its
outer end, I then fit or screw a suitably shaped steel or other suitable bearing into
the outer or open end of such metallic cylinder so as to retain such spheres or balls
on their bearing surface, wear being compensated and such bearings tightened from
one end by screwing up such bearing by means of a key or spanner fitted on that part
of such bearing which projects through a suitably shaped hole or aperture formed in
a metallic cap or disc screwed on to the outer end of such cylinder for securing the
said bearing in place.
Such improved dust-proof and oil-proof wheel-hubs may be run several weeks
without adjustment or being replenished with oil or other lubricant.
In order that ny said Invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings on which letters of reference are
marked on corresponding parts on all the figs, alike,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, full size of a metallic hub made according to my
Invention for bicycles, tricycles and like vehicles having wheels constructed with.
spokes.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line x-y of Fig. 1. looking in the direction
indicated by the arrow.
On reference to the drawings hereto annexed a represents a cast-steel, a gun-metal
or like suitable metallic barrel with one end a² closed or cast solid with same, a steel
or other suitable bearing b being forced in by any suitable means and rigidly fixed
within such barrel a against the inner surface of its solid or closed end a2, after the
end d² of the axle d has been partially inserted through the circular hole in the solid
end a and the metallic bearing b, a suitable number of polished steel or other
suitable inetallic spheres or balls c are dropped or placed by holding the barrel a in a
vertical or slanting position between the said bearing band the circumferential rib d³
of the axle d, such axle d being afterwards lowered, or fitted into place as shown at
Fig. 1, a suitable number of polished metallic spheres or balls c² are then placed
against the circumferential rib d' of the axle d and the externally threaded steel or
other suitable metallic bearing or bush e screwed into the internally threaded end of
the barrel a so as to retain the balls c2 in position on their bearing surface when such
hubs are placed in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position, or when fitted to a
wheel, a suitably shaped internally threaded steel or other suitable metallic cap f
being afterwards screwed on to the threaded part of the outer end of the barrel a to
ensure tightness and exclude dust, wear being compensated and such bearings
tightened by means of a suitable spanner or the like placed over, or on the outer
end e² of the bearing or bush e, the circumferential ribs g being cast or formed on
such barrel a for enabling the spokes of the wheels to which such hubs are fitted or
fixed to be connected to such hubs, h represents the section of a sprocket-wheel
screwed on to the threaded portion of the solid end 2 of such barrel, and retained
thereon by a metallic collar or ring h². The barrel or cylinder of such hubs may be
formed or turned from a solid bar or rod of steel, gun-metal or other suitable metal or
inetallic alloy.
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
1st. The construction of hubs of any suitable size for bicycles, tricycles, perambu-
lators, motor-cars and like vehicles with a cast-steel, gun-metal or like suitable
metallic barrel or cylinder having one of its ends cast in one with such cylinder, a

page_text: suitably shaped gun-metal, steel or like suitable metallic bearing being tightly fitted
within such cylinder against the inner side of such solid or closed end, the polished
steel or other suitable metallic balls or spheres of such hub-bearings at that end
being pressed or retained against such bearing by a circumferential collar or rib
formed on or around the axle of the vehicle to which such hubs are fitted, a suitably
shaped adjustable gun-metal, steel or like suitable metallic bearing being fitted or
screwed into the opposite end of such hubs for retaining a suitable number of
polished steel, or like suitable metallic balls or spheres against a circumferential
collar or rib formed on or around such axle nearest to such bearing, a suitably shaped
steel or like suitable metallic adjustable-cap serewed on to or around such hub locking
or securing such adjustable metallic bearing in position, wear being compensated and
the bearings of such hubs tightened from one end by means of the said adjustable
metallic bearing as herein substantially described, set forth and illustrated on the
drawings hereto annexed.
2nd. The construction of hubs of any suitable size for bicycles, tricycles, perambu-
lators, motor-cars and like vehicles by forming the barrel or cylinder of such hubs
from a solid bar or rod of forged or malleable steel or like suitable metal with one
of its ends solid or in one with such cylinders, afterwards fitting and rigidly
fixing a steel, gun-metal or like suitable forged or cast metallic bearing within such
cylinders against the inner side or surface of the solid end of such barrels, a forged.
or cast-steel, gun-metal or like suitable metallic adjustable bearing being screwed
within the opposite end of such cylinders, and a suitably shaped steel, gun-metal
or like suitable metallic adjustable-cap screwed on to or around the said opposite
end of such cylinders, wear being compensated and the ball bearings of such hubs
tightened from one end by means of the said adjustable metallic bearing of such
hubs as herein substantially described set forth and illustrated on the drawings
hereto annexed.