Improvements in Hubs for Wheels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
Improvements in Hubs for Wheels.
I, WILLIAM HUMPHERY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in hubs for wheels, and the invention
has the object to simplify the hub in its manufacture and provide the hub with a
device by means of which the balls are easily and quickly placed into the ball
chambers of the same.
The construction of the hub is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 an end-view of the same, while Fig. 3 is
a detail showing the device for holding the balls in the ball-chambers of the hub, and
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-section of the said device.
A in the drawings represents a tube, and B B are the end-rings of the hub which
are inserted into the end-portions of the tube and fastened thereto in any approved
manner. Each ring has a flange projecting vertically beyond the ends of the
tube and an extension & in line with the outside of the tube. To the flanges b
the spokes of the wheel are attached. The inner portion of each ring has an
inwardly extending annular projection 62 which forms a curved or conical wall of the
respective ball-chamber. C is the axle which has on one end a cone D, either integral
with or in any suitable manner fastened to the same, and on the other end which is
screw-threaded, an annular flange or shoulder c. E E are washers holding the balls e
for the ball-bearings of the hub. Each washer consists of a flat ring provided on
one side-surface with a number of excavations, the lower portions of which are
hemispherical to form seats for the balls. After the balls are placed into these
excavations, a stroke with a suitable instrument is exerted upon each portion of the
ring near such excavations, whereby the said portions are bent sideways toward
the balls, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that the balls are kept in the excavation_and_can
freely rotate therein, but are prevented from dropping out of the same. The balls
thus held in the excavation of the washers, project partially beyond the inner; and the
outer peripheries of the same, as shown in Fig. 1.
F is a conical screw-nut which has on its top an annular excavation of provided
with a lateral screw-thread, and with traversing holes passing from the bottom of the
excavations through the body of the screw-nut to the end-portion of the same,
into which traversing holes pins are inserted. G is a second screw-nut fitting
into the threaded excavation of the conical screw-nut F which latter is provided,
with incisions freaching from the top of the same to the bottom of the excavation
whereby a certain degree of spring-action is imparted to the excavated portion of
the screw-nut, which allows a more reliable fitting of the screw-nut in the excavation.
The hub is attached to the axle as follows:-
After one washer E holding a series of balls is placed upon the cone D, the hub
is pushed over the axle until the washer is enclosed by the said cone, and the inner
curved or conical wall of the extension of the corresponding ring B, so that by

page_text: the cone and the said extension a ball-chamber is formed, in which the balls come in
contact with the inner walls of the chamber, as shown in Fig. 1. Then the second
washer E is pushed over the axle, so that the balls in the same touch the inner
curved or conical wall of the second extension b', and then the conical screw-nut F
screwed upon the threaded end of the axle, until the conical surface of the screw-nut
comes in contact with the said balls and a second ball-chamber is formed, whereafter
the additional screw-nut G is screwed into the threaded excavation of the conical
screw-nut and thereby the pins are pushed forward until they rest on the shoulder c
of the axle, and the required, contact of the balls with the inner walls of the
ball-chambers is obtained.
The improved hub is simple in construction, cheap in the manufacture, and can
be quickly and easily attached to the axle. The washers holding the balls simplify
the insertion of the balls into the ball-chambers and their removal from the latter,
while the special construction of the conical screw-nut secures a reliable contact of
the balls with the walls of the ball-chambers.
Datad this 17th day of December 1806
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Hubs for Wheels.
I, WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, London W.C. in the County of
London, communication to me from G. E. Strauss in the United States of America
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 has reference to improvements in hubs for wheels, and the invention
has the object to simplify the hub in its manufacture and provide the same with
devices, by means of which the balls are easily placed into the ball-chambers of the
bearing, and a sprocket or other wheel is easily and reliably attached to the hub.
The construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the hub, and Fig. 2 an end view of
the same;
Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a detail showing the ball-bearing device;
Fig. 5 a partial cross-section of the device, and
Fig. 6 the nut-locking device.
A in the drawings represents a tube, and B is one of the end-sleeves which are
inserted into the end-portions of the tube and fastened thereto, in any approved
manner.
Each sleeve has a flange b, projecting vertically beyond the ends of the tube,
and an extension in line with the outside of the tube. To the flange b, the
spokes of the wheel are attached. The inner portion of each sleeve has an
inwardly extending annular projection or flange 62, which forms with the
extension b¹, a curved or conical wall of the respective ball chamber. C is the axle
which has on one end a cone, as usual in hubs with ball-bearings (the cone not
being shown in the drawings), and on the other end, which is screw-threaded, an
annular flange or shoulder c. E is a device for holding the balls e for the
ball-bearings. Two devices are used in my improved hub, one on each end of the axle,
but only one device is shown on Fig. 1. Each device consists of a flat ring provided
with projections e' (Figs. 4 and 5) extending from one side only, by which projections

page_text: the seats of the balls e are formed. After the balls are placed into the spaces created
by the said projections, a stroke with a suitable instrument is exerted upon each
top-portion of the projections near the balls, whereby the said top-portions are bent
sideways towards the balls, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the balls are held in position
between the projections, and can freely rotate on their seats, but are prevented from
dropping out of the same. The halls thus held between the projections of the
ball-retaining ring project from their seats in three directions, namely, beyond the
inner and outer sides of the projections e', as well as beyond the top portions of
the same.
D is a conical or curved screw-nut which has on its top, an annular excavation d..
provided with a lateral screw-thread, and with transversing holes passing from the
bottom of the excavations through the body of the screw-nut to the end-portions of
the same, into which traversing holes pins fare inserted. F is a second screw-nut
fitting into the threaded excavation d of the conical screw-nut D.
The outer extension 6' of one of the end sleeves of the hub, is provided with one or
more outwardly extending pins g, and a traversing hole g' passing through the inner
projection of flange 62 of the same, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower portion of said
flange, where the hole q' terminates, has a traversing incision g² which is provided
with lateral shoulders g³, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The inner flange 6 is further-
more provided with an annular groove g which holds a spring / placed into the same.
Into the hole g¹, a push pin i is placed, which has a lateral projection, extending
into the incision g2 of the flange 2, and held therein by the pressure of the spring h
upon the lower end of the pin. In this position the upper end of the pin projects.
somewhat beyond the outer extension of the hub, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.
G is a sprocket wheel, or any other wheel, having a lateral flange & that rests on
the extension 1 of the hub, and has slits. A, and a traversing hole ², corresponding
in their location, respectively, with the pins g g on the said extension, and the hole
in the same.
The different parts of the hub are put together as follows:-
After the pin is placed into the hole g¹ of the respective end-sleeve B, and so
located therein that its lateral projection rests on the inside of the said end-sleeve,.
and the springh is placed into the groove g' of the latter, pressing upon the inner end
of the said pin and holding the same in position, one ball-holding device or retainer E
is placed upon the cone of the axle, which is not shown in the drawings, and the axle
then pushed into tube A, so that the ball-retainer is located in the chamber formed by
the said cone and the flange b2 of the respective end-sleeve, and the balls in the
retainer are in contact with the cone and the flange in the manner shown in Fig. 1.
Then a second ball-retainer is pushed over the axle, so that the balls in the same
touch the curved or conical wall of the inner flange, and then the conical screw-nut D,
screwed upon the threaded end of the axle, until the conical surface of the screw-nut.
comes in contact with the said balls, as shown in Fig. 1, and a second ball-chamber
is formed, whereafter the additional screw-nut F is screwed into the threaded
excavation of the conical screw-nut, and thereby the pins fare pushed forward
until they rest on the shoulder e of the axle, and the required contact of the balls.
with the inner walls of the hall-chambers is obtained.
The threaded end of the axle is provided with a longitudinal groove c¹..
L represents a screw-nut which has on its top an inwardly expanding excavation 1,
the side-wall of which is ribbed or serrated, and M is an annular or nearly annular
ring which has an inwardly extending projection m¹ and is split so as to leave in its
body an opening formed by the sharpened corners m m. The ring is made of
spring-acting metal, so that the ends of the same can be pressed together, and the.
outer periphery of the same may be beveled, so as to correspond with the taper of the
excavation of the screw-nut L.
When the hub is put together, as before described, the screw-nut L is screwed upon.
the inner screw-nut F, and then the ends of the open ring M pressed together, so that
the circumference of the same is decreased, and the ring is then placed into the
excavation of the top screw-nut L and pushed down upon the bottom of the same..

page_text: In doing so, the projection m¹ of the ring, slides in the groove c¹ of the axle. As soon
as the ring has been placed into the excavation of the top-screw-nut, as said before,
the ends of the ring, by the spring-action of the same, will spread apart and the sharp
corners of the ring will enter between the ribs or serrations of the excavation, so that
thereby, and by the projection m', located in the groove c' of the axle, a lateral, as
well as an upward motion of the ring is prevented and a reliable lock for the whole
hub is obtained.
The improved hub is simple in construction, cheap in the manufacture, and.can be
easily and quickly attached to the axle. The ball-retaining devices simplify the
insertion of the balls into the ball-chambers, and their removal from the same, while
the special construction of the conical screw-nut with the traversing pins secures a
reliable contact of the balls with the walls of the ball-chambers.
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. A hub for wheels comprising a tube and two end-rings inserted into the same
and attached thereto, the rings having each an upwardly extending flange for bearing
the spokes, and an outward extension which forms with an inner flange a curved or
conical wall of a ball-chamber, in combination with an axle having conical end-portions,
and series of balls in the chambers formed by the inner flanges of the end-rings of the
hub and the conical portions of the axles.
2. In a hub a device for holding the balls of the ball-bearing consisting of a
ring-shaped retainer having on one side-surface a number of excavations in which the
balls are so held, that they can rotate therein and project partially beyond the inner
and outer peripheries of the same, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination of a hub comprising a tube and end-rings inserted into the ends
of the same and attached thereto, the rings having each an upwardly extending flange
for bearing the spokes, and an outward extension forming with an inner flange a
curved or conical wall, with retainers holding balls which project beyond the inner
and outer peripheries of the washers, one washer being placed upon each curved
or conical wall of said ring-sections, an axle having on one end a cone and on the
other end a conical screw-nut, which cone and conical screw-nut enclose the
ball-holding retainers in the chambers formed by the same, and the curved or
conical walls of the ring-extensions, substantially as set forth.
4. A hollow hub provided with a traversing hole and outwardly extending
stop-pins, in combination with a spring-actuated push-pin having a lateral projection
and being placed into the said hole of the hub, and a wheel having a flange provided
with a hole to be engaged by the said push-pin and slits to be engaged by the stop-pins,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of March 1807
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.