Improved Means of Fixing to their Axles Detachable Chain Wheels of Cycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
Improved Means of Fixing to their Axles Detachable Chain Wheels
of Cycles.
1, JOHN BARRATT, of Lever Street, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford,
Cycle 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 has for its object improved means, of a very simple character, for
fixing chain wheels on the axles of cycles in such manner that while the wheels
may be securely and truly held upon the axles they may be readily detachable
therefrom.
According to this invention, the chain wheel is formed with a projection or boss
on one side of the nave or hub thereof which is slotted out to the width (or slightly
more) of the hole through the centre of the wheel; and the axle is formed with a
collar which is formed flat at two opposite sides so that it may fit between the sides
of the slotted portion of the projection or boss. When the wheel is placed upon
the axle the flat-sided collar fits accurately within the slot of the projection or boss
of the wheel, and securely prevents the wheel from turning independently of the
axle. The wheel may be held on end ways in the usual manner, such as by a nut
screwed upon the axle and against the outer face of the wheel, or by any convenient
means. According to a special method of fixing the wheel in position endways
upon the axle which forms a feature of this invention and has the advantage of
ensuring great rigidity of fixture, lugs are formed at the ends of the flat-sided
collar, and bolts or screws are passed through holes in the wheels and are screwed
into the lugs.
The means above described of fixing a detachable chain wheel to the axle are
extremely simple, and the parts are very readily and accurately prepared, as a plain
central hole is bored through the wheel, as usual, and the slotting out of the
projection or boss and truing up the flat sides of the collar are very simple operations
readily performed by well known machines. The advantage is thus secured of a
wheel fixed entirely upon a square part of an axle or other flat-sided part, without
incurring the inconvenience and risk of inaccuracy incidental to fitting together
portions of such shapes.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings on Sheet 1 herewith illustrate the invention in its simplest form;
of these, Figure 1 is a section through the centre, taken longitudinally, of the end
of the crank axle of a cycle on which the chain wheel is fixed, and shews the wheel
also in section; Figure 2 is a corresponding section to Figure 1, but is taken in a
plane at right-angles thereto; Figure 3 is an elevation shewing the inner side of
the chain wheel when detached from the axle, that is to say, a view looking in the
direction of the arrow a of Figure 1 with the axle removed; and Figure 4 is a
complete view as seen looking in the direction of the arrow a Figure 1, the axle
being shewn in section. In Figures 3 and 4 portions of the wheel are broken away
for convenience of illustration. The wheel A has a boss bb formed at the inner
side of the nave or hub B, thus in effect extending the width of the wheel hub.
This boss may be formed completely around the central hole C, or it may be formed
of two portions b beach being segments of a circle with their curved portions struck
from the centre of the wheel. If the projection bb is originally formed completely
around the hole C it is first turned up true around its circumference, and is then
slotted out to the width of the hole (or slightly wider, if preferred) so as to leave
two portions & ↳ forming segments of a circle, as shewn; but if the projection is

page_text: originally formed of two segments bb, the inner straight sides thereof are trued up
in a shaping or other machine. The axle D is formed with a collar ce therearound,
which is first turned up true and is then shaped off on two opposite sides to the
width of the distance between the two inner faces of the segments bb. The wheel
is pushed up over the end of the axle and around the usual portion of thereof which
is turned to fit within the plain round hole C through the wheel; and it is pushed
against the front of the collar e c, the segmental projections & fitting each,
respectively, against the flat sides of the collar which is then between them. The
wheel is then tightened up against the collar by means of a mut screwed upon a
screwed portion of the axle, or other convenient means may be used to tighten the
axle up against the collar.
Figure 5 (Sheet 2) illustrates a modification of the invention, which, though
somewhat more complex than that illustrated by the drawings on Sheet 1, I prefer,
as it ensures greater rigidity of fixture of the wheel upon the axle. This view
shews simply the means of fixture as seen looking towards the inner face of the
wheel, the axle D being shewn in section. The opposite ends of the flat-sided
collare (corresponding to the collar ce above described and fitting in the manner
above described within the slot of a boss b) are formed as lugs, and pins
passed through holes in the nave or hub of the wheel and are screwed into holes in
the luge, whereby the wheel is fixed tightly against the collar c c. A nut, such ase
before described, or other convenient means may be used in addition to the screws i i,
if desired, to assist in keeping the wheel in place endways.
are
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. The improved means above described of fixing detachable chain wheels upon
the axles of cycles, according to which flat-sided collars carried by the axles fit
within slots formed in faces of the wheel hubs, substantially as described.
2. The improved means above described of fixing detachable chain wheels upon
the axles of cycles, according to which flat-sided collars carried by the axles fit
within slots formed in faces of the wheel hubs and the wheels are held tightly
against the collars by means of bolts or screws which engage with both the wheels
and collars, substantially as described.
3. The means of fixing detachable chain wheels upon the axles of cycles,
substantially as described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated the 20th day of June 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.