Improvements in Anti-friction Roller Bearings, Designed more particularly for Use in conjunction with Bicycles and other Wheels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct.. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by NORMAN MATTISON, Commercial Agent, of
Sandwich, De Kalk Co., Illinois, United States of America.]
Improvements in Anti-friction Roller Bearings, Designed more
particularly for Use in conjunction with Bicycles and other
Wheels.
I WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Engineers and Patent Agents,
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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in anti-friction roller bearings designed
more particularly for use in conjunction with bicycles and other wheels; and its
novelty and many advantages will be fully understood from the following description
and claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which:
Fig. 1, is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a portion of a wheel
embodying my invention the same being shown in position upon its axle.
Fig. 2, is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line a, a, of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is an edge elevation partly in section of one of the movable rings.
Fig. 4, is an enlarged elevation of one of the main bearing rollers.
Fig. 5, is a similar view of one of the intermediate rollers, and
Fig. 6, is an end elevation of one of the housing rings.
Referring by letter to the said drawing:
A, indicates a shaft or axle which may be that of a bicycle or other wheel,
and B, indicates the hub or box of the wheel. This hub or box which surrounds
the shaft or axle A, is provided at or adjacent to its opposite ends with interior
threads a, and at intermediate points of its length adjacent to its ends it is provided
with the annular enlargements b, which are designed to permit of the connection of
the spokes c, in such a manner that they will not interfere with the introduction of
the shells (presently described) into the hub or box. The spokes c, which may be
of any suitable type are, as better shown in Fig. 1, passed through apertures d, in
the enlarged portions b, of the hub or box and they are secured in the recesses e,
formed by the said enlarged portions b, by forming the enlargements f, upon their
inner ends or by any other suitable means.
C, indicates the shells of the roller bearings, of which two are employed, one at
each end of the hub or box B. These shells may be of any construction suitable
to the purposes of my invention but I prefer to have them respectively comprise
an inner section D, which fits snugly within the hub or box B, and has the interior
threads g, the interior shoulder h, at the inner end of the threads g, the central
aperture i, receiving the axle A, the inwardly extending flange j, surrounding the
axle A, and the inner end k, which is preferably of angular form for the application
of a wrench or the like for a purpose presently described and the outer section E,
which is designed to abut at its inner end against the end of shell C, and has the

page_text: exterior threads 1, which engage the threads a, of the hub, the interior threads q,
the flange m, which bears against the end of the hub, the inwardly extending
diametrically-disposed flange p, the aperture r, which receives the axle A, and
longitudinally-disposed flange s, which surrounds the axle A, as shown.
F, indicates split housing rings of which one is employed in each shell or casing C.
These housing rings abut at their ends against the shoulders h, and flanges p, of
the shell sections D, E, as shown and they have their outer sides tapered from their
inner to their outer ends for a purpose presently described and are provided in
their inner sides with the ribs t, the latter being designed to take into the peripheral
grooves u, in the main bearing rollers G, as illustrated so as to hold said rollers
against end wise movement. The said main bearing rollers are interposed between
and bear against the housing rings F, and the axle A, and they are provided
adjacent to their ends with the reduced portions v, and the bosses wo, the purposes
of which will be presently disclosed.
Intermediate of the main bearing rollers G, are arranged the rollers H, the
purpose of which is to hold the rollers G, the proper distance apart and to further
assist said rollers G, in reducing the friction to a minimum. These intermediate
rollers H, are reduced in diameter for the greater part of their length and they are
provided adjacent to their opposite ends with the enlarged portions &, which bear
against the reduced portions v, of the rollers G, and are further provided with end
portions y, which bear upon the flanges j, s, of the shell sections D, E, and the
grooves 2, to receive the inwardly extending flanges a, of the movable or revoluble
rings 1, and the reduced portions b, which bear against the inner sides of the said
rings as illustrated. The said rings I, serve to hold the intermediate rollers H, in
their proper relative positions and through the medium of said rollers H, said
rings also serve to hold the main bearing rollers G, in their proper relative
position. It will be further seen that while the bosses w, of the rollers G, do
not, in operation, engage the rings I, or the flanges j, s, yet they extend to
points between the rings and the flanges j, s, and consequently are enabled to
serve the important function of preventing the rollers G, from dropping out of
place when the wheel is removed from the axle.
M, indicates what may properly be termed a wedge ring, of which one is
employed in each shell C. These wedge rings M, have their inner sides tapered
in conformity to the exterior sides of the housing rings F, and they also have
exterior threads c, which are designed to engage the interior threads g, q, of the
shell sections D, E, respectively as illustrated.
It will be readily observed from the foregoing description taken in conjunction
with the drawing that inasmuch as the projections h, p, of the shell sections abut
against the ends of the housing rings F, and the said housing rings have ribs t,
which enter grooves M, in the bearing rollers, the said rollers and also the
intermediate rollers which are engaged thereby, will be held in their proper relative
positions in the shells and will be effectually prevented from moving end wise
therein and engaging the ends thereof.
It will also be observed that by moving the taper or wedge rings M, inwardly,
the housing ring F, may be crowded upon the main rollers G, without moving said
housing ring longitudinally and any slight frictional wear that may ensue from use
may be taken up. The movement of the said taper rings in either direction to
crowd or to enable the housing rings to expand may be effected by turning
the shell sections D, E, and may be accomplished as above stated without
changing the position of the housing ring or the rollers G, H, with respect to the
shells.
It will be further observed that the shells C, may be easily placed in and
removed from the hub or box B, and that the annular ends of the shells to which
a wrench is applied in adjusting or disconnecting the sections thereof, are within
the hub or box and are consequently not likely to be tampered with by meddlesome
persons.

page_text: It will be seen that notwithstanding its many advantages my improved bearing
is very cheap and simple and is adapted to be quickly and easily taken apart and
put together and may therefore be easily repaired.
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 [
claim is:
1. In a roller bearing, the combination of a shaft or axle, a shell or casing
receiving the shaft or axle and having flanges surrounding the same, main bearing
rollers bearing against the shaft or axle and having the reduced portions adjacent
to their ends and the bosses at their ende, rollers arranged intermediate of the
main bearing rollers and having the reduced intermediate portions and the enlarged
portions adjacent to their ends, the latter engaging the reduced portions adjacent
to the ends of the main bearing rollers and also having the portions bearing on the
flanges at the ends of the shell or casing, movable rings surrounding and engaging
the intermediate rollers and also surrounding the bosses of the main bearing
rollers and a suitable housing interposed between the main bearing rollers
and the shell or casing; the said housing being adapted to prevent end wise
movement of said main bearing rollers, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2. In a roller bearing, the combination of a shaft or axle, a shell or casing
receiving the shaft or axle and comprising two sections having interior threads
and also having interior projections, rollers arranged within the shell or casing,
a tapered housing ring surrounding the rollers and adapted to hold said rollers
against end wise movement and abutting at its ends against the interior projections
of the shell sections, and the wedge or taper ring surrounding the housing ring
and having exterior threads engaging the interior threads of the shell or casing
sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a roller bearing, the combination of a shaft or axle, a shell or casing
receiving the shaft or axle and comprising two connected sections having interior
projections, bearing rollers engaging the shaft or axle, rollers intermediate of the
said bearing rollers and bearing on the shell sections, a tapered housing ring
surrounding the bearing rollers and adapted to hold said rollers against end wise
movement and abutting at its ends against the interior projections, and the wedge
or taper ring surrounding the housing ring and having exterior threads in the
shell or casing sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a roller bearing, the combination of an axle or shaft, and a wheel
comprising a hub or box surrounding the axle provided with interior threads,
shells or casings fitting snugly within the hub or box at opposite ends thereof and
having exterior threads engaging the interior threads of said hub or box; the
said shells or casings respectively consisting of two sections having interior
threads and also having interior projections, main bearing rollers engaging the
shaft or axle, a tapered housing ring surrounding the bearing rollers and adapted
to hold said rollers against end wise movement aud abutting at its ends against the
interior projections of the shell sections and the wedge or taper ring surrounding
the housing ring and having exterior threads engaging the interior threads of the
shell or casing sectious substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. A roller bearing comprising main rollers having reduced portions adjacent
to their ends and also having bosses extending beyond said reduced portious, and
intermediate rollers engaging the reduced portions of the main rollers; the bosses
of the main rollers being adapted to turn without engaging any of the parts of the
bearing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. A roller bearing comprising main rollers having reduced portions adjacent to
their ends and also having bosses extending beyond said reduced portions, inter-
mediate rollers engaging the reduced portions of the main rollers, and rings
surrounding and engaging the intermediate rollers and also surrounding but not

page_text: engaging the bosses of the main bearing rollers, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 8th day of September 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.