Improvements in Castor and other Wheels, and in the Method of Manufacturing the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Castor and other Wheels, and in the Method of
Manufacturing the same.
I JOHN ALEXANDER KENNEDY-MCGREGOR of 1409, Manhattan Building,
Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Electrical Engineer,
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 :-
The present invention has reference to the manufacture of wheels suitable for
castors and driving pulleys, which I propose to make by enclosing a number of
stamped discs or plates within a ring formed by cutting off a portion from a metal
tube of suitable dimensions.
In this form of wheel, the discs, which are corrugated, are assembled together
to constitute the body of the wheel within the ring, the edges of which are turned
completely over, to catch and grip the edges of the discs.
According to the present invention, I am able to secure together the parts once
assembled, and finish the wheel perfectly, at a single operation, and without any
repeated nanipulation.
To form the wheel, the set of discs, previously stamped to the proper shape, is
enclosed within a rim prepared from a short length of metal tube, and the parts
thus assembled are placed in a die of special form, composed of two parts, each the
counterpart of the other. On pressure being applied, the ends of the tube are both
at the same time turned completely inwards, and caused to tightly grip the discs,
and hold them firmly together.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 is a section of the bottom die, with the pieces to form the wheel in
position.
Fig. 2 shows in section the position of the top die, just before pressure is
applied.
Fig. 3 shows in section the position of the top die, after pressure has been
applied.
Fig. 4 shows, on an enlarged scale, the piece of tube as prepared for the die.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of a finished wheel.
Fig. 6 is a side view, and
Fig. 7 an edge view, of the same.
A represents the lower die, and B the upper die, which are counterparts of one
another. A' and B' are spring plungers within the dies A and B, which serve to
hold the discs during pressing, and to eject the wheel from the die, when finished.
At the bottom of the acting portion a of each die, is a rounded annular recess b,
which annular recess is instrumental in effecting the perfect finish of the wheel
above referred to.
The
C is the piece of tube, say brass, which is to form the rim of the wheel.
outer edges of this piece of tube are, as will be seen in the enlarged view, Fig. 4,
slightly rounded or bevelled off, for the purpose to be presently explained.
Dare external or face discs, preferably of brass, which are stamped out of sheet
metal in the shape shown, or in any other convenient shape.
E are internal or supporting discs, which are stamped out of (preferably) sheet
steel, in the corrugated or dish shape shown, or other convenient shape, which
D

page_text: will give the thickness to the wheel, and also form a support to hold up the face
discs, and form a resistance to the ends of the tube, when they are turned inwards,
on pressure being applied.
The outward splay of these discs should be slightly greater than the width of
the wheel, so that the rim shall firmly grip them when the edges are turned in, and
there will be no rattling of the parts.
His a strengthening disc for the rim of the wheel, and is only necessary in
wheels of comparatively large diameter.
Each disc is pierced with a central hole, to receive the axle of the wheel, or, it
may be, a steel bush.
The parts having been thus prepared, the tube C containing the discs D, E,
and H, arranged in the order shown, is dropped into the die A, as indicated in
Figs. 1 and 2. The top die B is then brought down, to enclose the upper portion
of the tube, which extends above the die A, as shown in Fig. 2.
Pressure is next applied to the dies, which are thereby closed up to the position
shown at Fig. 3.
The effect of the pressure is to cause the ends of the tube to curl round in the
annular recesses 6 in both dies (the rounded or bevelled edges of the tube serving
to lead this movement), and to close onto the outside discs, which are thus nipped
firmly between the turned in ends of the tubular rim, thus producing, in an
economical and simple manner, a strong, rigid wheel.
Wheels thus formed are completely finished when they leave the dies, and
require no further manipulation.
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 constructed as described, consisting of a set of corrugated discs
which form the body of the wheel, and a circumferential ring or tread pressed
around the edges of the discs, in the manner explained with reference to the
-drawings.
2. The mode of manufacturing wheels herein shown and described, wherein the
length of tube which forms the circumference or tread of the wheel is, by the
action of a pair of dies, caused at both ends to curl completely over, and grip
the discs forming the body of the wheel, substantially in the manner shown in the
-accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1895.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.