Improvements in or connected with Elastic or Resilient Wheels for Velocipedes and other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 29th May. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Elastic or Resilient Wheels for
Velocipedes and other Road Vehicles.
We, GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM of 7 Cologne Road, New Wandsworth,
Engineer, and WILLIAM SMITH of 128 London Wall, Manufacturer, both in
the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce an elastic or resilient wheel and without
the necessary employment of inflated tyres.
With this object we form the spokes of telescope construction and with spring or
like devices tending to maintain the spokes at their greatest length or we form, the
spokes of curved spring metal.
According to one construction of our invention the spokes are made tubular and
each in two parts; one such part is generally formed to take into the other part.
and a spring of helical form is located in the interior of say the large diameter
tube against which spring the smaller tube acts as a piston.
In some cases the helical spring may be arranged on the exterior-of one of the
tubes forming the spoke. All the spokes in the wheel, of which there may be any
desired number are similarly formed.
Instead of the spokes being telescopic we may form each spoke from a piece of
spring steel say of flat section fixed at one end to the felloe and at the other endl
to the hub.
In the spokes when made of telescopic character, we may dispense with the
helical springs and employ in lieu thereof a cushion of air in the chamber of the
spoke, or such a chamber may contain a spring as aforesaid and in addition thereto
may have an air cushioning. The air is compressed into the chamber or not as
found most desirable, and the piston end of each spoke is or may be fitted with
packing similar say to the pistor packing of a tyre inflator.
Dated this 19th day of June 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or connected with Elastic or Resilient Wheels for
Velocipedes and other Road Vehicles.
We, GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM, of 7 Cologne Road, New Wandsworth,
Engineer, and WILLIAM SMITH, of 128 London Wall, Manufacturer, both in the
County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manuer the same is to be performed to be. particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The object of our invention is to produce an elastic or resilient wheel, and
without the necessary employment of inflated tyres.

page_text: With this object we form the spokes, which carry the felloe of the wheel, of
telescopic construction, fitted with spring or other elastic devices which tend to
maintain the spokes at their greatest length.
In order that our invention may be readily understood, we have illustrated in
the accompanying sheets of drawings, several arrangements of constructions by
which our invention can be carried into effect.
Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation a wheel made in accordance with our said
invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section taken about the line XY of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews in partial sectional side elevation, an arrangement of the telescopic
spokes, drawn to a larger scale than the previous figures.
Fig. shews in sectional side elevation, another arrangement of the said
spokes.
Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of our invention.
According to one construction of our invention, and with special reference to
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, the spokes which support or carry the felloe A
of the wheel, are built up of a tubular part B, secured in a hub C, by screwing or
other means, and attached to the felloe A are a number of rods or pistons D,
which fit into the tubes B and are adapted to engage with elastic cushions or
springs such as E clearly illustrated at Fig. 3. In some cases the helical springs E
might be arranged on the exterior of the tubes B, and the spokes D embrace or
surround the said tubes B.
Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the hub C is formed
with three collars, the central one receives and holds the tubes B, and the two
outer ones are provided to receive spokes F which suspend at their outer ends
a hoop or ring G. In some cases the spokes F and the ring G may be
dispensed with.
In the periphery of the rim G there are formed a number of apertures into
which the outer ends of the tubes B pass and are thus held in a stationary position
relatively to the hub.
Thus it will be seen that the felloe A of the wheel is supported from the hub C
by spokes D, the ends of which rest upon an elastic bed, and thus the felloe A itself
has a resilient or elastic movement relatively to the hub C.
We sometimes provide a solid india rubber tyre H, secured to the felloe A, or
in some cases we may substitute a pneumatic tyre for the solid rubber tyre H, if it
is so desired.
At Fig. 4 we have illustrated means whereby the spokes D instead of resting
upon metal springs E, rest upon a cushion of air. In this case the ends of the
spokes D are fitted with a leather cup J so that when the spoke D is forced into
the tube B the bottom of which in this case should be closed, the air is compressed,
and in this manner an air cushion is interposed between the spokes D and the
hub C of the wheel. Instead of the air being only compressed by the insertion of
the spokes D, means may be provided such as are shewn at Fig. 4 whereby the
air may be compressed within a chamber L in the hub, and have passages K¹
communicating with all the tubes B; an inflation valve L is fitted whereby the
air may be compressed by an ordinary air pump.
With reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings we have shewn a construction or
arrangement of our invention, in which a rim or hoop G is suspendert as in Fig. 1
by the spokes F, and the felloe A is carried by spokes D.
The spokes D pass through apertures in the rim or hoop G in a manner similar
to the tubes B as illustrated at Fig. 3. At the base of each of the spikes D, see
Fig., we attach or form in a piece therewith a collar or plate D', and the lower
end of the spokes D pass through holes in an annularly shaped casting K, which
latter is formed in a piece with the hub of the wheel, and in the case illustrated
the casting K, is divided contrally. The plates D' rest upon an air inflated annular
elastic cushion M which may be readily fitted with a suitable valve whoreby the
same may be readily inflated.

page_text: By our invention we are enabled to construct wheels having great resiliency
which may be used on road or rough ground without the danger as in pneumatic
tyres wheels, of the said tyres becoming punctured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other road vehicles, attaching
to the felloe of a wheel a number of spokes, each of which is telescopic, and is
supported by an elastic cushion interposed between the ends of such spokes, and the
hub of the wheel, substantially as set forth.
2. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other road vehicles, attaching
to the felloe of a wheel a number of spokes taking into tubes secured to the hub
of the wheel at one end, and supported in position by a hoop or ring suspended by
spokes from the hub at the other end, the tubes containing springs upon which the
ends of the spokes of the felloe rest, all substantially as and for the purposes
described and illustrated.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing our improved
resilient or elastic wheel, all constructed and acting, substantially as and for the
purposes described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Date HS C
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.