IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WHEELS."
Sealed the 4th February 1859, and dated the 12th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacques Henri Marie
Maissiat at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th August 1858.
I, JACQUES HENRI MARIE MAISSIAT, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
"' IMPROVE-
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
MENTS IN WHEELS," to be as follows:-
Heretofore all vehicles running on wheels, carriages, or any kind of
waggons whatever, the wheels have been so employed that their axis (the
axles) remains invariably in the centre, or remains always firmly connected
with the axle of revolution of the felloe, in other words, the radii of wheels are
stiff and invariable. When these vehicles are furnished with parts of sus-
pension (springs), such parts of suspension are placed between the frame
supporting the load carried on one part, and the under frame connected with
the axle and wheels, or it may be only the axle and wheels on the other part.
From these modes of suspension, it results that the matter not suspended
strikes hard against the inequalities of the roadway, as a solid body of an in-
variable form, and produces shocks tending to destroy either the road itself,
or the vehicle or the matters carried, with a corresponding loss of the motive
power. The noise of carriages on the paving, and the noise of a train on
railway, are evidence of this destructive agency, which moreover is an expen-
sive deterioration.

page_text: I believe it is possible to remedy this generally defective state of our
machines of transport, and for this purpose I conceive that the wheels them-
selves should be rendered elastic. The axle may occupy a position at a
distance from the centre of revolution of the felloe, and the felloc itself may
be rendered slightly elastic, which is a mode of suspension simple and perfect.
Thus, instead of the inflexible spokes or radii of the wheels now employed,
I interpose between the axle and the ground any suitable elastic material that
is susceptible. of changing its form in a notable degree by elasticity. Such is
the character of my Invention.
The advantages of this system are the following:-1st. Less damage to the
roads. 2d. Less expense of motive power. 3d. Less deterioration of the
vehicles or machines of transport, with a simplification of the parts, and
various facilities for their manufacture or renewal. 4th. Less damage to the
matter carried.
The same system of elastic wheels also offers important advantages for the
working of many motive wheels of industrial machines. The elasticity of the
wheels or drum might, for instance, be substituted for, or in addition to
the elasticity of the straps used for transmitting motion.
There may be a hundred modes of forming elastic wheels. I will be
content to describe an arrangement which I have found suitable for the pur-
pose, and which is simple, easy, and advantageous to be used for such purposes.
It is as follows: I use a cast metal nave of one piece or of two connected
pieces, having in the direction of the radii mortices to receive and hold in a
secure manner the thin elastic arms of the wheel. These arms of the wheel.
These arms are broad in the direction of the axis, very long, all curved in the
same direction, and being fixed at several points, with a junction of consider-
able length, on a felloe, itself composed of layers of elastic plates conveniently
connected, to which the springs themselves assist in constituting: the whole is
surrounded with an iron tyre. The number of these plate can be increased to
make them wider, longer, or stronger, according to necessity.
The boss may be modified in hundred-ways-to-render-it--solid,-light,-and.
elegant at the same time..
.To make elastic arms, either steel or wood may be used, or the combination
of metal and wood, which appears to me offers great advantages. In effect
the physical properties of wood would be added to those of the metal, and
these qualities would mutually assist each other for the perfection of a spring.
The combination of metal and wood plates, consisting of rigidly connected
layers, appears to me so perfect for constituting numerous kinds of springs
employed in the industry that I clearly and specially express herein, that I

page_text: propose to include in my Patent this mode of making springs, irrespective of
its application to my system of elastic wheels.
I think, that in these springs of mixed materials, the iron in some forms
might be often conveniently substituted for the steel. the wood preventing the
metal from going beyond than its limit of elasticity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JACQUES
HENRI MARIE MAISSIAT, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, Her special licence that T, the said
Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, my executors, administrators, and assigns; or
such others as I, the said Jacques Henri Maric Maissiat. my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend. within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the, said Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, 'do'
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Heretofore in all vehicles running on wheels, carriages, or any kind of
waggons whatever, the wheels have been so employed that their axes remain

page_text: invariably in the centre, or remain always firmly connected with the axle of
revolution of the felloc, in other words, the radii of wheels are stiff and
invariable. When the vehicles are furnished with parts of suspension (springs,)
such parts of suspension are placed between the frame supporting the load
carried on one part, and the under frame connected with the axle and wheels,
or, it may be only the axle and wheels on the other part. From the modes of
suspension, it results that the matter not suspended strikes hard against the
inequalities of the roadway, as a solid body of an invariable form, and pro-
duces shocks, tending to destroy either the road itself, or the vehicle, or the
matter carried, with a corresponding loss of the motive power. The noise of
carriages on the paving, and the noise of a train on a railway are evidence
of this destructive agency, which moreover is an expensive deterioration.
I believe it is possible to remedy this generally defective state of our
machines of transport, and for this purpose I conceive that the wheels them-
selves should be rendered elastic. The axle may occupy a position at a
distance from the centre of revolution of the felloe, and the felloe itslf may
be rendered slightly elastic, which is a mode of suspension simple and perfect.
Thus, instead of the rigid radii or spokes of the wheels now employed, I
interpose between the axle and the ground any elastic material that is sus-
ceptible of changing its form in a notable degree by elasticity. Such is the
character of my Invention.
The advantages of this system are the following:-First, less damage to the
roads; second, less expense of motive power; third, less deterioration of the
vehicles or machines of transport, with a simplification of the parts, and various
facilities for manufacture or renewal; fourth, less damage to the matter
carried. The same system of elastic wheels also offers important advantages
for the working of many motive wheels of industrial machines, the elasticity
of the wheel or drum might, for instance, be substituted for, or in addition to
the elasticity of the straps used for transmitting motion.
_ There may be a hundred modes of forming elastic wheels, I will be content
to describe an arrangement which have-found--suitable-for-.the purpose, &
which is simple, easy, and advantageous to be used for such purposes. It is
as follows: I use a cast metal nave of one piece, or of two pieces connected
having in the direction of the radii mortices to receive and hold, in a secure
manner, the thin elastic arms of the wheel. These arms are broad in the
direction of the axis, very long, all curved in the same direction, and being
fixed at several points with a junction of considerable length, one felloe, itself
composed of layers of elastic plates conveniently connected, to which the
springs themselves assist in constituting; the whole is surrounded with an iron

page_text: tyre. The number of these plates can be increased to make them, wider
longer, or stronger, according to necessity.
The boss may be modified in a hundred ways to render it solid, light, &
elegant at the same time.
To make elastic arms, either steel or wood may be used, or the combina-
tion of metal and wood, which appears to me offers great advantages, in
effect the physical properties of wood would be added to those of the. metal,
& these qualities would mutually assist each other for the perfection of a
spring. This combination of metal and wood plates, consisting of rigidly
connected layers, appears to me so perfect for constituting numerous kinds of
springs employed in industry, that I clearly and specially express herein,
that I propose to include in my Patent this mode of making springs, irrc-
spective of its application to my system of clastic wheels. 1 think that in
these springs of mixed materials some forms of iron might be often economi-
cally substituted for steel, the wood preventing the metal from going beyond
its limit of elasticity.
In the annexed Drawings I have represented a wheel constructed according
to my Invention. Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an elastic wheel,
showing the spring plates; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same
on line x, y, in which the spring plates are seen in their breadth; Fig. 3 shows
a radial plate or spring plate in the flat; a, a, radial or spring plates; a', plates
& dowels of wood applied to the metal spring plates for the purpose of con-
solidating them.
Having described the nature of my Invention, & the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is the construction of wheels
as above
with elastic spokes for vehicles, and for transmitting motion
described, which arrangement when applied to vehicles renders the use of
ordinary springs unnecessary.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Jacques Henri Marie Maissiat, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
J. H. M. MAISSIAT. (L.S.)