IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES, WAGONS, CARTS, AND OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Laurence Stewart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
May 1871.
I, LAURENCE STEWART, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES, WAGONS, CARTS, AND OTHER VEHICLES,”
to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of wheels
for supporting or carrying the bodies of carriages, carts, waggons,
omnibuses, or other similar vehicles which travel upon common roads
or tramways.
Under the first system of construction the wheels are composed of a
framework of wire constituting the core of the rim or felly, and to
which the outer ends of the arms also formed of wire are attached, their
inner ends being attached to the nave. This framework is covered with
vulcanite in the plastic state and afterwards vulcanised in the ordinary
manner.

page_text: Under the second system of construction one or more strands of wire,
either plaited, twisted, or untwisted, passing longitudinally through the
spokes or arms of the wheel may be used, these strands being fastened
at or near to the nave or boss of the wheel, and at the outer end of each
of the said spokes or arms, the strand or strands of wire proceeding from
each such spoke or arm is or are divided, and each half of the body of
one or more such strands of wire is bent over to a circular arc corre-
sponding to that of the felly of the wheel, and in which the wire is
enclosed when the caoutchouc, either unmixed or admixed and combined
with other materials such as leather parings, is solidified or vulcanised
over it. The strands of wire are by preference made long enough to
allow of a portion beyond that which passes through the felly to be
carried down some distance into the outer end of each adjacent spoke
or arm, and by this method of construction a wheel chiefly composed of
vulcanite is firmly bound together and less liable to crack or fracture.
In lieu of dividing the outer ends of the strands of wire, as herein-
before set forth, they may be bent over and united to the adjacent spoke
without being divided.
Under a third system of constructing the wheels the wire may be
used in separate lengths, and passed through the spokes or arms and
felly or other parts besides those at or near to the centre of such
parts.
Under this Invention the spokes and felly of the wheel may be made
hollow in place of solid, and instead of using a wire core a core of
malleable cast iron may be employed, or the central parts of the spokes
and felly may be made of vulcanite and leather parings admixed, whilst
the outer part is composed of vulcanite.
It is also under the present Invention preferred to provide the wheels
constructed under either of the modifications herein described, as well
as wooden wheels, with an elastic tyre between the wheel proper and
the exterior metallic tyre; this in the case of wheels wholly or in part
composed of vulcanite may be formed in one piece with the wheels, or
it may be affixed thereto by bolts, pins, rivets, or otherwise.