IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN CONNECTING OR FIXING THE SAID WHEELS TO THEIR AXLE BOXES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Wright, of Smethwick, in the County of
Stafford, Coach Smith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CARRIAGE
AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN CONNECTING OR FIXING THE SAID WHEELS TO
THEIR AXLE BOXES."
Sealed the 23rd June 1865, and dated the 11th April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Wright at the
Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
April 1865.
I, STEPHEN WRIGHT, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Coach
Smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CARRIAGE AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN CONNECTING OR FIXING THE SAID WHEELS
TO THEIR AXLE BOXES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing the hubs and spokes of carriage and other wheels, whereby great
strength at the junctions of the said spokes with the hub is secured combined
with neatness of appearance. I make the hub of a cylindrical boss or short
cylinder of metal baving a hole in its axis. In tho periphery of the said
cylindrical boss or short cylinder a series of equidistant radial recesses is
made, the said recesses being so deep as to approach the hollow axis of
the boss or short cylinder. The said recesses are open on one side and are of
a taper figure. The ends of the spokes to be fitted in a hub of the construc-
ion described are of a taper figure and of greater strength at the taper part.

page_text: than at any other part. In fixing the spokes in the hub the taper ends of the
spokes are put or driven into the recesses in the hub through the open sides
thereof, and are fixed therein by a plate of the diameter of the hub made to screw
upon the screwed end of the hub, the said plate having a screw in the hole in
its middle, which engages with a screw on the hub. By the screwing up of
this plate the open sides of the recesses in the hub are closed and the spokes
securely fixed therein. Or the hub and plate may be made in one piece, and
the spokes driven in radially instead of from the side as described. After
fixing the spokes in the hub the partly made wheel is ready to receive the
felloes and tyre.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following improvements in making
the tyres of carriage and other wheels. On the under or inner side of the
tyre I make an angular projection, and in the periphery of the felloes or rim
of the wheel I make a depression of a corresponding figure. When the tyre
is shrunk upon the felloes the projection on its under side engages in the
depression in the felloes. Or I make the tyre of a trough form, that is, with
flanges on either side or edge. In this case the rim of the wheel is built up
in the tyre. Or I make a flange only on one edge of the tyre and slightly
contract its diameter at the other edge. The last form of tyre is fixed on the
felloes by shrinking.
My Invention consists, thirdly, of the following improvements in fixing
the wheels to their axle boxes. In fixing the hub of the wheel to the
axle box I make the hole in the hub slightly taper, and I also make the axle
box slightly taper and I force the hub on the axle box and fix it thereon by
hydraulic or other pressure. The axle box is secured to the axle by a screw
cap of the ordinary kind, and the said cap is protected by a short. hollow
cylinder of metal fixed on the axle box.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the.
9th October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
WRIGHT, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Coach Smith, send
greeting.
3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord 3
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Stephen Wright, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen Wright,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Stephen Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 CARRIAGE AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN CONNECTING OR FIXING THE SAID WHEELS
TO THEIR AXLE BOXES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Stephen Wright, my executors or administrators, 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 tho 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 Stephen Wright, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after described in
constructing the hubs and spokes of carriage and other wheels, whereby great
strength at the junctions of the said spokes with the hub is secured, combined with
neatness of appearance. I make the hub of a cylindrical boss or short cylinder of
metal baving a hole in its axis. In the periphery of the said cylindrical boss or
short cylinder a series of equidistant radial recesses is made, the said recesses
being so deep as to approach the hollow axis of the boss or short cylinder.
The said recesses are open on one side and are of a taper figure. The ends
of the spokes to be fitted in a hub of the construction described are of a taper
figure and of greater strength at the taper part than at any other part. In
fixing the spokes in the hub the taper ends of the spokes are put or driven
into the recesses in the hub through the open sides thereof, and are fixed
therein by a plate or cheek of the diameter of the hub made to screw upon
the screwed end of the hub, the said plate having a screw in the hole in its
middle which engages with a screw on the hub. By the screwing up of this
plate or cheek, the open sides of the recesses of the hub are closed and the
spokes securely fixed therein. Or the spokes may be driven in radially
instead of from the side as described.
the radial divisions in the hub and
In this case I prefer to dispense with
make the inner faces of the plates or

page_text: cheeks of the hub inclined from their circumference to near the axis of the
hub, the inclination of the said faces being in opposite directions. Although
I have only described the hollow cylinder of the hub as being fixed on the
axle box yet the hub itself may be made to form part of the axle box instead
of being fixed thereon. After fixing the spokes in the hub the partly made
wheel is ready to receive the felloes and tyre.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following improvements in making
the tyres of carriage and other wheels. I make the tyre of a trough form,
that is with flanges on either side or edge, the felloes or rim of the wheel
being built up in the tyre. Or I make a flange only on one edge of the tyre
and slightly increase its diameter at the other edge. The last form of tyre is
fixed on the felloes by shrinking in the usual way.
My Invention consists, thirdly, of the following improvements in fixing the
wheels to their axle boxes. In fixing the hub of the wheel to the axle box
I make the hole in the hub slightly taper, and I also make the axle box
slightly taper, and 1 force the hub on the axle box and fix it thereon by
bydraulic or other pressure. The axle box is secured to the axle by a screw
cap of the ordinary kind, and the said cap is protected from injury by a
short hollow cylinder of metal fixed on the axle box.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the samo
is to be performed.
'
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a metallic hub and spokes of a
carriage wheel made according to my Invention, the said hub being' fixed on
an axle box; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hub with the moveable plate
or check removed; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the hub, and Figure 4
represents the hub in position to receive the ends of the spokes. The same
letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
On
a, is the short cylinder or barrel of the hub having a hole 6 in its axis.
the periphery of the cylinder or barrel a, a series of equidistant radial plates
are made, the spaces between the said plates constituting taper recesses c
in which the ends d³ of the spokes d are fitted. The ends of the spokes d are
made taper in both directions, that is, both on their sides and edges, and of a
greater strength at the said taper part than at any other part, as represented
in the Drawings. The taper recesses c between the radial plates of the
hub are open on the side e, and closed on the other side by the fixed plate
or check f. The open sides of the recesses c are closed by a moveable
plate or cheek g of the diameter of the bub. The said plate or cheek g
is screwed internally and works upon a screw h made upon the end of the

page_text: hub. In fixing the spokes d in the hub the taper ends d are put or
driven into the recesses c in the hub through the open sides thereof. By now
screwing up the plate or cheek g by means of a spanner placed on the nut or
angular part 9 into the position represented in Figures 1 and 3, the open
sides of the said recesses are closed and the spokes securely fixed therein.
The spokes d are now ready to receive the felloes and tyre. A washer or ring
of india-rubber may be interposed between the inner faces of the cheeks f, g,
and the spokes for the purpose of maintaining a firm bearing against the
spokes. The moveable plate or cheek 9 of the hub is provided with a tube g³,
by means of which tube the cap p of the axle box i is protected from injury.
In fixing the hub made in the manner described to the axle box i, I make the
hole 6 in the said hub slightly taper, and I also make the outside of the axle
box i slightly taper, and I force the hub on the axle box and fix it thereon by
bydraulic or other pressure. Or the hub may be fixed on the axle box by
means of keys or wedges of wood or iron.
I
Figure 5 represents in longitudinal section another hub constructed according
to my Invention fixed on an axle box. In the hub, Figure 5, I make both
plates or cheeks k, l, moveable upon the barrel or cylinder m and dispense with
the radial recesses, and in place thereof I make the inner sides or opposed
faces of the said plates or cheeks k, l, inclined in opposito directions, as
represented; the space enclosed by the said inclined faces of the plates or
cheeks being of a taper or wedge figure, the widest end being that nearest
the axis of the hub. The spokes to bo fixed in a hub of the construction
of Figure 5 are so shaped that their ends completely fill up the space between
the two cheeks k, l, when the said cheeks have been screwed home. The ends
of the spokes having been placed in the hub from the side or radially, the
moveable cheeks k, l, are screwed up against the said ends of the spokes, and
the said ends of the spokes thus securely fixed in the hub, the taper figure of
the ends of the spokes and the inclined faces of the cheeks effectually pre-
venting the said spokes from being withdrawn from the hub excepting by the
removal of one or other of the cheeks or plates k, l. An annular groove n
may be made in each of the cheeks k, l, into which an india-rubber ring or
washer may be placed for the purpose of maintaining a firm bearing against
the spokes. Instead of making both cheeks k, l, moveable, one of the said
cheeks may be fixed on the barrel or tube m. Instead of fixing the hub
consisting of a short cylinder or barrel and a moveable and fixed cheek or two
moveable cheeks on the axle box, the checks may be made and work upon
the axle box itself.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent a. hub of the last described construction;

page_text: Figure 6 being a. longitudinal section of the hub and axle box; Figure 7 a
side elevation, and Figure 8 an end elevation of the same. q, is the axle box,
and r the fixed cheek made upon the said box; s is the moveable cheek screw-
ing upon a screw made on the outside of the said box. The inner faces
of the cheeks r, s, are inclined, and the spokes are made and fixed between
the said cheeks in the manner described with respect to the hub Figure 5.
Or both of the cheeks of, the hub in the arrangement Figures 6, 7, and 8,
- may be made moveable, and instead of having the cheeks inclined on their inner
faces, radial recesses, as in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, or two sets of radial
.recesses side by side, may be employed, but I prefer to arrange the parts in
the manner represented in the Drawings.
Instead of making the nut and moveable check in one piece, as represented
in the Drawing, the said nut and cheek may be made separately.
Figure 9: represents in cross section the tyre of a wheel constructed accord-
ing to my Invention. The said tyre consists of a bar of iron or steel having
taper flanges u on either side or edge. The said tyre is thus made of a trongh
form, in which trough the felloes or rim of the wheel is built up. The tyre,
Figure 9, is rolled with one of its flanges u straight, that is, in the same line
as the middle part of the tyre, the said straight flange being bent upon the
felloes after they have been built up in the tyre. Or the felloes may be
built up in the tyre when it has the. Figure represented in the Drawing.
Figure 10 represents in cross section another tyre made according to
my Invention. In this tyre I make a flange v on one side only, and increase
the diameter of the tyre at the other side or edge. The tyre, Figure 10, is fixed
on the felloes by shrinking.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and represented in the
accompanying Drawings, as the same may. be varied without departing from
the nature of my Invention.
But I claim as my Invention, firstly, the improvements in the hubs and
spokes of carriage and other wheels herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making metallic hubs of the said
wheels of a hollow cylinder or barrel, which is fixed on the axle box, upon
which hollow cylinder or barrel are situated a fixed and moveable plate or
cheek, or two moveable plates or cheeks, between which plates or cheeks the
spokes of the wheel are fixed by the screwing home of the said moveable
cheek or cheeks, or making the said cheeks or plates of the hub upon the axle
box instead of upon a' hollow cylinder or barrel. Also making the ends of

page_text: the spokes fixed in the said hubs of a taper or wedge figure and of greater
strength at the said taper or wedge part than at any other part.
Secondly, the improvement herein-before described in fixing hubs of wheels
made in the manner berein-before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5 of the accompanying Drawings upon their axle boxes, that is to say,
by making the hole in the barrel or hollow cylinder of the hub slightly taper,
and the axle box also slightly taper and forcing the hub thereon by hydraulic
or other pressure.
Thirdly, the improvements in making the tyres of carriage and other
wheels herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the said tyres of bars of iron
or steel having flanges on one or both sides, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Wright, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
STEPHEN WRIGHT. (L.S.)