Year: 1896

page_text: I, WALTER CHARLES CHURCH, of No. 6 Trinity Square, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to wheels for venicles for running on ordinary roads or on
rails and has for its object to construct such wheels whereby the tractive power
is more efficiently and economically applied in propelling the vehicle, provision
being also made if desired for ensuring the resiliency of the wheel.
According to my invention I provide a loose rim or tyre which is of greater
diameter than the felloe or rim of the wheel or of the usual tyre of the wheel, the
said loose rim or tyre constituting the running or rolling surface of the wheel
which is in contact with the ground or rail. This loose rim or tyre is held in
position sideways by any suitable arrangement such for instance as by making it
trough shaped in transverse section, and it may be made in parts to facilitate
the placing of the said loose rim or tyre onto the rim of the wheel. The sides or
flanges of the loose rim or tyre may be sufficiently broad or deep to embrace the
sides of the felloe or rim so as to prevent the entrance of dirt to the interior of the
loose rim or tyre and the sides or flanges may be made separately from the portion
constituting the tread and be connected thereto by bolts or otherwise. The loose
rim or tyre is free to slide radially relatively to the trough shaped rim of the body
portion of the wheel. The loose rim or tyre may le made in one piece and the hub
or boss and the body of the wheel be made in circular halves and the rim of the
said body ortion may be trough shaped to contain the loose rim or tyre. In
the trough shaped rim on the body portion of the wheel there may be placed rings
of resilient material such as india rubber or composition and these rings may have
embedded therein metal rings which tend to maintain the circular shape of the
india rubber or composition. The body portion of the wheel may be formed of
metal discs and may be secured to the boss by casting the boss thereto and the
discs may be connected together by any convenient means for instance by bolts
or rivets. The india rubber or composition rings placed in the trough shaped
rims may be corrugated or otherwise shaped to form a cushion between the loose
rim or tyre and the body or rim of the wheel. Or rollers may be provided in or on
the rim of the wheel and a lining of rubber may be placed in the loose rim or tyre
against which the rollers bear. Or the rollers may bo in the loose rim or tyre.
To prevent the loose rim or tyre from slipping on the rim of the wheel I may
roughen the interior surface of the loose rim or the surface of the rim of the wheel or
both, or place between them emery or other suitable friction producing material.
When the wheels are provided with spokes the rim and also the boss or hub may
be made in parts and be bolted together.
The sides or flanges of the loose rims or tyres when made of thin metal may be
corrugated circumferentially or otherwise to increase their strength and packing
may be placed in the corrugations to prevent the admission of dirt to the interior

page_text: of the loose rim or tyre. The tread or periphery of the loose rim or tyre may be
recessed to receive a ring of rubber or composition consisting for example of rubber
and emery and canvas or wire. Within the trough shaped rim or tyre there may
be arranged a tube to form a cushion between the loose rim or tyre and the rim
of the wheel. This tube may be filled with granulated cork or like material or be
charged with compressed air or the like. When I use air for the purpose of inflat-
ing this tube I prefer to dry the air before forcing it into the tube. In the interior
of the loose rim or tyre there may be provided a ridge and furrow surface on the
ridges of which the surface of the rim of the wheel acts, this acting surface of the
rim of the wheel may be india rubber or like material. This ridge and furrow
surface may be formed on the interior of the loose rim or tyre itself or may consist
of a separate corrugated ring placed in the trough-shaped rim or tyre.
Or the ridge and furrow surface may be on the rim of the wheel and the india
rubber or the like be inside the loose rim or tyre.
Dated this 18th day of November 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
I, WALTER CHARLES CHURCH, of 6, Trinity Square, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declara 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:-
My invention relates to wheels for vehicles for running on ordinary roads or
ou rails and has for its object to construct such wheels whereby the tractive power
is more efficiently and economically applied in propelling the vehicle than heretofore
provision being also made if desired for ensuring the resiliency of the wheels.
According to my invention I provide a loose ring, or tyre, which is of greater
diameter than the felloe or rim of the wheel or of the usual tyre of the wheel,
the said loose ring or tyre constituting a path for the rim or tyre of the wheel,
and the rolling surface of the wheel which is in contact with the ground or rail.
This loose ring or path is held in position sideways by any suitable arrangement
such for instance as by making it trough shaped in transverse section, and it may
be made in parts to facilitate the placing of the said loose ring or path onto the
rim or felloe of the wheel. The sides or flanges of the loose ring or path may be
sufficiently broad or deep to embrace the sides of the felloe or rim so as to prevent
the entrance of dirt to the interior of the loose ring or path, and the sides or flanges
may be made separately from the portion constituting the tread and be connected
thereto by bolts or otherwise. The loose ring or path is free to slide radially
relatively to the rim of the body portion of the wheel. The loose ring or path
may be made in one piece and, the hub, or boss, and the rim or felloe be made in
circular halves and the rim or felloe may be trough shaped to contain the loose
ring or path. In the trough shaped rim on the body portion of the wheel there
may be placed rings of resilient material such as india rubber or composition
and these rings may have embedded therein metal rings which tend to maintain
the india rubber or composition rings in shape. The body portion of the wheel
may be formed of metal discs and niny he secured to the boss by casting the boss
thereto and the discs may be connected together by any convenient means for
instance by bolts or rivets.
The india rubber or composition rings placed in the trough shaped rim may be

page_text: Corrugated or otherwise shaped to form a cushion between the loose ring, or path,
and the body or rim of the wheel. Or rollers may be provided in or on the rim of
the wheel and a lining of rubber may be placed in the loose ring or path against
which the rollers bear. Or the rollers may bo in the loose ring or path.
To prevent the loose ring or path from slipping on the rim of the wheel, I may
roughen the interior surface of the loose ring, or the surface of the rim of the
wheel, or both, or place between them emery or other suitable friction producing
material. When the wheels are provided with spokes, the rim and also the boss or
hub may be made in parts and be bolted together.
The tread or periphery of the loose ring or path may be recessed to receive a ring
of rubber, or composition consisting for example of rubber and emery, and canvas
or wiro. Within the trough shaped rim or tyre on the body of the wheel there
may be arranged a tube to form a cushion between the loose ring or path and the
rim of the wheel. This tube may be filled with granulated cork or like material
or be charged with compressed air or the like. When I use air for the purpose of
inflating this tube I prefer to dry the air before forcing it into the tube. In the
interior of the loose ring or path there may be provided a ridge and furrow surface
on the ridges of which the surface of the rim of the wheel acts, this acting surface
of the rim of the wheel may be india rubber or like material. This ridge and
furrow surface may be formed on the interior of the loose ring or path itself or may
consist of a separate corrugated ring placed in the trough-shaped ring or path.
Or the ridge and furrow surface may be on the rim of the wheel and the india
rubber or the like be inside this loose rim or path.
In order that my invention may be well understood I will further describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the same reference
letters indicate the like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, and Figure 2 a transverse section of
a wheel constructed according to my invention for running on ordinary roads,
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a wheel for running on rails, Figures 5 and 6
are vertical sections at right angles to each other of a disc wheel constructed
according to my invention, Figures 7 and 8 are similar views showing a modifica-
tion of the rim and the loose ring or path, Figures 9 and 10 are similar views of
a spoke wheel shewing also a modification of the rim and ring or path, Figures 11
and 12 are similar views shewing a further modification of the rim and the ring or
path, and Figures 13 and 14 are similar viewa shewing a still further modification
of the rim and ring or path.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the body of the wheel consists of an ordinary
hub a connected by spokes b to the rim or felloe c. The felloe c may be encircled
by an ordinary metal rim or tyre d, in the outer periphery of which I prefer to
provide a V or other recess as shown at . I may also form a recess in the
interior of the tyre d to fit a corresponding surface on the rim or felloe c of the
wheel.
Surrounding the rim or tyre d, is a loose ring or tyre A, of greater diameter
than the tyre d of the wheel, and constituting a path for the inner wheel the inner
periphery of which ring or path A is shaped as shewn at d to practically corre-
spond with the recess in the rim or tyre d. The loose ring or path A is pro-
vided with checks or inwardly projecting flanges A' as shown in Figures 1 and 2,
or with lugs or brackets, as shewn in Figure 1', formed on or fixed to the ring
or path A and of such a depth or length as to prevent the lateral displacement
of the said loose path or ring. The V-shaped projection on the interior of the
loose ring or path A in conjunction with the corresponding groove in the tyre
prevents any strain being exerted on the cheeks A', or the lugs, or brackets, A¹
Figure 1, and also serves to discharge through openings in the checks, or
between the lugs A', any dirt that may gain access to the interior of the ring or
path A. To permit of the loose ring or path A being placed in position on the
body of the wheel, which may be of the ordinary construction, the said loose tyre,
is divided in a vertical plane, into two parts or rings which are placed one on

page_text: each side of the rim or felloe of the wheel and connected together by bolts and
nuts f, or by rivetting or other suitable means. The sides or flanges A¹ of the
loose ring or path may be made separate from the portion A constituting the tread
of the wheel and be connected together by bolts and nuts or other suitable means,
and in this case the portion constituting the path, need not be divided. Projecting
from one or both sides of the loose ring or path A is a rib A to protect the flanges
or cheeks A from damage by contact with kerbstones or the like. One of the
checks or flanges A may be formed integral with the portion A and the other
of the said cheeks or flanges be connected thereto by bolts and nute or rivets f
as shewn for example in Figures 3 and 4 which illustrate the application of my
invention to the wheels of railway vehicles the loose ring or path A being pro-
vided with an external lip or flange like the ordinary tyres of railway wheels.
Instead of making the loose ring or path in parts and connecting them together
as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 the said loose ring or path A may
be made in one piece as shewn in Figures 5 and 6 and the body portion of the
wheel be made in circular halves and shaped at the periphery to form when con-
nected together, by bolts and nuts, or otherwise, a recess for the reception of the
loose ring or path A. In these Figures the body portion of the wheel is shewn
as being formed of thin metal discs & and the boss or hub a of the wheel is also
made in two parts to each of which is connected one of the discs b, preferably by
easting the said parts of the boss or hub, to the said discs. The discs 6' may be
connected together by rivets as shewn at or by bolts and nuts or otherwise,
and the parts of the boss or hub are connected together by a hollow bolt or a
tube a passed through a hole in the centre of the hub, the parts of the said hub
being clamped togetlier by means of a nut or nuts a screwed onto the said hollow
bolt a or onto the ends of the tube constituting the axle box. The discs & which
may be made by stamping or otherwise are of such shape that when connected
together a trough-like recess is formed at the periphery as shewn at c¹ to receive
the loose trough shaped ring or path A. The loose ring or path A is placed in
position between the discs b before connecting the said discs together, and in the
trough-shaped recess are placed rings B of india rubber or composition to form
a yielding or resilient cushion between the loose ring or path and the body of the
wheel, and to retain the resilient rings B in shape, metal rings may be embedded
therein as shewn for example at 13. If desired the periphery of the loose ring
or path A may havo perforations therein in which blocks of india rubber or the
like may be inserted as shewn at Figures 5*, 6. Instead of inserting the
loose ring or path A in the trough shaped recess in the body of the wheel as
described the said loose ring or path may be made in parts as hereinbafore
described and the cheeks or flanges thereof be outside and embrace the rim of
the wheel as shewn in Figures 7 and 8 and instead of placing in the trough shaped
rim of the body of the wheel solid rings of india rubber or the like, as shown
in Figures 5 and 6, a currugated and transversely perforated ring B of resilient
material as shewn in Figures 7, and 8 may be placed therein, the wheel being
otherwise constructed like Figures and 6.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 the trough shaped rim ci
of the wheel is made in parts connected together by rivets 3, and the hub a may
either be made in one piece or it may be made in parts as shewn, connected
together by a hollow bolt or a tube al and nuts a, as hereinbefore described,
and the rim is connected to the hub by metal spokes b. Arranged at suitable
distances apart in the trough shaped rim are india rubber or other rollers C
mounted on pins or axles and in the interior of the trough shaped loose ring
or path A is placed a ring 33 of india rubber or other material, on which the
rollers C bear; or the rollers may be mounted in the trough shaped loose ring
or path A and the ring or rubber or other material be placed in the trough shaped
rim or felloe c. To strengthen the loose ring or path A, the flanges or cheeks A¹
thereof may be circumferentially corrugated as shewn in Figures 11 and 12 and
in the inner recesses formed by the corrugations there may be placed packing

page_text: material as shown at g to prevent the admission of dirt to the interior of the said
loose ring or path, and in the periphery of the loose ring or path thero may be
formed a circumferential recess in which is placed a ring A of india rubber,
or other suitable material, such for example as composition of rubber and emery
in combination or not with canvas, to increase the grip between the loose ring
or path and the ground. To still further increase the gripping power of the ring
or path A, projections y may be formed on the periphery of the ring A as shewn in
Figure 11. To prevent the ring As from stretching so as to become displaced,
a wire or wires may be embedded therein as shewn at B. In the trough-shaped
rim c' is placed a tubular ring B filled with granulated cork hair or other suitable
resilient material h to form a cushion between the body of the wheel and the loose
ring or path A. In Figures 13 and 14 the rim c of the wheel has a tyre d of
india rubber or the like (fitting loosoly the trough-shaped recess in the loose ring
or path A) provided in its sides with recesses w to increase its resiliency, and in
the interior of the trough-shaped loose ring or path A is fitted a corrugated ring
of metal B3 forming a ridge and furrow surface on which the tyre d bears.
Instead of fitting a corrugated ring in the loose ring or path A, the ridge and
furrow surface may be formed in the interior thereof; or the ridge and furrow
surface may be formed on or carried by tho rim c of the wheel, and a cushion of
india-rubber or the like be placed in the loose ring or path A.
Vehicles provided with wheels constructed as hereinbefore described can be
propelled with greater ease than when provided with wheels of the ordinary
construction as the tractive power is more efficiently applied, the power exerted
on the inuer portion or body of the wheel being transferred to the loose ring or
path at a point out of lino with the centro of gravity of the said loose ring or path
whilst by providing between the loose ring or path A and the rim c of the wheel,
a ridge and furrow or other frictional surface the slipping of the rim c in the loose
ring or path A is prevented and the power exerted on the former is transmitted
very efficiently to the latter.
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:-
The improved wheels for vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the several figures of the accompanying drawings.
Datad this 20th day and 100%
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.