Improvements in Ball Bearings chiefly Designed for Use in Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Ball Bearings chiefly Designed for Use in
Velocipedes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention relates to an improvement in roller bearings, which, while adapted
for use in wagon wheels, or the like, has been more especially devised for use in
bicycles, tricycles and other like vehicles, the object being to so construct and
arrange the several parts, that the bearing may be adjusted without the necessity
of loosening the nuts holding the wheel in its proper position in the forks.
With this, and other ends in view, my invention consists in certain novel features
of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a hub containing my improved bearing.
Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the detached axle.
Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof, and
Figure 4 is a view of the detached adjusting rod.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
It will be seen by referring to the drawings, that I have illustrated a ball bearing,
A representing a barrel hub, preferably made of metal and provided with the
flanges B, for the attachment of the spokes, (not shown), the extreme ends of the
barrel being threaded as shown at a.
Within the ends of the barrel are removably fitted cups or receptacles for con-
taining the balls C, each receptacle consisting of the cup 1 for holding the balls,
and a disk d snugly fitted within the outer edge of said box for preventing the
balls from accidentally dropping out of said cup when the latter is removed from
the barrel.
On the outer face or side of each of the cups D is formed a flange e of the same
diameter as the barrel A, and fits against the extreme end of the latter when the
cup is inserted in place, the outer edge of the flange being flush with the outer
surface of said barrel.
In order to hold said cups in their proper places within the ends of the barrel,
I provide rings E, internally threaded to engage with the threads a on the barrel,
aid rings fitting over the flange e on the cups, and provided with a flange fi

page_text: which, when the rings are screwed home, fits against the outer face or side of the
cup and holds the latter tightly in place.
Passing through the barrel A is the axle F, having formed thereon or secured
thereto, near one end, a cone G, extending through an opening in the disk d and
bearing against the balls C, in the cup D, and having near its opposite end, the
cone H, adapted to move longitudinally thereon.
As will be seen by reference to the drawings, the axle F is provided with an
elongated sloth into which projects a pin or lug i secured to the movable cone,
said pin if desired, and as shown in the drawings, extending entirely through said
slot and having both ends fitted in said cone, this construction and arrangement
of the parts allowing the latter to be moved longitudinally on the axle and at the
same time preventing it from turning thereon.
As shown by the drawings, the axle, for the greater part of its length is made
hollow, and internally threaded, as at k, near one end, and has fitted therein the
rod I, also threaded at one end to engage with the internal thread of the axle,
the inner end of said rod I bearing against the pin or lug i and the outer end
extending out beyond said axle and provided with a slot for a screw driver, or as
shown in Figures 1 and 4, with a knurled head n.
From the above it will be understood that when the rod I is turned in the
proper direction by means of the knurled head, or by a screw driver applied thereto,
it will travel inwardly, and bearing on the pin or lug i will force the cone H
against the balls C in the box 1) at that respective end of the barrel, and at the
same time force the axle in the opposite direction, thereby tightening the cone G,
against the balls C at that respective end of the device. After properly adjusting
the device, the rod I is locked in position by means of the lock-nut 0 threaded on
the projecting end of said rod and bearing against the end of the axle.
In Figure 1, I have shown in dotted lines, the ends P of the fork through which
the axle passes, and to which it is secured by nuts r threaded on said axle,
adjusting nuts s being also threaded on said axle between the cups D and the inner
sides of the forks, the purpose and function of said nuts s being to properly center
the wheel in the fork and assist the nuts in holding it in its proper place.
When desired to adjust the bearing, the lock-nut is turned slightly away from
the end of the axle, thereby leaving the rod I free to be turned in either direction
and the bearings adjusted as before described, and this without the necessity of
loosening the nuts as has generally been the case, and also while the wheel is
turning, if desired.
While I have shown my improved bearing applied to the rear hub of a bicycle,
R representing the sprocket wheel, I do not intend to limit it to such application,
as it is equally well adapted for use on the crank hanger, front hub, pedals, in fact
in all instances where ball-bearings may be applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a hub, of a set of balls in each end thereof, a cup at
each end and a slotted and hollow axle passing through said hub, cones on said
axle, one of which is movable, and provided with a pin or lug extending into the
slot therein, said cones bearing against said balls, and a rod threaded into said
hollow axle, one end of which bears against said lug for moving the cone, and the
other end projecting out beyond said axle, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a hub A, of cups fitted in the ends thereof, a set of balls
contained in said cups, a hollow axle passing through said hub and provided with
a slot h, a cone G secured to said axle and bearing against one of said sets of
balls, a cone H movable on said axle, a pin or lug secured to said cone H and
projecting through said slot, a rod I threaded into said hollow axle, having one
end bearing against said lug and its opposite end projecting out beyond said axle,

page_text: and a lock nut 0, threaded on said rod, and fitting against the end of said axle,
substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of July 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.