Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Hubs and Bottom Brackets of Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1898-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Hubs and Bottom Brackets of
Cycles.
WILLIAM SAMUEL HOWELL, 80, Summer Hill, Birmingham, Cycle Finisher,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;-
In bringing my invention into practice it is my intention to do away with all
screwing and tapping upon the inside of bottom brackets and also the screwing
and tapping inside the barrel of hubs. The axle is made in the usual way but
the thread on axle has nothing whatever to do with adjusting of cones or cups
on to the balls. The cups are not screwed on the outside or inside and simply
slip over axle on to the balls, being adjusted by a locknut which is screwed on
outside of hub or bottom bracket or barrel of any kind which is put through hub
or bottom bracket. The said locknut having a shoulder left on the inside so that,
as it is screwed up it will take the cup or cone up with it. On the fixed side of
hub or bottom bracket, either a ring is inserted or a shoulder is left in when
drilling or boring, so that the cup will drop up against it and being stopped
from turning round by either a recess in cup to correspond with a projection on
ring or shoulder or projection on cup to suit a recess in ring or shoulder, you place
the balls in, and then the axle in, and then put adjusting cone or cup over axle
and finish up by putting locknut on, which is screwed on outside of hub or bottom
bracket or barrel inserted into hub or bottom bracket until it takes the said cone
or cup up to its proper place on the balls and is then locked by bringing back a
lockring or nut up against the face of the locknut mentioned above. By this adjust-
ment it is impossible to get the cones and cups out of centre which causes axles
to be loose in one place and tight in another, as no sooner the balls touch the cup
or cone in any place than it will find its true bearing on the balls, there being no
thread on them to stop it. The above makes a very neat, simple and at the same
time very effective adjustment to the bearings and also makes the hubs and
brackets absolutely dustproof.
Dated 15th day October 1897
0 Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Hubs and Bottom Brackets of
Cycles.
I, WILLIAM SAMUEL HOWELL, of 175, New Spring Street, and late of 80, Summer
Hill, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanic, do hereby declare the
D877

page_text: 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 has for its object improvements in ball bearings for the hubs
and bottom brackets of cycles, by which I obviate all screwing and tapping on the
cups and cones thus enabling them to be fitted into the hubs much more truly
than when screwed or tapped.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practise I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings shewing my invention
applied to a hub and from which its application to the bottom bracket will be
readily understood.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the hub.
Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 1-2.
In carrying my invention into effect I obviate all screwing and tapping upon
the inside of the barrel A of the hub. The axle is formed in the usual way but
by my invention the thread on the axle has nothing whatever to do with the
adjustment of the cones or cups B with regard to the balls. The cups B are not
screwed on the outside or inside but simply have plain circumferences 61 and slip
over axle and into hub up to the balls, being then adjusted by the lock nut D
which engages with the projection 63 on the cup B and is screwed on outside
the hub A or bottom bracket or barrel of any kind. The lock nut D is provided
with the shoulder or flange d' so that on being screwed up it carries the cup or
cone with it. On the fixed side of hub or bottom bracket either a ring is inserted
or the shoulder a¹ is left on when drilling or boring so that the cup B will drop
up against it being stopped from turning round by either a recess in cup B to
correspond with a projection or ring on the shoulder a' or the shaped projection 6ª
as shewn. The balls E are then placed in, and the axle or spindle follows the
adjusting cone or cup at the reverse end being placed over the axle and the lock-
nut D screwed on to outside of hub or bottom bracket or into any barrel inserted
into hub or bottom bracket until the said cone or cup B is carried to its proper
place on the balls F being then locked by bringing the lock ring or nut H against
the face of the locknut Ď mentioned above. By this means of adjustment it is
impossible to get the cones and cups out of centre which is the case when screwed
cups are used thus causing axles to become loose in one place and tight in another.
By my invention as soon as the balls touch the cup or cone in any place they
immediately find their true bearing, there being no threads on the cups to prevent
it while at the same time I provide a very neat simple, and at the same time
effective adjustment of the bearings which also makes the hubs and brackets
absolutely dustproof.
:
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:-
. !
1st. In ball bearings for the hubs and bottom brackets of cycles, the cups B
having plain surfaces 61, projections 62 and fitted into the plain surfaces of the
barrel A in combination with the adjustable cap 1) substantially as and for the
purpose herein set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th
T... 1000
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham