Improvements in Metallic Wheels for Road Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: · Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallic Wheels for Road Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS, trading as Edwin Richards and Sons, of Portway Works,
Wednesbury in the County of Stafford, Spring and Axle Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to form the spokes of metallic wheels for road
vehicles in a manner which shall give the maximum of strength for the minimum of
weight.
The above object is accomplished, according to this invention, by forming the
spokes each as a metal tube, preferably of steel. The outer ends of the spokes
have each a solid plug welded or brazed or otherwise fixed therein, and the outer
end of each spoke is formed with an enlargement which fits within a countersunk
bole formed through the metallic rim or felloe. The inner end of each spoke
serew-threaded, and is connected with a solid collar, formed around the metal hub,
by screwing it into a hole formed therein for the purpose; or the inner end of each
spoke may be internally screwed and be screwed onto a lug projecting from the
hub. The hub is formed with a solid collar therearound near each end, and the
inner ends of alternate spokes are fixed to one of such collars and the inner ends of
the other spokes to the other of such collars. The rim or felloe may be formed
crescent-shaped in section to receive a pneumatic tyre or other rubber tyre, or may
be formed of any desired shape to suit any kind of tyre for which it is intended;
or the rim may be formed to act as the tyre, if desired.
The. hollow spokes above described may be screwed into the rim or onto lugs
projecting therefrom, and be held to the hub by nuts at the back of flanges through
which the spokes pass, or in other convenient manner. The spokes may be
screwed right and left hand at opposite ends, and be screwed into both rim and hub
or into lugs projecting therefrom, in which case the rim may be brazed or welded
or otherwise joined up into a continuous ring after the last spoke has been placed
in position.
If it is desired to construct the wheel, having the hollow spokes above described,
with the rim out of centre with the transverse central axis. of the hub, this may of
course be readily accomplished. by making all the spokes on the side of the wheel
at which the rim is to be nearer one end of the hub than the other shorter than the
spokes of the other side..
Dated this 22nd day of February 1895

page_text: I, WILLIAM THOMAS, trading as Edwin Richards and Sons, of Portway Works,
Wednesbury in the County of Stafford, Spring and Axle Manufacturer, 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 :-
The main object of this invention is to form the spokes of metallic wheels for
road vehicles in a manner which shall give the maximum of strength for the
minimum of weight.
The above object is accomplished, according to this invention, by forming the
spokes each as a metal tube, preferably of steel.
A convenient method of carrying out the invention in practice is illustrated by
Figure 1 of the drawings herewith, which is a section, taken longitudinally,
through the centre of the wheel hub and transversely through the wheel rim, and
shews a longitudinal section of one of the tubular spokes fixed to one end of the
hub and to the rim and an elevation of another of such spokes fixed to the other
end of the hub and also to the rim. The spokes are shewn as broken in length,
for convenience of illustration. The outer ends of the spokes A have each a solid
plug such as a, brazed welded or otherwise fixed therein. The sides of the metal
forming the plug illustrated are indicated by broken lines. The outer end of each
spoke is formed also with an enlargement 6 which fits within a countersunk hole
formed through the metallic rim or felloe B, as shewn; and in practice the end of
the tubular spoke is first opened out to the enlarged shape shewn, and then the
solid plug a, which is formed with an enlarged upper end to fit within the opened-
out end of the tube, is fixed within the spoke. The inner end of each spoke is
screw-threaded, and is screwed into a hole formed therefor in a solid collar c
formed around the metal hub C. Two of such collars are formed around each
hub, namely, one near each end thereof, respectively, as shewn ; and the inner
ends of alternate spokes are fixed to one of such collars; and the inner ends of the
other spokes to the other of such collars. The several spokes are screwed up more
or less into the collars e as may be required to set the rim B true with the bub
and give the required tension in the spokes. The rim or felloe B may be of the
sectional shape shewn, to receive a rubber tyre, or may be crescent-shaped to
receive a pneumatic tyre or other rubber tyre, or may be of any desired shape to
suit any kind of tyre for which it is intended; or the rim may, of course, be
formed to act also as the tyre, if desired.
It is preferred to thicken the metal of the inner end of each spoke, as shewn, by
brazing, welding or otherwise fixing therein a ferrule, as by thus strengthening the
part to be screwed a thinner, and consequently lighter, tube can be used.
}
In lieu of screwing the inner ends of the spokes into the collars of the hub, such
ends may be screwed onto studs such as d, Figure 2, which are themselves screwed,
brazed or otherwise fixed in the collars, and have screwed couter ends, which pro
ject from the collars. In such case, the inner ends of the tubes may be expanded,
as strewn, so that spokes of small diameter may be used without requiring lugs of
corresponding small diameter for screwing their inner ends on to.
Figure 3, which is a corresponding view to Figure 1, illustrates a modification
of the invention in which the outer ends of the spokes A are screwed into the rim
or felloe B, which is shewn as thickened somewhat at e to give increased depth for
the screwed holes, and the inner ends of the spokes are fixed by passing them
through flanges f formed with the hub C and screwing up nuts g on portions of the
pokes which project beyond the inner faces of the flanges and tightening such

page_text: nuts against the flanges. In lieu, however, of screwing the outer ends of the
spokes into the rim B, such ends may be screwed onto studs projecting from the
rim, similarly as the inner end of a spoke is screwed onto the stud d Figure 2.
According to a further modification of the invention, the hollow spokes may be
screwed right and left at opposite ends, and be screwed into both rim and hub or
onto lugs projecting therefrom, in which case the rim may be brazed or welded
or otherwise joined up into a continuous ring, after the last spoke has been
properly placed in position.
If it is desired to construct a metallic wheel baving hollow spokes as above
described, with the rim out of centre with the transverse central axis of the hub,
this may of course be readily accomplished by making all the spokes on the side
of the wheel at which the rim is to be nearer one end of the hub than the other,.
shorter than the spokes of the other side.
The above described method of fixing the hollow spokes to the hub enables the
hub to be adapted for use also as the axle box for an axle of the Collinge type,.
as shewn, or for a mail axle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A metallic wheel for a road vehicle constructed with hollow metallic
spokes fixed to the rim or felloe and to the hub, substantially according to any
of the several methods herein described.
2. A metallic wheel for a road vehicle constructed with hollow metallic
spokes fixed to the rim or felloe and to a hub which is adapted also as an axle.
box for an axle of the Collinge type, or for a mail axle, substantially as
described.
3. A metallic wheel for a road vehicle constructed with hollow metallic spokes
each having an enlargement which fits into a countersunk hole formed in the
rim or felloe, and the outer end of the tube forming the main portion of the
spoke closed in or made solid by means of a solid plug which is brazed, welded
or otherwise fixed therein, substantially as described and shewn by Figure 1 of
the drawings herewith.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1895.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.