IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Kirk, of Strood, in the County of Kent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Kirk at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th November 1879.
CHARLES KIRK, of Strood, in the County of Kent.
WHEELS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The improvements relate to the application of india rubber spring bosses for driving
wheels of traction engines, portable engines, tramway engines, thrashing machines,
waggons, or for other wheels, and consist in constructing two concentrical bosses of
wood or of metal, preferably of cast iron, separated from each other by india rubber
encircled with a metal ring (preferably of wrought iron), the outer boss (which
may be of wrought iron) holding the spokes of the wheel, and being connected with
a lateral flange of the inner boss by wrought iron or steel links or other suitable
device, which permits an alteration of the relative position of the axis of the two
bosses, so as to depart from their concentricity according to the compression of the
india rubber.
The two bosses may be held in position laterally by a plate of wrought iron or
other suitable material fastened by studs and nuts, or in any other suitable manner,
and the coupling device may consist of two pairs of links attached to extensions of
the inner and outer boss by two pairs of bolts, so as to form two the sides of a
variable angle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Kirk in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May
1880.
CHARLES KIRK, of Strood, in the County of Kent.
WHEELS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The improvements relate to the application of india rubber spring bosses to
driving or other wheels of traction engines, portable engines, tramway engines,
thrashing machines, waggons, or other wheels, and consist in constructing two
concentrical bosses of wood, metal, or other convenient material, preferably of cast
iron, separated from each other by india rubber, and sometimes encircled by a metal
ring (preferably of wrought iron), the outer boss (which may be of wrought or cast
metal or other material) holding the spokes of the wheel, and being connected' with
a lateral flange of the inner boss by wrought iron or steel links, or other suitable
devices, which permit an alteration of the relative position of the axes of the two
bosses, and so allow them to depart from their concentricity according to the com-
pression of the india rubber. The two bosses may be held in position laterally by
a plate of wrought iron or other suitable material fastened by studs and nuts, or in
other suitable manner, and the coupling device may consist of a link or pairs of
links attached to extensions of the inner and outer boss by bolts, or of a pin pro-
jecting into a socket and surrounded by india rubber.
The annexed Drawings will serve to illustrate a mode or modes of performing
the Invention, but the small details shown may be varied without departing from
the nature thereof. Fig. 1 is an elevation of cast iron wheel (with cap removed);
Fig. 2, section of same with cap; Fig. 3, half elevation showing the cap; Fig. 4 is
an elevation of a wrought iron wheel (with cap removed); Fig. 5, section; Figs. 6
and 7, detail views of boss and connections; like letters represent corresponding parts.
A is the rubber; B, B', concentric bosses. Figs. 6 and 7 show the coupling of the
inner with the outer boss by means of a pair of links C, C, forming a variable
angle, while the bosses of Figs. 1 to 3 are coupled by a pin D lodged in india-
rubber A; E is the cap or plate connected with the flange G of the inner boss by
bolts F. The inner boss and the cap shown in Figs. 4 and 6 are perforated at H for
the reception of a pin.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Kirk, have hereunto set my hand and
anal shi
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