IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS, AND IN CERTAIN IMPLEMENTS OR TOOLS EMPLOYED THEREIN, AND IN THE MODE OF FORMING AND MANUFACTURING THE TYRE OF WHEELS, WHICH MODE IS APPLICABLE TO MAKING METALLIC RINGS, BANDS, HOOPS, CYLINDERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EXALL, of Reading, in the County of Berks, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six, in the tenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Exall, my exors, adñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William Exall, my exors,
admiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Exall, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times during the term of years. therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEELS, AND IN CERTAIN IMPLEMENTS OR TOOLS EMPLOYED
THEREIN, AND IN THE MODE OF FORMING AND MANUFACTURING THE TYRE OF
WHEELS, WHICH MODE IS APPLICABLE TO MAKING METALLIC RINGS, BANDS, HOOPS,
CYLINDERS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said William Exall, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is. to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I have
ascertained and set forth the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
fixtures and letters marked thereon.
And, first, my improvements in the construction of wheels, and in the tools
or implements employed therein, consist,―
First, in certain apparatus (to be driven by any convenient power) for
shaping the spokes of wheels, and an improved mode of forming the tennons
at their ends.
Second, certain improved apparatus for cutting out and facing the felloes,
and turning the inner and outer circumference of wheels.
Third, improved tools for forming the mortice in the naves of wheels (when
such naves are composed of wood), and an improved mode of forming tho
mortices in the felloes to receives the ends of the spokes.
Fourth, an improved form or construction for cast-iron naves of wheels.
Fifth, an improved mode of fixing or fastening the spokes and dowels of
wheels in the naves and felloes.
Sixth, an improved form for the tyres of wheels running on common roads.
And, secondly, my improvements in the mode of manufacturing the tyres of
wheels, and which is applicable to making hoops, cylinders, and other like
articles, consist in a method of forming them of malleable iron, or other metal
or different metals combined, without a weld joint, in the usual sense.
Having thus stated the nature of my improvements, I shall now proceed to
describe the methods of carrying them into effect, taking the several improve-
ments in the order in which they have been enumerated above.
With respect to the first-mentioned head of my improvements, the apparatus
for shaping the spokes consists of a modification of a lathe, whereby I am
enabled to shape the spokes by the operation of turning instead of shaping
them by hand. Figure 1 is a transverse section, and Figure 2 a longitudinal
elevation. a, a, is the bed of the lathe; and 62, 63, carriages moveable across
the bed of the lathe in the slide rests c¹, c, by weights d', d, passing over
pullies attached to the slide rests. The carriage b¹ supports the spindles e', e, e³,
the central one of which e³ drives the other two at equal velocities by means
of the spur wheels f, ff, (indicated in Figure 1 by red circles). The
wheels fand have prongs in their face, so as to serve also as chucks. The
carriage supports the lathe centres g¹, 9². h is a carriage or slide rest, move-
bs
B1

page_text: able lengthwise of the bed of the lathe by a screw i, and supporting a disc j,
which is free to turn upon centres at ; k is a horizontal shaft, turning in
bearings in the standards 1, 1, and in the carriage h, and supporting a fly
cutter m, which is placed upon it between the standards of the carriage h.
Two stud pins n, n, passing through the boss of the cutter block; enter a
groove o extending the whole length of the shaft, so that whilst the cutter is
carried round by the shaft it likewise slides along it as the carriage h advances.
The cutting tools should be so adjusted in the arms that their cutting edge or
point should describe a circle of exactly the same radius as the disc j, and in
the same vertical plane as the disc. p', p³, are fast and loose pullies upon the
cutter shaft for setting in motion or stopping it; and q is a pulley which drives
the spindle ; the screw i, which carries forward the cutter carriage, may be
turned by hand or by the machinery.
The operation of the machinery is as follows:-A model (r) of the intended
spoke is chucked in the lower centres of the lathe, and a rough spoke (s) is
chucked in the upper centre; then the disc and cutters being placed oppositė
one end of the model and of the spoke respectively, the cutters, model, and
spoke are caused to revolve, and the spoke being pressed forward to the cutters,
by the action of the weight of the cutters chip away the redundant portions of
the wood at the end of the spoke until it is reduced to the form and dimen-
sions of the model, when the disc coming in contact with the model prevents
the further advance of the carriages 6, 6, and the cutters consequently no
longer act upon the spoke. When the end of the spoke is reduced to the
form and dimensions of the model, the screw i is put into action, which carries
the cutter carriage gradually along the bed of the lathe, and the cutters are
thus brought to act upon the spoke throughout its length and reduce it
throughout to the form of the model.
To form the tennons on the outer end of the spokes, I employ a combina-
tion of two pair of circular saws, set at right angles to each other, and acting
simultaneously; the distance between the cutting edges of each pair of saws
is equal to the thickness of the tennon; one pair of saws makes a cut of the
length of the intended tennon, parallel either to the back and face or to the
sides of the spoke, and the other pair makes a transverse cut at right angles
to the former, to the depth of the intended shoulder, thereby removing a
portion of the wood from the back and face, or from the sides, and leaving a
fair tennon as required. Figures 3 and 4 represent the arrangement. a, a,
and b, b, are the-circular saws, mounted on a carriage c, which is moveable
along the guides à, d, by the screw é, and the saws are driven by lines or belts
passing round the pulley f and 9, the spokes being previously inserted in the

page_text: nave of the wheel. The nave is mounted on a mandril, which is placed, as
shewn in Figure 3, on a frame or carriage f, f, so as to support the centre of
the nave at the proper height above the cutting edges of the horizontal saws, and
one of the lower spokes being placed and firmly retained in a vertical position,
the saw carriage is moved along the guides past the spoke, and the saws in
passing the sides of the spoke remove the requisite portion of wood on each
side of the spoke, so as to form the tennon upon it as regards the sides of that
spoke. The next spoke is then brought into the vertical position, and the saw
carriage is moved back to its first position, and the saws in passing the spoke
cut slice of wood from each side of it, as before, and so on in succession with
the remainder of the spokes. When the sides of all the spokes have been thus
operated upon, the position of the nave is changed to that shown in Figure 4,
the cross bars f¹ of the frame being removed and the mandril placed across the
frame, and the spokes are again submitted to the action of the saws, which
cut away the requisite portion of wood from the face and back of the spoke,
and so complete the tennons.
I claim, under this head of my Invention,-
First, the mode of shaping the spoke in a lathe by means of fly cutters,
regulated by a model spoke, as herein-before described.
Second, the mode of forming the tennons by means of two pairs of circular
saws acting at right angles to each other, as herein-before described, between
which the ends of the spokes are brought in succession by the advance of
either the saw carriage or the frame which supports the spokes.
With respect to the second head of my improvements, I employ for the
purpose of cutting out the curved sides of the felloes a saw formed out of. an
endless band of steel by cutting teeth on the edge of the band, which bands
are preferably formed in an entire piece by a process herein-after described
under another head of my improvements. Figures 5 and 6 represents this
part of my Invention; Figure 5 being an end elevntion, and Figure 6 a plan.
a is the endless band saw, which is stretched over the pulleys or drums b, b,
which are set in motion by a band passing over the rigger c on the shaft of the
upper drum, and the timber (d) for forming the felloes is brought up to the
cutting edge by a frame e turning upon a centre f, which is advanced at each
cut along the groove g, or the timber may be guided by hand to a templet or
to lines. For shaping the ends of the felloes truly radial, I employ a frame,
Figure 7, the sides of which stand at an angle to each other, that is, the
aliquot part of a circle, corresponding to the number of felloes required for the
wheel. The felloes being fixed to this frame by wedging against pins or studs,
as shewn, or by any other suitable means, at the part corresponding to the

page_text: diameter of the wheel, the sides will be the guides for cutting the ends radially,
which may be effected by any convenient kind of saw. For turning and
facing the felloes, I place the ring or hoop a, Figures 8 and 9, upon a flat plate,.
and placing within it the felloes b, b, which have previously had their end's cut
to the proper angle, I press the felloes into a circle by the set screws c; c; in
the circumference of the ring a. This ring, with the felloes thus secured, I
attach to the face plate d of a lathe by the clamps e, e, or otherwise, and then
turn the inner side and one face and a portion of the edge; the ring with the
felloes is then shifted upon the face plate, so as to place the rough side out-
wards, and then the face and a portion of the edge are turned, as before.
I claim, under this head of my Invention,―
First, an endless band saw, such as before described.
Second, the guide frame for shaping the ends of the felloes radially.
Third, the ring with set screws or other fastenings for holding the felloes
together in a circle, in order to turn and face the same, and otherwise prepare
the felloes to receive the spokes.
Figures 10 and 11 represent the improved tool which I employ for cutting
the mortices in the naves of wheels, as mentioned, under the third head
of my improvement; Figure 10 being a side elevation of the apparatus, and
Figure 11 a plan of the cutters and cutter frame. a; a, a, a, is a series of
revolving cutters adapted to cut out nearly the breadth of the mortice hole,
and turning in bearings in the frame b, b. These cutters are placed between.
two straight cutters c, c, likewise secured to the frame b, b; the length
of these straight cutters is equal to the distance between the centres of
the two outer cutters, and the width between their edges is equal to the
width of the mortice. The revolving cutters are retained in their position.
in the frame by shoulders at their lower ends, and are caused to revolve-
together by means of the toothed wheels d, d, d, d, motion being communi-
cated to them by a strap passing round a pulley e fixed upon the end of
one of them. I employ for cutting mortices in naves with-square ends a tool
composed of two morticing chisels a, a, Figure 12, sliding through two guides
b, b, which are connected together by a right and left handed screw c, turned
by a ratched wheel worked by a cam on the crank shaft d. The morticing
chisels are connected by the slotted cross heads e, e, to the crank f, the chisels
and rods having liberty to slide from each other in the direction of the arrows.
A hole for cach mortice being previously bored, the crank driven by any con-
venient power gives a reciprocating motion to the chisels, and as the crank
revolves the chisels are gradually separted from each other to the desired
length of the mortice by the action of the screw c. My made of forming the

page_text: mortice moles in the rendes is as follows: The renoes are secured in the ring and
mounted upon the face plate of a lathe, as described under the second head of
my Invention, and shewn in Figures 8 and 9. Opposite to the centre of the
plate is placed the drill ƒ (Fig. 9), which acts in the direction of the vertical
diameter of the face plate. The carriage of the drill is moveable along guides
at g, so as to bring the drill over the line of the centres of the intended holes
in the felloes, and the drill is driven by a band passing round the pulley h.
The drill being properly adjusted and in motion, it is depressed by the lever k
as the place for each mortice is brought under it in succession, and thus the
mortice holes are drilled truly radial.
I claim, under this head of my Invention,―
First, the tool for cutting mortices with circular ends, consisting of revolving
cutters combined with and working between two plane cutters.
Second, the tool for forming square-ended mortices, consisting of two mor-
ticing chisels, which as they cut are caused to separate further from each
other.
Third, the boring the mortices in the felloes whilst they are secured in a
ring, as before described, by a tool advancing from the centre.
Figures 13, 14, and 15 represent the improved form or construction of a
cast-iron nave, which constitutes the fourth head of my improvements;
Figure 18 being a view of the face of the nave, with the cap removed; and
Figure 14, a section in the direction of the axle; and Figure 15, a back view
of the cap. a is the boss of the nave, with the back plate 6 removed; c, c, are
a series of wedge-shaped apertures to receive the spokes; d is a neck to receive
the end of the axle, and forming the oil box. The back plate 6 is placed upon
the axle e before the two arms are welded or joined together, and a flango f
on the back plate embraces a collar f¹ formed on the axle. The spokes instead
of being driven into the nave are laid into the apertures c, c, and forced into
them by pressure, and I prefer that they all be pressed in simultaneously.
The nave is securel to the back plate by screws or rivets.
I claim, under this head of my improvements, the forming of cast metal
naves in two parts, the boss or part which contains the spokes constituting
the outer part, which is held on to the axle by being connected to a back
plate, which is retained on the axle by a collar f¹ formed on the axle.
The improved mode of fixing or fastening the spokes and dowels of wheels,
which constitutes the fifth head of my Invention, consists in compressing the
dowels and the ends of the spokes in suitable dies and presses previous to
insertion in the naves or felloes, with the view that by their expansion after
insertion they may be more firmly retained in the mortices.

page_text: And I claim, accordingly, the compression of the dowels and the ends of
spokes previous to inserting them in the naves and felloes.
The improved form of tyre for wheels intended to run upon common roads,
which constitutes the sixth head of my improvements, is shewn in section in
Figure 16, and the improvement consists in forming the lateral flanges a, b, on
the tyre to embrace the sides of the felloes. The one flange (a) may be made
of any required depth; the other flange (6) must be of such depth as to allow
it to be put over the wheel when expanded by heat, and that when contracted
by becoming cool it will clip the felloe.
And I claim accordingly, under this head of my Invention, tyres for wheels
to run on common roads formed with flanges or clips, as above described, to
embrace the felloes between them.
My improvements in the mode of forming and manufacturing the tyres of
wheels, and which is applicable to the making metallic rings, bands, hoops for
saws, or other hoops, and other similar articles, consists in a method of making
the said tyres complete in rings without a welded joint, in the common accep-
tation of the term, whereby they are rendered of a uniform strength and
texture throughout. For this purpose I proceed as follows:-I make a coil
of the metal in thin layers, such as would be formed by carefully winding a
length of iron hoop coil by coil one close over the other, as shewn in Figure
17, and having secured the ends from springing or uncoiling, I subject it to a
welding heat, and if requisite put it under the hammer to bring the parts well
together, (or, in the case of certain metals or alloys, as copper or brass, &c., I
cast a hoop.) Having thus obtained a ring or hoop of metal (which must be
of sufficient weight of metal but of less diameter than the intended. tyre), I
place it at a proper heat between rolls of a construction resembling those used
in the manufacture of bar or plate iron, and having upon them any flanges,
grooves, or mouldings which may be required, and by the process of rolling I
bring or reduce the hoop or ring to the required diameter and substance.
Before the ring is completely rolled out I apply a set of guide rollers, arranged
in a frame, resembling a universal lathe chuck), so that they are capable of
diverging from each other in such manner that they shall always be found in
the circumference of a circle, in which the upper point of the lower or the
lower point of the upper pressing rolls lies, to finish the rings or hoops in a cor-
rect circle, and even plane. Figures 18 and 19 shew an arrangement for this
purpose. a, a, is a wheel keyed upon the end of the axis 6, which is free to
move vertically in slots c of the frame d, but is prevented from turning by a
cross piece e connected to the axle by the bars f, and likewise passing through
the slots of the carriage; 9, 9, 9, 9, are four rollers, supported in forked arms

page_text: "
h, h, which radiate from the centre, and move in guides at i, i, in the rim of
the wheel; jjj, j, are four screws, supported at the ends in bearings in the
boss, and in the rim of the wheel, and working in nuts in the forked arms
at k, k, k, k; upon each screw is fixed a bevilled pinion m, and loose upon the
axis b is placed a bevilled wheel n, which acts upon the four pinions so as to
turn the four screws simultaneously, and according to the direction in which
the wheel is turned the rollers approach to or diverge from the centre. When
the wheel, tyre, or other hoop is near completion, the apparatus is advanced
towards the pressing rolls, so that the rollers a, a, a, a, shall stand within the
hoop y, and the centre of the wheel a below the centre of the pressing rollers.
A weighted lever o is inserted in one of a number of holes in the boss of the
bevilled wheel n, which is thereby caused to turn, and the rollers are pressed
outwards against the interior of the hoop y, the lever being shifted from hole
to hole when necessary to keep up the pressure upon the hoop. In order to
preserve the horizontal position of the axis, the ends of the bar e are connected
to a weighted lever p. In this manner tyres for wheels for railway and other
carriages may be finished sufficiently true at once. By this means also may
be formed bands or cylinders for boilers, or for covering rough or cast iron
rolls with finer metal; also flexible endless bands for driving machinery, or for
forming the endless band saws, herein-before described. The pressing rolls
must be provided with proper adjusting contrivances for bringing them
together to the proper distance for the required thickness of the ring, regulated
by hand or by the machinery itself, as in ordinary rolls. For narrow rings or
hoops, as wheel tyres, it will be more convenient and expeditious that the rolls
should be formed on the end of the axis outside the bearings; but for cylinders,
rings, or hoops of considerable breadth, as for boilers or for covering rolls, they
should be formed upon the axis within the bearings.
In the formation of flexible endless bands by this method, I introduce within
the bight of the hoop, in lieu of the expanding guide rolls before described a
tension roller, as shewn in Figure 20, acted upon by a weight, or otherwise,
whereby the band is drawn out as its length is increased by the operation of
the rollers, and an equal tension is maintained. Heat may be applied during
the rolling of the band if required. The band when reduced to the required
thickness may (if intended for saws) be tempered the usual way.
Having described my improved method of making wheel tyres, hoops, rings,
and other such articles, I would observe, that although I have herein-before
described the ring as formed by coiling metal in thin layers (conceiving this to
be the best method), yet it is evident the same may be effected by piling
small pieces of metal, or a combination of hoops ready made in circles, and sub-

page_text: jecting them at a proper heat to the action of a hammer; likewise, in lieu of
rolling out the rings to the proper dimensions, the same may be effected by
hammering or pressing them on a mandril.
I therefore claim, under this head of my Invention, the manufacturing of
wheel tyres from circular or endless rings of metal, formed by coiling the
metal in layers, or by placing rings of metal one within the other or one upon
the other, or by piling in circles, and subjecting the same to a welding heat,
(or, in case of certain metals or alloys, by casting a ring,) and then reheating
(if required) and rolling, hammering, or pressing to the desired form and
dimensions, as herein-before described, instead of the ordinary method of
forming tyres by bending a straight bar of iron and welding the ends..
And lastly, I claim the application of such circular or endless rings to the
manufacture of hoops, bands, band saws, cylinders, and other like articles, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Exall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
WILLIAM (L.S.) EXALL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First day of May, in the
year
of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid William Exall came before our said Lady
the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statuto made for that purpose.