Improvements in Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, SAMUEL WATKINS CARLTON of 50 Lime Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of pneumatic hub for cycles and
other vehicles designed to provide the advantages of pneumatic tyres whilst
obviating the liability to puncture that obtains with the latter.
My pneumatic hub comprises inner and outer concentric parts between which
is arranged a pneumatic ring or rings, the inner part being arranged to rotate
about a fixed axis and the outer part to which the spokes of the wheel are attached,
being arranged to move with and radially or excentrically to the other part.
In an arrangement of this kind the inner part is mounted upon ball bearings so
as to rotate about a fixed axle carried by the framing of the vehicle and is
provided with outwardly extending flanges at the ends between which the outer
part which is provided with a chain or other driving wheel is arranged to slide
radially, the space between the two parts heing of oval rectangular or other
suitable form in cross section and containing a pneumatic ring of approximately
corresponding cross section, one of the end flanges being removable to admit of
the pneumatic ring being readily inserted in place sideways and removed when
desired. This removable end or cover may be screwed to the inner part; and the
chain or other driving wheel may be carried by an annular plate secured to the
outer part in such a way as not to interfere with the radial or eccentric movement
of the latter.
The pneumatic ring may be constructed of any suitable material for example
rubber covered with fabric and its arrangement is such that it is supported around
its outer and inner surfaces so as to prevent the possibility of bursting.
Dated this 25th day of November 1895.
134
I, SAMUEL WATKINS CARLTON, late of 50 Lime Street, but now of Billiter
Street, in the City of London, Engineer, 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 :—
This invention has reference to a construction of pneumatic hub for cycles and
other vehicles designed to provide the advantages of pneumatic tyres whilst
obviating the liability to puncture that obtains with the latter.
My pneumatic hub comprises inner and outer concentric parts between which is
arranged a pneumatic ring or rings, the inner part being arranged to rotate about.
D

page_text: a tixed axis and the outer part to which the spokes of the wheel are attached,
being arranged to move with and radially or eccentrically to the other part.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows in central horizontal section a cycle wheel provided with a
pueumatic hub constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan, Fig. 3 a vertical section, and Fig. 4 a side elevation, showing
the hub to a larger scale than Fig. 1.
1 is the inner part of the hub formed of a metal ring of concave section and
provided with annular side flanges 1ª, 1º and with annular lateral extensions 1° by
means of which it is mounted on ball bearings 2 so as to rotate about an axle 3
fixed to the framing 4 of the vehicle to which the wheel is fitted, a free space 1ª
being left between the ring 1 and axle 3. 5 is the outer part to which the spokes
of the wheel are attached. It is formed of a metal ring and is arranged between
the flanges 1 and 1 of the inner ring 1 so that it can slide radially or eccentrically
thereto when in use, whilst both parts can rotate together about the axle 3.
When the wheel is to be directly driven, there is connected to it a driving wheel
such as the chain or sprocket wheel 6. As will be seen the inner and outer
rings 1 and 5 are so formed that the annular space between them is of an approxi-
mately oval form in cross section. 7 is a pneumatic ring consisting of a tube
which when inflated is of oval cross section and is arranged within the corre-
sponding annular space between the inner and outer rings 1 and 5 and is provided
with an air valve 7 by means of which it can be charged with air under pressure.
To admit of the outer ring 5 and pneumatic ring 7 being placed in position and
removed, one of the flanges viz. 1, of the inner ring is made removable for
which purpose it may be screwed upon the corresponding end of the said ring 1 as
shown.
The driving wheel 6 may be carried by or be formed in one piece with an
annular plate 8 that is formed with a flange 8", as shewn, by which it can be
secured to one end of the outer ring 5 in such a way as to leave a space between
the plate 8 and the end of the outer ring into which the flange 16 of the inner
ring 1 extends. It will be seen that by this construction the radial or eccentric
movement of the inner ring relatively to the outer ring will not be interfered
with.
In practice 1 find it advantageous to incorporate two features neither of which
is here claimed as forming part of my present invention because I am making
application for other Letters Patent wherein such features are included. The
two features referred to are the following :-
(I.) The flanges 1* and 1 of the ring 1 are each formed with an annular
shoulder or projection 1 so arranged relatively to the outer ring 5 that after the
two rings have got nealer one another at one part to the extent illustrated in
Fig. 3, further relative radial movement of the rings, and consequent damage of
the interposed pneumatic ring 7, are prevented by the outer ring coming into
contact with the annular shoulders or projections 1.
(II.) To enable the concentric rings 1 and 5 to be rigidly connected together in
a concentric manner, one end of the ring 5 and the adjacent flange 1ª of the ring 1
are made of the same external diameter and are both formed with similar ridges
or projections on their outer surfaces as shown for example in side elevation in
Fig. 4. On the corresponding end of the ring 5 is fitted a laterally movable
locking ring 9, formed internally with corresponding grooves 9ª, and provided
with set screws 10 or other fastening devices. The arrangement is such that the
locking ring 9 can be fixed either in its inoperative position, that is to say, clear
of the flange 1 as shown, or can be moved laterally so as to simultaneously
surround both the ring 5 and the flange 1 and thereby engage with the ridges or
projections 9b of both and thus lock the two parts 1 and 5 concentrically together
and so enable the wheel to be used without the pneumatic ring 7 coming into
action. The locking ring is fixed in its operative or locking position by tightening
the set screws 10.

page_text: The pneumatic ring may be constructed of any suitable material, for example,.
rubber covered with fabric, and it may be of other convenient form in cross section
than that shown, although I prefer the oval form.
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 I do not
claim broadly a pneumatic hub comprising inner and outer concentric parts
between which is arranged a pneumatic ring, but what I do claim is :—
In a wheel for a cycle or other vehicle the improved hub constructed as herein--
above described (heads I and II excepted) with reference to and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
1000
S. W. CARLTON.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Applicant's Agent..