Improvements in Bicycles, Tricycles, and other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1802
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles, Tricycles, and other similar Vehicles.
We, ROBERT JEWELL of 20 Malwood Road, Clapham Common, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, and ARTHUR JOSEPH VICKERS of No. 12 Putney Hill,
Surrey, Gentleman, 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 relates mainly to a construction of wheels for bicycles, tricycles,
and other similar vehicles, in which the spokes are made with an arc-shaped
curvature in the plane of the wheel, as described in the Specification to our appli-
cation for Letters Patent dated 29th April 1891, No. 7410.
Our present improvements relate firstly to means for securing such spokes to the
nave and tyre of the wheel, and secondly, to means for preventing the lateral
displacement of the nave relatively to the plane of the tyre in consequence of the
yielding nature of the spokes.
We will proceed to describe the said improvements with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Figure 1 shews an elevation of a wheel constructed according to this invention,
Figure 2 shews an enlarged part front view of the boss or nave with the front
plates removed.
Figure 3 shews a part cross section,
Figure 4 shews a part elevation of the tyre,
Figure 5 shews a cross section of the same, and
Figure 6 shews a part side view and part section of the flange B of the nave on
line Figure 3.
The extreme inner end of the spoke A is bent sharply to a right angle to form
a head A' and the end of the spoke is fitted into a groove in the face of the nave-
disc B such groove having a configuration corresponding to the section of the
spoke, as shewn at Figure 6, and the spoke is secured in that position by ribs C₁
on a plate C which fits against the disc B and is secured to the latter by a second
plate D which is secured to B either by screw bolts passing through both, parts,
or by screwing D on to the nave, as shewn at Figure 3. The upper ends of the
spokes have a screw-thread formed on them, and they are secured to the hollow
metal tyre E by means of internal and external screw-nuts F, as shewn, the tyre
being made with flat surfaces at the requisite angle for the nuts to bear against as
shewn; access is gained to the inner nuts through holes at E'.
For preventing the lateral displacement of the nave or boss relatively to the
plane of the tyre there are provided a series of pairs of strong straight stay
spokes G either of a circular, T, or other section, the inner ends of which are
formed with heads G¹ and fit into larger grooves in the plates B and C as shewn
at Figures 2 and 6, while the upper ends are screwed into a forked piece H.
This forked piece embraces a flange formed on the inner circumference of the
tyre, to which the fork is connected by a pin H' passing through a slot E³ in the
flange E², such slot being of sufficient depth to prevent the pin H' from touching
the outer end thereof when the nave has been displaced relatively to the tyre.in
the vertical plane of the latter, so as to bring the pin G' of the uppermost spoke G
to bear against the inner end of its slot, and being also of such a width as to leave
some lateral play between its sides and the pin H.
Thus it will be seen that while the stays G effectually prevent any lateral
shifting of the nave relatively to the tyre, they in no way interfere with the before

page_text: described elastic action of the spokes. The flange E' may be perforated orna-
mentally or otherwise between the points where the stays are attached, or instead
of a continuous flange, lugs may be fixed to the tyre at such points.
With wheels constructed as described in the Specification to our application
No. 7410 and our present application, sufficient elastic action is obtained by
means of the spring spokes to enable the ordinary solid or tubular caoutchouc
tyre to be dispensed with. We therefore in some cases prefer to construct the
tyres of such wheels as shewn in the cross section at Figure 7. The trough
shaped metal tyre K in this case has flanges K₁ formed on either side; upon
these is fitted a hoop L, the edges of which are doubled under as shewn, and a
band of caoutchouc M stretched over a packing of cork N, or other suitable
light substance, has its edges brought between the flanges Ki and the hoop L.
which are then secured together by screws so as to nip the caoutchouc tight
between them. By this means we obtain a somewhat elastic tyre offering a con-
siderable surface for bearing on the road. The band of caoutchouc M might
also be made thicker in the middle to take the place of the cork or other
packing.
According to another improvement instead of making the before mentioned
curved spokes of the wheel to extend the whole distance from the nave to the tyre,
we in some cases construct the wheel as shewn at Figure 8 where the tyre E is
connected to a ring or drum O by straight stretched spokes P of the ordinary
description, and this ring or drum is connected to the boss or nave of the wheel by
short curved spokes P, the elastic action of which is precisely the same, only in a
somewhat less degree, as the curved spokes A.
Or, according to another modification shewn at Figure 9, we construct the wheels
entirely in the usual manner, and we make the fork of the framing with circular
loop which is connected to a separate bearing R for the wheel axle by curved
spring spokes S, which will also have a similar effect to that of the spokes A in
affording elastic action when riding over rough roads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In bicycle, tricycle, and other wheels having spokes curved in the plane of
the wheel, in combination with the inner ends of such spokes secured to the
flange B of the boss or nave by forming the end of the spoke with a hook or head
and by forming grooves in the face of the flange corresponding to the profile of
the spokes, the use, for fixing these in position, of an inner plate C with ribs C',
and an outer plate D secured by screwing or otherwise substantially as described.
2. In bicycle, tricycle and other wheels having spokes curved in the plane of the
wheel, the use, for preventing the lateral displacement of the boss or nave rela-
tively to the tyre, of stay spokes such as G, the inner ends of which are secured
to the nave or boss, while the outer ends are connected to a flange or lug on the
inner circumference of the tyre by a slotted connection that will allow of the
requisite play of the boss or nave in the plane of the wheel substantially as
described.
3. In bicycle, tricycle, and other wheels having spokes curved in the plane of
the wheel, constructing the tyre with a flange on its inner circumference in which
are formed slotted holes for the attachment of the stay spokes referred to in the
preceding claim.
4. Constructing tyres for bicycles, tricycles and the like as described with
reference to Figure 7 of the drawings.
5. In bicycle, tricycle and other similar wheels, a tyre E connected by straight
spokes P to a ring or drum O which is connected to the boss or nave of the wheel
by curved spring spokes P₁, substantially as described with reference to Figure 8
of the drawings.

page_text: 6. Constructing the forks Q of the frames of bicycles, tricycles and similar
vehicles, with ring shaped loops Q' that are connected to the bearings R of the
wheel-axle by means of curved spring spokes S, substantially as described with
reference to Figure 9 of the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of January 1892.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicants.