IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS OR PULLEYS FOR CARRYING BELTS OR ROPES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Vernon Hope, of Crosby, in the County of Lan-
caster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
WHEELS OR PULLEYS FOR CARRYING BELTS OR ROPES, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 25th October 1878, and dated the 13th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Vernon Hope at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August 1878.
JOHN VERNON HOPE, of Crosby, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS OR PULLEYS FOR CARRYING BELTS OR ROPES,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention consists in a wheel constructed of separate parts of iron or other
metal instead of being cast in the ordinary way, and is more especially applicable
to wheels of the class now made of cast iron, and will be found of greatest value in
wheels for export where lightness and freedom from fracture are of consequence.
I construct the wheel in either of the following ways, viz. :-
1st. I cut off a piece of stout tubing the length that will clear the width of the
rim of the wheel by, say, /, more or less at each side, and of bore slightly smaller
than the finished bore of the wheel will be; then cut another piece of tube the
same length as the first, and with hole slightly smaller than the outside measurement
of the first; the larger is then punched through with holes sufficiently large to
admit the size of iron the spokes are intended to be.
The rim is made of rolled iron whatever form may be required, and is punched
with holes corresponding in number to those in the boss; these holes are punched
taper or altogether smaller than the spokes.
The spokes are cut off bar or rod iron of whatever shape required, and tapered or
shouldered down to fit holes in rim.

page_text: The wheel can then be fitted together in either of the following ways, but prefer-
ably in the way first described :-
The rim having been pressed so as to insure its being round the spokes are slipped
into the holes in the punched tube until they all meet in the centre, which will give
sufficient space for them all to go inside the rim. When placed in their places in
the rim as far as they will go, being at all events entered into their respective holes,
the wheel as it then stands is made dull red-hot, and the centre tube (being cold)
provided with a taper false point is pressed through the tube holding the spokes,
which are thereby driven outwards firmly home into their respective places in the
rim until both tubes are flush at their ends; it will then be found that when the
rim cools the contraction will bind the wheel as solidly as if made of cast metal.
In the second method the same plan is pursued with the following differences :-
After the outer tube is punched it is heated and the inner one pressed into its place
before the spokes are put in; one or two spokes are then placed right and the rest
are crooked so as to reduce their length sufficiently to allow of their being entered
into the boss and rim, when they are again straightened by hand or press and the
wheel is complete, the tubes in all cases being preferably made with the grain of
metal transverse instead of longitudinal, as in ordinary tube.
The spokes may be made of tube for lightness.
This principle of making wheels is of course applicable to the construction of
wheels for various other purposes than those above stated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Vernon Hope in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
February 1879.
JOHN VERNON HOPE, of Crosby, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS OR PULLEYS FOR CARRYING BELTS OR ROPES,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to those forms of wheels and pulleys where strength and
lightness combined with cheapness are desired. Thus where long carriage and
frequent transhipments are required cast-iron wheels, besides being heavy, are apt
to break, and are also very liable to crack with unequal expansion, whereas mine
can be transhipped and knocked about without much fear of injury, are lighter,
and can be made at a less price per wheel.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 a section of pulley in accordance with my
Invention; the improvements, however, are also applicable for grooved and other
wheels.
A and B are portions of tubing; C, set screw; D, arms; E, rim.
I shall describe each part separately, beginning with the rim. The rim is of
wrought iron rolled to right form, bent to shape, and welded or brazed. It is
shaped hot on a block, so as to be of exactly the required size; or could be rolled.
like tyres, or even, in the case of toothed wheels, cast in brass, bronze, Stirling's:
metal, cast iron, or other material.
It is not absolutely necessary to weld or braze the tyre. I find in many instances.
that the two ends of the rolled tyre can be united by a fish plate or plates on the
inner side and countersunk on the rim. D, D, are arms all cut to exactly one
length and shouldered into the rim; they can be tubular or any desired section,
iron, steel, or other material, but I prefer wrought iron. B is a tube cut to such a
length that it will not project beyond the rim ; this tube is preferably of wrought
iron, with the grain or fibre running round the tube transversely and not longi-
tudinally. This gives the tube great strength, so that it can stand a high internal
pressure without rupture. It is perforated with holes punched out or drilled so as
to exactly fit the spokes. The spokes are thrust into these holes, the whole placed'
inside the rim, and then the spokes are thrust out into holes in the rim till their
shoulders come against the latter. The ends of the spokes now project very slightly
into the interior cylindrical cavity of the tube, which is usually accurately turned
and grooved longitudinally like a beer tap, or formed with grooves by a cutter or
mandril being placed in. These grooves are not absolutely necessary.
The hole is bored or cut either conically or cylindrical; if conical, a conical inner
tube, preferably of steel or deoxydized (phosphor) bronze, similarly grooved or plain
on its exterior surface, is forced in by hydraulic or other pressure till it fills the
tube B, which in such case can be slightly countersunk at the small end. The
small end of the inner tube is now forced into the countersink by a mandril, or is
rivetted, and is perfectly fast. In being driven in it has also forced the spokes out
Bo as to rigidly tighten them and give a strong strain on the tyre, causing it to
assume or have a tendency to take to an extremely slight extent a polygonal form
with curved sides, the points of the spokes being the angles. This polygonizing
is, however, usually almost or quite imperceptible, and only sufficient to give a
tightening strain on the spokes. The pulley can therefore do without being turned,
though of course turning improves smooth belt pulleys in any case.
Should the tube B be bored parallel a pointed mandril has to be forced through
tube B in advance of tube A, so as to prevent tube A being stopped by the ends of
the spokes, and to force the latter out sufficiently to let tube A pass them. This is
a useful instrument to use even when the tube is turned conically.
After the tube A has been driven in and the end faced in the lathe, a process not
necessary, except for appearance sake, the division between the two tubes is unob-

page_text: servable. Tube A is bored cylindrically to fit shaft, and can be fastened by one or
more set screws C or a key bed.
This mode of manufacture can be modified in various ways though rarely to
advantage. Thus the two central tubes can be placed in position to commence with
or cast in one; the rim and one or two of the spokes placed in position, and the
remaining spokes made in two picces joined with lengthening screws, or in single
pieces, but bent with a loop or bow in the centre to shorten them, so that the ends
can get into their respective holes when the whole wheel is placed in a press and
the spokes pressed into the rectilinear form. These, however, are clumsy arrange-
ments, and I do not consider them valuable or necessary parts of my Invention, but
merely mention them to show that there are other and inferior modes of working
my Invention, and that I do not bind myself to the exact details herein given.
This manufacture of wheel is applicable for a great variety of purposes, such as
pulleys, toothed wheels, colliery drums, or even wheels for various forms of
carriages.
Having now described my Invention and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the abstract principle of
building up or constructing wheels of wrought metal instead of casting them; but
what I believe to be new and desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
1st. The manufacture of wheels or pulleys consisting, as described, of a rim and
nave, and independent or loose spokes held in a state of compression between the
rim and nave or centre, and socketted into both.
2nd. Mode of tightening spokes in a built up wheel or pulley by fitting them into
sockets in the nave, and then driving in a lining tube so as to force them back on
the rin.
3rd. The wheel or pulley built up or manufactured substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Vernon Hope, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
International Patent Office,
6, Lord St.,
Liverpool,
and
323, High Holborn,
London.
JOHN VERNON HOPE,
(L.S.)