Improvements in Elastic Wheels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
Communicated from abroad by CHRISTIAN JACOBSEN, of Parkveren os,
in the Kingdom of Norway Consul.]
Improvements in Elastic Wheels.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a vehicle wheel of simple, strong,
durable and inexpensive construction in which the hub is suspended within the
rim upon springs so as to absorb all the vibration caused by the rim passing over
uneven surfaces, and my object is more specially to provide a wheel of this class
in which lateral movement of the hub relative to the rim is prevented, friction
reduced to a minimum and the springs so arranged as to absorb the vibration
and also to store up power applied to the axle during the effective stroke of the
pedals, as in a bicycle, and transmit said power to the rim as the application of
power to the pedals decreases.
My invention consists essentially in the construction, arrangement and com-
bination of the means for preventing a lateral movement of the hub relative to
the rim and the arrangement and combination with these means of the springs
as hereinafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which:
Figure 1 shews a complete wheel in side elevation and
Figure 2 shews a detail perspective of a portion of the wheel to illustrate one
of the devices for preventing lateral movement of the hub.
Referring to the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 10 is used to
indicate the wheel rim and 11 the spokes attached thereto in the ordinary way.
They extend however only a short distance and are attached to a concentric rim
which is preferably constructed as shewn of two tubular rings 12, placed side
by side and connected by means of the cross pieces 13 of which there are preferably
four pairs. To each of said pairs of cross pieces the parallel guide rods 14 are
fixed and on each pair of guide rods a sliding block 15 having the elongated
opening 16 in its central portion is mounted for longitudinal movement.
A hub 17 of ordinary construction is placed in the centre of the wheel and to
the hub four radially extending arms 18 are fixed. These arms are of a length
5 to pass through the slots 16 of the blocks 15.
I have arranged for the support of the hub within the rim as follows: To cach
of the said cross pieces 13 I have fixed a coil spring 19 to extend inwardly parallel
with the adjacent radial arm 18 and with the inner end fixed to the radial arm
which extends at right angles thereto.
0 It is obvious in the first instance, that the fixed radial arms inserted in the
blocks 15 will absolutely prevent lateral movement of the hub in the rim but

page_text: will not prevent its movement in the plane of the sides of the rim, furthermore
the hub is supported in position within the rim by means of said springs.
Assuming that a weight were applied to the hub when in the position shewn
in Figure 1, it is obvious that the two vertical springs below the hub will be
compressed and the ones above extended, and that as soon as this pressure is
released the springs will return the hub to position. Assuming that power was
applied to the hub to rotate the wheel every spring would be affected, half of
them compressed and the rest extended, hence power would be stored therein io
be exerted in propelling the rim, as soon as the pressure was partially released
so that the springs could assume a normal condition.
.
Having now particularly. described and ascertained the nature of my said,
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1) In a vehicle wheel the combination of 'a hub, a series of radial arms fixed
thereto, two springs fixed, to each radial arm, on opposite sides thereof and
extended at right angles therefrom, a rim arranged concentrically with the hub,
means connected with the rim and designed to receive the radial arms and permit
their circumferential movement but prevent a lateral movement thereof, said
rim having each of said springs fixed thereto, for the purpose stated.
2) A vehicle wheel, comprising an outer rim, an inner rim composed of two
tubular rings, spokes for connecting the outer and inner rims and cross pieces
for connecting the said rings, parallel rods between the cross pieces, a sliding
block on each pair of rods, a hub, radial arms fixed to the hub and passed through
said blocks, and springs fixed to the radial arms and the cross pieces substantially
as and for the purpose stated.
D
1
oil 1
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.