Improvements in the Manufacture of Hubs for the Wheels of Cycles, Motor Cars, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left 21st Oct 1907 coated
07th ML..
1000
Date of Application, 12th Apr.,
Complete Specification Left 21st Oct 1807
1897
Accepted, 27th No
Nov.,
1005
DI MOTIVATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Hubs for the Wheels of Cycles,
Motor Cars, and other Vehicles.
1, REUBEN SAMUEL COURTMAN, of 19 Sibella Road, Clapham, S.W., Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of hubs for the
wheels of cycles, motor cars and other vehicles, and has for its object to enable
such hubs, more especially those known as lubricating or oil-retaining (reservoir)
hubs, to be manufactured in a single piece having the end portions, on which are
the screw-threads for fixing the ball race and nuts, formed integrally therewith.
According to my invention I take a suitable plain metal blank and draw the
same through dies, in any suitable manner, so as to form a tubular or cup shaped
blank closed at one end and having walls of the same or approximately the same,
thickness which the end portions of the finished hub are to be. Then by suitable
means, such as mandrels and dies I gradually reduce the thickness and extend
the length of the centre portion of the blank, leaving the end portions however
of the original thickness. For this purpose the dies may at their upper part for a
distance corresponding to the length of one of the end portions of the hub, be of
the original diameter of the tube or cup, and the mandrel may have a contracted
extremity of the same length so as to avoid reducing the metal at the other end
of the tube.
In some cases I may reduce the diameter of the lower portion of the cupped
blank by means of successive dies, each of smaller diameter than the preceding one,
passing it through such dies only a certain distance governed by a stop attached
to the apparatus, to avoid contracting the upper end.
Instead of passing the blank through dies, I may thin the metal by spinning,
using by preference conical rollers and a mandrel inside the blank.
After these operations the partially formed hub consists of a long thin tube
having an externally projecting thickened portion at its upper or open end and an
internally projecting thickened portion at its lower or closed end.
The
In the succeeding stages of the manufacture the lower end of the tube is opened,
say by cutting away the end wall thereof, and the thickened portion is expanded
until its internal diameter is less than that of the central thin portion of the tube
by an amount equal to the depth of the threads that are to be cut therein.
upper thickened portion of the tube is also forced inward slightly to the same
extent. The thin central portion of the partially formed hub has then formed
in it in proximity to each of the end portions, beaded or expanded parts which are
afterwards closed up or flattened to form annular projections or creases to receive
the spokes. The beading or expanding may be effected by placing the hub in a
mould having grooves corresponding to the beads or enlargements desired, and
subjecting it to powerful internal pressure so as to force the metal out into the said
grooves, using as the medium for expanding it, clay, sand, india-rubber, lead or
ther suitable material. The beads may afterwards be flattened in dies (as shown.)

page_text: After the formation of the said annular projections, the hub is then in a
condition to be screw threaded and finished in the ordinary manner.
7 L
Dated this 12th day of April 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Hubs for the Wheels of Cycles
Motor Cars, and other Vehicles.
I, REUBEN SAMUEL COURTMAN, of 19 Sibella Road, Clapham, S.W., 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 relates to improvements in the manufacture of hubs for the
wheels of cycles, motor cars and other vehicles, and has for its object to enable
such hubs, more especially those known as lubricating or oil-retaining (reservoir)
hubs, to be manufactured in a single piece, having the thick end portions, on which
are the screw-threads for fixing the ball races chain wheel and nuts, formed in-
tegrally with the comparatively thin central portion thereof.
According to my invention I take a tubular or cup-shaped blank closed at one
eud, and of the same, or approximately the same, thickness as the end portions of
the finished hub are intended to be. Then by suitable means such as mandrels
and dies I gradually reduce the thickness and extend the length of the central
or intermediate portion of the blank. I thus obtain a partially formed hub con-
sisting of a long thin tube having an externally profecting thick portion at its
upper or open end and an internally projecting thick portion at its lower
or closed end. The latter end is then opened and after the thick internally
projecting portion has been expanded to the required extent by any convenient
means such as mandrels, drifts or expanding rollers suitable annular protuber-
ances or creases are produced in the thin intermediate portions of the tube to form
the parts for receiving the ends of the spokes.
After the formation of the said annular protuberances, the hub is ready to be
screw-threaded and finished in the ordinary manner.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same fully by aid of the accompanying draw-
ings which are sectional views illustrating the successive stages of manufacture.
Figure 1 shows a blank such as that hereinafter referred to.
Figure 2 shows the said blank with the die and mandrel acting thereon.
Figure 3 shows the partially formed, hub, after the dies and mandrels have com-
pleted their action.
Figure 4 shows the said partially formed hub after the lower end has been
opened and the thick internally projecting portion expanded to the required
extent.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate different stages in the formation of the annular pro-
tuberances on the hub.
a (Figure 1) is a tubular or cup-shaped blank with which the manufacture
commences and which is conveniently formed by being stamped or drawn from
sheet metal; it is closed at one end as shewn at a' and its wall has the same or
approximately the same thickness that the end portions of the finished hub are in-
tended to have.

page_text: For the purpose of reducing the thickness and extending the length of the in-
termediate portion of the blank in the manner above specified the said blank is
forced through a suitable die b' by means of a mandrel cas indicated in Figure 2.
The diameter of the mandrel, except at its lower or operative end c¹ is the same as
the internal diameter of the blank. The said lower or operative end c is however
contracted to such an extent that the space between it and the surface of the die
is equal to the thickness the adjacent part of the blank is intended to have, while
its length is equal to or slightly exceeds the intended length of that portion of the
hub carrying the ball race. The stroke or travel of the mandrel is so adjusted,
say by a stop attached to the apparatus, that the blank is not forced completely
through the die but only up to a certain distance from the open end thereof to
avoid contracting the said end, this distance being approximately equal to the
length of that portion of the finished hub, carrying the chain wheel and lock nut.
By this means the intermediate portion of the blank is drawn down slightly as
at a (Fig. 2) while however the end portion a³ is not reduced in thickness and the
end portion is only reduced to the extent required, although the internal
diameter of the said portion at is slightly reduced in passing through the die.
By repeating the drawing down operation in successive dies each of smaller
diameter than the preceding one, the blank being annealed after each operation, a
tube such as shown in Figure 3 is obtained having a thick upper end a³ projecting
externally, and a thick lower end a projecting internally in the manner above
specified while its intermediate portion is very considerably reduced in thickness.
It will be observed that the lower end portion at of the tube at this stage of the
manufacture has the same external diamater as the intermediate portion a³ and
is of appreciably less diameter than the upper end portion a³.
In the succeeding-stages of the manufacture the closed end of the tube is
cut away and the lower end portion at thereof is contracted or expanded by dies,
mandrels, or any other suitable means until its internal diameter is either equal
to that of the remainder of the tube or is such that the ball race can be suitably
carried in it. The upper end portion of the tube may be either expanded or forced
inward for the purpose of carrying the ball race and by this means the tube is
brought to the shape shown in Figure 4.
For the purpose of producing the parts for receiving the ends of the spokes,
the portion of the partially finished hub has formed in it, in proximity to
cach of the end portions, annular protuberances or swellings as at a³,
Figure 5, which are afterwards closed up or flattened as at a, Figure 6. The
expansion of the metal to form the protuberances and their subsequent endwise
compression may be effected in any suitable manner.
Although I prefer to employ dies and mandrels of the kind above referred to,
yet I may if desired employ dies which are adapted to enclose the blank com-
pletely, as in moulds. The lies may at their upper part for a distance correspond-
ing to the length of one of the end portions of the hub, be of the original diameter
of the blank, and the mandrel may have a contracted extremity of the same length
so as to avoid reducing the metal at the other end of the tube. In some cases
moreover I may employ revolving dies or rollers in combination with an inner
mandrel similar in shape to those before described, these revolving dies working
upon the exterior of the metal and serving to reduce the thickness of the inter-
mediate portion thereof. The said rollers may be of any suitable number and be
either cylindrical or tapered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In the manufacture of a wheel hub, the preliminary operation of extending
the intermediate portion of the blank, whilst leaving the end portions thereof
thick, substantially as described.
2. Continuing the manufacture of the hub after the said preliminary operation

page_text: by removing the end of the blank and expanding or contracting the diameter
of the thick end portions of the tube to the required extent, substantially as set
forth.
or other
3. The manufacture of a hub for the wheel of a cycle, motor car
vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings.
4. A wheel hub provided with thick end portions and annular projections, and
produced by successive operations from a cup shaped blank, substantially as
described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.