Improvements in Bearings for Velocipedes and for other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1887
Complete Left, 21st Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
Improvements in Bearings for Velocipedes and for other Purposes.
SAMUEL WATTS, Cycle Manufacturer, Newark Street, Bath, Somerset, and
RICHARD JOHN POWELL, Inland Revenue Officer, Bath, Somerset, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BEARINGS FOR VELOCIPEDES AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES to be as follows:-
An improved method of "caging" or confining the balls or spheres in Ball bearings,
particularly applicable to Ball bearing Heads for Bicycles or other like Vehicles; such
Head being the joint or swivel by which the requisite movement for steering the
machine is obtained.
"
The Head or swivel joint referred to being usually constructed as shewn in the
accompanying drawing Fig. 1, or a similar manner, it becomes necessary and conve-
nient to adopt a means whereby the balls or spheres may be
" caged or confined in
their proper positions when the Head or joint is taken apart; at the same time it is
desirable that the caging may be readily removed so that the balls or spheres may be
taken out or replaced.
Our invention relates to a means by which these objects may be attained in a
cheaper, simpler, and better way than hitherto.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a Ball bearing
Head. There is a circular recess formed both in the top centre set screw A, and the
bottom centro cup B, both to receive a series of hardened balls or spheres a, a; each
end of the neck spindle C is also shaped. to fit against the rings of halls or spheres,
thus forming a free bearing between the respective parts.
To cage the balls or spheres in their respective recesses in the top centre set
screw A, and the bottom centre cup B, we use an elastic spring ring, shown in plan
in Fig. 2, also shown at D & D¹ in Fig. 1 after being forced into position. Each
ring is forced into its respective recess after the balls or spheres are in place, until it
is in contact with the balls which it thus confines in the circular recess.
These spring rings do not in any way prevent or retard the free movement of the
balls, but merely confines them in position, and are easily removed when it is desired
to remove or replace the balls.

page_text: Instead of "caging" the balls in the top centre set screw A and the bottom centre
cup B, we may form the neck centres or bearing surfaces on the neck spindle (in a
similar manner to that shown in the drawing Fig. 3) on either one or both ends of the
neck spindle, and confine the balls in their respective positions, by an elastic con-
tractible spring ring or band, shown in plan in Fig. 4, also shown at D, & D¹ in
Fig. 3 after being forced into position. By this plan the balls are
caged or
confined to the neck spindle C, instead of in the top and bottom centre cups A,
and B.
"
"
The use of the spring ring for caging or confining balls in position may also be
applied to other forms of bearings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of May 1887

page_text: Improvements in Bearings for Velocipedes and for other Purposes.
We, SAMUEL WATTS, of 7 and 8 Newark Street, Bath, Somerset, Cycle Manufac
turer, and RICHARD JOHN POWELL, of Inland Revenue office, Bath, Somerset,
Inland Revenue officer, 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 :-
An improved method of caging or confining the balls or spheres in Ball Bearings,
particularly applicable to Ball Bearing Heads and Wheel Bearings for Bicycles and
other like vehicles, also for Ball Bearings in other kinds of machinery.
The invention is shewn as applied to a Ball Bearing Head in the Drawing left with
the Provisional Specification.
The Head or swivel joint referred to being usually constructed as shewn the drawing
Fig. 1, or a similar manner, it becomes necessary and convenient to adopt a means
whereby the spheres or balls may be caged or confined in their proper positions when
the Head, Joint or Bearing is taken apart, at the same time. it is desirable that the
caging may be readily removed so that the balls or spheres may be taken out or
replaced.
In the drawing left with the provisional specification Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation
of a Ball Bearing Head. There is a circular recess formed both in the top centre
set screw A and the bottom centre cup B both to receive a series of hardened balls or
spheres a¹, a', each end of the neck spindle C is also shaped to fit against the ring of
balls or spheres, thus forming a free bearing between the respective parts. To cage
the balls or spheres in their respective recesses in the top centre set screw A and the
bottom centre cup B, we use an elastic spring ring shewn in plan in Fig. 2, also
shewn at D & D in Fig. 1, after being forced into position.
Each ring is forced into its respective recess after the balls or spheres are in place
until it is in contact with the balls which it thus confines in the circular recess.
These spring rings do not in any prevent or retard the free movement of the balls,
but merely confines them in position and are easily removed when it is desired to
remove or replace the balls.
Instead of caging the balls in the top centre set screw A and the bottom centre
cup B we may form the neck centres or bearing surfaces on the neck spindle (in a
similar manner to that shewn in the drawing Fig. 3.) on either or both ends of the
neck spindle, and confine the balls in their respective positions by an elastic con-
tractible spring ring or band, shewn in plan in Fig. 4, also shewn at D & D¹ in
Fig. 3. after being forced into position. By this plan the balls are caged or confined
to the neck-spindle C instead of in the top and bottom centre cups A & B.
The use of the spring ring for caging or confining Balls in position, may also be
applied to other forms of Bearings, the spring rings being made either contractible
or expansive as desired, and of such shape, form, and material as may be required to
suit the Bearing.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
The use of an elastic contractible or expansive spring ring in conjunction with
bearings in which balls or spheres are used, to the end that the said balls or spheres
are caged or confined in their respective positions, but allowing the said balls or
spheres to be easily removed or replaced.