AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING WOODEN WHEELS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Alley Johnson, of Chelsea, in the County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Doctor of
Medicine, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING
WOODEN WHEELS."-Partly a communication from F. M. Gibson, of
the Town of Chelsea aforesaid.
Sealed the 7th May 1861, and dated the 2nd January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Alley Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd January 1861.
I, DANIEL ALLEY JOHNSON, of Chelsea, County of Suffolk, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CON-
STRUCTING WOODEN WHEELS," partly a communication, to be as follows, that
is to say:
My Invention relates to the method I adopt of forming, uniting, and securing
the joints of the fellies; the modes I adopt in order to bring the joints of the
fellies directly over the spokes instead of between two spokes; and, finally, the
mode of securing and combining the felloe and spokes together. I propose to
effect these purposes in two ways; first, I take the felloes or segments of which
the wheel is to be composed, and scarf all their ends, I then force these ends
into a series of metallic boxes, shoes, or seats. These shoes or seats have a
Price S1

page_text: socket cast or formed on them for the purpose or receiving the end of the
spoke the interior of this socket is conical, tapering upwards, thus bringing the
rim almost to an edge, and obviating any tendency of the wood to splinter, as
would be the case if a shoulder was made on it, I insert the spoke in the
usual way in the nave, then pass it through the socket, and the lower scarf of
the felloe until it meets the upper scarf, thus allowing the wheel to settle
together when in usc.
The second method of effecting the same object is as follows:-In this case
I slightly alter the form of the shoe or seat. The spokes are inserted in the
box, and terminate there, through the centre of this shoe, box, or seat is a hole
wider at both extremities than at the centre, the end of the spoke is made to
fit the lower part of the aperture and when passed through, a wedge is driven
into the end of the spoke and causes it to expand, makes it fit tightly the
upper portion of the aperture, only the end of the wedge touches the inner
surface of the tire so as the wheel settles together it only causes the spoke to
fit more firmly and exactly the hole i. the shoe or seat. The object attained
by thus locating the spokes over the joints of the fellies is to prevent the inju-
rious effects of the vibration and sudden shocks to which the wheel is subject
to, during severe or long continued use..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel Alley Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
ALLEY JOHNSON, of Chelsea, County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Daniel Alley Johnson, Her special licence that I, the said Daniel Alley Johnson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel
Alley Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed. should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF CON-

page_text: STRUCTING WOODEN WHEELS," the result partly of a communication made to
him by F. M. Gibson of the Town of Chelsea, above mentioned, and partly
of Invention and discovery made by himself, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Daniel Alley Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Daniel Alley Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to the method I adopt of forming. uniting, and
securing the joints of the fellies directly over the spokes, instead of between
two spokes and, finally, the mode of securing or combining the felloc and spokes
together.
In order to shew the general principles of my Invention, and the modes I
adopt in carrying these into practice, I have appended to this Specification the
accompanying Drawings, it being understood that so long as I retain the leading
principles, modifications, and variations may be made in applying the details
according to the peculiar nature and character of the wheels so made.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section of a portion of a wheel, and intended to illustrate one
of the modes I adopt in forming and securing the joints of the fellies, and also
the position and mode of securing the spoke and felloe together. From this
Drawing it will be seen, that the contiguous ends of the fellies are scarfed, and
the curves forced into a metallic shoe, seat, or band.
.
a, a, shewn separately in Figures 1 and 1b, the band is preferably flush with
the felloe all round, and necessarily so when its upper surface touches the inner
periphery of the tire, the bottom portion of the shoe has a socket b, formed upon
it, and terminates nearly in an edge at its outer extremity. The spoke which
is inserted in the usual manner in the nave, passes through the socket and the
lower scarf of the felloe. until it meets the upper scarf; the orifice of the socket
being brought to an edge, so as not to form a shoulder on the spoke c, permits
the latter to settle firmly in its position, and prevents any tendency to splinter,
the tire may be spiked to the felloe in the usual manner.
Figure 2 shews another mode by which I effect the same objects.
In this

page_text: system of forming wheels, it will be seen that the extremities of the fellies are
inserted and terminated each in a metallic shoc or seat d, d. The Figures 2ª
and 2 shew it detached from the felloe; the aperture is made contracted, at
the centre tapering, wider at each mouth, the end of the spoke is made to fit
the curve of the lower part of the orifice of the aperture and when passed
through a wedge . is driven into the end of the spoke, and causing it to
expand makes it fit tightly the upper portion of the aperture, and take the
contracted form of the central portion. The spoke when first fitted, is not
intended to touch the inner surface of the tire, but a space is left as shewn
in the Drawing, so that as the wheel through usage contracts its diameter,
the spoke will settle more firmly in its place, the pressure of the tire upon
the wedge causing the latter to swell or enlarge the end of the spoke and
forces it to fit more firmly in the socket of the shoe. The object in thus
locating the joints of the fellies over the radial lines of the spokes, instead of
between them, is such as to obviate and prevent the concussion and vibration
which the wheel is subject to, from causing the joints to yield or give way as it
does when not supported by the spoke. I am aware that prior to my Invention
felloe joints have been made so as to come over the spokes, and also that
the said joints have been encased or bound by a plate, band, or shoe, but it
has been only a plain lateral joint, and the aperture for receiving the spoke
end has been formed medially between the two contiguous ends of the fellies
forming the joint, that is one half in each, and the effect of this arrangement
was to make the spoke act as a lever to urge the faces of the joint apart.
Having now described my Invention and how the same is carried out in
practice, I wish it understood that what I require secured to me by the before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of wooden wheels substan-
tially as herewithin described, and generally illustrated in the Drawings
appended hereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Alley Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed my seal, this Second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
INANTLET
JOHNSON
JOHNSON (s)