IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Carver, of Alfred Street Mills, in the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES."
Sealed the 15th September 1877, and dated the 7th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Carver at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1877.
JAMES CARVER, of Alfred Street Mills, in the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND THE CONSTRUCTION, OF
BICYCLES."
Heretofore the wheels of bicycles have been constructed with spokes made of wire,
having one end screwed into the hub or nave of the wheel, and the outer end, being
passed through a hole in the tier of the wheel, has been secured therein by rivetting;
or the outer end has had a head set up upon it, the screwed end being then passed
through the hole in the tier, the spoke has been screwed into the hub until tight;
now instead of employing wire to make the spokes of, I construct each separaté
spoke in the following manner:-Each spoke consists of one hollow steel. tube, the
outer end of which provided with a suitable shaped head, the stem of which is
accurately turned to fit in the tube in which it is secured by brazing or otherwise;
the inner end is screw threaded, or has a screw-threaded pin brazed in it, which is
screwed tight into the hub or nave of the wheel. By such means I am enabled to
construct a wheel very much stronger than has been possible heretofore, besides
effecting a considerable reduction in weight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Carver in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th October 1877.
"
JAMES CARVER, of Alfred Street Mills, in the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AND THE CONSTRUCTION Of
BICYCLES."

page_text: Heretofore the wheels of bicycles have been constructed with spokes made of wire,
having one end screwed into the hub or nave of the wheel, and the outer end, being
passed through a hole in the tire of the wheel, has been secured therein by rivetting,
or the outer end has had a head set up upon it, the screwed end being then passed
through the hole in the tire, the spoke has been screwed in the hub until tight; now
instead of employing wire to make the spokes of, I construct each separate spoke in
the following manner :-Each spoke consists of one hollow steel tube, the outer end
of which is provided with a suitable shaped head, the stem of which is accurately
turned to fit in the tube in which it is secured by brazing or otherwise; the inner
end is screwed threaded or has a screw-threaded pin brazed in it, and is screwed
tight into the hub or nave of the wheel. By such means I am enabled to construct
a wheel very much stronger than has been possible heretofore, besides effecting a
considerable reduction in the weight.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle wheel constructed according to my
im provements.
Figure 2, a sectional view, shewing only the upper and lower vertical spokes A.
Figure 3 shows one spoke with portion of its length broken away.
In bicycle wheels, constructed according to my improvements, each spoke consists
of one hollow steel tube A, the outer end of which is provided with a suitable shaped
head B, the stem of which is accurately turned to fit in the tube in which it is firmly
secured by brazing or otherwise; the other end of the tube may be screw threaded
or have a screw-threaded pin C brazed or otherwise firmly secured in it. Each spoke
so formed is passed through a hole drilled in the tire E of the wheel, each such hole
being countersunk on the outer side to receive the bevelled portion of the head B,
the screw-threaded pin C being screwed tight into the hub or nave D of the wheel.
By such means I am enabled to construct a wheel very much stronger than has
been possible heretofore, besides effecting a considerable reduction in the weight.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim the employment of hollow
steel tubes in the construction of the wheels of bicycles, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Carver, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottingham.
JAMES CARVER. (L.S.)