IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BEARINGS OF BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES OR CARRIAGES."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Henry Hughes, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BEARINGS OF BICYCLES
AND VELOCIPEDES OR CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Henry Hughes at
"
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1877.
JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE BEARINGS OF BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES OR CARRIAGES."
The object of my improvements is to reduce the friction on the bearings and
spindles, and also to provide means of effectually setting up the bearings and regu-
larly compensating for wear, thereby preventing looseness and shackling of the
parts, and these improvements consist in the use of single or double cones or curve
surfaces in combination with spherical balls.
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect to each end of the fork by pins
and screws or other means, by preference, circular flat-shaped plates, on the outsides
of which conical or curved hardened recesses are formed, with holes in the centre
for each end of the spindle (which is parallel) projecting from the wheel to pass
freely through. In this conical or curved recess I drop a loose conical or curved
ring, with a suitable number of hardened spherical balls arranged in holes round its
edge; a double coned or curved collar is now passed on the spindle in contact with
the balls, and secured in position by a pin, cotter, or other means; a cap with another
loose conical or curved ring and set of spherical balls is then passed over the spindle
until the balls are in contact with the collar, in which position it is secured by pins
and nuts through lugs to the circular part connected to the fork, leaving a small
space between the joint, which permits the setting up of the parts by screwing up
the nuts and pins as the parts wear from constant use. This opening between the
plates may be covered over in any suitable way to prevent dust or grit getting in
the working parts.

page_text: It will be seen that the conical or curved surfaces and spherical balls are the only
wearing parts actually in contact, consequently the friction at this important point
is reduced to a minimum.
In some cases, for simplicity or when adapting my principle to cheap machines, I
may dispense with the double coned or curved collar on the spindle, and also the
intermediate conical or curved rings carrying the balls, and use only the part
attached to the fork, with conical or curved recess, and the outside cap with its
conical or curved recess, the spherical balls (of any suitable number) being placed
between and bearing against the two conical or curved surfaces and a groove or
recess formed in the spindle, the parts being secured together by nuts and pins, and
set up when required to compensate for wear, as in the former case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Josephi Henry Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
March 1878.
JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE BEARINGS OF BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES OR CARRIAGES."
The object of my improvements is to reduce the friction on the bearings and
spindles, and also to provide means of effectually setting up the bearings and regu-
larly compensating for wear, thereby preventing looseness and shackling of the
parts, and these improvements consist in the use of single or double cones or curved
surfaces in combination with spherical balls.
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect to each end of the fork by pins
and screws or other means, by preference, circular flat-shaped plates, on the outsides
of which conical or curved hardened recesses are formed, with holes in thè centre
for the outer parallel ends of the spindle beyond the wheel to pass freely through.
In this conical or curved recess I drop a loose conical or curved ring with a suitable
number of hardened spherical balls arranged in holes round its edge; a double
coned or curved collar is now passed on the spindle in contact with the balls, and
secured in position by a pin, cotter, or other means; a cap with another loose
conical or curved ring and set of spherical balls is then passed over the spindle until
the balls are in contact with the collar, in which position it is secured by pins and
nuts or other means through lugs to the circular part connected to the fork, leaving
a small space between the joint, which permits the setting up of the parts by
screwing up the nuts and pins as the parts wear from constant use. This opening
between the plates may be covered over in any suitable way to prevent dust or grit
getting in the working parts.
It will be seen that the conical or curved surfaces and spherical balls are the only
wearing parts actually in contact, consequently the friction at this important point
is reduced to a minimum.
In some cases, for simplicity or when adapting my principle to cheap machines, I
may dispense with the double coned or curved collar on the spindle, and also the
intermediate conical or curved rings carrying the balls, and use only the part
attached to the fork with conical or curved recess, and the outside cap with its

page_text: Figure 1 represents part in elevation and part in section the hubs and spindle of
a bicycle with my improved bearing applied to same. A is the spindle; B, B, the
hubs to which the wires forming the spokes of the wheel are applied. To the ends
of the fork C, C, (broken away for convenience of space) the parts D, D, are secured
by means of pins and nuts marked a, a, or other suitable means. On the outer side
of the part D (as shown in section) a conical or curved shaped recess is formed
marked b, b, as also a hole through the centre to admit of its being passed freely on
to the spindle, as shown, and into this recess the conical ring c is placed; this ring
is shown detached in top and side views at Figure 2, with, by preference, five
holes formed in it, in which hardened steel spherical balls are placed, marked e,
Figure 1.
The double coned collar E, E, shown in side and end views at Figure 3, is passed
on to the spindle and secured in the position shown by the screwed pin f, the balls
being in contact with the conical recess of the part D and the conical surface of the
collar E, E. The outer cap or cover F, F, has also a corresponding conical recess
61, 61, formed in it to that formed in the part D, and this cap F, F, with a duplicate
conical ring and set of spherical balls is passed over the spindle and secured in the
position by the screw pins and nuts g, g, g. The crank G is then secured in position,
completing the connection. Thus it will be seen that in use the only parts in contact
are the conical surfaces and spherical balls, thereby greatly reducing the friction and
consequent labour in running the bicycle or velocipede.
Figure 4 is a detached or face end view of the part D and conical ring c, with the
spherical balls e, showing the lugs h, h, h, for connection with the outer cap, and the
vertical strap H for connecting the bearing to the fork C.
Figure 5 is a detached end view of the cap or cover F, F, and conical ring c¹ with
lugs h¹, h, h', for connection with the part D.
To set up the parts after use should the conical surface or balls wear away so that
the action becomes loose, this can be easily rectified by screwing up the parts by
the pins g, g,g, a space being left between the parts D and F for that purpose; the
lip or flange on the cap F entering a corresponding shaped recess in the part D,
effectually prevents any dirt or dust getting inside to the working parts.
Figure 6 represents partly in elevation and partly in section a modification of my
improvements, in which I dispense with the use of the double coned collar E fixed
to the spindle, as well as the two conical rings c, c, and one set of balls, as described
at Figure 1. The part D¹ and cap or cover F¹ with their recesses are substantially
the same as at Figure 1, and in lieu of the fixed coned collar E, rings c, c, and double

page_text: set of balls, I use the loose double coned ring J and one set of balls i, producing the
same effect as at Figure 1 at less cost, and occupying the same space.
Figure 7 is a detached front and end view of the conical ring J.
Figure 8 is a face view of the part D¹ with ring J¹ and balls in position; and
Figure 9 is a face view of the part F.
In some instances I may dispense with the collar J¹ altogether, using only the
spherical balls and conical or curved surfaces, in which case I should by preference
use an increased number of balls.
I
In applying my improved bearings to bicycles or velocipedes already in use,
reduce the spindle, as shown in Figure 10, and secure to it a hardened steel collar
K, K, K, K, by means of a pin m or other means, the diameter of which collar being
suitable for the application of my improved bearings.
Instead of using the lugs h, h, h, on the part D, and corresponding lugs h¹, h¹, h¹, on
the part F for securing the action together, I sometimes adopt the mode exhibited at
Figure 11 by screwing the flange on the outer cap with a fine thread, and cording
the outer part, as shewn, the loose bracket H being corded on its under side in a
similar manner and secured to the part D, which prevents by means of the cording
the unscrewing of the cap F when in use, but which can be readily removed by
unscrewing the bracket.
Having now described my improvements and the manner of giving effect to the
same, I am aware that spherical balls have been used with parallel surfaces, and
also that cones have been applied to the bottom end of the forks of bicycles, fitting
into corresponding recesses formed in or with the spindle, but these modes do not
admit of the universal setting up of the bearing, which defect is effectually obviated
by my improvements; but what I claim as my Invention and wish to protect by
these my in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction of bearings for bicycles,
velocipedes, or carriages, as herein described and exhibited, or any mere modification
thereof, by the combination and use of conical or curved surfaces and spherical balls,
whereby the friction of the wearing parts is greatly reduced, and the universal
setting up of the wearing parts is readily effected.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Henry Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
WM. LOACH.
JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES. (L.B.)