Improvements in or in connection with Wheels for Cycles, or other Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Wheels for Cycles, or other
Wheeled Vehicles.
I, DAN EDWARDS, of 133, Great Howard Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Shipwright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to wheels of cycles and other vehicles, and has for its object
to overcome or minimise the vibration in such vehicles when travelling along a road
without the necessity of using pneumatic tyres, which are so liable to be punctured
by thorns, nails, pins and other sharp articles met with on the road surface."
One way of carrying my invention into effect is as follows:-
I forin the wheel with a nave or hub of special construction which will absorb the
vibration. This hub comprises a boss which is fitted to the axle, and an annular ring
surrounding the boss. On each side of the boss I provide sockets to receive the ends
of radiating springs, and at each side of the annular ring are guides for the steel
springs to slide in, the ring being coupled to the boss by these springs, so that one
cannot rotate without the other. These springs, which are of suitable form, are
secured by a set screw or otherwise in the sockets on the boss. Between the outside
annular ring and the boss I locate a pneumatic annular cushion (single or double) the
inside edge of which rests on a hollowed bed resting on the hoss, while the other is
received by the annular ring, this cushion being located between the side springs
aforesaid so as to be prevented from moving laterally. The spokes of the wheel are
secured to the outer annular ring as in a bicycle or otherwise.
In use when weight is applied on the axle, the pneumatic cushion will be com-
pressed and form a resilient cushion, which absorbs the vibration, while the springs
prevent side play and assist to take the pressure off the cushion. Those springs
which are for the time being vertical, simply slide through the guides, while the
others will bend with the pressure on the cushion, and thus no matter what position
the wheel may be, in rotating, the cushion aforesaid will absorb the vibration of the
road, while the springs prevent side play and secure lateral rigidity, while allowing
vertical resilience. There is no strain put upon the cushion in driving the vehicle,
as the driving strain is taken by the springs which couple the boss to the annular
frame.
In another arrangement, I substitute instead of the pneumatic annular cushion, a
series of steel springs, the ends of which at one end are connected to the boss and at
the other to the annular ring that surrounds it. These springs are by preference
located at tangents to the boss, instead of being radial, and these tangential springs
may cross each other in opposite directions, so as to provide for the vehicle being
driven backwards or forwards. I do not however confine nyself to tangentially
arranged springs, as they may be arranged radially or otherwise, or some may be
arranged tangentially and some radially.

page_text: I have described the above ways of carrying my invention into effect, but I wish it
to be understood that having once giving the general idea, certain alterations may he
made without departing from the principle of the invention. Thus, for example,
instead of a pneumatic cushion, a spring cushion may be provided, and, furthermore,
any suitable number of springs radiating from the axle boss may be provided according
to the weight of the vehicle and the peculiar circumstances of the case.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Wheels for Cycles or other
Wheeled Vehicles.
I, DAN EDWARDS of 133 Great Howard Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Shipwright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to wheels of cycles and other vehicles, and has for its object
to overcome or minimise the vibration in such vehicles when travelling along a road
without the necessity of using pneumatic tyres, which are so liable to be punctured
by thorns, nails, pins and other sharp articles met with on the road surface.
To effect this I form the wheel with a nave or hub of special construction which
will absorb the vibration.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved wheel hub or nave;
Figure 2 a vertical section thereof;
Figure 3 a front elevation partly in section of a slight modification;
Figure 4 a half vertical section and half side elevation thereo
Figure 5 a front elevation of another slight modification;
Figure 6 a half side elevation and half vertical section.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, I form the wheel with a nave or hub of special
construction which will absorb the vibration. This hub comprises a boss A which is
fitted to the axle B, and an annular ring C surrounding the boss. On each side of
this boss A I provide sockets to receive the ends of radiating springs or arms E, and
at each side of the annular ring C are guides F for the steel springs or arms E to
slide in, the ring C being coupled to the boss by these springs so that one cannot
rotate without the other. These springs or arms E which are of suitable form are
secured in the sockets on the boss. Between the outside annular ring C and the
boss, I locate a pneumatic annular cushion G, single or double, the inside edge of
which rests on a hollowed bed H of the boss, while the other is received by the
annular ring C, this cushion being located between the side springs or arms E
aforesaid so as to be prevented from moving laterally. The spokes I Fig. 3 of the
wheel are secured to the onter annular ring as in a bicycle or otherwise.
In use, when weight is applied on the axle, the pneumatic cushion ( will be
compressed and form a resilient cushion which absorbs the vibration, while the springs

page_text: or arms which couple the boss to the ring prevent side play, the guides however
allowing free play to the springs in a vertical direction, and thus no matter what
position the wheel may be in rotating, the cushion (aforesaid will absorb the
vibration of the road, while the springs prevent side play and secure lateral rigidity
while allowing vertical resilience. There is no strain put upon the cushion G in
driving the vehicle, as the driving strain is taken by the springs or arms E which
couple the boss A to the annular frame C.
The arrangement set forth in Figures 3 and 4 is almost identical with that already
described, the only difference being that a double set of arms or springs E and E¹
are provided instead of a single set, the arms E being for coupling the boss A to the
annular frame C, and so taking the driving strain, while the springs E' are for
preventing side play. At each side of the annular ring C are guides comprising
rubber rollers for the springs or arms E to slide between, so that the boss cannot
rotate without the ring. The arms or springs E' slide in the annular guides F2 and
so secure lateral rigidity. It will be seen that by this construction when weight is
applied to the axle the pneumatic cushion will be compressed to form a resilient
cushion which absorbs the vibration, while the springs E prevent side play. The
springs E assist to take the pressure off the cushion, and those of them which are
for the time being vertical, simply slide through the guides, whilst the others will
bend with the pressure of the cushion, and thus no matter what position the wheel
may be in in rotating the cushion will absorb the vibration of the road, while the
springs El prevent side play and secure lateral rigidity.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 I substitute instead of a pneumatic
annular cushion, a series of steel springs E, the ends of which at one end are
connected to the boss A and at the other to the annular ring C which surrounds it.
These springs are by preference located tangentially to the boss A instead of being
radial and they may cross each other in opposite direction so as to provide for the
vehicle being driven backwards or forwards. I do not however confine myself to
tangentially arranged springs, as they may be arranged radially or otherwise, some
may be arranged tangentially and some radially.
I have described the above ways of carrying my invention into effect, but I wish
it to be understood that having once given the general idea, certain alterations may
be made without departing from the principle of the invention. Thus, for example,
instead of a pneumatic cushion, a spring cushion may be provided, and, further-
more, any suitable number of springs radiating from the axle boss may be provided
according to the weight of the vehicle and the peculiar circumstances of the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The system of overcoming or minimising the vibration caused to cycles or
other vehicles by the irregularities of the road surface, which consists in forming
the wheel with a pneumatic or resilient nave or hub which will act to absorb
vibration, substantially as described.
2. The improvement in or relating to cycle and other road vehicle wheels for
absorbing vibration in moving along a road, which consists in forming the wheel
nave of a boss having rotating arms or springs, in combination with a ring
surrounding said boss to which the spokes of the wheel are attached and having
guides at the sides in which the arms or springs slide, and a pneumatic annular
cushion or springs located between the ring and boss, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. In a cycle or other road vehicle wheel having a hub or nave, formed with a
pneumatic or resilient cushion or springs, the arrangement whereby in driving the
inachine little or no strain is put upon the cushion or springs, substantially as
described.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my

page_text: pneumatic or resilient hub, substantially as described in reference to Figures 1 and 2,
Figures 3 and 4 and Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.
Dated this 16th day of July 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.