IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN WHEELS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Franz Thonet, of the Firm of Thonet, Brothers, of
Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Manufacturers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN WHEELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Franz Thonet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th April 1860.
I, FRANZ THONET, of the Firm of Thonet, Brothers, of Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN WHEELS," to
be as follows:-
My Invention consists in bevelling the inner ends of the spokes in such
manner, that when the inner ends of all the spokes contained in the wheel are
brought together, they form a solid and compact body, with a space or circular
aperture in the centre. I insert in this space, or place before the inner ends
of the spokes are brought together, and then bring them together round it, a
pipe or tube, which I prefer to form slightly tapering on the outer surface. On
one end of the tube, by preference, formed in a piece with it, there is a circular
disc or plate, which, when the tube is in its place, rests against the inner ends
of the spokes on one side. I then apply over the tube a disc of similar size
to that before named, and with a hole through the centre, to enable it to be
passed down over the tube, so as to enclose the inner ends of the spokes
between the two discs. I use screw bolts, which pass through some of the
spokes, and hold the two dises firmly together. I prefer to form the outer

page_text: ends of the spokes with portions of the extreme end cut away, so as to leave a
projecting pin, and to form an aperturo in the felloe to receive the pin, and I
do this to allow of the ready removal and replacement of any one or more
spokes which require to be removed.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Franz Thonet in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANZ
THONET, of the Firm of Thonet, Brothers, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Franz Thonet, Her special licence, that I, the said Franz Thonet,
my executors, administrators, and assigus, or such others as I, the said
Franz Thonet, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "INPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WOODEN WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Franz Thonet, 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 Franz Thonet, 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 follow-
ing statement thereof, reference baing had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My Invention consists in bevilling the inner ends of the spokes in such
manner, that when the inner ends of all the spokes contained in the wheel are
brought together, they form a solid and compact body with a space or circular

page_text: aperture in the centre. I insert in this space, or place before the inner ends
of the spokes are brought together, and then bring them together round it, a
pipe or tube, which I prefer to form slightly tapering on the outer surface.
On one end of the tube, by preference, formed in a piece with it, there is a
circular disc or plate, which, when the tube is in its place, rests against the
inner ends of the spokes on one side. I then apply over the tube a disc of
similar size to that before named, and with a hole through the centre, to
enable it to be passed down over the tube, so as to enclose the inner ends of
the spokes between the two discs. I use screw bolts, which pass through
some of the spokes and hold the two discs firmly together. I prefer to form
the outer ends of the spokes with portions of the extreme end cut away, so as
to leave a projecting pin, and to form an aperture in the felloe to receive the
pin, and I do this to allow of the ready removal and replacement of any one
or more spokes which require to be removed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal section of so
much of a wheel as will be necessary to show the manner in which I carry
my Invention into effect; and Figure 2 is a section through the line x, y, of
the same.
a, a, are the spokes, bevelled as shown at their inner ends; 6 is the pipe or
tube forming the axle box against and around which the spokes abut; c is the
circular disc formed in a piece with the pipe b, as shown in Figure 1; d is the
disc on the contrary side of the spokes to the disc c; e, e, are screw bolts
passing through holes formed in the disc d, spokes a, a, and disc c, for securing
the spokes between the two discs and against the pipe or tube b.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ments in the construction of wooden wheels bevelling the inner ends of the
spokes, so that they shall come together and unite, in the manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Franz Thonet, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.