Improvements in or relating to the Ball Bearings of Cycle Wheels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Ball Bearings of Cycle Wheels.
We, ALFRED HALLIDAY JACKSON, of 8, St. Thomas Street South, Oldham, in
the County of Lancaster, Cycle Representative, and GEORGE RICHARD MARTIN, of
54, London Road, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to the hub barrel bearings of cycles and consist
principally of improvements in the formation of the ball-races and rims, and
secondly of an improved method of locking the adjustable ball-race when set.
In the first place we so form the working face of the ball-races that there is a
considerable diminution of friction, the contact points of the balls with the surface
of the races being reduced to a minimum.
For this purpose in setting out the form of the ball-races or rims we draw two
lines through the axis of the spindle and intersecting each other at an acute angle
bisected by a line at right angles to the axis (where they meet) so that they will
also cut each ball at four points of its periphery, and from the centre of each ball
to these points of intersection radial lines are drawn and the working faces of the
ball races are made at right angles to these radial lines. This form of race will
give a perfect rolling contact with the minimum of friction, as the outer point of
contact on the ball or that furthest from the centre of the spindle being further
removed from the centre of revolution of the ball than the inner point of contact
will enable it to roll on the larger or outer circle, whilst the inner point of contact
travels round the smaller or inner circle, and these two being proportionate to
each other, there will be no sliding contact whatever. The inner or fixed ball
races will be permanently screwed on to the spindle with a right hand thread at
one end and a left hand thread at the other.
The adjustable ball races are screwed into the ends of the hub-barrel their outer
bosses being provided with flats" for the reception of a key for adjusting the
bearings. For the purpose of locking these and preventing them from becoming
loose when once adjusted we arrange them as follows:-
The end of the hub-barrel is serrated radially upon the edge by means of a
knurling tool or otherwise, and against this we place a disc or washer of thin metal
fitting on the boss of the bearing, such disc being also serrated radially on its
inner face at the edge so as to correspond with the serrations on the edge of the
hub-barrel, so that when the two are firmly held together the serrations interlock
and the disc forms a clamp to prevent the rotation of the bearing. This disc-
clamp is held firmly against the end of the hub-barrel by means of a lock nut or
screw cap which screws on to the outside of the hub-barrel.
About two turns of this lock nut backwards will release the serrations sufficiently
to allow them to slide over each other to adjust the bearing. When this is accom-
plished the lock nut is screwed up and the serrations will engage and interlock

page_text: before there is any friction thus preventing any accidental tightening of the
bearings after being adjusted.
Dated this 29th day of July 1897.
Improvements in or relating to the Ball Bearings of Cycle Wheels.
We, ALFRED HALLIDAY JACKSON, of 8, St. Thomas Street South, Oldham, in
the County of Lancaster, Cycle Representative, and GEORGE RICHARD MARTIN, of
54, London Road, Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements relate to the hub barrel bearings of cycle wheels and con-
sist principally of improvements in the formation of the ball-races, and secondly
of an improved method of locking the adjustable ball-race when set.
Our improvements will be readily understood from the following description on
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing how the working faces of the ball races are formed
according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a partial section, and Fig. 3 an end view with part broken away of a
hub lock nut and disc clamp made according to our invention. Fig. 2 illus-
trates both parts of the said invention. Fig. 3 is a detached view shewing an
external view of part of the end of the hub barrel and the disc clamp hereafter
described.
In the first place we so form the working face of the ball-races that there is a
considerable diminution of friction, the contact points of the balls with the surface
of the races being reduced to a minimum.
For this purpose in setting out the form of the ball races we draw two
lines A-A, B-B, (see Fig. 1) through the axis C of the spindle a and intersecting
each other at an acute angle at D bisected by a line at right angles to the axis
(where they meet) so that they will also cut each ball bat four points of its
periphery as shown on Fig. 1, and from the centre of each ball to these points
of intersection radial lines, 1, 2, 3, 4, are drawn and the working faces of the ball
races c and d are made at right angles to these radial lines 1, 2, 3, 4. This form
of race will give a perfect rolling contact with the minimum of friction, as the
outer point of contact or on the ball b or that furthest from the axis or centre C
of the spindle a being further removed from the centre of revolution of the
ball than the inner point of contact y or y will enable it to roll on the larger or
outer circle, whilst the inner point of contact travels round the smaller or inner
circle, and these two being proportionate to each other, there will be no sliding
contact whatever. The inner or fixed ball races d will be permanently screwed
on to the spindle a with a right hand thread at one end and a left hand thread at
the other.
The adjustable ball races c are screwed into the ends of the hub-barrel e their
outer bosses c¹ being provided with "flats" c* see Fig. 3, for the reception of a
key for adjusting the bearings. For the purpose of locking these and preventing
them from becoming loose when once adjusted we arrange them as follows:-
The end of the hub-barrel e is serrated radially (as seen at the broken part of
Fig. 3) upon the edge by means of a knurling tool or otherwise (see also Fig. 34),
t

page_text: and' against this we place a disc or washer f of thin metal fitting on the boss cle
of the bearing c, such disc f being also serrated radially on its inner face at the
edge (see Fig. 34) so as to correspond with the serrations on the edge of the hub-
barrel e, so that when the two are firmly held together the serrations interlock
and the disc f forms a clamp to prevent the rotation of the bearing. This disc-
clamp is held firmly against the end of the hub-barrel e by means of a lock
nut g or screw cap which screws on to the outside of the hub-barrel e.
About two turns of this lock nut g backwards will release the serrations
sufficiently to allow them to slide over each other to adjust the bearing c.
When
this is accomplished the lock nut g is screwed up and the serrations will engage
and interlock before there is any friction thus preventing any accidental tightening
of the bearings after being adjusted.
It will be evident that our improvements can be applied to all loosely running
wheels which may be used as cycle wheels whether such cycle wheels are for
bicycles, tricycles quadricycles, motor cycles, motor cars, bath chairs or other
vehicles for which such wheels may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The formation of the ball races of wheels applicable as cycle wheels above
named by setting out the form of the groove of each race, as herein before described.
2. A hub barrel for wheels applicable as cycle-wheels having its ends serrated
or made with teeth in combination with a disc having corresponding teeth or
serrations on its inner face, the said disc fitted on the adjusting boss of the
adjustable outer ball race and being tightened against the end of the hub barrel
by a lock nut or screw-cap, screwed on the outside of the hub barrel, substantially
as herein before described.
3. The combination of the improvements in or relating to the formation and
locking of the ball bearings of wheels applicable as cycle wheels substantially as
above described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
1000
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.