IM- PROVEMENT IN WHEELS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir John Bethune, of Kilconquhar House, in the
County of Fife, North Britain, Baronet, for the Invention of " IM-
PROVEMENT IN WHEELS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir John Bethune at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th July 1872.
I, Sir JOHN BETHUNE, of Kilconquhar House, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, Baronet, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO TRACTION
ENGINES," to be as follows that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement or con-
struction of that class of wheels employed in traction engines, and
sometimes used for other purposes, whose bearing surfaces are elastic,

page_text: and it consists in a certain peculiar mode of applying metallic springs,
so as to constitute the elastic surface or tread of the said wheels.
The Invention is carried into practice by attaching a series of metallic
springs to the circumference of the body of the wheel, these springs being
arranged to overlap at the edges; and they are preferably connected
together by studs, pins, or the equivalent thereof, so that the pressure
sustained at that part of the wheel which rests on the roadway or other
bearing surface is by means of their connection transferred throughout
the series of springs around the wheel.
Additional springs, spiral, elliptical, flat, or of other suitable form
may be applied at the interior of the springs herein-before referred to, so
as to bear on their inner surface, and at the same time against the body
of the wheel, thus imparting greater elasticity to the wheels.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent'
filed by the said Sir John Bethune in the Great Seal Patent Office'
on the 4th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir JOHN
BETHUNE, of Kilconquhar House, in the County of Fife, North Britain,
Baronet, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Sir John Bethune, Her special license
that I, the said Sir John Bethune, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sir John. Bethune, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHEELS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES," upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said Sir John Bethune, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sir John Bethune, 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
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement or
construction of that class of wheels employed in traction engines, and
which may be used for other purposes, whose bearing surfaces are elastic,
and it consists in a certain peculiar mode of applying metallic springs,
so as to constitute the elastic surface or tread of the said wheels.
The Invention is carried into practice by attaching a serics of
metallic springs to the circumference of the body of the wheel, these
springs being arranged to overlap at the edges, and they are preferably
connected together by studs, pins, or the equivalent thereof, so that the
pressure contained at that part of the wheel which rubs on the roadway
or other bearing surface is by means of their connection transferred
throughout the series of springs around the wheel.
Additional springs, spiral, elliptical, flat, or of other suitable form
may be applied at the interior of the springs herein-before referred to, so
as to bear on their inner surface, and at the same time against the body
of the wheel, thus imparting greater elasticity to the wheels.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures. on the annexed Sheets of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation of my improved wheel, especially applicable to traction engines,
whilst Figure 2 is a half plan and a half horizontal section of the

page_text: same. As shewn by these Drawings the body of the wheel is constructed
of two discs A, the peripheries of which are attached by means of angle
iron b to a band or hoop c, which forms the circumference of the
body of the wheel. The band c projects at each side of the discs A, so
as to form flanches, to which are rivetted or bolted the extremities of a
series of springs B and B¹ respectively, the form of the respective
springs B and B¹ being shewn more particularly at the horizontal
section,, Figure 2, of the Drawings. The series of springs B¹ are con-
structed a little smaller than the series of springs B, which overlap the
edges of the former, as shewn more particularly at Figure 1.of the
Drawings. The springs B and B are preferably connected together by
means of bolts or studs d, or the equivalent thereof, so that the pressure
sustained on the treading spring, or on that part of the wheel which acts
on the roadway or other bearing surface is by means of. their connection
transferred through the series of springs B and B around the wheel, the
pressure being transferred partly or entirely around the wheel to the series
of springs B and B', according as the treading spring is more or less com-
pressed, and to the length of the pins or studs d, it being obvious that
the shorter the pins or studs dare made the pressure is transferred
further around the wheel with the same compression of the treading
spring, or that part of the wheel bearing on the roadway or other bearing
surface, or the pins d may be dispensed with altogether according to
circumstances.
At Figure 3, Sheet 1, of the Drawings is shewn in side elevation a
second arrangement of my improved wheel, especially applicable to
traction engines, whilst Figure 4 is a half plan and a half horizontal
section of the same. Under this arrangement the body of the wheel C
is constructed in a similar manner to the one herein-before described and
illustrated at Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
A series of springs D (the form of the spring being shewn more parti-
cularly at the horizontal section, Figure 4) are rivetted or bolted to the
circumference of the body of the wheel. The series of springs D overlap
each other at the edges, as shewn more particularly at Figure 3. The
wheel, as shewn, is indicated as turning or revolving in the direction of
the arrows, the pressure sustained at the treading spring, or that part
of the wheel bearing on the roadway, or other bearing surface, being
transferred to the series, or a part of the series of springs D, around the

page_text: wheel by means of the overlapping part of the treading spring bearing
on and compressing the spring immediately preceding it, the overlapping
part of which bears in its turn on the next spring, and compresses it,
and so on throughout the series of springs.
A spiral spring E may or may not be applied at the interior of each of
the springs D, as shewn at the horizontal section, Figure 4, so as to bear
on their inner surface, and at the same time against the body of the
wheel C, thus imparting greater elasticity to the wheel. These additional
springs, either spiral, elliptical, flat, or of other suitable form may
be applied to the wheel herein-before described and illustrated at
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings, in order to impart greater elasticity
thereto.
On Sheet 2 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figure 1 is a side
elevation of an ordinary carriage wheel, shewing the springs attached
thereto; Figure 2 is a half plan and a half horizontal section thereof,
whilst Figures 3 and 4 are sections shewing modifications in the shape
of the spring. As shewn by these Drawings the springs A are rivetted,
or they may be attached by any other suitable means to the felly or
rim B of the wheel, and are made to overlap each other, similar to the
arrangement herein-before described and illustrated at Figures 3 and 4,
Sheet 1, or they can be constructed around the felly or rim of the
carriage or other wheel, according to the first arrangement herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 1 of the Drawings. These springs
may be adapted to the wheels of all classes of vehicles, and the edges
may be corrugated so as to increase the adhesive power of the springs
when under pressure, thereby also increasing the tractive power of cach
spring when the strain is applied. In order to obtain a better bite or
grip of the road or other bearing surface the outside face of the springs
may also be formed with corrugations.
The springs, as herein-before described and illustrated on the accom-
panying Sheets of Drawings, may be attached to the circumference of
the wheel either at right angles to the rim or felly, or diagonally
thereto.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what

page_text: I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
the construction of wheels with elastic treading surfaces composed of
springs in either of the modes herein-before described, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir John Bethune,, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
springs in either of the modes herein-before described, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir John Bethune,, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JOHN BETHUNE. (L.S.)