Improvements in Hubs for Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1594-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hubs for Wheels of Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
1, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a
communication to me from R. H. Wolff & Co., Ltd. a corporation organized
under the laws of the State of New York, and doing business at Foot East
118th Street, in the City, County and State of New York, in the United States of
America, Wire Workers, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to improvements in hubs for bicycle and other
vehicle wheels, and has for its object to provide means for insuring a steady and
liberal supply of lubricant to the bearings for a considerable length of time without
replenishing.
The nature of this invention will be best understood when described in connection
with the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a hub adapted for a bicycle wheel.
Figure 2 is a vertical section in the plane 2-2 Figure 1.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates a cylindrical hub provided
with annular caps a. a, brazed or otherwise secured thereto. Into these caps
project heads b. b screwed on the axle B and forming with said caps annular
chambers c. c in which the balls d are placed as usual.
The spokes s of the wheel are inserted into the hub through the open ends of the
same and passed through peripheral openings s'.
The axle B instead of being solid, as usual, is in the form of a tube closed at
opposite ends by screw plugs e and f, or other suitable means. The longitudinal
chamber g thus formed within the axle communicates with the annular chambers c. c
containing the balls through radical passages h. The lubricant in chamber g passes
through these passages to the ball chamber c and keeps the bearings thoroughly
lubricated. To prevent excessive flow of lubricant the passages are obstructed by
hollow plugs i of felt or other porous material.
If desired the chamber may also be partly filled with cotton waste or like
material.
The lubricant is introduced into chamber g by removing the plug e.
By the construction above described a steady supply of lubricant to the bearings,
lasting from two to three months is insured, while all the parts are practically
dust-proof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the hub, of an axle provided with a longitudinal
chamber closed at one end by a removable plug, ball bearings between the hub and
axle, radial passages in the axle connecting the lubricant chamber with the
bearings, and plugs of porous material arranged opposite said passages, substantially
as described.
The combinatina mith on oula umuided with a langitudinal lubricant chamber

page_text: forming annular chambers with the heads b. b, balls placed in said chambers, and
passages connecting the lubricant chamber with the ball chambers, substantially as
described.
Dated December 17th 1001
By HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.