Year: 1896

page_text: We, WILLIAM BEARD LAKE and EDWARD FRANKLYN ELLIOT, both of Albion Works,
Braintree, in the County of Essex, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved key for the spoke nipples of velocipede
wheels.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a base plate is employed provided at
one extremity with two ears or wings to facilitate the turning of the key and at or
near the other extremity with two longitudinal slots placed side by side and arranged
at an inclination or angle to each other so as to radiate from an imaginary centre
located beyond the end of the instrument.
On one side of the base plate are placed two sliding plates which are each controlled
by two headed set or clamping screws which pass through the slots of the base plate
and screw into threaded holes in the sliding plates, whilst, at their ends, the sliding
plates are thickened or enlarged to form jaws and the adjacent faces of these jaws
are notched so that together they form a diamond shaped opening adapted to receive
a spoke nipple.
The size of the diamond shaped opening of the jaws is adjusted by slacking the
clamping screws and advancing or retracting the sliding plates, which has the effect
of causing the jaws to more or less approach or recede from each other, and, when the
required adjustment has been obtained, the clamping screws are again tightened
thereby clamping the sliding plates and consequently the jaws in the desired position
care being taken to leave sufficient space between the jaws to admit of the jaws being
passed laterally over a spoke and then moved endwise to embrace, by the diamond
shaped opening, the nipple of the spoke.
According to a modified form of the device, one clamping screw in each sliding plate
may be dispensed with and studs or projections substituted therefor to engage the slots.
According to a further modification, the clamping screws are dispensed with and
short studs fixed with the sliding plates engage the grooves in the base plate whilst the
sliding plates are fixed in the desired position by means of a clamping plate or bar
which is forced against the sliding plates by means of a set screw passing through the
clamping plate and working in a tapped hole formed in the base plate, or, the screw
may be secured by a nut at the back of the base plate.
It will be obvious that the details of the device may be still further modified without
departing from the principle of the invention.
By the means herein before described, the lateral pressure of the jaws is borne by
the base plate and thus the accidental shifting of the jaws is impossible.
It will be obvious, that the slots in the base plate may be dispensed with and the
base plate so formed that the edges thereof can be turned over to form grooves or

page_text: channels converging to an imaginary centre, the sliding jaws fitting into such grooves
or channels.
Dated this 16th day of December 1896.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
We, WILLIAM BEARD LAKE and EDWARD FRANKLYN ELLIOT, both of Albion Works,
Braintree, in the County of Essex, Engineers, 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 :-
Our said invention relates to a new or improved key for the spoke nipples of
velocipede wheels.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a base plate is employed provided at
. one extremity with two ears or wings to facilitate the turning of the key, and at or
near the other extremity with two longitudinal slots placed side by side and arranged
at an inclination or angle to each other so as to radiate from an imaginary centre
located beyond the end of the instrument.
On one side of the base plate are placed two sliding plates which are each controlled
by two headed set or clamping screws which pass through the slots of the base plate
and screw into threaded holes in the sliding plates, whilst, at their ends, the sliding
plates are thickened or enlarged to form jaws, and the adjacent faces of these jaws
are notched so that together they form a diamond shaped opening adapted to receive
a spoke nipple.
The size of the diamond shaped opening of the jaws is adjusted by slackening the
clamping screws and advancing or retracting the sliding plates, which has the effect
of causing the jaws to more or less approach or recede from each other, and when the
required adjustment has been obtained the clamping screws are again tightened,
thereby clamping the sliding plates, and consequently the jaws in the desired position,
care being taken to leave sufficient space between the jaws to admit of the jaws being
passed laterally over a spoke and then moved endwise to embrace, by the diamond
shaped opening, the nipple of the spoke.
According to a modified form of the device, one clamping screw in each sliding plate
may be dispensed with and studs or projections substituted therefor to engage
the slots.
According to a further modification the clamping screws are dispensed with and
short studs fixed with the sliding plates engage the grooves in the base plate, whilst
the sliding plates are fixed in the desired position by means of a clamping plate or
bar which is forced against the sliding plates by means of a set screw passing through
the clamping plate and working in a tapped hole formed in the base plate, or, the
the screw may be secured by a nut at the back of the base plate.
It will be obvious that the details of the device may be still further modified without
departing from the principle of the invention.
It will be obvious that the slots in the base plate may be dispensed with and the
base plate so formed that the edges thereof can be turned over to form grooves or
channels converging to an imaginary centre, the sliding jaws fitting into such
grooves or channels.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.

page_text: Figure 5 is a side view of one of the sliding plates or jaws.
Figure 6 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 7 is an underside view thereof.
Figure 8 is a side view of the base plate separately, and,
Figure 9 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 10 is a side view of an instrument representing a slight modification.
Figure 11 is a side view of one of the sliding plates or jaws separately.
Figure 12 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 13 is a side view representing a form of instrument further slightly modified.
Figure 14 is a plan thereof.
Figure 15 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 16 is a side view of one of the sliding plates or jaws separately.
Figure 17 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 18 is an underside view thereof.
Figure 19 is a plan of the clamp separately.
Figure 20 is a side view of an instruinent representing a further slight modification.
Figure 21 is a plan thereof.
Figure 22 is an opposite side view thereof.
Figure 23 is a vertical transverse section thereof.
Figure 24 is an inner face view of the clamp separately, and,
Figure 25 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 26 is a side view of an
modification.
instrument representing a further slight
Figure 27 is an underside view thereof.
Figure 28 is a side view of one of the sliding plates or jaws separately.
Figure 29 is an edge view thereof.
Figure 30 is an underside view thereof.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 to 9, a represents the base plate of the instrument, and
a represents the ears or wings provided to facilitate the turning of the key, and
a² represents two longitudinal slots placed side by side at or near the lower extremity
of the base plate a, and arranged at an inclination or angle to each other so as to
radiate from an imaginary centre located beyond the end of the instrument..
On one side of the base plate a are placed two sliding plates b which are each
controlled by two headed set or clamping screws c which pass through the slots a² of
of the base plate and screw into threaded holes formed in the sliding plates b,
whilst at their ends b' the sliding plates 6 are thickened or enlarged to constitute
jaws and the adjacent faces of these jaws are provided with V-shaped notches or
grooves 63 therein so that together they form a key having a diamond sliaped opening
adapted to receive a spoke nipple.
The size of the diamond shaped opening formed by the notches or grooves b³ of the
jaws b¹ of the sliding plates b is adjusted by slackening back the clamping screws c
and advancing or retracting the sliding plates b along the inclined slots a which has
the effect of causing the jaws 6' thereof to more or less approach or recede from each
other, and when the required adjustment has been obtained the clamping screws c
are again tightened thereby clamping the sliding plates b and consequently the jaws 61
in the desired position, care being taken to leave sufficient space between the
jaws 61 to admit of the same being passed laterally over a spoke and then moved
endwise to embrace by the diamond shaped opening the nipple of the spoke.

page_text: In the example given at Figures 10, to 12, one clamping screw c in connection with
each sliding plate b is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof the sliding plates bare
provided with studs or projections 64 which engage and work in the inclined slots a²
of the base plate a.
In the example given at Figures 13 to 19, the clamping screws c in connection
with the inclined slots a² are dispensed with, and short studs b' formed on or fixed
with the sliding plates b engage and work in the inclined grooves in the base plate a,
whilst the sliding plates b are fixed in the desired position by means of a clamping
plate or bar d which is forced against the sliding plates by means of a set screw c
passing through the clamping plate or bar d and working in a tapped hole formed in
the base plate a, or the screw might extend through the base plate a so as to receive a
nut by the aid of which the clamping plate or bar d could be tightened up.
Or, the set screw c might pass through a plain hole in the base plate a and engage
a tapped hole in the clamping plate or bar d, as will be readily understood.
In the example given at Figures 20 to 25, the clamping plate d is arranged on the
opposite side of the base plate a to that shown in the figures lastly herein before
referred to, and such plate is formed with a stud or projection d' thereon and the base
plate a is formed with a slot ³ therein in which said stud d' works, whilst two set
screws c are employed which pass through horizontal slots d² in the clamping plate d
through the radial slots a² of the base plate a and screw into tapped holes b* formed
in the jaws b¹ of the sliding plates b the horizontal slots d' permitting the lateral
movement of the set screws c consequent upon the longitudinal movement of the
sliding plates b with relation to the radial or inclined grooves a².
In the example given at Figures 26 to 30, the inclined slots a2 in the base
plate a and the set screws c are entirely dispensed with and the edges of the base
plate are turned over at a to form dovetailed grooves or channels a² which
converge to an imaginary centre and in which correspondingly shaped sliding plates b
carrying the jaws b¹ fit and slide.
The turned over parts a* of the base plate a are sprung down upon the sliding
plates b and tightly grip the same, and in order to obtain the required adjustment the
sliding plates 6 are by the aid of a hammer or other instrument knocked either
up or down with relation to the radial grooves a² according to the adjustment required.
It will be obvious that the details of the device may be still further modified without
departing from the principle of the invention.
By constructing an instrument upon the principle hereinbefore described and
illustrated the lateral pressure of the jaws b¹ is borne by the base plate a and thus the
accidental shifting of the jaws when the instrument is in use is impossible.
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. A key for spoke nipples, comprising a base plate provided with two radial or
inclined, slots or guides, two sliding plates formed with enlarged ends provided with
V-shaped grooves or recesses upon opposite faces thereof adapted to engage a spoke
nipple, screws, studs or other means carried by or connected with the sliding plates
and engaging the radial grooves or guides and means for fixing the sliding plates with
relation to the base plate, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The peculiar construction of spoke nipple keys represented at Figures 1 to 30 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.