Improvements in the Construction of Hubs and Spokes for Cycle and other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Hubs and Spokes for Cycle and
other purposes.
WILLIAM FRASER, Engineer,
"
Dovedale" School Road, Moseley, Birmingham,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in hubs and spokes for cycle and other
purposes. I have improved the method of construction and production, the same
being applicable to all kinds and classes of hubs and spokes, but more particularly
to what is now known as the barrel hub. One of the principle objects is to spin
the collar at each end out of the solid tube by means of male and female revolving
tools, i.e., the two collars that receive and hold the spokes in position are both
forced or formed out of the tube by pressure. The shell or barrel of the hub
including the collars are therefore formed or produced out of one piece of tube,
the said collars can be spun into any shape or form to receive my improved spoke
with either single or double ends or the headed spoke now in general use and
can be attached to same in a variety of different ways, viz., if the latter is used
they would be attached in the ordinary way, but if the former, I prefer to have the
face of the collar made with suitable indentations for the spokes to embed them-
selves both vertically and horizontally, a steel or other suitable liner can also
be embedded into the face of the collars with the necessary indentations to receive
the spokes, and fixed to the collars in a variety of different ways, this process
would obviate the necessity of subjecting the shell of the hub to press tools, i.e.,
the said indentations require to be made by means of press tools, and the tube
loaded with a suitable plastic material during the stamping process. The collars
can also be struck up by means of press tools and the shells or barrel complete
can also be cast in chilled moulds sand or otherwise but would all be modifications
of my invention.
I will now explain more particularly my method of adjustment and the pre-
vention of dust or grit to the bearings and the securing of the spokes to the
collars. Each end of the barrel is provided with a screwed cap which answers
the treble purpose of keeping the steel cups in position at each end respec-
tively, preventing the dust obtaining access to the bearings, and lastly jamming
or preventing the spokes from leaving the collars i.e., when the caps are screwed
home on each end of the barrel the barrel being screwed at each end, the spokes
become absolutely lockfast on account of the said cap being screwed hard up
against the spokes and pressing them into the indentations in the collars, a
suitable washer can also be used between the spokes and the caps, the said caps
being screwed and made to fit outside ends of the barrel and also the outside
ends of the steel cones which prevents the dust from obtaining access to the
ball bearings. The spindle is screwed at each end and also the cones internally
the inside ends of each being tapered to suit the steel balls and the outside ends
reduced in diameter to pass through the caps referred to with two flat sides for
the purpose of adjusting them from the outside. The steel cups for receiving the

page_text: balls can either be made with an outside flange to prevent their being forced
beyond the ends of the barrel, or the barrel can be recessed to receive them or the
ends may be screwed inside and the steel cups screwed to suit, or a groove spun
about half an inch from each end of the barrel causing a ridge or collar to be
formed inside the same, thereby forming a projection or abutment for the cones,
whereby they can be properly secured and kept in position between the outside
cap and the recessed ends of the barrel. The back hubs are made in a similar
way the outside cap being utilized for the purpose of a lock nut for the chain
wheel, and the chain wheel made to jam or lock the spokes.
Improvements in the Construction of Hubs and Spokes for Cycle and
other purposes.
I WILLIAM FRASER, Engineer, residing at "Dovedale," School Road, Moseley,
in the City of Birmingham, 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:-
This invention relates to the wheels of cycles and such like vehicles, and has
for its object certain improvements in the hub parts or centres and in the attach-
ment thereto of the spokes, which render the said hubs or centres more neat in
their appearance, more dust proof in their rotating parts, and also enables a
layman to fit to the said wheel new spokes to replace bent or broken ones, when
necessary, in a simple but efficient manner.
In the sheet of drawings forming part of this Specification the invention is
shown as applied to the front wheel hub or centre of a cycle, and it will be
evident from Fig. 1, which is a part longitudinal section and elevation of the hub
and attached spokes, how neat is the hub when fitted, the spokes attached thereto
seeming as it were to emanate from the solid heads of the hubs, but in reality
they are easily removable therefrom. Fig. 2 is a side sectional view on the dotted
line Fig. 1 which removes the spokes clamping ring and the major part of the ball
bearing on that particular side, two of the spokes in this view being absent in
order to illustrate the holes in the hub parts with which their ends engage, and
the sinkings wherein the parts adjacent to them lie. Fig. 3 represents (separated)
the parts of this invention as shown in the sectional half in Fig. 1, whilst Figs. 4,
5, 6 and 7 set forth, respectively, face and end elevations of the separated parts
D, C, B, and A, Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show how the hub body with its heads is
spun from a tubular length.
In carrying the invention into effect in connection with the front wheel hub
or centre, the said hub's body is preferably made from a tubular length as herein-
after described, the head parts a² being spun up from the waist or middle part a
by suitable spinning tools, and their exterior portions are formed into tubular
necks a standing out from the said heads. The outer portions of the exterior
of the tubular necks are externally screwed at a', and between the said necks and
the hub heads are formed annular cavities or recesses a³, through the bottom walls
of which a number of small holes a, of a size equivalent to the size of the spokes.
are made. The outer faces a³ of the hub heads a² are set up with sinkings S
of a thickness equal to the size of the holes a, and these diverge towards the peri-
pheries of the faces; the purpose of the sinkings being to constitute seatings for

page_text: the adjacent parts of the spoke ends d, and that of the holes a to engage the
said spoke ends.
The ring collar c, which is principally for strengthening the spoke's connection,
and also the hub heads on which they exert a pull, fit over the necks a³ and lie
in the annular cavities a³, and their walls are pierced and sunken at for the
passage of the spoke ends and the partial seating of the parts d² adjacent to them.
Clamping rings e having formed upon their inner faces sinkings e, which are the
counter part to those of the hub head, are slipped over the tubular necks a after the
spoke ends are in position within the holes and seatings before described, to constitute
the medium for locking the engagement of the spoke ends and also the facing to the
hubs heads. These spoke-clamping rings e.are set up by end caps g, which screw upon
the externally screwed parts a of the tubular necks and constitute the terminals
to the hubs ends, but these caps have also another function, and that is, to affix
the ball cups f internally within the bores of the said tubular necks, the same
not being adjustable. These ball cups have each a concentric flange f², the
inner side f3 of which is formed with teeth or with a milling as shown in Fig. 4,
and their exterior diameters fare plain and made to nicely fit the bores of the
tubular necks. The edges h of these latter are also formed with teeth or a
milling to engage those like parts of the flanges of the ball cups, and by this
means the said ball cups are prevented from turning. Axial holes f5, 5 are
formed within the ball cups f and the end caps g, respectively to permit the
protruding of the shanks m² of an outwardly adjusting cone m and a fixed cone n
carried upon the ends of the spindle of the hub a, the said cone m being the means
for adjusting the races of the balls s. The end caps may be either set up by
the fingers or by a spanner.
In producing the hub body from a tubular length by spinning up its head
parts and annular recesses or cavities a³, as herein before referred to in con-
nection with Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a tubular length as in Fig. 8 is first taken and
operated upon, by male and female rotating tools, at certain parts in its length
so as to form circular enlargements as shown in Fig. 9, these latter constituting
the hub heads hereinbefore referred to. This partly formed hub body Fig. 9
is subsequently operated upon for the purpose of spinning the annular cavities
or recesses within the exterior faces of the hub heads, the result of the said
operation being set forth by the view in Fig. 10. While these recesses or cavities
are spun in, the inner sides of the hub heads are suitably supported; but the
said cavities or recesses and also the sinkings a8, which are shown in Figs. 1-7,
may be accomplished by a stamping process it being necessary only to support
the walls of the hub body, while the stamping is accomplished, by a lead or
other suitable filling and, probably, a solid metal core.
By producing the heads of hub bodies in this way the ultimate cost of the hub
is materially lessened, which is of great moment in present day cycle construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In a wheel centre or hub made from a tube length, forming the head
parts, annular cavities or recesses, and spoke sinkings, as hereinbefore described,
by spinning or combination spinning and stamping processes, substantially as
described and set forth.
Second. In combination in a wheel centre, a hub whose heads parts are provided
with side holes and tubular necks, spokes whose inner ends are cranked and adapted
to engage the said holes, clamping rings which fit over the said necks and abut
against the adjacent parts of the spoke's cranked ends, and end caps adapted to
screw upon the tubular necks and to effect the affixment of the spoke ends, sub-
stantially as described.
Third. In combination in a wheel centre, a tubular hub whose head parts are
provided with side holes as, annular recesses, a³, adjacent to them and outwardly

page_text: extending tubular necks a³, ring collars having perforations through their walls
and which are adapted to fit within the said recesses, spokes having cranked ends
which engage the said holes, and perforations clamping rings adapted to fit upon
the tubular necks and to abut against the spoke ends and end caps which screw
onto the said tubular necks and effect the clamping, substantially as described.
Fourth. In combination in a wheel centre, a tubular hub whose head parts are pro-
vided with side holes a, annular recesses, a³, adjacent to them, face sinkings a8,
and outwardly extending tubular members a³, ring collars having perforations c²
through their walls and which are adapted to fit within the said recesses, spokes
having cranked ends which engage the said holes and perforations, clamping
rings adapted to fit upon the tubular necks and to abut against the spoke ends,
and which have sinkings e and end caps which screw onto the said tubular necks
and effect the clamping, substantially as described.
Fifth. In combination in a wheel hub or centre a, tubular necks a³ having an
externally screwed part a¹ and a hollow bore and also a toothed edge h, a ball
cup adapted to fit the bore of the said neck and which has a toothed flange to
engage the part h, an end cap 9 which screws onto the said neck and locks together
the parts and f, and an adjustable or affixed adjusting cone m or n which is
carried upon the hub spindle, substantially as described.
CIS Huay or may του.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Also of Liverpool, London, and Manchester, Patent Agents for the Applicant.