Improvements in "Disc" Wheels for Velocipedes and other Light Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Disc" Wheels for Velocipedes and other Light
Vehicles.
I CHARLES FRANCIS NEWMAN of Lower Tooting in the County of Surrey,
Contractor 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 improvements in what are known as "disc" wheels for
velocipedes, the principal feature of such wheels being the abolition of spokes and
the employment in place thereof of two discs of sheet metal slightly "dished" for
connecting the hub and rim of the wheel.
In the construction of these wheels three difficulties present themselves viz.-the
difficulty of securing the discs at their outer edges in a manner capable of resisting
the tendency of the tyre and rim to force them apart; the difficulty of subjecting
the discs to sufficient tension after joining the outer edges, which can only be
effected by forcing the discs apart at the hub; and lastly the prevention of
"buckling" which, when the wheel is revolving under a load, is the cause of a
continual loud and unpleasant noise.
The object of my invention is to remove the above enumerated drawbacks and
the manner in which I propose to effect this will be readily understood from the
following description aided by the two accompanying sheets of drawings.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 represent the method of joining the discs at their outer
edges and preparing them for the r. ception of the rim.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate in sectional elevation three forms of hub for imparting
tension to the discs and
Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate my method of preventing or reducing buckling” and
the noise resulting therefrom.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, of which Figs. 1 and 3 are in vertical cross section,
Figs. 2 and 4 in side elevation and Fig. 5 in plan, a are portions of discs large
enough to illustrate the first part of my invention. These discs are brazed,
soldered or otherwise secured at their outer edges from a¹ to a², Figs. 1 and 2,
which space affords ample area for the formation of a sound joint.
The edges thus secured are then slit at intervals and the portions between the
slits are bent outwards to one side and the other alternately as shown in Figs. 3, 4
and 5 thus providing lugs for the attachment of the rim c. By this method I gain
the advantage of having a double thickness of metal at the the points of attachment
with the rim and the whole force of compression exerted upon these points by the
rim and tyre d tends to bind the discs more firmly together instead of forcing
them apart as is the case where the trough to receive the rim is formed by bending
the discs outwardly in opposite directions for the whole of their circumference, a
method which has the additional drawback of narrowing the area for brazing the
discs together.
f;
In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are shown three modifications of my device for expanding the
discs laterally after the edges have been brazed together. In each case the
expansion is effected by means of the hub, which, in Fig. 6, is formed in two
parts e, e' the former of which is provided with an external and the latter with an
internal screw thread.
Previous to securing the discs together at their edges one part of the hub is
brazed to the strengthening washer 1 in the interior central portion of one of the
discs.
The two parts of the hub are then screwed as closely together as the
length of the threaded portions will permit, thus reducing the space between
the flanges as much as possible. The discs are then fitted together and Lrazed
ID011

page_text: after which the loose portion of the hub, ¹ in the drawing, is turned round or
unscrewed, by means of a suitable instrument applied to its outwardly projecting
end, thereby lengthening the entire hub and forcing the flanges and consequently
the central portions of the discs apart and this process is continued until the desired
tension of the metal is arrived at. When this stage is reached the revolving
portion of the hub may be secured from further turning in either direction by means
of one or more screws inserted, through holes drilled purposely, from the outside
of the disc.
In Fig. 7 the hub is formed in a single piece slightly enlarged and screw-threaded
at one end e² and provided with a collar near the other end. To one of the discs,
a in the fig., is fixed an internally threaded boss and previous to brazing the
edges of the discs together the end of the hub is screwed completely through the
boss g from the concave side of the disc. After brazing the end e² is screwed back
again until the collar e bears against the opposite dise with the requisite pressure.
The hub is then secured by screw e passed through the boss or by any other
suitable means.
Fig. 8 may be regarded as a mere modification of Fig. 6 the screw-threads of the
latter figure being dispensed with. The expanding medium in this case may consist
of a spinal spring placed around the hub between the flanges and compressed
whilst the discs are being brazed together, or instead of a spring, toggle or elbow
levers such as are employed in friction clutches may be employed.
In Figs. 9 and 10 which are respectively vertical section and elevation of the
body of a wheel I have illustrated two methods for the prevention of "buckling"
and the noise arising therefrom.
The first method is illustrated in the upper half of the wheel and consists in tying
the two discs a together by means of screws or threaded pins h. The discs are
strengthened to receive these pins by circular rings h¹ of brass or other suitable
metal. The pins are inserted from the outside of one disc, the holes being large
enough to admit them freely, the threaded ends are then screwed through the holes
in the opposite disc until the two discs are drawn slightly inwards as shown in
Fig. 9, in which the dotted lines render the slight deflection visible. The pro-
jecting ends of the pins are then snipped off. In the lower half of the wheel I have
shown portions cut out of the discs at j. This reduces the weight of the wheels or
enables thicker metal to be used in their construction without rendering them too
heavy and also affords facility for soldering or brazing flat strips of sheet metal /*
to the interior of the discs which serve as binders in place of the screws or pius
above mentioned.
The object of using binders is to impart a very small amount of deflection from a
straight line drawn from the hub to the rim so that any further deflection owing to
This deflection is
the weight of the rider will take place in the same direction.
different from "buckling" which, so far as I have been able to ascertain consists
in the bending of the metal first to one side and then to the other of the imaginary
line above described. If this be the case a slight permanent deflection outwards
would have the same result as an inward deflection and could be readily imparted
by means similar to those above described.
The tendency to "buckle" may also be reduced by filling the space between the
discs with compressed air, or the noise arising from it may be diminished by
coating the inner surfaces of the discs with felt or other similar substance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is―
.
1. In the manufacture of disc wheels, the method of forming a trough for the
rime consisting in slitting the edges of the discs at regular intervals and bending
the parts between the slits outwards to either side alternately substantially as
described, and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a disc wheel, the expanding hub, constructed and operating substantially

page_text: as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8 of the accom-
panying drawings.
3. In a disc wheel, the hub constructed and operating substantially as and for
the purpose described and illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a disc wheel the means for the prevention of "buckling substantially as
described, and illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a disc wheel the use of felt or compressed air for reducing buckling and
the noise.produced thereby substantially as herein described.
Dated this 6th day of January 1892.