Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Carriages, Cycles, or other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Carriages, Cycles, or
other Road Vehicles.
I, ROBERT HILL AGNEW, of 381 Argyle Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
Cabinetmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to wheels, for
carriages, cycles, or other road vehicles, and comprises a new or improved con-
struction of composite tyres which will give elasticity and softness to the tyres,
and movements of such vehicles, and prevent the unpleasant vibration, jolting
and tremulous feeling experienced in vehicles at present in use, and will prevent
accidents, and be more durable and economical, and enable the vehicles to be
more easily drawn or propelled, and prevent or lessen the wear and tear heretofore
incurred in vehicles fitted with rigid tyres, or with rubber between the felloe and
the outer rim or tyre, or with the rubber outside the iron tyre.
The improvements consist in constructing the wheel tyres in three main composite
parts, namely, an inner metal ring fixed tyre part round the wood felloe part of the
tyre, and a vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic ring part sprung over this and
intermediate between this inner metal ring and an outer inetal rim part which forms
the outer bearing or working tyre, the whole three composite parts being screwed
or secured to the felloe of the wheel, the outer working tyre partaking of a slight
motion on or with the rubber.
In carrying out this invention according to one arrangement, the wheel and wood
felloe are constructed in a usual manner, and the inner metal part which is made of
steel, iron, or other metal, is shrunk on to the outer surface of the wood felloe in
the usual manner, and the upper surface or part of this inner metal ring is under
these improvements formed with a recess or groove, preferably convex or with a
ridge in the centre, and concave or indented towards each side in transverse section,
with projections or flanges at the circumferential edges, into and over which would
be sprung and secured the intermediate ring which would be formed of an opposite
curved shape on its under surface, to fit the recess in the inner metal tyre, and
be composed of vulcanized india-rubber or of mixtures of india-rubber, or of
other elastic and yielding material. The outer rim or wearing tyre would be
formed of similar metal to the inner ring, but lighter, and of a plain or flat surface
on both its inner and outer ring surfaces, or have its inner under circumferential
surface formed of a projecting or ribbed shape to fit into a corresponding recessed
part formed in the upper or outer surface of the intermediate elastic ring part, and
the upper wearing surface instead of being of a plain shape, might be of a roughened
or "crosshatched or corrugated shape. Or under another arrangement the inner
metal ring might be formed with a flange projecting up and out on its one side, and
the upper outer ring be formed with a corresponding flange on its under opposite
side, and so grip and secure the intermediate rubber or elastic ring between these
metal parts. These three parts forming the composite tyre would be secured to
cach other and to the felloe by screw pins screwed tight into the inner metal tyre
and wood felloc. This is effected by forming the screw holes at suitable distances
apart through the centre of the under metal ring part, and for some distance into
the felloe, of the same diameter, and in making the screw holes through the inter-
mediate ring of india-rubber or elastic material, and through the upper wearing
metal ring, much wider than those in the under metal ring and felloe, and preferably
of an oval shape, elongated in the circumferential direction. The inner metal ring
would be shrunk on to the outer surface of the felloe, and then the intermediate
elastic ring sprung over this and the outer metal wearing ring would be pressed
"

page_text: over the elastic ring, while the rubber was tightened up by thin steel bands or
otherwise, with the holes for the screw pins in each of the rings of the tyre and in
the felloe directly over each other. The metal screw pins would then be screwed
into these holes, the screw holes in the felloc and inner metal ring exactly fitting
the thread of the screw. The screw would be formed with a head at its outer end
with slit for screwing up by a powerful screw driver, and a cylindrical metal bush
or ferrule would be fitted loose over this head part preferably with a grooved outer
surface over which would be sprung an india-rubber or clastic oval washer, or the
ferrule might be oval with the rubber of equal thickness all round. These bushes
or ferrules would be first inserted to fill the outer oval holes of the outer metal tyre
and elastic tyre, and be sunk a tenth of an inch or so below the bearing surface of
the outer tyre, and the screw pins would then be passed in through the bushes and
screwed into the inner tyre and felloe until the collars of their heads were screwed
hard up against the inner metal tyre, and thus allow of a slight elastic motion of
the outer metal tyre on the intermediate rubber tyre radially and circumferentially
without the screws touching the ground.
Dated the 12th Tune 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Carriages, Cycles, or
other Road Vehicles.
I, ROBERT HILL AGNEW, of 381 Argyle Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
Cabinetmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to wheels for
carriages, cycles, or other road vehicles, and comprises a new or improved con-
struction of composite tyres which will give elasticity and softness to the tyres, and
movements of such vehicles, and obviate the unpleasant vibration, jolting and
tremulous feeling experienced in vehicles at present in use, and will prevent
accidents, and be more durable and economical, and enable the vehicles to be more
easily drawn or propelled, and prevent or lessen the wear and tear heretofore
incurred in vehicles fitted with rigid tyres, or with the rubber outside the
iron tyre.
The improvements consist in constructing the wheel tyres in three main composite
parts, namely, an inner metal ring fixed tyre part round the wood felloe part of the
tyre, and a vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic ring part sprung over this and
intermediate between this inner metal ring and an outer metal rim part which forms
the outer bearing or working tyre, the whole three composite parts being screwed
or secured to the felloe of the wheel, the outer working tyre partaking of a slight
motion on or with the rubber.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which the same reference letters
are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of a part of the wood tyre felloe A
of a carriage wheel supported by the usual wood spokes, not shown in the drawings,
as fitted with my new composite metal and elastic rim parts a, b, c, d.
Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1, and
Figure 3 a corresponding transverse section showing my new composite metal
and elastic rim part a, b, c, d, as taken through one of the pins d, on the line 1-1
Figure 1.

page_text: Figures 4 to 7 are sectional views corresponding to Figure 3 showing modified
constructions in transverse section of these new composite parts abc.
Figures 8 and 9 are a side elevation and plan respectively of the inner metal
felloe part a of a bicycle or other form of cycle wheel, supported by the usual wire
spokes not shown in the drawings, as fitted with my improvements.
Figure 10 is a transverse section corresponding to Figures 8 and 9 to show the
new composite metal and elastic parts a, b, c, d, and
Figures 11, 12 and 13 are views corresponding to Figure 10 but showing
modified constructions in transverse section of the new composite metal and elastic
parts a, b, c.
Referring to these drawings:
In carrying out this invention, the wheel and wood felloc A, as shown in
Figures I to 7 are constructed in a usual manner, and the inner metal part a which
is made of steel, iron, or other metal, is shrunk on to the outer surface of the wood
felloe A in the usual manner, and the upper surface or part of this inner metal
ring a is under these improvements formed with a recess or hollow, preferably
convex or with a ridge in the centre, and concave or indented towards each side in
transverse section, as shown in Figure 3 with projecting parts or flanges at a', at
the circumferential edges, into and over which would be sprung and secured, the
intermediate ring which would be formed of an opposite curved shape on its
under surface, to fit the recess in the inner metal tyre a, a', and be composed of
vulcanized india-rubber or of mixtures of india-rubber, or of other elastic and
yielding material. The outer rim or wearing tyre c is formed of similar metal to
the inner ring a, but lighter, and of an approximately plain or flat surface on both
its inner and outer ring surfaces, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, in which latter the
inner surface of the rubber ring is shown convex fitting into a concave inner metal
ring a. Or otherwise have its inner under circumferential surface formed of a
projecting or curved ribbed shape, as shown in two forms at c c in Figures 4 and 5,
to fit into a corresponding recessed part formed in the centre of the upper or outer
surface of the intermediate elastic ring part b; and the upper wearing surface
instead of being of a plain shape, might be of a roughened or "crosshatched" or
corrugated shape, as shown in Figure 9. Or under another arrangement, shown in
Figure 7, the inner metal ring a may be formed with a flange a² projecting up and
out only on its one side, and the upper outer ring c be formed with a corresponding
flange c² on its under opposite side, and so grip and secure the intermediate rubber
or clastic ring between these metal parts a, c, in which case all the adjacent
surfaces of these parts a, b, c, may be nearly flat. These three parts a, b, c, forming
the composite tyre are secured to each other and to the felloe A by screw pins d
screwed tight into the inner metal tyre a and wood felloe A, through holes d² in
the inner metal part a. This is effected by forming the screw holes dat suitable
distances apart through the centre of the under metal ring part a, and for some
distance into the felloe A, of the same diameter, and in making the screw holes d²
through the intermediate ring of india-rubber or elastic material and through the
upper wearing metal ring e, much wider than those in the under metal ring a
and felloe A, and preferably of an oval shape, elongated in the circumferential
direction, as seen in Figures 2 and 9. The inner metal ring a is heated and shrunk
on to the outer surface of the felloe A, in a usual manner, and then when cold the
intermediate elastic ring is sprung over this, and the outer metal wearing ring c is
passed and pressed over the elastic ring b, while the rubber was being tightened up
by thin steel bands or otherwise, with the holes d', d, for the screw pins d in each
of the rings a, b, c, of the tyre and in the felloe A directly over each other. The
metal screw pins d are then screwed into these holes d² d' the screw holes in the
felloe A and inner metal ring a exactly fitting the thread of the screw.
The screw
would be formed with a head d³ at its outer end with slit for screwing it up by a
powerful screw driver, and a cylindrical or oval metal bush or ferrule may be fitted
loose over this head part d³ with a recessed or grooved outer surface at d" over

page_text: which would be sprung an india-rubber or elastic oval ferrule e, which would thus
be retained on the head d³ of the pin d, as seen in the sectional views Figures 3 to 7,
and the metal ferrule might fill the space between the rubber band the oval hole d
in the outer rime and thus prevent any metallic connection or frictional action.
These bushes or ferrules when used would be first inserted to fill the outer oval
holes d² of the outer metal tyre c and elastic tyre b, and be sunk a tenth of an inch
or so below the bearing surface of the outer tyre c, and the screw pins d would
then be passed in through the bushes and screwed into the inner tyre a and felloe A
until the collars of their heads d³ were screwed hard up against the inner metal
tyre a, and thus allow of a slight clastic motion of the outer metal tyre c on the
intermediate rubber tyre radially and circumferentially without the screws d
touching the ground.
Referring to Figures 8 to 13 which show my improved composite tyre parts a, b, c,
as most suitable for cycle and other light wheels, the part a forms the metal tyre
of the wheel which may be made light and of various concave sections on their
outer circumference for retaining the rubber ring part of the opposite shape
sprung on to them, that shown in Figure 10 being somewhat analogous to that
shown in Figure 3 on the inner surface, but with the rubber ring more recessed
in the centre and fuller at the two outer parts, and having the outer metal ring c
sunk into a central concave part at in the outer surface of the rubber b.
Figure 11 shows the outer rim e as elliptical or convex both on the outer and
inner surfaces. While Figure 12 shows this rim part c, with a groove in the centre
on the outer surface. And Figure 13 shows this rim parte convex on the outer
surface and double concave on the inner surface more analogous to Figure 10, the
outer rim a being shown broader in Figures 12 and 13. In all these Figures 8 to
13 the pins d are screwed into the inner ring part a and secured with rubber rings e
round their heads as seen in Figures 8 and 9, so as to allow of a motion circum-
ferentially of the outer ring as well as a compressing motion into the rubber
ring b, substantially as described in reference to Figures 1 to 7, and which improve-
ments will give great elasticity by the intermediate rubber or clastic ring b, and
better wearing effect to the outer metal ring c.
Although in all these Figures 1 to 13 the rubber ring is shown solid or
homogeneous these improvements are equally applicable to hollow rubber cushion
tyres, and to pneumatic or air inflated rubber tyres, and in the latter case the
intermediate inflated rubber part & could either be made continuous with spaces
for the securing bolts or pins to pass through, or it could be made in separate
sections with apertures or spaces between them for the securing pins or bolts d to
pass through from the outer metal protecting rim c.
In some cases as for carriage wheels, the inner metal part a may be dispensed
with and the rubber be secured next the wood felloe A, with the wearing metal
ring c on the outside.
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. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of wheels
for carriages, cycles and other road vehicles, having continuous inner and outer
metal ring tyre parts with india-rubber or other elastic or yielding material
intermediately between them, substantially as herein described and also shown
under various applications in the accompanying drawings.
Second. The construction and use of wheel tyres for carriages, cycles, or other
road vehicles, formed in three main composite continuous parts, an inner metal
ring fixed part, an outer metal ring wearing rim part, and an india-rubber or other
elastic or yielding ring part fitted intermediately between these metal parts
substantially as herein described, and by way of application shown in the
accompanying drawings.

page_text: Third. The constructing of wheels for carriages or other road vehicles with a
ring of india-rubber or other elastic material in combination with an outer wearing
metal ring part, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 11th April 1891
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.