IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Parsons, of Martock, in the County of
Somerset, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS."
Sealed the 15th June 1860, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Parsons at the
Office of the Commnissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1859.
I, GEORGE PARSONS, of Martock, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS,"
to be as follows:--
My Invention consists in constructing wheels of a combination of iron and
wood, in which great lightness is secured compared with iron wheels. as
ordinarily made. I mould the wheel in a common two-part or other suitable
box then lay the spokes, which are of malleable iron or other metal, in the
mould, and run or cast a ring, which receives one end of each spoke. After
allowing sufficient time for contraction, I cast the nave with projecting sockets,
which receive the other end of the spokes. From socket to socket of the nave
feathers or ribs are cast transversely. Flanges are cast on the outer edges of
the ring, to hold wood felloes or packing of other suitable material. The band
or tire is then shrunk on, and countersunk bolts fasten it through the felloes
or packing to the ring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Palent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said George Parsons,
in the Great Sea! Patent Office on the 23rd June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PARSONS, of Martock, in the County of Somerset, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said George Parsons, Her special licence that I, the said
George Parsons, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as 1, the said George Parsons, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Parsons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Oflice within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Parsons, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists in constructing wheels of a combination of iron and
wood, in which great lightness is secured compared with iron wheels, as
ordinarily made. I mould the wheel from a pattern in a common two-part or
other suitable box. in the manner usually followed by moulders; then lay the
spokes, which are of malleable iron or other metal, in the mould, and run or
cast a ring. which receives one end of each spoke. After allowing suffi-
cient time for contraction. I cast the nave with projecting sockets, which
receive the other ends of the spokes. From socket to socket of the nave,
feathers or ribs are cast transversely. Flanges are cast on the outer edges
of the ring to hold wood felloes or packing of other suitable material.
The

page_text: band or tire is then shrunk on, and countersunk bolts fasten it through the
felloes or packing to the ring.
Figure of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a
vertical section, of a wheel constructed according to my Invention. A, A, are
the spokes; they are placed in. an "ordinary two part or other box mould, in
such position that on the ring B being cast their outer ends shall be embedded
in sockets a, a, which form part of the inner face of the ring, and their inner
ends shall be embedded in sockets b, b, formed in casting the nave. I then
cast the ring B, and the contraction of the metal in cooling holds the outer
ends of the spokes securely in their position in the ring. After allowing time
for the metal forming the ring to cool, I cast the nave C with sockets b, b, round
them, and with feathers or ribs c, c, running from socket to socket. The inner
ends of the spokes are securely held in the sockets b, b, by the contraction of
the metal in cooling. The nave C, with part of an axle, is shown in external
elevation at Figure 3. The ring B is cast with flanges d, d, between which
strips or blocks of wood c, e, are packed round the whole ring; an outer
tire D is then shrunk on over the wood, and the tire and wood may be
further secured by countersunk bolts passing through them into the ring. The
mould is fashioned from a pattern, and the casting is performed in the ordinary
manner.
Figure 4 is an external elevation of a modification of the nave previously
described. Instead of the ribs or feathers c, c, extending in angular direction
across the nave from socket to socket, I cast the nave with a ring or belt
round the centre thereof, as shown at h, Figure 4, and carry the ribs or
feathers c, c, in a straight line from the sockets to the ring or belt. I make
the nave to taper slightly from the central ring to each end to facilitate its
withdrawal from the mould. Where it is desired to give additional strength
to the naves, I either cast them with a collar, as shown at f, Figure 5, or I
shrink on a wrought iron or other suitable metal collar, f, after the nave has
been cast.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, constructing wheels of a combination of iron and wood, the spokes
being secured in a metal ring and in the nave, and the nave being formed with
sockets and ribs or feathers, all as herein-before described and represented in
the accompanying Drawings.
Second, constructing the naves of wheels in cast metal, with sockets for the
reception of the inner ends of spokes, and with ribs or feathers extending from
socket to socket, as herein-before described.

page_text: And, third, constructing the naves of wheels in cast metal, with sockets
for the reception of the inner ends of spokes with a central ring, and with
ribs or feathers extending from the sockets to the ring, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Parsons, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
R. A. BROOMAN,
166, Fleet Street,
London.
GEO. PARSONS. (L.S.)