IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR VEHICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,.
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR VEHICLES." -A communication from
abroad by Charles Jeantaud, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 23rd April 1875, and dated the 22nd February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd February 1875.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the.
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the.
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR VEHICLES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Charles Jeantaud, of Paris, in the Republio
of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates more particularly to the tyres of wheels for
vehicles, and consists essentially in the application to the wooden felly
or rim of the wheel of a ring of wrought iron or other suitable metal,

page_text: having an annular or other groove or recess in its outer periphery for
the reception of a ring or layer of india-rubber or similar elastic
material, which is itself surrounded with a ring or covering of wrought
iron, steel, or other suitable metal forming the tyre proper. The
Invention is however also applicable to wheels having a metal rim or
periphery.
In carrying out this Invention as applied to wooden wheels the inner
metal ring is passed over the wooden felly or rim whilst in a heated con-
dition, and the india-rubber ring or layer having been inserted in the
groove or recess provided for its reception, the external ring or tyre is
placed over it, thereby forming the rolling surface of the wheel. The
external ring or tyre is by preference embedded in the india-rubber to a
short distance below the upper edge of the metal surrounding the annular
groove or recess. And in order to enable it to be placed around the
wheel arranged in the manner before mentioned, it is either formed in
two or more parts, or in a single piece split or divided, the two
extremities in the latter case being either made to lap the one over the
other, or united by a separate overlapping junction piece. Or the inner
metal ring may be composed of two parts, viz., a ring of angle iron and
an annular side plate, so as to afford facility for the application of the
india-rubber and its external covering.
The india-rubber ring or layer may be either formed in one piece and
inserted in its place by stretching it, or composed of two or more pieces,
or it may consist of a tubular piece split or divided at one point of its
circumference. Or in lieu thereof the india-rubber may be moulded in
its place between the rim and the tyre, the latter being in that case
secured by screws or bolts. The india-rubber ring or layer may be
further secured in its place by transverse pins if desired.
When a solid ring of india-rubber is employed it is preferred to form
such ring on its outer surface with an annular groove or recess for the
reception of a metal hoop or ring (split or divided at one portion of its
circumference), to which the external tyre is secured by screws or
similar means.
The form of the several parts of which the compound tyre is con-
structed may be greatly varied in practice without departing from the
principle of the Invention, which consists in interposing an elastic tyre
between two metal tyres. For example, the external tyre may be made

page_text: of a rounded form in cross section on either its outer or inner side, or on
both sides if desired, and it may also be provided with grooves and pro-
jections on its inner periphery. The groove or recess in the inner metal
ring may also be made of an angular or curved form, and the india-
rubber filling may be arranged in such a manner that a layer will be
interposed between the inner metal ring and the external tyre at all
points of their width.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the 38th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her.
special licence that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry.
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 FOR VEHICLES," a communication
to me from abroad by Charles Jeantaud, of Paris, in the Republic of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer
tain 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 Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say-
The said Invention relates to various special arrangements which
admit of practically carrying out a system of wheel felly, provided with
an elastic ring or cushion of india-rubber, and applicable to the wheels
of vehicles of every description, and it consists essentially in the appli- 1
cation to the wooden felly or rim of the wheel of a supplementary metal
ring or tyre, having an annular groove or recess of suitable depth in its
outer periphery for the reception of an india-rubber ring or tyre, which
is itself covered with a metal ring or tyre, diminishing the resistance to
the draught, and ensuring the preservation and durability of the elastic 1
cushion. The Invention is also applicable to wheels having a metal
felly, as in this case the internal or supplementary tyre constitutes the
felly of the wheel.
. The essential point to be attained in order to impart to the wheel the
whole of the elasticity required is to allow the india-rubber to expand 2
freely in the groove or recess in which it is situate, and this object is
effected by forming annular hollows or recesses in the circumference of
the felly, or inner ring or tyre, and the outer metal ring or tyre, as well
as in the circumference of the india-rubber, or in either, which hollows
or recesses allow of the free expansion of the india-rubber during the 2
rolling of the wheel.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corre- 3
sponding Figures.
The arrangement which is by preference employed is illustrated by
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Drawing, which represent vertical
sections taken the one at right angles to the other. This arrangement
renders available the advantages of employing tyres shrunk on when in 3
a heated state, and tyres formed in one continous piece, and it is based
upon the insertion of an open or divided metal ring in the india-rubber

page_text: ring or tyre, upon which the closed or continuous tyre forming the
rolling surface of the wheel is fixed by means of screws. A hollow
tyre 6 of suitable shape and dimensions is shrunk on to the wooden
felly a of the wheel when in a heated condition, such tyre having an
annular groove or recess on its outer periphery, in which the india-rubber
ring or tyre c is placed. The latter has an annular groove formed on its
outer periphery, in which is fitted an iron or steel hoop e, cut or divided
at one point in order to admit of its being readily placed in position.
The tyre d, consisting of an uncut or continous metal ring, is attached
by means of screws d₁ to the ring e, whereby the tyre dis maintained
firmly in position and prevented from lateral displacement. For this
purpose the ringe is so arranged that whilst being of comparitively
small width, it is made of sufficient thickness to enter the india-rubber
ring or tyre e slightly below the level of the flanges or cheeks 61, 6*, of
the tyre b. The two extremities of the divided ring e are cut diagonally,
as shewn in Figure 2, and secured by means of the screws d³, which
cause it to form one with the ring or tyre d, thus constituting a rigid
piece of great strength or resistance.
.
In order to allow the india-rubber ring or tyre c interposed between
the tyre d and the supplementary ring or tyre 6 of the wheel to dilate or
expand freely in its recess, such ring or tyre c is made of the shape
shewn in Figure 1, or of any other analogous form, so that hollow
spaces are formed between this ring or tyre and the metal pieces in
or between which it is inserted.
In the arrangement of elastic tyre illustrated in Figure 5 of the
Drawings the external tyre d is constructed either of several pieces or
segments, or in a single piece split or divided at one point, the two
extremities in the latter case being united either by overlapping, as shewn
in Figure 6, or by the addition of an intermediate or supplementary
piece, as shewn in Figure 7.
b
One of the flanges or cheeks of the tyre 6 may be made moveable, as
shewn in Figure 8, in which case the tyre is composed of an angle iron
and of a flat ring b² attached by screws.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 9 the two rings or tyres b, d, are
made in one piece, and forged or welded in such a manner as to form
two concentric rings incapable of being separated from one another, and
between which the india-rubber ring or band c is afterwards introduced,

page_text: the latter being maintained in position if desired by means of transverse
pins.
In the arrangement represented in Figure 3 the Invention is shewn
applied to a wheel with a metal felly. In this case the external ring or
tyre and the ring e serving to maintain it in position may be formed in 5
one piece, the india-rubber being run in when in a liquid state between
the two rings or tyres destined to contain it, and the entire wheel
may be heated and the india-rubber vulcanized on the spot in the
factory.
The Invention is particularly applicable to the wheels of vehicles 1
travelling on rails of all kinds, and especially to tramway cars, in which
case the india-rubber tyre can be made in the works and vulcanized
when placed in position.
Figure 4 illustrates a modification of the Invention, in which the ring
or felly 6 in lieu of being hollow, as in the arrangements previously 1
described, is provided with a flange or annular projection, and the
external ring or tyre d is formed internally with an annular recess or
groove, in order to maintain it in position and prevent it from lateral
displacement.
Figures 10 and 11 illustrate in elevation and vertical section a simple 2
and efficient arrangement of wheel, having a metal felly or rim, with
india-rubber interposed between the felly or rim and the tyre. According
to this modification the rim or felly a is constructed of three or any other
suitable number of curved pieces placed end to end, as shewn in
Figure 10, and united by means of metal plates c provided with a socket 2
for the purpose of receiving the extremity of the wooden spokes d. This
arrangement for securing the spokes may moreover be employed in the
case of the whole of the spokes. The external ring or tyre d is in one
piece, presenting the form shewn in Figure 11, so that the internal web
of this tyre is placed between the two cheeks or flanges 6', 6', of the 3
felly a, and is firmly maintained in position during the motion of the
wheel. In order to fit this wheel together it is simply required to place
the pieces forming the felly a inside the ring or tyre b, the india-
rubber e having been previously placed in its position in the tyre b:
Annular channels or recesses f are formed in the various parts of the 3
wheel in order to allow of the free expansion of the india-rubber
during the rolling of the wheel, as in the arrangements previously
described.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, constructing
wheels with an india-rubber tyre or ring interposed between two metal
tyres or rings, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
hy the accom
ino Drawinoa
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, constructing
wheels with an india-rubber tyre or ring interposed between two metal
tyres or rings, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of
August, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.