IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Baird Handyside, Stephen Alley, and John Hornsby
Carruthers, all of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS."
Sealed the 6th February 1877, and dated the 9th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Baird Handyside,
Stephen Alley, and John Hornsby Carruthers at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 9th August 1870.
JAMES BAIRD HANDYSIDE, STEPHEN ALLEY, and JoHN HORNSBY CARRUTHERS, all
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHEELS."
This Invention relates to wheels of the kind described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to James Baird Handyside, one of the present applicants,
and dated 12 May 1869 (No. 1454), and has for its object to carry out more
effectually and completely the practical advantages aimed at in the carlier Invention
referred to, that is to say, by an improved construction to obtain a wheel which shall
be more safe, elastic, durable, and economical than those of ordinary construction.
In the class of wheel referred to the tire or rim of the wheel is connected to the
central boss or hub by two discs or annular plates of steel or malleable iron, these
discs being put together so as to clasp between them and in concavities formed in
them for the purpose certain duplex annular projections formed on the rim or tire
and on the boss or hub respectively. The discs are fixed together by bolts or rivets,
and the present Invention relates more particularly to improved devices for pre-
venting the discs from slipping round relatively to the boss or hub or to the tire,
and thereby overcoming certain minor difficulties that have been experienced with
the wheel.
One mode of carrying out the Invention is by forming a connection between the
boss or hub and one or more of the series of bolts or rivets which tio the discs
together, such bolts or rivets being generally in a circle about midway between the
boss and the tire, and this may be done in various ways.
In one modification the boss, if forged, has formed on it one or more arms
projecting outwards between the discs, so that one or more of the connecting bolts
or rivets may pass through the end or ends thereof. If the boss is cast it may be
cast with the arm or arms, or forged arms may be attached to the boss in the
process of casting it or otherwise.

page_text: In other modifications the boss may be formed with one or more lugs, to which
may be bolted bars having their outer ends secured to the discs by the bolts or
rivets tying the discs together. Analogous devices may be used for preventing the
tire from slipping round.
Another mode of preventing slipping round and applicable either to the tire or
to the boss is by forming square or other suitably shaped grooves across the inside
of the tire or the outside of the boss, such grooves cutting through the annular
rims which are grasped by the concavities of the discs. In these grooves keys
shaped to fit them are laid, and these keys are formed with round (or otherwise
shaped) projecting ends which enter holes formed in the discs for the purpose when
the discs are placed in position.
The most important application of the Invention is in the case of railway wheels,
although it is by no means restricted to that application.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Baird Handyside, Stephen Alloy, and John Hornsby Carruthers
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th February 1877.
JAMES BAIRD HANDYSIDE, STEPHEN ALLEY, and JOHN HORNSBY CARRUTHERS, all
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHEELS."
Our said Invention relates to wheels of the kind described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to James Baird Handyside, one of us, and dated 12 May,
1869 (No. 1454), and has for its object to carry out more effectually and completely.
the practical advantages aimed at in the earlier Invention referred to, that is to
say, by an improved construction to obtain a wheel which shall be inore safe, elastic,
durable, and economical, than those of ordinary construction.
In the class of wheel referred to the tire or rim of the wheel is connected to the
central boss or hub by two discs or annular plates of steel or malleable iron, these
discs being put together so as to clasp between them and in concavities formed in
them for the purpose certain duplex annular projections formed on the rim or tire
and on the boss or hub respectively. The discs are fixed together by bolts or rivets;
and the present Invention relates more particularly to improved devices for pre-
venting the discs from slipping round relatively to the boss or hub or to the tire,
and thereby overcoming certain minor difficulties that have been experienced with
the wheel, whilst rendering the complete combination of all the parts excellent in
every way.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings,
to be herein-after referred to, and representing our improved wheel and details. In
these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a section as made by a plane passing through the
axis of the wheel, and Figure 2 is an outer face elevation with a part of one of the
annular discs supposed to be broken away to show the inner parts. The central
boss or hub 1 of the wheel is formed with grooves 2 on both faces, which grooves
leave annular projecting rims 3 at the outer corners of the boss, as seen in section.
The tire 4 is formed with grooves 5 which leave annular projecting rims 6 at the
inner corners of the tire, as seen in section. The tire 4 is connected to the central
boss 1 by a pair of annular plates 7 of steel or malleable iron, and which are curved
in radial section, being formed with internal concavities 8 at their eyes to fit on the
rims 3 on the boss, and with similar internal concavities 9 which fit on the corres-
ponding rims 6 of the tire 4. The annular plates 7 are tied or connected together
by bolts 10 (or in some cases rivets) arranged in a circle about midway between

page_text: the inner and outer edges of the plates, and these bolts are by preference passed
through rings 11 applied between the bolt heads and nuts and the plates 7.* The
tying of the annular plates 7 together as described, and as shown in the Drawings,
causes them to clasp or grip the rims 6 of the tire 4 and the rims 3 of the central
boss 1, and the elasticity of the plates 7 makes them hold securely, notwithstanding
differences caused by change of temperature and whilst accommodating themselves
to such differences.
One mode of carrying out our present Invention is by forming a connection
between the central boss or hub 1 and one or more of the series of bolts or rivets
10, and this may be done in various ways. In the modification shown in Figures 1
and 2 the central boss 1 is forged in steel or malleable iron, or cast in steel, with
one or more arms 12 projecting outwards between the annular plates or discs 7, so
that one or more of the connecting bolts or rivets 10 may pass through the end or
ends thereof.
Instead of the boss or hub 1 being formed with arms 12 it may be formed, as
shown in Figure 3, with a complete annular flange or disc 121 of a diameter
admitting of the bolts or rivets 10 being passed through holes formed in it.
When the central boss 1 is made of cast iron it may be cast with the arm or
arms 12 on it, or forged arms may be cast in or attached to the boss in the process
of casting, as indicated in Figures 4 and 5 of the Drawings. In a similar way a
forged annular flange or disc may have the boss cast on it.
In other modifications the central boss 1 may be formed, as shown in Figures 6
and 7, with one or more lugs 13, to which may be bolted bars 14 having their outer
ends secured to the annular plates or discs 7 by the bolts or rivets 10.
Devices analogous to those herein-before described may be used for preventing
the tire 4 from slipping round between the annular plates or discs 7, if required.
Another mode of preventing slipping round is applicable either to the tire 4 or
to the central boss 1, and is shown in Figures 8 to 11 of the Drawings. In these
modifications square or other suitably shaped grooves are formed across the inside
of the tire 4 or the outside of the boss 1, such grooves cutting through the annular
rims 6 and 3 respectively. In these grooves keys 15 are laid, and those keys are
formed with round projecting ends which enter holes formed for them in the annular
plates or discs 7 when the plates are placed in position. The ends and bodies of the
keys 15 may be of any shapes, provided they differ so as to prevent the keys from
getting out after the plates 7 are put together.
The most important application of our Invention is in the case of railway wheels,
although it is by no means restricted to that application.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated, but that what we believe to be novel
and original and claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the improved devices hercin-before described for preventing
the annular plates or discs from slipping round relatively to the central boss or hub
or to the tire.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Baird Handyside and John Hornsby
Carruthers, on behalf of ourselves and the said Stephen Alley, have hereunto
set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES B. HANDYSIDE. (L.S.)
J. H. CARRUTHERS.
(L.S.)