IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Catt and Charles Shorten Catt, of
the Firm of Catt and Son, of Ipswich, Carriage Builders, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 4th October 1870, and dated the 20th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Catt and
Charles Shorten Catt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 20th April 1870.
We, WILLIAM CATT and CHARLES SHORTEN CATT, of the Firm of
Catt and Son, of Ipswich, Carriage Builders, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in constructing wheels for carriages in the
manner herein-after described whereby the rims or felloes of the said
wheels are made capable of slightly yielding when in use. A smoother
motion is by this means secured in the carriage with which the wheels
are used than when ordinary carriage wheels having rigid or unyielding
rims or felloes are used. Instead of connecting the hub and the felloes

page_text: of the wheel together by wooden spokes as usual, we connect the said
hub and felloes together by metallic spokes, divided and curved at their
outer ends so as to form the said outer ends into springs which are con-
nected to the felloes.
The metallic spokes are secured in the hub of the wheel and proceed
for the greater part of their length in the direction of radii; the said
spokes then divide, the divided part opening out from one another and
forming the curved springs described, which are connected with the
felloes. Instead of using the ordinary wooden felloes to form the rim of
the wheel the said rim may be made of a strong hoop or tyre, to which
the spring ends of the metallic spokes are connected.
By constructing wheels for carriages according to our Invention the
rims of the wheels slightly yield when in use, and the tremulous motion
ordinarily transmitted through rigid wheels is obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Catt and Charles Shorten Catt in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
CATT and CHARLES SHORTEN CATT, of the Firm of Catt and Son, of
Ipswich, Carriage Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us the said William Catt and Charles Shorten Catt,
Her special licence that we, the said William Catt and Charles Shorten
Catt, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said William Catt and Charles Shorten Catt, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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
FOR CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
William Catt and Charles Shorten Catt, our executors, or administrators,

page_text: by an instrument in writing under our or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Catt and Charles
Shorten Catt, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which forms part of this
Specification :-
Our Invention consists in constructing wheels for carriages in the
manner herein-after described whereby the rims or felloes of the said
wheels are made capable of slightly yielding when in use, and has for its
object the obtainment of a smoother motion in the carriage with which
the wheels are used than is secured when ordinary carriage wheels
having rigid or unyielding rims or felloes are used. Instead of con-
necting the hub and the felloes of the wheel together by wooden spokes as
usual we connect the said hub and felloes together by metallic spokes,
divided or forked at their outer ends so as to form the said spokes into
strong springs, the outer ends of which are connected to the felloes.
The metallic spokes are secured in the hub of the wheel and proceed
for about half their length in the direction of radii; the said spokes
then divide or fork as shewn at A in Fig. I. of the accompanying
Drawing, the amount of such division in proportion to the number of
spokes employed being sufficient to ensure the support of the rim or
tire at the equidistant points B, B. It is sometimes found preferable
to divide the spokes somewhat nearer the rim or felloes, the divisions
opening out from each other, as represented in Fig. 2, and forming the
curved springs C, C, which are connected with the felloes. Instead of
using the ordinary wooden felloes to form the rim of the wheel the said
rim may consist of a strong hoop or tire, to which the divided ends of
the metallic spokes are connected.
By constructing wheels for carriages according to our Invention the
rims of the wheels slightly yield when in use, and the tremulous motion
or jar ordinarily transmitted from the irregularities of the road through
rigid wheels is much lessened, the noise is reduced, and the durability of
the carriage and wheels greatly increased.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would have it understood that we
make no claim for the use of metallic or spring spokes, but what we do
claim as our Invention is, the combined arrangement and construction of
wheels for the purpose and in the manner described and shewn by this
Specification and accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Catt and Charles Shorten
Catt, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.
Witness,
GEO. GARROD,
Ipswich.
WILLIAM CATT.
(L.S.)
CHARLES SHORTEN CATT. (L.S.)