Improvements in Machines for Forming and Coupling the Ends of Rims or Felloes for Wheels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Forming and Coupling the Ends of
Rims or Felloes for Wheels.
I, HORACE ALVORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at 522 Menton
Avenue, of Painesville, in the County of Lake, and State of Ohio, U.S. A., Lawyer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to machinery for forming wooden rims or felloes for
wheels, and also for uniting the end thereof, and for drying the same and holding
them in position while being dried.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of the ends of two sections of a felloe or rim of a
wheel to be joined together;
Fig. 2, a side view of the machine by which the ends of these rims or felloes are
formed;
Fig. 3, an end view thereof;
Fig. 4, is a side view of the saw or cutter arbor with the saws and driving pulley
connected as when in use;
Fig. 5, represents different parts of the machine for holding the wooden rims or
felloes in position;
Fig. 6, is a side view of a part of the machine showing the wooden rim in position
for the second cut or bevel;
Fig. 7, a plan view of a machine for bending the wooden rims or felloes into a
circular form;
Fig. 8, a side view thereof;
Fig. 9, a side view of the form for receiving the stick which constitutes the
wooden rim or felloe, and for holding it in a circular form;
Fig. 10, represents a side and edge view of said stick before it is formed into a
rim or felloe;
Fig. 11, a view of the same when so formed and before the ends are united;
Fig. 12, a side view and edge view respectively, of a lever for starting and
stopping the machine;
Fig. 13, a plan view of a friction clutch which constitutes a part of the apparatus
as hereinafter described; and,
Fig. 14, and 15, represent details of the construction.
In Figs. 7 to 15, inclusive, I have shown a machine for forming the rims or
felloes from sticks by which they are formed into circles, and a clamping device
for retaining the same in form while being dried in a kiln.
This machine consists of a suitable frame A5, which is provided with a form B³,
for receiving the stick w, which is shown in Fig. 10, and from which the rim or
felloe is made, said form being adapted to hold the rim or felloe in circular form
while it is being dried in a kiln, and mounted upon the frame is a chain C, for
drawing the stick w, into the form B, which is suitably supported in connection
with the frame as shown in Fig. 7, and said frame is also provided with sprocket
wheels D, which are adapted to carry the chain C³.

page_text: The machine is also provided with a driving pulley Es, which is loosely mounted
on a shaft, and said shaft is provided with a friction clutch F, which is adapted
to operate in connection with said pulley, and mounted in connection therewith, is
a spring G, for dis-engaging the friction clutch from the pulley.
The shaft 6, is provided with a beveled pinion or gear wheel a", which is adapted
to operate in connection with a beveled gear wheel 67, and 8, represents a lever for
starting and stopping the machine, which when lifted operates the cam or screw h',
and compresses a pulley E, against the friction clutch F, which is mounted on the
shaft 6, and in this operation, the pinion or beveled gear a, drives the gear
wheel 67, which is mounted on the shaft m³, and the chain c, is thus carried around
the sprocket wheel do, and the stick w, is drawn or forced into the form Bs.
The shaft b, is also provided with a journal box d, in which it is mounted, said
journal box being formed on or connected with a hanger secured to the frame, and
a similar journal box e, supports the outer end of said shaft, and a collar f, is
mounted on said shaft, to resist the thrust of the collar A', on the lever c³.
The friction clutch is provided with a wood filling g', and the chain C, is provided
with sprockets, which engage with the stick w, and force it along through the
groovej, into the circular grooves k, of the arm B³.
A shaft n, is provided at the end of the machine on which one of the sprocket
wheels D, is mounted, and a similar shaft is also provided at the opposite end.
The collar, is secured to the shaft , by a pin e', and I also provide a clamp P,
which is shown in Fig. 14, and which is designed to hold the ends of the stick w,
within a form, and prevent the same from coming out, or straightening.
This clamp may be placed upon the form at any desired point, as at Q, in Fig. 9,
and I also provide a cam R, which is opposed to the cam ', and which is secured
to the hanger or journal box de, and in Fig. 15, at A, B, I have shown a transverse
section of the frame in which the groove, is formed, and in Fig. 11, at 2, is
shown the rim or felloe which is bent into a circular form and ready to be spliced
or coupled.
In Figs. 2 and 6, inclusive, I have shown a machine for cutting and forming
these tennons which consists of a frame A, of any preferred form of construction,
which is provided with an arbor or shaft D2, on which is mounted a driving pulley,
and the shaft D2, is provided with cutters 72, as shown in Fig. 4, for cutting the
bevel on the ends of the tennons of the rim joint, and also with cutters ³, for
cutting the grooves or mortices to receive said tennons, and with a screw collar or
nut e, for holding the cutters firmly in place, by pressing the same against a solid
collar ², formed on or welded to the shaft D2, and placed between the cutters,
and 92, is a loose collar 2, which is adapted to allow the passage of a part of the
tennons up or down in cutting a joint, and 3, are jam nuts for taking up any lost
motion in the shaft D2, and between the cutters on the shaft D2, is a space 2, which
should be about three times the thickness of the cutters g². The space leaves
an uncut portion on the end of the rim at the first cut, which is afterwards brought
opposite the cutters by a lateral movement and bevelled in the reverse direction to
the mortices and tennons formed at the first cut. During the second cutting
operation the first cut tennons occupy the free spaces between the cutters.
The foregoing features of construction, are best shown in Figs. 2 aud 4, and in
Fig. 2, E2, represents a shaft for holding the clamping arrangements, and
constitutes a rock shaft for making the bevel at the ends of the felloes or rim,
and f, is an adjustable stop for adjusting the bevel required at the ends of the
tennons, and g³, is an adjustable stop for adjusting the off-set to regulate the
required thickness of the tennous, and for making the cutters g², cut into the centre
of the wood left by the space j', and I also provide a spring a³, for the purpose of
keeping the adjustable stop or screw g3 against the incline h³, all of which is best
shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and a nut 62, is provided for tightening the spring a³;
and c³, and d³, are washers for holding said spring in place.
I also provide a carriage B³, for holding the clamping arrangements by which
the wooden rim or felloe is held, and a lever F, which is pivotally connected with

page_text: the frame of the machine, and the reference numeral 2, indicates a wooden rim
or felloe, which has been formed into a circle as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6,
and which is held in place upon the machine, and in position for having a tennon
formed thereon, and c', represents an adjustable stop for regulating the reverse
bevel at the ends of the tennon, thus making them correspond with the bevels
made by the stop f³.
A cam b', is also provided for clamping the rim or felloe on to the curved
surface, and an inclined surface h³, is also provided for causing shaft E, to slide
side ways thereby moving the rim and causing the cutters on the upward stroke
of the carriage to cut the centre of the wood left by the space . During the
second cut the rim and shaft E' may be retained in position by hand. A link h',
connects the lever F, and the carriage B³, and a jam nut is provided with an
adjustable stop c, and another jam nut, is also provided for fastening the stop f³,
which comes against a face m² on the carriage B³, the said face acting as a stop
therefor. A similar block or lug n², is cast on the clamping device E³, and by
rocking the rim or felloe 2, and clamp E³, the adjustable stop will come in
contact with the face m², and the adjustable stop g³, will slide on the incline h³,
thus making the shaft E, slide on the carriage B³, so as to produce the off set
above mentioned, by rocking the clamp upward and the block or lug n², will come
in contact with the adjustable stop c', and the adjustable stop 93, will slide down
the incline, and be ready for the upward stroke of the carriage B³.
The carriage B³, is operated by the lever F, and moves up and down on the
frame A', and a', is a guard for saws or cutters which serve to keep the end 3, of
the rim or felloe away from the cutters as shown at 3, thus allowing the rim or
felloe to move up and down freely, and a stop or gauge e, is provided for the end
of the rim or felloe so as to gauge the depth of the cut for the tennons that are
formed thereon, and a counter-balance weight h, is connected with the lever F2,
to counter-balance the carriage B³, and said weight is connected with said lever
by means of a set screw, i, and in order to cut a joint or to form the tennons on
the ends of the rim or felloe it is only necessary to secure the rim in the
clamp E³, and press the lever F, downwardly, and swing the rim or felloe of the
clamp forward, as shown on Fig. 6, the lever F, is then lifted to the position
shown in Fig. 2, and the other end of the rim or felloe is then secured in the clamp
and this operation repeated, and the ends of the rim or felloe are ready to be glued
together.
At a, B, Fig. 5, I have shown a cross section of the carriage B³, and the dove-
tail construction, by which it is connected with the frame, and the operation of
this form of construction will be apparent without further explanation, as will
also the operation of the main portion of the machine.
Referring to the drawing and particularly to the construction shown in Figs. 7
to 15, included, I have shown in the machine for forming rims or felloes for the
material by which they are formed into circles and the clamping device for
retaining the same in form while being dried in a kiln.
By means of the machines it will be observed that the material is first bent or
formed and afterward dried in a kiln from whence the rim is put into the joint
cutting machine before described where the joint is cut or made and when the
rim leaves the latter machine the ends are prepared to be joined as is shown in
Fig. 1, of the drawings in which the letters A and B, designate two sections of a
rim or felloe which has been previously bent, dried, and cut by my improved
machine and the ends are adapted to be united by forcing the same together
and securing the parts in this position in any desired manner.
It will be observed by referring to Fig. 1, that I provide the ends of the rim or
felloe with interlocking tennons a, which can form to the general contour or
curvature of the rim and which fit between the corresponding series of tennons on
the opposite section marked b, and in the present instant I have shown each
section as provided with three of these tennons but my invention is not limited to
the particular number.

page_text: The operation of this device will be readily understood from the foregoing
description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and it will
thus be seen that I provide an apparatus of the kind herein described by means of
which straight sticks or pieces of wood may be formed into circles or rims for
wheels or into felloes therefor, and by means of which the ends of said felloes or
rims may be coupled. It will also be seen that the coupling thus formed is of
novel and peculiar construction, and I thus provide a complete apparatus for
forming the circular rims or felloes of wood, and one of which is well adapted to
accomplish the result for which it is intended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The apparatus for forming circular rims or felloes for wheels, herein
-described, and shown in Figs. 6 to 7, substantially as set forth.
2. The apparatus herein described, for forming a coupling for the ends of
circular rims or felloes for wheels, herein described, and shown in Figs. 2, to 6,
inclusive, substantially as set forth.
3. A joint or coupling for the ends of a circular rim or felloe, which consists of
two interlocking sections each of which has a series of tennons or projections,
said tennous or projections being adapted to inter-lock, and being provided with
parallel vertical faces, and the ends of said tennons or projections, and the
abutments therefor, being beveled as herein described, as and for the purposes set
:forth.
4. An apparatus for forming tennons or projections on the ends of a circular
rim or felloe, as herein described, which consists of a vertical frame, a movable
frame mounted thereon, a shaft mounted in said frame, and saws or cutters
connected with said shaft, said parts being connected with operating devices
comprising clamps, a lever and other operative mechanism connected therewith,
as shown in Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, substantially as shown and described.
5. An apparatus for bending straight sticks or strips of wood into circular form,
for use as rims or felloes of a wheel said apparatus comprising a suitable frame,
a circular support mounted thereon, a circular form connected therewith, a groove
adapted to receive said stick or strip, a chain for forcing the same therethrough,
and into said form, and means for operating said parts, consisting of a power
shaft, a pulley mounted thereon, a clutch adapted to operate in connection there-
with, a gear wheel or pinion mounted on said shaft, and a gear wheel operating
in connection therewith, and mounted on a shaft which is adapted to operate
sprocket wheels on which the drive chain is mounted, as and for the purpose set
forth.
.
6. An apparatus for bending straight sticks or strips of wood into circular form,
for use as rims or felloes of a wheel said apparatus comprising a suitable frame,
a circular support mounted thereon, a circular form connected therewith, a groove
adapted to receive said stick or strip, a chain for forcing the same therethrough,
and into said form, and means for operating said parts, substantially as shown and
.described.
Dated this 5th day of March 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.