Improvements in Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels.
1, GEORGE EVAN RUTTER of 43 Horsford Road Brixton Hill in the County
of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
It consists in the construction of wheels in a manner or form by which, among
other results, the weight of the body or load carried is more advantageously
distributed and supported about the wheel and by which resiliency is obtained
without the aid of rubber or pneumatic tires.
The construction is such that vibration is reduced to a minimum and the wheel
in travelling is practically noiseless.
The concussions of the tire are not transferred in a direct line to the nave of the
wheel and the life of it (the wheel) is greatly prolonged.
In order that the nature of the invention may be understood I will describe it as
follows:
1 take a wheel and divide off its boundary or circumference into a desirable
number of parts. These parts which for this purpose may be called points of
suspension, or bearings, are spanned or bridged across by metal wood or other
substance either flexible or rigid of suitable material and shape; and are connected
together to the circumference of the wheel in a convenient manner.
ог
and
The sides thus formed make a series of suspensions around the inside of the
boundary of the wheel..
At the points of suspension (the bearings for the sides) elastic or vibration
absorbing material or air cushions may be used. This is always desirable though
not absolutely essential except in wheels where vibration must be reduced to a
minimum; as the advantages of the distribution of the load are not affected.
It may be advisable preferably when the span is great, for the sides to he
attached or linked to the circumference of the wheel by elastic material or springs
or equivalents, at other points than at those parts which are bearings or points of
suspension, or extra bearings may relieve the sides when requisite.
The sides are connected with and support as may he necessary the spokes, or
they (the sides) may carry the hub or nave of the wheel direct without the aid of
spokes.
The sides may be continuous or in sections and to them may be secured any
required number of spokes. They (the sides) must also be so insulated at the
bearings by air cushions or equivalents as before mentioned that the vibrations
from the rim or tire will be completely absorbed and not taken up by the sides.
Or a wheel may be built up of suspended sides resting upon suspended sides
giving in a six sided or in an eight sided figure the appearance of the network
spread by a spider.
Or upon the suspended sides of a wheel or circle may be supported an inner circle
or wheel in a suitable manner, the boundary of the inner wheel resting upon the
suspended sides of the outer wheel.
The angles of the segments contained by the sides and the parts of the circum-
ference they cut off, depend upon the number of sides the wheel may have, and
it is understood the wheel may have any convenient number of sides, and may
form a figure of any shape. The shape will be governed principally by the length
of the span.

page_text: A modification may be made by which an inner wheel may be fixed or suspended
by a number of suitable supports from the inner side of the circumference of the
outer wheel. These supports or connections may be or may contain air cushions or
clastic fluids or elastic solids.
COME LEIE DIEULE TUATION.
Improvements in Wheels.
"
1, GEORGE EVAN RUTTER of "Southlands South Road, Clapham Park in
the County of Surrey (formerly of 43 Horsford Road Brixton Hill in the same
county) Engineer 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 :-
It consists in improvements in the construction of wheels for road vehicles
generally in a manner or form by which among other results the weight of the body
or load carried is more advantageously distributed and supported about the wheels ;
and there are fewer dead points to overcome than is the case with an ordinary
wheel, The concussions of the tire are not transferred in a direct line to the nave
of the wheel; vibration is reduced to a minimum, and wear and tear is lessened,
while resiliency is obtained.
I will now particularly describe my invention with the help of the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 represents a wheel such as may be used generally, and is specially
suitable for bicycles and the like.
A is the outer circle or rim which is rigid and of any ordinary shape. Upon
the suspended sides B of this rim or circle A rests or is supported an inner wheel C
in a suitable manner.
In Figure I its rim or circle A is divided off into a desirable number of parts
for bearings A which in this figure are equally distanced and will form a
hexagon.
To these bearings A' are secured the sides B which may be of flexible or rigid
steel, the size and strength of the metal being governed by the weight to be carried
and the length of the span.
Wood or other suitable material which may be either rigid or flexible may be
used for this purpose.
The sides may be continuous or connected together in separate lengths, and to
the rim A; or they may be fixed to the rim A separately and insulated from each
other; or at desirable distances apart as represented in Figure II.
The sides B may be insulated from the rim A in a convenient manner by vibration
absorbing material as for instance as shewn at A' where rubber is used at the
point A between the rim A and the side B.
The sides B thus secured make a series of suspensions around the inside of the
rim A.
When the span is great it may be advisable for the sides B to be attached or
linked to the rim A of the wheel, by elastic material or springs or equivalents at
other points than at those parts which are bearings for the sides as shewn at D in
Figure V or extra bearing may relieve the sides when requisite as at E in Figure V
where the support may be capped with an air cushion or rubber or other suitable
material as shewn at E' upon which will rest the side B when sufficiently
depressed.
Upon the suspended sides 13 of the rim or circle A is supported an inner wheel C.
The rim of the ioner wheel C may be made of metal wood or other suitable
material, and where the rim C' is secured to the sides B at the points C* vibration

page_text: absorbing material C³ may be used to advantage, which may be placed between the
rim C' and the side B at the point C².
A modification may be made as illustrated in Figure II where the inner wheel
is shewn supported with a lesser number of sides than are used in Figure I and
if necessary elastic material or springs or equivalents may be used to connect the
inner wheel to the outer rim as shewn at A.
Figure III shews a further modification where preferably the sides B should be
rigid.
The sides are connected with and support as may be necessary the spokes, any
convenient number of which may be used.
The sides may carry the hub or nave of the wheel direct without the aid of
spokes by building up the wheel of suspended sides resting upon suspended sides as
represented by Figure IV.
It will be understood that wheels as described may have any convenient number
of sides and may form figures of any shape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A wheel for road vehicles generally consisting of an outer rigid rim suitably
connected with an inner wheel by means of rigid or flexible supports tangential to
the inner wheel and forming chords to the outer rim as described and illustrated
in Figure I and its modification Figure II.
2. A wheel consisting of an outer rigid rim having any suitable number of
chords which support the spokes direct from the hub or nave as described and
illustrated in Figure III.
3. A laced wheel composed of suspended sides resting upon suspended sides as
described and shewn in Figure IV.
Dated this 27th der of Contaimban 1904