Improvements in the Construction of Wheels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Wheels.
I, JOHN ROBERT LOFTHOUSE, of 54, Elford Place, Leeds, in the County of York,
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:-
My invention relates chiefly to wheels for hand trucks, trolleys, barrows, and
the like light vehicles, but it is applicable also to wheels for carriages, cabs, and
the like road vehicles.
The object is to provide for such vehicles a cheap, durable, and noiseless wheel,
in which the wearing surface may be readily and cheaply renewed when required.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation (in section) of my improved wheel as applied to hand
trucks or trolleys.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation (in section) of my improved wheel as applied
to a carriage or other road vehicle.
In constructing my improved wheel for trolleys or the like (see Figs. 1 and 2),
I employ two circular plates or flanges A A, preferably of iron or steel, each with
an inwardly projecting rim B. The said plates A A are connected by a number
of bolts C, thus forming the body of the wheel. The tread of the wheel is formed
by a ring D (of any convenient cross-section) of rubber, papier-maché, wood,
or like substance, the said ring resting between the plates A A on suitable
internal annular shoulders thereon, and being gripped and held securely in
position by the projecting rims B B. Each of these rims may if desired be
formed by two or more concentric rings, or in lieu of the rims B B a series of
projecting pins or studs may be employed.
The wheel may slide on and be turned by a revolving axle E (as shown in the
drawing, or it may be applied to a fixed axle, the wheel in the latter case having
a loose central boss. The axle E is preferably fluted, with three or more
flutings.
Or if desired the wheel may be so connected to the axle as to have no lateral
movement.
The ring D may either be entire or in several segments to facilitate renewal,
according to the material employed.
In adapting my improvements to wheels for carriages and the like road vehicles
(see Fig. 3), I employ, in lieu of the plates or flanges, two annular rings F F,
which bed against the felloe G of the wheel and are secured thereto by bolts C.
The tyre D is in this case made of rubber, and is held in position by the projecting
rims B B as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A wheel consisting of two metal plates or flanges bolted together and

page_text: gripping between them a rubber, wood, or other suitable tread or tyre in the
manner substantially as shown and described.
2. A wheel for trolleys, hand trucks, and like light vehicles, constructed as
described in Claim 1 and mounted loosely on a fluted axle so as to slide thereon
and be turned thereby, substantially as shown and described.
3. in a wheel for carriages and like road vehicles, the employment of two
annular metal rings bolted at each side of the felloe and gripping between them
a rubber tread.or tyre in the manner substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 21st day of October 1899
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.