IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Main, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
Carriage Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELS FOR
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 29th September 1859, and dated the 26th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Main at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th April
1859.
I, ROBERT MAIN, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Carriage
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHEELS FOR CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, in the first place, in the construction of wheels in
such a manner as to be adapted for running either on ordinary ground or on
tramways or railways. For this purpose there is a hollow space formed in.
the felloe of the wheel, in which is inserted a series of segmental links con-
nected together by pins, and forming together a kind of chain all round the
wheel. The inner side of this chain rests against springs fixed in the inner
part of the felloe, and the outer part of the chain is thus made to project,
beyond the tyre, and form a projecting ring or flange on the circumference of
the wheel, so as to be capable of holding and guiding the wheel on a tram or
rail. By this construction of the wheel also, the weight of the carriage to
which it is applied will be caused to press the said ring or flange inwards
against the springs, so as to admit of the wheels of the carriage running with

page_text: the required smoothness on ordinary ground. The springs are covered and
protected by a face plate.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in the construction of
wheels intended to run on ordinary ground, with elastic projections on their
circumference. For this purpose a hollow space is formed, as before, in the
felloe of the wheel, in which springs are inserted, and there are projecting
pieces inserted through spaces in the tyre at intervals in such a manner as to
rest against the springs. By this construction of the wheel the projections
around its circumference will be capable of yielding to the unequal pressure
of the ground. In this case also the springs are covered and protected by a
face plate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Main in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MAIN, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Carriage Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Main, Her special license that I, the said Robert Main, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Main, my executors, administrators, 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 I, the said Robert Main,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 I, the said Robert Main, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per.

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in Wheels for Carriages" consists, in the
first place, in the construction of wheels in such a manner as to be adapted
for running either on ordinary ground or on tramways or railways, without
the necessity of any apparatus requiring to be brought into action by the
driver or attendant on the carriage. For this purpose there is a hollow space
formed in the felloe of the wheel, in which is inserted a series of segmental
links connected together by pins, and forming together a kind of chain all
round the wheel. The inner side of this chain rests against springs fixed in
the inner part of the felloe, and the outer part of the chain is thus made to
project beyond the tyre and form a projecting ring or flange on the circum-
ference of the wheel, so as to be capable of holding and guiding the wheel on
a tram or rail. Instead of a ring or flange in segments, a continuous ring
may be inserted in the hollow space of the felloe, which, by the pressure of
the springs on its inner circumference, will be made to project in a similar
manner beyond the tyre when the wheel has passed from ordinary ground on to
a tram or rail. By this construction of the wheel also, the weight of the
carriage to which it is applied will be caused to press the flange inwards
against the springs, so as to admit of the wheels of the carriage running with
the required smoothness on ordinary ground. The springs are covered and
protected by a face plate. Wheels thus constructed will be self-acting by the
mere effect of the ground or surface on which the wheels rest either being made
to press the elastic ring or flange inwards to a level with the tyre, or allowing
the same to be projected by the springs beyond the edge of the tram or rail on
which the tyre rests.
And my Invention consists, in the second place, in the construction of
wheels intended to run on ordinary ground with elastic projections on their
circumference. For this purpose a hollow space is formed, as before, in the
felloe of the wheel, in which springs are inserted, and there are projecting
pieces inserted through spaces in the tyre at intervals in such a manner as to
rest against the springs. By this construction of the wheel the projections
around its circumference will be capable of yielding to the unequal pressure of
the ground. In this case also the springs are covered and protected by a
face plate.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will describe more
particularly in what manner the same is to be performed, by reference to the
accompanying Drawings and the following description thereof.
ف

page_text: Fig. 1 represents, in side elevation, a wheel constructed as above stated,
with a segmental ring or chain, the face plate being removed in order to shew
the springs; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 repre-
sents a wheel similarly constructed, but with a continuous ring inserted in the
space in the felloe, and with springs of a different kind. Fig. 4 represents a
wheel constructed as described under the second head of my Invention. In
these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the felloe of the wheel; B, the hollow space formed in the same for
the insertion of the chain ring or flange C, which it will be seen is composed
of segmental links connected together in Fig. 1, and is a continuous ring in
Fig. 3; D, D, are the rings fixed in the hollow space B, between the inner
surface of the chain or ring C and the inner solid part of the felloe, so as to
be capable of allowing the chain or ring to pass into the hollow space B when
its exterior surface is pressed upon with sufficient force to compress the springs,
'and of again forcing out the chain or ring on the removal of the pressure
therefrom. These springs are represented, in Fig. 1, as metal plate springs,
such as are commonly used by carriage builders; and in Fig. 3 they are repre-
sented as blocks of india-rubber (which I prefer to be vulcanized) inserted in
sockets formed in the inner solid part of the felloe. But the kind of springs
used may be varied, and in some cases springs may be dispensed with, the
ring in such cases falling into its required position by simple gravity, when not
supported by the ground nor raised by the pressure of the same in an upward
direction on the under side of the ring. The falling of the ring in such cases
would be controlled by stops or a rim fixed or formed in the hollow space of
the felloe; E is the tyre of the wheel; F is the face plate for covering and
protecting the springs. It will be evident, on reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
that when the chain or ring C is in the position shewn therein by full lines,
the said chain or ring will be capable of acting as a flange to keep the wheel
on a tram or rail on which the tyre may be resting, so that the wheels may
run thereon with safety. It will also be evident that when the chain or ring C
is in the position shewn therein by dotted lines, the said chain or ring will
offer no impediment to the running of the wheel on ordinary ground, it being
pressed in an upward direction by the ground reacting against the weight of
the carriage to a level with the tyre, or thereabouts. The former position of
the chain or ring is assumed on the removal of pressure from the springs D, D,
and the latter position by the application of pressure thereto in an upward

page_text: direction. And these respective positions of the chain or ring will become
changed, as required, merely by the wheels of the carriage passing from ordi-
nary ground on to trams or rails, and vice versâ. It will further be evident,
on reference to Fig. 4, that the projections G, G, will be capable of yielding to
obstructions on the road or ground, but at the same time will cause the wheel
to take a firmer hold of the ground.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not claim as
of my Invention the construction of wheels, except for the purpose of inserting
therein the movable chain or ring capable of acting as a flange, as described;
but I declare that what I claim is,―
First, the construction of wheels with a hollow space in the felloe, and the
insertion therein of a chain or ring susceptible of being pressed inwards by the
simple reaction of the ground against the weight of the carriage, or allowed
to spring outwards so as to act as a flange in the manner described.
And, secondly, the construction of wheels with elastic projections, as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Main, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
THOMAS MAIN,
17, Clifton Park, Birkenhead,
Ship Store Dealer.
ROBERT MAIN.
(L.S.)