Improvements in or relating to Spring Wheels for Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Spring Wheels for Vehicles.
We, CHARLES ALBERT HUSSEY, Mechanical Engineer, of No. 106, West 105th
Street; and CHARLES EDWARD RUNK, Salesman, of 41, Warren Street, both in
the City of New York, State of New York, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the construction of bicycles and similar vehicles at the present day the
vibration of the frame due to the irregularities in the surface traversed are taken
up only by the comparatively slight resiliency of the pneumatic tyre and by.
the springs of the seat where such springs are used. The tyre and seat however
take up only very ineffectually the vibrations of the vehicle so that a bicycle as
at present constructed is practically almost as rigid and unyielding as a springless
vehicle.
The present invention relates to devices for providing a yielding resilient
connection between the hub of a wheel and its rim and the invention consists
of a vehicle wheel in which the hub is connected with the rim by spokes provided
with springs intermediately between the hub and rim and with means for drawing
out said springs and holding them at tension. The invention consists further
of a spring spoke for vehicle wheels composed of a straight main section a
helical spring made integral therewith and a screw-threaded end section as will
be fully described hereinafter and then defined in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a bicycle wheel provided with spokes
made according to our invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the rim of the wheel on line 2-2
Fig. 1 drawn on a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the outer end of one of the spring-spokes showing the
nipple connecting it with the rim, and
Fig. 4 is a like side view showing a modified form of nipple connection with
the rim.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views
of the drawings.
Referring to the drawings-a designates the hub of a bicycle or other wheel
to which are attached the spokes b in the usual manner. Each of these spokes
consists of a straight portion of steel wire which is coiled near its connection
with the rim r into a helical spring c which is normally under tension when the
spoke is secured in tangential position to the hub and which is provided with a
screw-threaded end section b¹ beyond the spring. A nipple d having a notched
head passes through the rim and is provided with an interior screw-thread
into which the end section 61 screws; the head of the nipple d being tightly
held in a countersunk recess of the rim by the tension of the spring. The con-
nection of the spoke with the rim by means of the threaded end section b¹ and
interiorly-threaded nipple & permits the setting of the spring to tensile strain so
that the required resiliency in longitudinal direction is obtained. The inner end
57 077

page_text: of the nipple d is flattened at opposite sides as at d² so as to permit the con-
venient adjustment of the nipple by means of a wrench after the tyre is placed
in position on the rin.
The spring is made integral with the spoke and bent into proper shape the
steel blank being made of sufficient length, for this purpose. When the spokes
are arranged radially to the hub as in ordinary vehicle wheels and their springs
acted upon by pressure a nut e is screwed on an exterior screw-thread e¹ of the
nipple as shown in Fig. 4 said nut taking up the pressure exerted on the
rim and transmitting it to the spring of the spoke. Without the nuts the
nipples would be liable to play in the rim without acting on the springs and
exert a thrust on the tyre so as to cause injury to the same.
Any desired form of spring may be used those shown in the drawing being
made with convolutions larger at the outer end and diminishing towards the
inner end by which the appearance of the spokes is greatly improved. Any
other form of spring intermediately between the rim and the hub can be used
and would come within the spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A wheel consisting of a hub, a rim, a series of spokes connecting the hub
with the rim, said spokes being provided with springs intermediately between
the hub and rim, and means connecting the rim and spokes for drawing out
and holding said springs under tension substantially as set forth.
2. A. wheel consisting of a hub, a rim, a series of spokes connecting the hub
with the rim, said spokes being provided with helical springs between the hub and
rim, screw nipples passing through the rim and engaging the ends of the spokes,
and a nut on each nipple adapted to bear against the rim for holding the nipples
in position in the rim substantially as set forth.
3. A spring spoke for vehicle wheels, composed of a straight main portion, a
helical spring made integral therewith near the outer end, and a screw-threaded
end section beyond said spring substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of April 1899.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicants.