Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of the Wheels of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of the Wheels of
Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, GEORGE BELL of Ash Tree Villa Boldmere Road Wylde Green in the
County of Warwick, Mechanic 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, reference being had to the drawings
accompanying this Specification and to the figures and letters shewn thereon:-
My invention relates to the improvements hereinafter describe in the manu-
facture of the wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and the like and
is chiefly designed as a means to counteract the effect of the dead weight when the
rider commences to propel the machine by treadling and so as to diminish the need
of so much treadling as hitherto necessary to employ and my improvements consist
in forming integral with the rim of the wheel or wheels or attaching thereto a
weight or weights of any convenient proportions according to requirements, the
object of this addition being to give auxiliary impulse to the wheel or wheels after
once starting and the weighted portion has revolved past the centre so as to lessen
dead weight and to create additional speed.
I will proceed to fully describe my arrangements with the assistance of the
drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts upon the several
figures.
Figure 1. represents a cycle wheel with my improvements in connection therewith
according to one of the forms I adopt.
Figure 2. represents a modification of same.
Figures 3 and 4 represent an alternative formation of the weight or weights.
Figure 5 represents a cross section of Figure 1.
Figure 6 a cross section of Figure 3.
Figure 7. represents a weight I sometimes use in connection with the tyre of a
cycle wheel as a variation in adapting my improvements, seen also in dotted lines
Figure 2.
The cycle wheels will be made in the usual manner from iron, steel, or other
hard metals and alloys, such as is commonly used, and as shewn in Figures 1. and 5
(which I will firstly describe) I form upon the metal rim A of the wheel (which
may preferably be the speed wheel, or may be the rear wheel, or both) a V shaped
projecting portion B which may either be brazed on solid to the rim A and integral
therewith or may be formed independently and attached thereto by any suitable
means, this portion B constitutes the weight, or this V portion B. may take the
form of a flange piece or box, brazed or otherwise attached to the rim of the wheel,
the weight in this case being produced by running cast-iron, lead or other metal in
its molten state into the flange piece or box when the rim is being made, or the
flange piece, or pieces, or boxes, may be suitably weighted by other means.
One or more of these weights or weighted portions may be added to the rim of
the wheel as found desirable as in Figure 2, for ordinary usuage probably one only
upon the speed wheel will be found sufficient.
In Figures 3 and 4 and sectional view Figure 6 an alternative method as to the
form the weighted portion B may take, is shewn, which will be applied exactly
similar to the above described.
Or as in Figure 2 the weight or weights B. may be brazed or otherwise suitably

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or
attached to the rim to one, or any of the spokes in such a manner that the end
of the spoke may pass through the weight.
Sometimes I may prefer to introduce the weight in one or more portions into the
interior of the tyre C. itself as shewn in dotted lines D. Figure 2 in which case the
weight may be formed either of a slightly curved form or straight, as seen in
Figure 7. so as to enclose it within the tyre either by lacing or otherwise rigidly
securing it; when it is obviously hidden from sight and will in no way interfere
with the wheel or with the pneumatic or other arrangements of the tyre.
I have included the latter method as an arrangement that may be sometimes
advantageously adopted though that which I prefer is shewn and described with
the weight in combination with the rim of the wheel.
The advantage gained by my improvements is that the machine obviously takes
less propelling power to start it and when once in motion will be enabled to travel
at a very much greater rate as the speed of the wheel or wheels after one or two
revolutions is accelerated by the effect of the weight or weights which thus affords
increased impulse moreover the speed wheel will not require so much treadling or
propelling power to raise a high rate of speed, the dead weight being minimised as
before described.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details of
arrangement and construction herein described as I may modify the same, but that
which set forth as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the
fact of introducing a weighted portion in any suitable position and form in
combination with cycle wheels of all kinds and wheels of a like nature.
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-
Firstly. In the manufacture of the wheels of bicycles tricycles and other
velocipedes the introduction and application of a suitable weight or weights in any
shape or form in connection with the rims or tyres or other parts of the said wheels,
for the purpose set forth'and illustrated.
Secondly. In the wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes the special
formation, arrangement, and construction of the weight or weights and the methods
of embodying the same with the rims of the wheels by brazing or otherwise
suitably attaching the said weight or weights thereto substantially as described an i
illustrated in the drawings.
Thirdly. In the wheels of cycles of all kinds and other similar wheels the ine in
for and method of applying the special formation and arrangement of the weight
or weights, which are attached within the tyre of the wheel as set forth.
Fourthly. The improvements herein described and the means to be employed for
carrying the same into effect or other similar acting means substantially for the
purpose set forth.
Datad his 6th day of July 1905
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
101, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Patent Agents for the Applicant