Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Elastic Hubs of Wheels for Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
PROVISIONAL SI FUIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Elastic Hubs
of Wheels for Vehicles.
I, CHRISTOPHER BEAVEN MARKS of 44 Cambridge Road, Mile End Road, in the
County of London, Gas Examiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
bo as follows:-
This invention relates to elastic hubs for vehicle wheels and is designed to facilitate
and otherwise improve the construction thereof especially elastic hubs of the character
for which I obtained Letters Patent No. 6645 of 1894.
My present invention is as follows:-
The axle box is made of suitable steel tube (through which the axle passes without
touching same) within each end of which is respectively secured a metal ring or flange
on the ball race or bearing in which the axle is supported and on the outside of each
said bearing I secure in any suitable manner a short tube which projects inwards a
little way beyond the wider part of the bearing and over the said first named tube
thus leaving a space between the latter and each inwardly projecting end of each said
short tube in which space a part of the tubes bearing or containing the air or other
cushion or springs of any suitable character (for instance tubes such as described in
my said patent) are introduced by means of suitable slots cut in the ends of the said
cushion tubes and same are secured together by a screw or screws or other suitable
means to lock said tubes to the axle box and bearing thereof.
Or the axle box may be otherwise suitably constructed or the cushion tubes may
be locked or secured to the axle box in any other desired manner suitable for use with
the means hereinafter described for preventing lateral play of the wheel according
to my present invention.
On the axle box I form arrange or mount in any suitable manner a rather deep
vertically extending circular flange on each side thereof and which flange (on each
side respectively) overlaps the outside end or flange of the hub to which latter the
spokes are secured and between these two adjoining vertical faces (which are free to
move vertically and parallel with respect to one another on each side) I form or
introduce any suitable rubbing contacts or anti-friction surfaces for instance I introduce
ball or other suitable hearings for which purpose I may form arrange or mount a rim
or groove or bearing in said flange on the axle box in which a series of balls are
held but projecting from said groove or bearing so as to bear against the vertical
sides of the hub (or the balls may be carried on the hub) which latter may
advantageously have formed or mounted thereon an outwardly and then vertically
(i.e. centrally) extending circular flange to overlap or embrace the said flange on the
axle box and thus serve as dust or dirt excluder etc.
The hub may advantageously have a steel or other hard face plate on each vertical side
thereof against which takes place the rubbing contact with the balls etc. on the flange
on the axle box or vice versa.
Vertical movement of the axle box with respect to the hub and wheel can thus
freely take place but nevertheless owing to the aforementioned arrangement of strong
flanges and bearing surfaces etc. between the vertical faces of the axle box flange and

page_text: the vertical sides of the hub thereby lateral play of the wheel (without the axle.
box) is prevented.
Any suitable means may be used for adjusting the various parts.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Elastic Hubs
of Wheels for Vehicles.
I, CHRISTOPHER BEAVEN MARKS of 44 Cambridge Road, Mile End Road, in the
County of London, Gas Examiner, 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:-
This invention relates to elastic hubs for vehicle wheels and is designed to facilitate
and otherwise improve the construction thereof especially elastic hubs of the
character for which I obtained Letters Patent No. 6645 of 1894.
I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section-on line 1-1 Fig. 2-of a flexible hub of a wheel.
such as a bicycle wheel."
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through an elastic hub of a mail-axle
wheel.
Fig. 4 is an end view partly in section of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of
the arrow y.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 :-
The axle box is made of suitable metal such as steel tube a (through which the axle
passes without touching same) within or on each end of which is arranged the ball
race or hearing in which the axle (not shown) is supported and on the outside of each
end of said tube a I secure in any suitable manner a short tube 6 which projects
inwards a little way beyond the wider part of the bearing and over the said first-
named tube a thus leaving a space between the latter and each inwardly projecting
end of each said short tube 6 in which space a part of the tubes (bearing or
containing the air or other cushion or springs of any suitable character-such as the
rubber cushion c shown in the drawings) are introduced and also the ends of the metal
bars c¹ (which are fixed rigidly to the said tubes 2) and same are secured together by a
screw or screws d or other suitable means to lock said tubes 6 to the axle box a.
Or the axle box a may be otherwise suitably constructed or the cushion tubes : may be
locked or secured to the axle box a in any other desired manner suitable for use with
the means hereinafter described for preventing lateral play of the wheel according
to my present invention.
On the axle box a 1 form arrange or mount in any suitable manner a rather deep
vertically extending circular flange e on each side thereof and which flange e as shown in
the drawings has an internally screw-threaded collar e' thereon adapted to be screwed
over the aforesaid short tubes b on each side of the hub and such collar e' is split as
shown at and these abutments e² are secured together tightly by a screw e³ or in any
other suitable manner.
Between the side of the hub and the adjoining deep circular flange e (which are
free to move vertically and parallel with respect to one another on each side) I form

page_text: or introduce (advantageously towards or near the circumferential edge of the latter)
any suitable rubbing contacts or anti-friction surfaces for instance I introduce ball or
other suitable bearings such as the balls g for which purpose I may form arrange or
mount a rim or groove h carrying bearings i (the latter advantageously formed in two-
parts as shown) in said flange on the axle box a in which a series of balls g are held but
projecting from said groove or bearings so as to bear against the vertical sides f of
the hub (or the balls may be carried on the hub) which latter may advantageously
have formed or mounted thereon an outwardly and then vertically (i.e. centrally)
extending circular flange k to overlap or embrace the said flange e on the axle box a
and thus serve as dust or dirt excluder etc.
The face plate of the hub is advantageously of hardened steel against which plate f
takes place the rubbing contact with the balls g.
Vertical movement of the axle box with respect to the hub and wheel can thus freely
take place but nevertheless owing to the aforementioned arrangement of strong flanges
and bearing surfaces between the vertical faces of the axle box flange e and the
vertical sides of the hub thereby lateral play of the wheel (without the axle box) is
prevented.
Any suitable means may be used for adjusting the various parts.
Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4-the vertical flange e is fixed rigidly to the mail-
axle box a by screws d at the one end (as shown or in other equivalent manner)
and at the other end by forming such flange e with an internally screw-threaded
collar e thereon and splitting the latter and securing the abutting faces e of this
split collar el with bolt és and nut or screw as before described or in other suitable
manner.
These flanges e carry balls 9 therein in split bearings i carried in the groove or
channel h formed on the opposing faces of said flanges e said balls g bearing against
the hardened steel faces f of the hub so that rolling contact is thus made and vertical
movement of the hub (to which the spokes are secured in the usual or any suitable
manner) is thus freely permitted but lateral play prevented.
The hardened steel or other suitable plate fas shown can be readily detached
when worn and replaced by a new one.
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. The improved means of attaching the cushion bearing tubes to the axle box
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
2. The arrangement and combination with an elastic hub having vertical faces
thereon such as f of a deep flange such as e secured to the axle box and provided
with suitable rubbing contacts between said flange and said hub face substantially in
the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
3. The arrangement and combination with an elastic hub having vertical faces
thereon such as f of a deep flange such as e secured to the axle box bearings
carried on the inner face of said flange adapted to hold a series of balls therein
and balls held in such bearings and adapted to serve as rolling contacts between
the said flange and said hub face on each side of said hub substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
4. The improved elastic hub constructed combined and arranged to act substantially
in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 4th day of December 189
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.