Improvements in Hubs for the Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hubs for the Wheels of Vehicles.
We, WELLS HENRY WHITE and ALFRED PHILIP NEWDICK, of Los
Angeles, in the County of Los Angeles, and State of California, United States, of
America, Gentlemen, 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 improvements in carriage and wagon hubs, and
among other things it has for its object to provide a hub embodying strength,
lightness, simplicity and durability; to so construct and adapt the parts for joint
co-operation as 'to permit of the spokes or any number of them being quickly
removed and replaced by others; to provide against any possibility of a spoke
casually leaving its seat in the hub, and to provide connecting bolts with
springs, whereby they may be held firmly but yieldingly, so as to prevent the same
from coming out.
Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and
claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inner half or section of the hub constructed
according to this invention and illustrating a portion of two' spokes seated
therein.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the outer half or section of the hub.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the connecting-bolts, showing an elastic
washer thereon.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hubs complete with the spokes
seated therein and an axle-spindle in position, and
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner end of one of the spokes removed.
Referring by letter to said drawings,
A indicates the inner section of the improved hub, which may be made of
any suitable material, although we prefer to make the hub out of an alloy of
cast-iron and aluminium, as by the use of such material we get the combined
advantages of lightness, strength, and brightness which is not subject to rust 'or
the like. This hub-section A has the usual bore a, for the passage of an axle-
spindle and an attaching or connecting flange b, which latter. however, differs
from the ordinary flange by being a little thicker on its outside for a purpose which
will be presently explained. On the connecting or meeting side of this hub-section A
and concentric with the bore a, is an annular groove c, which is of a depth so
that its base will lie at a point corresponding with the longitudinal centre of the
spokes and their seats, and this groove is surrounded by a wall 'd, upon which the
inner ends of the spokes are designed to rest. Radiating from this base or
rest d, are walls or partitions B which, of course, are formed integral with
said hub-sections and each alternate wall is of a corresponding height to receive
above it the connecting-bolts C.
are
Formed on the inner side of the flange b, is a continuous rib or projection e,
which is preferably beveled, as shown, although it may be shaped according to
the fancy or dictation of the mechanic. The partitions or walls B
respectively provided with notches f, which are disposed in the same circular plane,
so that a line drawn through them will form a complete circle, and are designed to
receive a rib or projection on the opposite or outer section of the hub.
The flange b, of the hub-section A is provided on its outer side and at points
corresponding with the tops of the short walls B with angular depressions or
recesses g, which are designed to receive and seat nuts h, on the threaded ends of
the connecting bolts C.

page_text: These bolts C are designed to take through-holes in said angular recesses g, and
pass over the outer transverse edge of the walls B so as to project laterally there-
from and enter a groove in 'one of the walls or sides'of the spoke, as will be presently
explained.
Dindicates the opposite or outer section of the hub. This section, which also
has the usual bore to receive the spindle, is provided on its inner side with an annular
tongue i, which is designed to enter the groove c, in the opposite section, as
shown.
This section D is furthermore provided with the connecting-flange k, having
holes, to receive the connecting-bolts C and it is also provided on its inner
side with an annular rib or projection m, designed to enter the notches f, of the
walls B in the opposite hub-section and also enter a groove n, in one side of the
inner end of the spokes and screw-threaded externally at its outer end to receive an
internally-screw-tapped cap E, which cap is provided with a notch p to receive a
wrench or other implement whereby it may be turned on or off of the hub, and this
cap encloses a nut on the outer end of the spindle, as shown.
G indicates the spokes, which are mainly of the ordinary construction, having
their inner ends shaped to enter the spaces between the walls B. The inner ends
of the spokes are provided on one side with a groove q to receive the rib e, of the
section A and on the opposite side, but at a greater altitude, with a similar curved
grooven, to receive the rib in, of the section B, and said spokes are furthermore
provided on another wall and relatively at right angles to the grooves n, and
at a still greater elevation, with a groove r, designed to receive a portion of
the connecting-bolts C.
but
In connecting the two sections of the hub after the spokes have been seated I
provide the bolts C with rubber or other elastic washer H placed beneath the
heads of the bolts, as shown, so that the said bolts may be turned into the nuts h
while in their angular seats and thereby connect the two sections of the hub
firmly but yieldingly and prevent the nuts from casually turning off of the bolts.
From the construction described and illustrated it will be seen that we have a
very strong and durable hub and that the spokes while being capable of quick and
ready removal and replacement, are absolutely prevented from leaving their seats,
being held upon opposite sides by the respective ribs of the hub-sections and or one
of the remaining sides by the connecting-bolts so as to firmly lock them in their
seats.
In use should any one or more of the spokes become broken or injured it is simply
necessary to turn off the cap, then loosen the connecting-bolts, and slide the
sections or hubs apart, when the impaired spoke may be driven out and another one
as quickly inserted.
The inner hub-section is provided with a lubricant aperture t, which leads
through said section and this aperture is normally closed by a flat spring u, carrying
at one end a tip of leather or other suitable material for closing the aperture and is
pivotally secured at its opposite end, as shown.
While we have described specifically and in detail the construction precisely as
shown, yet we do not wish to be understood as confining ourselves to such exact
construction, as we are aware that some changes and modifications may be made in
the parts without departing from the principle of the invention, and we therefore
reserve the right to make such modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of
the improvements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A wagon or carriage hub comprising two sections, one of which is provided on
its inner side with a rib or projection, and walls forming chambers or seats for
spokes and having notches in one edge, said section also having, bolt-apertures, with
angular seats in its flange and a groove around its bore, and the opposite section

page_text: having a tongue adapted to enter said groove and a rib to enter the notches in said
walls and also having holes to receive the connecting bolts, the whole being
adapted to receive the inner ends of spokes and enter grooves in three outer walls
thereof, substantially as specified.
2. In a wagon or carriage hub, the combination with two sections adapted to
receive and seat spokes between them, of bolts connecting said sections, elastic or
yielding washers interposed beneath the heads of the bolts, and nuts arranged in
angular seats on the outer side of one of the hub-sections to receive the threaded
ends of the connecting bolts, substantially as specified.
3. A carriage or waggon hub formed in two sections and having spoke-seats, in
combination with spokes having a groove in one wall and bolts adapted to serve the
twofold function of connecting the hub-sections and securing the spokes by entering
said groove thereof, substantially as specified.
4. In a carriage or wagon hub having each short alternate spoke-seat walls of a
corresponding height in combination with an opposite section having its flange
provided with bolt-holes, and connecting bolts passing through the holes in the
respective flanges above the short walls and projecting laterally therefrom, so as to
enter a groove in the spoke-seats, substantially as specified.
5. In a hub, the inner section having the angular nut-seats in the outer side of
its flange, the alternating long and short walls on its inner side and each wall
having a notch in its inner edge at a corresponding point and the flanges also
having a rib or projection on its inner side between each wall in combination with
an outer section having bolt-holes in its flange and a continuous rib or projection on
its inner side to enter the notches of said walls and connecting-bolts arranged over
the outer edges of the short walls and spokes having three-side walls grooved to
receive the ribs and connecting bolts, respectively, as set forth.
DL: 20th of May 1900
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.