Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Drilling or Boring the Spoke-holes in the Hubs and Felloes of Velocipede and such like Wheels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
PROVIDIUNAL DI MUITIVATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Drilling or Boring the
Spoke-holes in the Hubs and Felloes of Velocipede and such like
Wheels.
1. WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
Managing Director of Hillman, Elerbert, and Cooper, Limited, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus for
drilling or boring the spoke holes in the hubs and felloes of velocipede and such like
wheels..
I will first describe the machinery or apparatus as arranged for drilling or boring
the hubs.
The machine is provided with a back or driving shaft, which by suitable gearing,
gives motion to a cam shaft, and by means of two pulleys fixed thereon aided by straps
or bands, one of which is crossed, gives motion to two spindles carrying the drilling
or boring tools.
The hub is mounted between two adjustable spindles or centres, one of which is
provided with a suitable carrier to hold the hub securely, and such carrier spindle or
centre has fixed thereon a driving and holding disc, which is formed with a number of
openings or recesses in its periphery, similar to a dividing plate, to enable the same
to be rotated at the required times through a certain portion of a revolution, and then to
be held firmly whilst the drilling or boring is effected. This step by step motion to
the carrier spindle is given by means of a cam on the cam shaft operating a lever,
which by a link operates a driving lever, acting in combination with the recesses in
the dividing plate, a spring acting upon such latter lever in the contrary direction;
for convenience, the parts are arranged so that the can shall carry the driver
backwards and the spring shall give it the forward or feed motion, but if desired the
reverse arrangement can be adopted. After the carrier spindle has been rotated as
above described, a tooth on one end of å holder lever, operated by a cam on the cam
shaft, is caused to enter one of the openings or recesses in the dividing plate, and
thereby securely hold it, and consequently the hub, whilst the boring or drilling is
being effected.
The boring spindles are mounted in sliding head stocks, which are capable of
movement to and fro on short beds fixed on the main bed of the machine, but with
capability of adjustment thereon in a transverse direction, so as to enable the said
boring spindles to be adjusted to hubs having flanges of different distances apart. One
spindle is arranged to act on one side of one of the flanges, and the other on the
opposite side of the other flange. These sliding head stocks are each fitted with a
truck or roller, which is acted upon by a cam fixed on the cam shaft, to give the
necessary forward and backward motions to the drills as required for drilling or boring
the holes, and for permitting the rotation of the hub between the boring or drilling
motions, as also intermediate to and fro motions to free the holes from the borings.
Springs are employed to keep the said trucks or rollers up to their cams.
I prefer to arrange the boring or drilling sliding head stocks parallel to the
driving shaft, and to mount the carrier and driving spindles at such an inclination as
to cause the drills or boring tools to enter the flanges of the hubs at the required
angle, but if desired the reverse arrangement may be adopted.
As above described, the drills act on opposite sides of the flanges, and in the same
horizontal plane; the hub will therefore require to have such a number of holes drilled
therein as, when divided by two, will yield an odd number, in order to ensure the two
opposite holes being drilled in a plane passing through the centre of the hub. If

page_text: desired however the drills can be arranged at a slight vertical angle to each other, in
which case a hub requiring any given number of holes can be drilled.
The machine as arranged for drilling a felloe, is similar to that above described,
with the exception of the following modifications. The drills have simple to and fro
motions for drilling and for leaving the felloe, the intermediate to and fro motions
above referred to for freeing the drill, not being required.
Also, instead of employing, as above described, two carrying spindles for the work,
only one spindle is employed, which is fitted at one end with a driving and holding
disc or dividing plate, operated in the manner herein before described to give the
necessary step by step motion's to the carrier spindle, and to hold it whilst the drilling
is being effected. This carrier spindle is fitted at its opposite end with a kind of
adjustable chuck in the form of a wheel provided with a number of radial sockets
fitted with sliding rods, which at their outer ends are formed with V or other suitably
shaped recesses to receive the felloe. The inner ends of these sliding rods are by
links, connected to a disc, which is capable of rotation in relation to the carrier wheel
or chuck, and consequently of causing the sliding carrier rods to protrude a greater or
less distance through the sockets to securely hold the felloe, and of withdrawing the
same to release the felloe therefrom. The said disc is provided with means to enable
it to be readily fixed and released as required. To place a felloe on the carrier, the
sliding carrier rods are first drawn inwards by rotating the operating disc, the felloe
is then placed around their hollowed ends, they are then slidden outwards until the
felloe fits tightly thereon, after which the disc operating the sliding rods is securely
fixed in position.
The drilling slides are separated the required distance from each other to admit the
felloe between them, and the felloe carrier is placed at such an angle in relation to the
drilling slides as to cause the holes to be drilled at the required inclination, one hole
being drilled on one side of the felloe whilst another is being drilled on the opposite
side thereof.
In using the machine, intermediate holes around the entire circumference are first
drilled at a suitable angle and then the felloe is removed from the holder and refixed
thereon in reversed position to enable the remainder of the holes to be drilled at the
reverse angle. This will necessitate the employment of such a number of spokes in a
wheel as when divided by two will yield an even number.
If it is desired to drill the holes in the felloe in a central plane, the felloe holder
can be readily fixed at right angles with the drill spindles, in which case each hole can
be drilled in succession at one fixing of the felloe.
The machinery or apparatus herein described may be fitted with a self acting stop
mechanism, which, when the hub or felloe has, during the drilling operation, been
caused to make a complete revolution, will stop the motion of the machine.
Dated this 8th day of October 1889.
WILLIAM HILLMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Drilling or Boring the
Spoke-holes in the Hubs and Felloes of Velocipede and such like
Wheels.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry in the County of Warwick,
Managing Director of Hillman Herbert & Cooper Limited 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 accompanying drawings and to the figures and letters marked
thereon:-
The invention has for its object improvements in machinery or apparatus för

page_text: wheels.
DOIT sport moes m the US RIMI TOTIves of velocipede and such like
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of a hub drilling machine
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 3 is a back elevation of the dividing apparatus.
Figure 4 is a side view of same partly in section showing the carrier for holding
the hub and Figure 5 is a plan thereof.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of one of the headstock spindles carrying the
drilling or boring tools.
Figure 7 is a back view of same.
Figures 8 and 9 are parts of frame work showing slots for permitting adjustment of
the headstock spindle beds.
Figure 10 is a developement of the came and Figure 11 is a developement of the
cam d of the hub driller.
Figure 12 is a front elevation and Figure 13 is a plan of a felloe drilling machine
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 14 is a back elevation.
Figure 15 is a side elevation and Figure 16 is a plan of the dividing apparatus used
therein.
Figure 17 is a front elevation and Figure 18 is a section of the felloe carrier.
Figure 19 is a developement of the cam e and Figure 20 is a developement of the
cam of the felloe driller.
In all the Figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
I will first describe the machinery, or apparatus arranged for drilling or boring the
hubs as represented at Figures 1 to 11.
The machine is provided with a back driving shaft a which is mounted in bearings b
formed in or carried by the framing b. On one end of this shaft a is fixed a chain
wheel a which by means of a chain gives motion to another chain wheel c¹ mounted
loosely on the cain shaft and which by the following arrangement of gearing gives
motion to said cam shaft.
The chain wheel c' is fixed to a toothed pinion c² which gives motion to a toothed
wheel and its connected toothed pinion et mounted loosely on the fixed stud or
pin cand said toothed pinion c* gives motion to the toothed wheel c" fixed on the cam
shaft c.
The back driving shaft a by means of two pulleys a² a³ fixed thereon aided by
straps or bands; one of which is crossed; also gives motion to two head stock
spindles d. e carrying the drilling or boring tools f
The hub is mounted between two adjustable spindles g. h. one (g) of which is
provided with a suitable conical or other carrier to hold the hub securely, whilst
the other (h) is a back centre and is capable of being run in and out for the insertion
and removal of the hub.
The carrier spindle g has fixed therein a driving and holding disc g²; which is
formed with a number of openings or recesses in its periphery similar to a dividing
plate to enable the same to be rotated at the required times through a certain portion
of a revolution and then to be held firmly whilst the drilling or boring is effected.
This step by step motion to the carrier spindle g is given by means of a cam g³ on the
cam shaft c operating a lever g' which by a link g' operates a driving lever y
provided with a pawl g' acting in combination with the recesses in the dividing plate
or disc g², a spring 98 acting upon such latter lever in the contrary direction; for
convenience the parts are arranged so that the cam g³ shall carry the driving lever g
backwards and the spring shall give it the forward or feed motion but if desired
the reverse arrangement can be adopted.
After the carrier spindle g has been rotated as above described a tooth on one end
of a holding lever operated by a cam on the cam shaft c and by a spring is
caused to enter one of the openings or recesses in the dividing disc or plate g³ and
thereby securely hold it and consequently the hub a whilst the boring or drilling is

page_text: being effected. The action of the cam and spring is such that the holding lever i is
removed from the dividing disc or plate y immediately before the latter is moved by
the feed lever, whilst directly after such feed action, the holding lever i is again
caused to engage with the notched edge of the dividing plate or disc g². The carrier
spindle g and back centre hare mounted in headstocks fixed to a bed y, which is
capable of adjustment on a centre y¹, and of being fixed at any required angle on
the bed j.
The boring spindles d, e, are mounted in sliding headstocks d, e, which are capable
of movement to and fro on short beds d², e³, fixed on the main bed of the machine,
but with capability of adjustment thereon in a transverse direction, so as to enable the
said boring spindles d, e, to be adjusted to hubs having flanges of different distances
apart. One of these spindles d, e, is arranged, as will be seen on examining the draw-
ings, to act on one side of one of the flanges, and the other on the opposite side of the
other flange.
These sliding headstocks d, e, are each fitted with a truck or roller d³ or e³, which
is acted upon by a cam dor e fixed on the cam shaft c, to give the necessary forward
and backward motions to the drills f, as required for drilling or boring the holes, and
for permitting the rotating of the hub a between the boring or drilling motions, as also
intermediate to and fro motions, to free the holes from the borings. Springs d³, es, are
employed to keep the said trucks or rollers d³, e up to their cams.
I prefer to arrange the boring or drilling headstocks, e parallel to the driving
shaft a, and to mount the carrier and driving spindle and back centre at such an
inclination as to cause the drills or boring tools to enter the flanges of the hubs at
the required angle, but if desired the reverse arrangement may be adopted, that is to
say, the drilling headstocks may be mounted at inclinations with the driving shaft, and
the carrier and driving spindley and back centre may be mounted at right angles
with such shaft.
As above described, and as represented in the drawings, the drills fact on opposite
sides of the hub flanges, and in the same horizontal plane; the hub will therefore
require to have such a number of holes drilled therein as when divided by two will
yield an odd number in order to ensure the two opposite holes being drilled in a
plane passing through the centre of the hub. If desired however the drills f can be
arranged at a slight vertical angle to each other, in which case a hub requiring any
given number of holes can be drilled. The driving pulley at is loose on the shaft a,
and it is fitted with friction segments operated by a sliding clutch a and lever a³,
to fix it to or release it from the shaft a, in a similar manner to that shown and
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, No. 5396 of the
year 1889.
al
The machine as arranged and represented at Figures 12 to 20 for drilling
felloe is similar to that above described, with the exception of the following
modifications.
The drills have simple to and fro motions for drilling and for leaving the felloe,
the intermediate to and fro motions above referred to for freeing the drills, not
being required for this purpose the cams d', e, instead of being made with recesses
in their inclined faces, as in the hub drilling machine, are made with simple
continuous inclines.
Also, instead of employing as above described a carrying spindle g and a back
centre to support the work, a carrying spindle g is alone employed, which is fitted at
one end with a driving and holding disc or dividing plate g² operated in the manner
herein before described, to give the necessary step by step motions to the carrying
spindle g and to hold it whilst the drilling is being effected. This carrier spindle is
fitted at its opposite end with a kind of adjustable chuck, in the form of a wheel g³
provided with a number of radial sockets go fitted with sliding rods g, which at their
outer ends are formed with V or other suitably shaped recesses to receive the
felloe .
The inner ends of these sliding rods are by links g₁ connected to a
dise, which is capable of rotation in relation to the carrier wheel or chuck g³, and
consequently. of causing the siiding carrier rods g" to protrude a greater or less

page_text: distance through the sockets g10 to securely hold the felloe, and of withdrawing the
same to release the felloe therefrom. The said disc g is provided with a hand
lever g by which it can be turned and with a set screw or screws to enable it to be
readily fixed and released as required.
To place a felloe on the carrier, the sliding carrier rods y" are first drawn inwards
by rotating the operating disc g, the felloe is then placed around their hollowed
ends, they are then slidden outwards until the felloe fits tightly thereon, after which
the disc is securely fixed in position. The drilling slides or headstocks d', e', are
separated the required distance from each other to admit the felloe between them, and
the felloe carrier is placed at such an angle in relation to the drilling slides or head-
stocks d¹, e¹ as to cause the holes to be drilled at the required inclination, one hole
being drilled on one side of the felloe, whilst another is being drilled on the opposite
side thereof.
In using the machine, holes, diametrically opposite, are drilled simultaneously;
the chuck then revolves a distance of two holes, and so on, until half the holes in the
felloe are drilled, i.e., every alternate hole, after which, without any rearrangement,
the intermediate holes, those missed on the first revolution of the chuck, are drilled.
This method of working is adopted when a wheel has such a number of spokes
as when divided by two will yield an odd number. When however a wheel is
required to have such a number of spokes as when divided by two will yield an
even number, the following method of working is adopted. Intermediate holes
around the entire circumference of the felloe are first drilled at a suitable angle,
and then the felloe is removed from the carrier or holder and refixed thereon
in reversed position, to enable the remainder of the holes to be drilled at the
reverse angle.
If it is desired to drill the holes in the felloe in a central plane, the felloe holder or
carrier can be readily turned on its centre y¹ and fixed at right angles with the drill
spindles, in which case each hole can be drilled in succession at one fixing of the
felloe.
The machinery or apparatus herein described may be fitted with a self acting stop
mechanism of any suitable character, which, when the hub or felloe has, during the
drilling operation, been caused to make a complete revolution, will stop the motion
of the machine.
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 :-
1. The arrangements and combinations of machinery or apparatus for drilling or
boring the spoke holes in the liubs and felloes of velocipede and such like wheels,
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In machinery or apparatus for drilling or boring the spoke holes in the hubs
of velocipede and such like wheels, the combination and arrangement of drills acting
on opposite sides of the hub or felloe, sliding headstocks carrying such drills, cams
and springs for giving to and fro motion to such headstocks, hub or felloe carrier
fitted with dividing plate, dividing mechanism, and lever for holding and releasing
the dividing plate, and cams and springs for operating such driving mechanism and
holding and releasing lever, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In machinery or apparatus for drilling or boring the spoke holes in the
hubs of velocipede, and such like wheels, the employment of drills acting on
opposite sides of the hub and operated by cams and springs in such a manner as to
receive a generally forward motion when drilling combined with intermediate to
and fro motions to free the holes from the borings, substantially as herein shown
and described.
4. In machinery or apparatus for drilling or boring the spoke holes in the
hubs and felloes of velocipede and such like wheels, the combination and arrange-
ment of drills acting on opposite sides of the hub or felloe, and hub or felloe
carrier headstock mounted on a centre of motion and capable of being fixed

page_text: at any required angle between such drills, substantially as herein shown and
described.
5. In machinery or apparatus for drilling or boring the spoke holes in the felloes
of velocipede and such like wheels, the felloe carrier constructed and operated
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 8th dare of July 1800
WILLIAM HILLMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.