Improvements in Wheels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 30th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. -
Improvements in Wheels.
1. CHARLES THEODORE CUMMINS of 38 Rees Street, Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to improvement in tyres or rims for wheels generally,
though my object is,. more particularly, to provide a rim of an improved construc-
tion for buffing-wheels. I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting my
improvement to any particular application, since it is also applicable to wheels
other than those of the class mentioned, and to the various descriptions of wheels. .
In the drawing-
Figure 1 is a view of a buffing wheel embodying my improvements, the view
being in part a side elevation of the wheel and in part a section thereof taken on
line 1 of Figure 2, and viewed in the direction of the arrow;
Figure 2, a view in cross section. of the wheet, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, ·
and viewed in the direction of the arrows.; and
Figure 3, an enlarged perspective view of one of the sections of the material
forming the rim.
A is the rim of the wheel which is composed of a number of sections of uniform
size, in. outline, though not necessarily of the same thickness, placed side by side
in a circle of which, the edges of the sections shall form the outer periphery,
and compressed together to afford a substantially continuous body. Each section t.
is provided on opposite ends with notches 2, which in all the sections are alike in
size and relative position, so that when the sections are placed side by side. in a
circle, as described, the notches of the sections will afford continuous grooves in
opposite sides of the rim. The ends of the sections between the notches and
BB are annular retaining and
inner edges are, preferably, rounded as shown.
supporting plates affording the wheel center, which may be of the forin illustrated,
with central openings to fit around a hub, and flanges s around their outer edges to
conform to the rounded parts of the sides and fit into the grooves, of the rim
over the rounded annular shoulders thereof. The hub, C, of the wheel shown, has
a central annular flange r against opposite sides of which the plates rest.
plates B are secured together at short intervals through the flange-r by rivets 7,
and also. at short intervals around their outer edge portions by rivets 7. The
plates thus secured together, are out of contact with each other, leaving an annular
space between them, and they operate by gripping the rim tightly at the
groove to hold the sections of the rim with a firmness which will prevent all
danger of their being thrown off by the centrifugal force generated in the rotation
of the wheel.
The
The sections. t, for the rims of buffing wheels may be of leather, felt, canvas,
In the use of buffing
paper, wood or any other material desirable for the purpose.
wheels. the polishing material, as emery, rouge, etc., is usually applied with glue

page_text: 6
or other adhesive substance, which enters the pores of the rim. When the polishing
material has worn off with use and it becomes necessary to replenish the rim it is
also necessary before this can be done to remove from the rim all traces of the
adhesive substance previously applied. To do this it has been customary hitherto,
to place the wheel in a liquid to dissolve the adhesive substance, which is called
washing" the wheel, and is necessarily slow and, in a measure, unsatisfactory.
To render this washing operation more speedy and at the same time more effective,
I provide a spindle, D, for the wheel, having a central longitudinal passage, n,
extending as far as the flange of the hub C, and there intersected by one or more
passages n extending to the periphery of the spindle. Coincident with the
passage, the hub has an annular groove m, from which one or more passages m
extend through the hub to the annular space p, between the plates B. To wash
the wheel it is rotated at a high speed, and water is poured into the opening of
the spindle. The water is carried by centrifugal force through the passages
n¹
to the space and against the inner side of the rim, the force being so great as
to drive the water through the pores of the material composing the rim, washing
out, in a comparatively short time, all foreign particies contained therein.
m'
As before stated, my improved rim is applicable to wheels of the various
descriptions. The rim owing to the manner of its construction is perfectly balanced,
and is desirable therefore for fly-wheels and pulleys, the sections, if desired,
being of steel or other metal. Toothed gear-wheels may also be made according
to my invention by having the sections t, at stated intervals, enlarged over the
intervening sections, to the desired dimensions to afford the teeth. Rims con-
structed in sections as described would also afford desirable substitutes for the
tyres or rim portions of vehicle and car-wheels.
Having now particularly described & 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-As a new article of manufacture, a wheel having its rim or tyre-portion
formed of flatwise abutting sections extending cross-wise of the circumference of
the rim, and clamping-plates engaging the sections at opposite sides of the rim,
to clamp them together and hold them in their relative abutting positions,
substantially as described.
2-As a new article of manufacture, a wheel having its rim. or tyre-portion
formed of flatwise abutting sections extending cross-wise of the circumference of
the rim, and provided at opposite ends with shoulders, affording when the sections
are adjusted together, annular shoulders on the sides of the rim, clamping plates
forming the wheel-center, extending over the said shoulders, to engage and clamp
the sections together, and hold them in their relative positions, substantially as
described.
3 As a new article of manufacture, a buffing wheel having its rim formed of
flatwise abutting sections, of suitable material, extending crosswise of the
circumference of the rim, and having recesses in their ends affording annular
shoulders on the sides of the rim, clamping plates forming the wheel center,
extending over the said shoulders into the recesses to engage and clamp the
sections together and hold them in their relative abutting positions, substantially
as described.
4-A wheel comprising, in combination, the tyre formed of sections abutting in
the direction about the wheel's circumference and each being of the width of the
tyre, the hub and clamping plates each supported in and extending from the hub
and forming the wheel-center, the said plates being provided at their outer edges
with inward-projecting jaws between which the tyre sections are seated and being
rigidly secured together between the hub and jaws to clamp the tyre-sections
between the jaws and thereby hold them in their relative abutting positions,
substantially as described.
5 A wheel comprising in combination, a rim formed of flatwise abutting

page_text: sections extending crosswise of the circumference and having recesses in their
ends affording annular grooves in the sides of the rim, a hub, clamping plates
secured to the hub and affording a hollow wheel center, and engaging the sections
in the said grooves to secure them in their relative abutting positions, substantially
as described.
6--A buffing wheel, comprising, in combination, a rim formed of flatwise
abutting sections extending crosswise of the circumference and having recesses
in their ends affording annular grooves in the sides of the rim, a hub, C, provided
with a radially extending passage m', a spindle, D, having a central passage
communicating with the passage m and clamping plates, secured to the hub on
opposite sides of the passage m', forming a hollow wheel center, and engaging
the sections in the said grooves to secure them in their relative abutting positions,
substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of June 1891
CHARLES T. CUMMINS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.