Improvements in Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels.
I, CHARLES FRANCIS HARRINGTON, of Lyndhurst, Bergen County, New
Jersey, U.S.A., Manufacturer, 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 especially to the construction of wheels, particularly such
as are employed upon bicycles, having elastic tires, either solid, cushion or
pneumatic, and has for its object the provision of a light, rigid, simple and cheap
felly, forming a part of a wheel.
To attain the desired end, my invention consists essentially in certain novel
and useful combinations or arrangements of parts, and peculiarities of construction,
all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a wheel embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is an outside or top view thereof.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view at line a―a of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view at line x-x of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is like view at
line y-y of the same figure.
Similar numerals of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding
parts in all the figures.
The object of this invention is to lessen the weight of a bicycle wheel, and at
the same time increase its rigidity. To accomplish this, I make the rim or felly, 1,
width
of a single piece of wood (preferably white ash) dressed out to the proper
and thickness, each end being cut tapering, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing,
or fitted so that when bent to a true circle of the required diameter, and the
ends lapped over, it will be of the same thickness as the other parts of the rim,
the steaming and bending being done by any of the well known methods. After
drying, the parts of the joint are glued or cemented together, and when dry,
the outside of the rim is turned or moulded to the proper shape to receive a
rubber tire, aud the inner surface rounded to the requisite shape, the rim being
preferably made thicker in the middle than at the edges. The joint is now
covered with strong, but thin cloth 2, or other flexible material, the same being
glued or cemented to the wood, thus making the joint the strongest part of the
rim, and when finished with the proper care, the joint will be hardly noticeable.
The holes 3, for the reception of the spokes 4, require some protection to prevent
the spoke or nipple passing through, and this is accomplished by counterboring
the wood, and putting within the counterbore, a metal washer 5, with a hole in its
center the proper size to receive the spoke, the top or face of the washer being
flush with the body of the rim.
A rim constructed as above set forth, will be much lighter than steel, and
stronger than a steel rim nearly twice as heavy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, what I claim is :-
1. The herein described method of making a rim for rubber tired bicycle
wheels; that is to say, by bending a single flat piece of wood in a circle, splicing
the meeting ends and then turning the rim to the requisite shape, substantially
as set forth and described.
2. A wood rim for a rubber tired bicycle wheel, bent from a single piece, with
a lapped joint, as set forth, said joint being covered with cloth, or equivalent

page_text: flexible material, glued or cemented to the wood, substantially as shown and
described.
3. A wood wheel rim adapted and arranged to receive a rubber tire, said rim
being formed and bent from a single piece of wood, the ends being tapered or
fitted to form a flat joint, glued or cemented together, and then covered with
cloth, or other flexible material, glued or cemented to the wood, substantially as
shown and described.
4. A wood wheel rim adapted and arranged to receive a rubber tire, said rim
being bent from a single piece of wood, and provided with holes to receive the
spokes, metallic washers, being seated in the wood surrounding the spoke holes,
protecting the wood, and preventing the drawing of the spokes therefrom, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
5. A wheel of the character herein specified, in which is comprised a wood rim
arranged to receive a rubber tire, said rim being bent from a single piece of
wood, having a lap joint covered with cloth or other strengthening material, and
having a metal support in the bottom of the groove, to prevent the spokes drawing
from the wood.
1300
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.