Improvements in Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of App ication, 20th M r., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7tn Dec. 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH DAVID EVERETT, of Dunbarton, Derryvolgie Avenue, Belfast, in
the County of Antrim, Ireland, Professor of Natural Philosophy, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to further improvements in the construction of elastic or
spring wheels suitable for cycles and other road vehicles, as set forth in my prior
Patents No. 23341 of 1892 and No. 13981 of 1893, and it consists :-First, in so
attaching the spring spokes to the hub of the wheel that their points of attachment
to each side of the hub are not equi-distant, but are alternately nearer together and
farther apart so that the spokes do not lie in radial planes, but one half of them
slope in one direction and the other half slope in the opposite direction. Secondly,
in attaching the ends of the wire spoke lengths to separate and independent eyes
preferably taking the form of swivel books or stirrup eyes instead of forming the
hooks or eyes on the ends of the said wire spoke lengths, and thirdly, in using a
tubular wheel rim of a circular or elliptical form in cross section, the objects
being First, to increase the resistance to relative rotation of the hub and rim
and thereby diminish the stress laid upon the spokes in driving. Secondly, to give
the connecting eyes of the elastic spokes the requisite strength without brazing or
soldering, and thirdly, to give the wheel increased lateral rigidity.
:-
According to my invention I arrange the spokes on each side of the driving
wheel in pairs, and arrange the holes in the flanges of the hub adapted to receive
the said spokes in pairs so that each pair of spokes slope towards each other and do
not lie in true radial planes. Each pair of holes may if desired take the form of an
eyelet or slot. In the case of the unsymmetrical wheel described in my prior
Patent No. 13981 of 1893 in which the spokes on one side of the wheel are set at a
greater angle with the plane of the wheel and have less tension than those on the
other side, I usually employ this arrangement of the spokes on the former side
only, thereby ensuring that notwithstanding the lower tension of the said spokes
they shall do their fair share of the work of driving.
The improved swivel hook or stirrup eye has a hole formed through its base for
the wire spoke length to pass through, the end of the said wire spoke length
having a head formed on it which rests on the base of the swivel hook or stirrup
eye. As a modification the end of the wire spoke length may be screwed into the
base of the swivel hook or stirrup eye, or may be adjusted with respect thereto by
means of a nut, and thus provide for adjustment of the tension of the spokes at this
point instead of at the hub or wheel rim.
The new form of rim for spring spokes is made of a metallic tube either
circular or elliptical in cross section and it has a series of holes in each side for the
attachment of the elastic spokes by means of the hook nipples as described in
my prior Patent No. 13981 of 1893, or by means of any other suitable or
to the
equivalent device. The elastic rubber tyre is preferably vulcanized on
tubular wheel rim.

page_text: Improvements in Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, JOSEPH DAVID EVERETT, of Dunbarton, Derryvolgic Avenue, Belfast, in
the County of Antrim, Ireland, Professor of Natural Philosophy, 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 further improvements in the construction of elastic or
spring wheels suitable for cycles and other road vehicles, as set forth in my prior
Patents No. 23341 of 1892 and No. 13981 of 1893, and it consists:-First, in so
attaching the spring spokes to the hub of the wheel that their points of attachment
to each side of the hub are not equi-distant but are alternately nearer together and
farther apart, so that the spokes do not lie in radial planes but one half of them
slope in one direction and the other half slope in the opposite direction. Secondly
in attaching the ends of the wire spoke lengths to separate and independent eyes
preferably taking the form of swivel hooks or stirrup eyes instead of forming the
hooks on the ends of the said wire spoke lengths; and thirdly, in using a tubular
rim of a circular or elliptical form in cross section, the objects being:-First, to
increase the resistance to relative rotation of the hub and rim and thereby diminish
the stress laid upon the spokes in driving. Secondly, to give the connecting eyes
of the elastic spokes the requisite strength without brazing or soldering, and
thirdly, to give the wheel increased lateral rigidity.
I attain this end by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing, in
which :-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation of a wheel embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a broken view in transverse section thereof.
Figure 3 is a side view of one of the flanges of the hub showing the arrangement
of the holes for the spokes.
I
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views-on an enlarged scale-in front and side elevation
and plan respectively showing one method of attaching the spokes to the swivel
hooks or stirrup eyes.
Figure 7 is a view-on an enlarged scale-showing an alternative method of
attaching the spokes to the swivel books or stirrup eyes, and
Figures 8 and 9 are views in broken side elevation and transverse section
respectively showing an alternative method of attaching the elastic tyre to the
wheel rim.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
According to my invention I arrange the spokes A on each side of the driving
wheel in pairs, and arrange the holes c in the flanges C of the hub adapted to
receive the said spokes in pairs as shown by Figure 3 so that each pair of spokes
slope towards each other and do not lie in true radial planes. As a modification.
each pair of holes may take the form of an eyelet or slot cas shown by Figure 1.
In the case of the unsymmetrical wheel described in my prior Patent No. 13981
of 1893 in which the spokes on one side of the wheel are set at a greater angle with
the plane of 'the wheel and have less tension than those on the other side, I usually
employ this arrangement of the spokes on the former side only, thereby ensuring
that notwithstanding the lower tension of the said spokes they shall do their fair
share of the work of driving.
Instead of forming hooks or eyes on the ends of the wire spoke lengths A, I use
separate and independent eyes preferably taking the form of swivel eyes a through
the base a' of each of which is a hole to receive the length of spoke wire, the head a
of which rests on the base of the swivel eye as shown more clearly by Figures 4, 5

page_text: and 6. As a modification the ends of the wire spoke lengths A may be screwed into.
the bases of the stirrup eyes a as shown by Figure 7.
The springs B and the hooked nipples E are constructed as shown and as fully
described in my prior Patent No. 13981 of 1893 and they in combination with the
spoke lengths A are preferably arranged as shown, but the springs may be located
at the rim ends of the spoke lengths if desired.
When the spoke lengths are headed and pass freely through the holes in the
bases of the stirrup eyes the heads are preferably made of an oblong shape so that
their ends pass through the loop of the stirrup and thus cannot rotate;
independent of the stirrup. By this construction a spoke length can be turned
by means of the hook of the spring which engages with the stirrup eye, for the
purpose of adjusting the tension of the spoke, thus dispensing with the use of a
spoke grip.
The rim D is made of a metal tube either circular or elliptical in cross section
and it has a series of holes d in cach side for the attachment of the elastic spokes
by means of the hooked nipples E as described in my prior Patent No. 13981
of 1893. The elastic rubber tyre F is preferably vulcanized on to the tubular
wheel rim, though as a modification it may be mounted on a backing f of canvas or
other suitable material having a series of eyelet holes f¹ along each edge for the
hooked nipples E to engage with, as shown by Figures 8 and 9.
I sometimes employ the herein before described improved construction and
arrangement of spokes in combination with crescent shaped rims having notches
or recesses at their edges for the attachment of the spokes as described in my prior
Patents.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as
fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
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 improvements in wheels for cycles and other vehicles, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
(2.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and elastic
spokes each of which consists of a wire spoke length and a separate and detachable
spring, attaching the said elastic spokes to the hub in pairs so that they do not lie
in radial planes, but one half of them slope in one direction and the other half
slope in the opposite direction, as and for the purpose set forth.
(3.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and elastic
spokes which consists of wire spoke lengths and separate and detachable springs
the spokes being crossed so that their points of attachment to the wheel rim are
on the opposite side of the wheel to their points of attachment to the hub, attaching
the said elastic spokes to the hub in pairs so that they do not lie in radial planes,
but one half of them slope in one direction and the other half slope in the opposite
direction, as and for the purpose set forth.
(4.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and elastic
spokes each of which consists of a wire spoke length and a separate and detachable
spring, attaching the ends of the wire spoke lengths to the springs by means of
swivel hooks or stirrup eyes, as and for the purpose set forth.
(5.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and elastic
spokes each of which consists of a wire spoke length and a separate and detachable
spring, making the wheel rim of a tubular form either circular or elliptical in cross
section, as and for the purpose set forth.
(6.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and
elastic spokes each of which consists of a wire spoke length and a separate and
detachable spring, the combination of a tubular wheel rim circular or elliptical in

page_text: cross section, and of an arch-shaped elastic tyre vulcanized thereto, as and for the
purpose set forth.
(7.) In an elastic or spring wheel consisting of a hub and wheel rim and elastic
spokes each of which consists of a wire spoke length and a separate and detachable
spring, the combination of a tubular wheel rim circular or elliptical in cross
section, and of an arch-shaped tyre mounted on a canvas or other suitable backing
provided with eyelet holes whereby the tyre is fixed to the wheel rim by means
of the hooks by which the spokes are attached to the wheel rim, as and for the
purpose set forth.
(8.) In a wheel, the combination of a hub the flanges of which are provided with
holes grouped in pairs to receive the alternate spokes, of a tubular rim circular or
elliptical in cross section and provided with a series of holes on either side, and of
spokes consisting of lengths of wire and detachable springs connected together by
swivel hooks or stirrup eyes, the free ends of the springs and wire spoke lengthe
being connected to the hub and wheel rim respectively by means of a hook at the
end of the spring and of a hooked nipple at the end of the wire, the spokes being
alternately crossed between their points of attachment to the hub and wheel rim,
all combined, arranged and operating, as and for the purpose set forth.
21. 1
1004
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.