US1691163A - Method of making metal wheels - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 192s. 1,691,163

E. c. Moer-ORD ET AL METHOD OF MAKING METAL WHEELS Filedv May 29, 1925 Patented Nov.- 13, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENTHFFICE.

. EDMUND c. Moorom), or BUCHANAN, AND FREDERICK w. BURGER, or NILEs, monr- GAN, 'AssIoNoRs To CLARK EQUIPMENT CORPORALIN F MICHIGAN.

COMPANY, 0E BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, A

METHOD 0F MAKING METAL WHEELS.'

Application iledlay 29, 1925/. Serial No. 33,657.'

Our invention relates to metal wheels of the spoke type, and has for its object to provide an. improved wheel which will possess all the advantages of a cast metal` wheel, and

at the Sametime will vnot besubject to the objections which have generally been en countered in the manufacture of such wheels` The nature of our invention, will clearly appear from the -following' description thereof in. connection with the accompanying drawings. A

In the accompanying drawings,vinwhich Fig. l is a side-.elevation showing the greater part of a. wheel embodying our invention; I5 Fig. 2`is a. partial vertical cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a' View similar to Fig. 2 showing a. modified form.

Our improved wheel comp-rises a hub and 2G spoke structure cast as a unit, the spokes being hollow and provided attheir outer ends with pads or laterally extended seats adapted t0 receive and support a felloe of conventional form. The casting that constitutes the hub and spokes may be made ofsteel or malleable iron, and the felloe is a `continuous steelba-nd of outwardly facing channel sections preferably of the demountable type.

Referring to the drawings-4 indicates the :so

6 the pads atthe outerends ofthe spokes which support the felloe 7. As shown at 8*, the pads are chamfered atvone side along low and are open at their outer ends, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the felloe. 7 is secured on said spokes by pressing rtions of the lfelloe metal inwardly into t-e ends of the spokes. This may be accomplished either by adrawing operatiomas shown at 9 in Fig. 2, s which is preferable becauseit closes the outer ends of the spokes, 'or it may be accomplished by a punching operation' which perforates the felloe and'\fox ns inwardly directed conical projections 10 which closely4 eng e the outer ends ofthe spokes. 'By either o these expediente the felloe may be iirmly secured on the spokes, making the wheel substantiall a a unit. ,In constructing ourimproved vv/heel the hub'and spoke portion is/ first cast,l the chamfered portions 8 being formed inthe casting operation. The` casting, which is in the form, oa spider gf an outer daxneter'- hub portion of the casting, 5 the spokes, andl their outer -margins for a purpose that willbe presently stated. The spokes 5 are hol' 'vent it larger than the inner diameter 'of the felloe by 55 an amount suitable to provide a pressed fit,

is then pressed ylaterally into an ordinary felloe in the form of an endless band until it 1s properly centered, after which the felloe lsdrawn or punched radially inwardly over the outer ends of the spokes to secure it firmly thereto. During thisy operation the wheel is si orlted against the drawing pressure by suita le supporting means applied to the spoke being operated upon beneath the pad carried thereby, so that the ad serves asa head to prevent movement of) the wheel. It also supports the felloe at the point of greatest pressure so that it is held true and its distortion is prevented, and besides it re-enforces the outer end of 'the spoke so that it is not apt to be damaged under the great pressure to which it is subjected during the drawing operation. The spokes'may be either circular or polygonal in cross-section, butthe pads 6 are preferably made oblong to provide better support for the felloe especiallyduring thepunching or drawing operation, and also to stiien and strengthen the wheel. The outer ends of the spokes are internally chamfered, so that the inwardly directed projections formed on the felloe by the drawing or punching operation will lit them more closely. The pressing or indenting of the projections such as 9 and 10 after the felloe has been ten- 85 sioned by the insertion of the spider serves^ still further to. tension therim since the metal for such indentation is secured by stretching the web of the channelof which the felloe is constructed. The chamfering of the pads, as' 90 above suggested, is to facilitate the forcing of the. spider laterally into the felloe and prefJ from cutting into the felloe during that operation owing tothe closeness of the t. Thus 4the spider in being forced into the 95 -ri'm has a wedging action that puts the rim under tension, making the wheel firm and rigid, and aidin in-holding the parts tightly together. The elloe is thereby put under a high degree of tension and ythel spider like-` 100 wise under a high degree of compression.

Our improved wheel possesses a number of advantages over prior constructions. Forexample, casting the spider separately is a. much lighter operation than if the `wheel werecas't 105 complete, and therefore the work o f making the casting can be done by one man lnstead of by two as is' necessary, where the complete y done, besides more or less drilling, all of which is unnecessary with our improved wheel, since the felloes may be bought ready to be appliedA to the spiders, with all holes bored,

and the spiders ma be cast with their ends chamfered as descri d' sovthat no machining is necessary. Furthermore, as the spokes are rimless when cast, there are no casting strains which result in serious lossby the breakage lofwheels where they are cast in com lete form. In our improved wheel even-i lthe 'spokes should warp, likely to occur' to an which, however, is not material extent owing to the shortness of t e spokes, such warping makes no material difference. Our invention 'i also makes practicable the use of a felloe of' soft steel in connection with a spider or center y 'of cast steel or wrought iron, with the result that a fairly light wheel of maximum strength is produced. Moreover, the spider may be applied to felloes of standard type, so that the complete wheel does not have an odd shaped felloe such as cast wheel manufacturers have found it necessary to use in order to cut down welght, and therefore our wheel is attractive and'neat in appearance, which is' an important consideration from -a sales standpoint. vIn

the drawings we have shown the spider as equippedvwith a felloe and rim, of the demountable type, 11 indicating the demountable rim and 12the tire carried thereby, but

it should be understood that our invention is not limited to wheels provided with demountable rims, as any form of rim or felloe suitable i for application tothe spokes in the manner described comes within its scope. The hub portion of, the wheel may be finished for the reception of a spindle in any suitable way, and the term hub as herein used is intended toA refer 'generically tothat portionI of the "engage intended to include either drawing,punchhais wheel withwhich the inner e'nds of the spokes merge. and by which they' are connected together. Theterm pressing as used in con# nection with the eiecting of theinterlocking ment between the rim andthe spokes is or other equivalent means of prglecting, rim metal. inwardlyv to lock thezmernbersof thewheeltogether;

It is to be observed that the' hollow and, inthe shown,

' "pensis 'e t has relativzy v thick short spokes.; The wrought'steel' band 7, being of outwardly facing channel section,

great strength toresist bending stresses in forcingof the 'pidlntO theband offence,-

a-wheelvr Whch'is internally stressed without,

circular at is to say, the circular during the? whichcomprises, forming a circular wrought pressing of the spider thereinto because of its. own inherent strength to resist bending.l The resultis a finished round wheel., l It will be observed that by the construction herein shown there' is no connection between the spider and the rim whichcan possibly put the Vspokes under tension. The relation of tension in the rim and compression in the spoke or spider is'not departed from .during the life ofthe wheel. 75 What we claim as our invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent', is 1. The method of constructing a circular wheel which comprises, forming a rigid s i- 'der, forming. a circular felloe ofl outwardly facing channel section and of relatively, deep flanges and of an internal diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the spider, pressing the spider into the felloe to create atension in the felloe not sulicient to substantiallyl distort the form of. the felloe, but great enough to hold the' spider under compression for all loads withinv the capacity of the wheel. 2. The method of making a circular# wheel metal rim of a section having great strength in bending, said rim comprising athin circular cylindrical inner peripheral wall and having relatively deep radially extending flanges, forming a spider comprising a hub and spokes.; of an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the rim, forcing said spider f laterally into the rim to put the rim under a tensionv and the spider under compression great enough to maintain the parts in such relation' throughout the life lof the wheel without substantially distorting the circular form of the rim. Y

3. The method of making a Isl'lbstantially'- circular 'finished 'wheel which consists in m5 forming a spider having a hub and spokes f an outer diametterlarger than the rinnerl `ameter of the rim, forcing 'said spider laterf ally into the'riin to put therim .under tensionl and the spider under compression "great enough to maintain the parts in suchirela-ti'on throughout'the life ofthe wheelwithout ap-jA preciabl deforming the circular contourof the rim, and then deforming the cylindrical inner'wall ofthe rim to 'provide interlocking shoulders between rim and the spokes to pref. vent relative displacement of the spokes along the vsurface of ther-im, said deformation fur-` Y ther tensioning said inner wall.` lj 4. The method 'of making a wheelfwhich comprises forming a rigid spider of ahub land spokes, forming a circular felloe= T of channel section zwith relatively deep anges,and then forcing the spider laterally into the 'felloa 5. 'The of a wheel which 130 of a ub and spokes, forming a circular felloe of outwardly facing channel section with flanges deep enough to maintain the felloe circular when the" spider is. forced thereinto and then forcing` the spider laterally into the felloe to-tension the felloe, then de orming a part of the walls of the vchannel into interlocka unitary hub and s o interlocking shoulders ing engagement with the spokes and simul taneously increasing the tension in Vsaid felloe.

8. The method of making `a wheel'which4 comprises forming arigid spider consisting of a hub and hollow spokes, forming a circular felloe of channel shape with ianges deep enough to maintainthe felloe circular, forcing the spider laterally into the elloe to tension the same, and pressing the web of the channel into the ends ofthe spokes to provide and? to increase the tension in the felloe.

9. The method of making a lwheel which' comprises forming'a ri id spider comprising e structure with the outer ends of the spo es separated relatively widely, forming a continuous circular felloe of channelshape and of slightlyless internal diameter than the diameter of the spider and of an inherent strength in bending great l enough to maintain the felloe in substantially true circular shape under the thrust of the spokes of the spider and introducingthe spider under compression into the rim under tension. y

10. The method of making awheel which comprises forming 4a unitary spider comprising a hub and spokes rigid therewith, forming a continuous circular felloe of hollow substantially rectangular shape with a cylindrical web and integral relatively deep radially extending flanges, assembling the f elloeupon complrises forming a rigid spider consisting' i flanges,

the unitary spider and simultaneouslytensioning the felloe and lcompressing the spider. 11. The method of making a wheel which corlprises forming'. a spider comprisinga hub an rectangular shape with a cylindrical web and integral -relatively deep, radially extending anges, assembling the felloe upon the spider and simultaneously tensioning the felloe and compressing the spider, then 'deforming .the web of the'felloe to proaide shoulders interspokes integral therewith, forming a conv tmuous'circular felloe of hollow substantially locking with the spokes and by said deformation furthertensioningsaid web.

12. Theinethod of making a wheel which comprises formin a spider comprising a hub and hollow endeg'spokes inte al therewith forming'a continuous circular -elloe of hollow substantially rectangular shape with a cylin-l drical web and integral Aradlally extending flanges of a substantial depth, assembling the' spider under compression within the rim under tension and pressing projections from A'the walls of the web 4into the ends-of the spokes and by such pressingof projections increasing the tensionofthe felloe.

13. Themethod of making a metal wheel. I

which comprises castinga hollow spider having a hub and integral spokes with pads uponthe outer ends thereof, forming arolled endless felloe of outwardly facing channel section with relatively deep radial flanges, pressing the spider laterally into the felloe to tension the felloe and bring the spider under compression, and then indentin the web ofv the channel into they ends of t e spokes to form interlocking projections and to increase the tension on the felloe.

14. The method of making Ja wheel which 'i comprises forming a unitary spider compris# mg a hub with spokes integral with thehub, forming a` continuous circular rim of out-l wardly facing channel section and having integral relatively deep radially extending said rim having an internal diameter slightly less than the external diameter of ico -the spider to secure the desired tension in said Y rim and. compression in the spider when the rim assembled on the outside of said spider,

and then introducing theunitary spider later.- ally into the rim.

A EDMUND o. MoGFoRD'. FREDERICK yw. BURGER.

Images