US243826A - Car-wheel - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I

J. E. ATWOOD. OAR WHEEL No. 243,826. Patented July 5', 1881.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. ATWOOD, CF TROY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONE ONE- HUNDREDTHS TO WILLIAM H. BARNUM, OF LIME ROCK, CONNECTICUT.

A CAR-W SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters- Application filed May 2, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. Arwoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of carwheels in which the web is composed wholly or partially of wood, with a central metal hub and a metal flanged tread. In this class of wheels as heretofore constructed, integral with a metal tread, the body of the wheel has been cast in the form of a skeleton-frame and the openings filled with panels of wood compressed into place. This is objectionable, owing to the difficulty of accurately fitting the wood panels; and, further, a wheel of this construction lacks the necessary strength and substantial qualities necessary to enable it to withstand the excessive strains to which it is subjected. A carwheel is also known in which segments of wood form a web between the hub and the rim; but in such the hub and the rim are made separately and bolted together, which is objectionable, and, further, it is difficult to accurately form the segmental blocks.

The objects of my invention'are to overcome such objections and to provide a car-Wheel in which the parts act as struts and braces to each other, thereby imparting great strength and substantial qualities to the wheel; and, further, to provide a wood-filling which is easily adjusted in position, and which is not liable to become disintegrated or crushed, and which imparts greater elasticity to the wheel. These objects I accomplish by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which a Figure 1 represents a central sectional view of a car-wheel embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 detached views of the parts composing wheel.

The letter A indicates the web of the wheel, formed integral with the tread B and flange C, and having a central large aperture or open ing, D. The inner face of the web is plane or straight, and the interior surface of the tread B is arranged at right angles thereto, and pro- HEEL.

Patent No. 243,826, dated July 5, 1881.

(No model.)

vided at the margin with 'a continuous annu- 5o la'r seat, a, and inward projection or shoulder b.

The letter E indicates the hub, which is formed integral with a ring or cap-plate, F. The hub is formed with a contracted annular portion, G, which projects through the central 5 5 opening in the web and serves to sustain and brace the web, and the periphery of the ring or plate F rests against the annular seat a and abuts against the shoulder 12, thereby sustaining and bracing the tread, the several parts thus acting as struts and imparting considerable strength to the structure.

The space between the hub and the interior surface of the tread is occupied by my improved wood filling H. This filling consists of a wood- 6 5 en ring, out in one piece from a log of wood across the grain, thereby causin g the grain to extend transversely to the side of the wheel, and, as the end of the grain is exposed on both sides of the wooden ring, the latter is well adapted to take up a liquid preserving compound of coal-tar or other bituminous matter, which is desirable in order to thoroughly impregnate the wood and render it' more durable, and thereby avoid liability of disintegration.

It is well-known that the wood filling of carwheels, being exposed to combined action of heat, air, and moisture, soon becomes decomposed and the fibrous portion will disintegrate. To avoid this serious objection in this class of car-wheels I impregnate the wood with coaltar or other bituminous matter, which impregnation is rendered perfect by reason of cutting the wood across the grain, thereby exposing the ends of the grain on faces of the wooden 8 ring, and this construction also renders the filling more elastic.

The ring of wood is easily and conveniently turned off on a lathe to the required diameter to snugly fit against the interior surface of the rim forming the tread; and the wooden ring is also provided with a circular central openin g, which fits over the enlarged portion of the hub, thereby imparting solidity to the wheel, yet providing the yielding or elastic qualities 5 which are so necessary to the practical use of this class of car-wheels.

The ring or cap-plate of the hub and the Web of the tread are united and clamped in position by a series of bolts, I, which are preferably confined in place by nuts, and the bolts must, of course, pass through the wooden ring coinposing the elastic filling.

It will be observed that the hub of the ring or cap-plate projects through the central aperture of the web of the tread, the object of which is not only to provide a bearing for sustaining the web, but also to form an extended bearing for the journal of the car-axle.

What I claim is- 1. A car-wheel consisting of the hub having an opening to receive the axle and formed integral with the annular cap-plate, in combination with the plane web formed integral with the flanged tread and'with a central aperture, the edges of which closely fit and abut against the hub, the inner portion of the flanged tread having an annular seat and inward-projectin g shoulder, which closely fit and abut the outer edge of the detachable cap-plate, all substantially as described.

2. In a car-wheel, the combination of the hub formed integral with an annular cap-plate, the web formed integral with the flanged tread, and an interposed ring filling of wood, the said web having a central aperture closely fitting the hub, and the inner portion of the tread having an annular seat and inward-projecting shoulder, which closely fit the outer edge of the detachable cap-plate, all substantially as described.

3. A filling for hollow oar-wheels consisting of an annular disk formed of a single piece of wood, with the grain extending transversely through the disk and exposed at the parallel sides of the latter, said wooden ring having a central opening to closely fit the wheelhub, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES E. ATVVOOD.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. NORRIS, JAMES A. RUTHERFORD.

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