US305727A - Samuel t - Google Patents

Description

S. T. WILLIAMS.

(No Model.)

WHEEL.

Patented Sept. 23, 1884.

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SAMUEL T. XVILLIAMS, OF RED BANK, NElV JERSEY.

WHEEL.

SFHOIFICATION forming part oi Letters Patent No. 305,727, dated September 23, 1884.

Application filed November 6, 1853. (No modehl To all whom it imy concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. WILLIAMS a citizen of the United States, residing at Red Bank, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the following is afull,clear,and exact description.

Thisinvention relates to that class of vehicle-wheels constructed entirely, or nearly so, of 1nctalsuch as are usually found in velocipedes and the like-and in which the spokes are made of thin strips of metal or wires.

The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction of such wheels, to provide means for tightening and regulating the tension of the spokes, whereby all the spokes may be tightened or released at one and the same operation and. with great facility. i

To these ends the invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a wheel enibodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a side elevation of part of a wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating how the spokes are connected to the felly. Fig. 4 is a view of the annular adjusting-plate. Fig. 5 is a view of the ring through which the spokes are passed and by which they are distended.

The letter A designates a tire and felly, which compose the outer rim of the wheel, and preferably made integral or of one piece of metal, and is T-shaped in cross-section. It is the hub, screw-threaded on one end to receive ordinarynuts, a and b, andalso the conical nut c. The annular plate I) slides freely over the screw-threaded hub, and is provided on one side with a number of short radial grooves, into which the spokes fit. The ring I is provided with transverse grooves or notches 7L on its inner edge corresponding in number to the number of grooves e on the an-' nular plate (I. The spokes are made of flexible wire or strips of metal, one piece of which serves as two spokes in the wheel, and isbent around through the ring 9 and into one of the notches 71. The ends of the spokes are prefcrably fastened to the felly by passing them through holes bored diagonally through said felly and riveting or clinching the ends on the other side.

Heretofore in fastening the ends of spokes to a felly of the construction shown the hole was bored parallel to the hub. This necessitated the bending of the spoke at the attaching end to nearly a right angle in order to pass it through the hole, thereby, rendering the spoke weak at that point and less capable of bearing the strain to which it is subjected. By making the hole diagonal the angle of the bend in the wire is more obtuse and the strain consequently more nearly direct.

In appearance one side of the hub is pref erably a facsimile of the other; but in this instance I make oneof them stationary, the tightening of the spokes being performed by the operation of one side only, and in the manner which I will now proceed to describe. 1f the spokes are loose, the outside nut, b, is turned entirely off thehub or away from the conical nut, and with a wrench or other suit able tool the conical nut is turned away from the other end of the hub. The edge of the base of the conical nut projects under or behind that portion of the spoke which passes through the grooves in. the ring r As it is turned away from the other end of the hub it brings with it the ring g and the connected spokes, thus increasing the distance between the ring and folly, and consequently tightening the spokes. The plate (1 is then placed up and held by nut a against the conical nut,with the grooves c fitting over the wire at those points where it passes around the ring g. The nut b is then screwed up against the outer end of the conical nut, thus preventing any accidental outward turning of the conical nut, while the plate (6 and nut a prevent the inward turning thereof.

If it is desired to loosen the spokes, the operation is nearly the reverse of that described for tightening them.

Let it be understood I do not limit my invention to the employment in one wheel of all the parts which I have described, as such employment is not absolutelynecessary, as,for instance, I might dispense with the annular plate (1 or the nut b; nor do I limit my invention to precisely the constructions shown.

hat I claim is 1. The combination, in a wheel having two spokes formed of a single piece of wire having its two ends fastenedin the folly, substantially as described, of the ring g, having notches h, through which the wire is passed 5 and retained in position, and the internallyscrew-threaded conical nut 0 on the hub B, the edges of the base of said conical nut engaging the ring 9 or spokes to tighten the same, as set forth.

2. The combination, 'in a wheel having spokes, substantially as described, of the ring 1 having notches lathe spokes passed through said ring and held in position in the notches, the internally-screw-threaded conical nut c, 15 hub 13, the annular plate (I, having the short radial grooves e, and the nut a, to hold said plate against the spoke-retaining ring, all as set forth.

3. In a vehicle-Wheel, substantially as described, a combined tire and felly made T 20 shape in cross-section, having the diagonal holes in the folly portion to receive the ends of the spokes of the Wheel, as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 25 my hand this 1st day of October, A. D. 1883.

- SAMUEL T. \YILLIAMS.

Witnesses ARTHUR (I. WEBB, Enxns'r C. When.

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