US393218A - cummins - Google Patents

Description

Y(No Model.) I 2 sheets-sheen 1 P. H. CMMINS.

WHEEL.

N0. 393,218. tented NOV. 20, 1888.'.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2..

P. H. GUMMINS.

WHEEL.

No. 898,218. Patented Nov. 2o, 1888.-

6pm/6148088 o www emph. wmimm n. c.

` UNITED STATES PATENT Ori-rca PATRICK H. OUMMINS, OF AMSTERDAM, NEV YORK.

WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,218, dated November 20, 1888.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. OUMMrNs, of Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this speciflcatiominwhich- Figure l is a side View of my improved wheel, the felly being partly in section to show the attachment of the spokes thereto.. Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the same, partly in section, the ,felly and spokes being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detailside view ofa modified construction of the hub. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of a modification. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views of the spoke-fastenings.

This invention relates to improvements in wheels; and its objects are to providea knockdown-wheel that can be readily and quickly put together or taken apart, to provide an ad` justable sectional compensating hub that will automatically adjust itself to compensate for strain on the spokes and fellies, and to improve the fastening of the spokes to the fellies or rim and to the hub-sections.

The invention consists in 'the novel construction and arrangement of parts for effecting the above objects, as will be fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and concisely stated in the annexed claims.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates a sleeve or shaft, and B B are similar oppositely-faeing disks or hub-sections thereon,which disks have the central ring portions, b, by which they are supported on the sleeve. The portions b may be provided with lugs on their inner faces engaging in grooves in the sleeve or shaft or secured thereon in other proper manner, so that the sections B will turn with the sleeve or shaft, but have free lateral play thereon.

On the iiaring portions of disks B are formed the radial series of outstanding curved flanges C, the apex of said flanges being toward the axis of the hub, as shown.

c c designate lips projecting inwardly from (No model.)

aring portions of the disk below lips c, so

that the said disk can he cast without the employment of cores.

D D are coiled springs placed on sleeve A between the disks B, and separated by a central collar, a, on said sleeve or axle, so that each spring will act against the adjoining disk independently of the other. If desired, a single coiled spring might be employed, the collar a dispensed with, and the spring secured centrally to the axle or sleeve, its opposite portions then having precisely the same functions as the independent spring D, described. The object of this arrangement of springs is hereinafter explained.

E designates the spokes, which are in pairs, made of rods or wires bentlikethelett-er V. The ends of the spokes are' headed, as shown, to pass through openings f in the felly of the Wheel.

The felly F isprovided withv a series of equidistant openings,f, corresponding in number to the spokes of the wheel, and adjoining each openingfis a similar opening, G, communieating with the former opening by a slot, g, which correspondsin diameter to the thickness of the spokes. The headed ends of the spokes are passed through openings f. Then the'spokes are slipped laterally through slots g into openings Gr, which, being smaller in diameter than the headed ends of the spokes, will eft'ectually prevent the retraction of the latter therethrough and likewise prevent thelateral escape of the spokes through slots g. Openings G are countersunk to receive the heads of the spokes. I preferably enlarge the diameter of the spokes adjoining their heads, as shown, and then increase the diameter of opening Gto correspond with the enlargement, thereby more eifectually preventing the lateral escape of the spokes through slots g,- or, instead of enlarging the headed ends of the spokes, I head them as before, pass them through the openingf and the slot g into openings G, and before seating the headed ends in openings G slip on the spokes below their heads conical bushings or arbors H, which may be made in sections or made of loo malleable metal,split,and then clamped around the end of the spokes after the latter have been passed through the openings The bushing II will enter openings G, in which they fit snugly,and effectually secure the spokes therein. In some instances I prefer to use only the openingsf, these openings permitting the passage of the headed ends of the spokes on which the bushings are then placed, 'and the latter seat themselves in the openings and prevent the withdrawal of the spokes, as shown.

In settingup a wheel the springs are first placed on the sleeve or shaft A. Then the disks B B are placed on the sleeve. rI`he proper number of twin spoke-rods are then secured in the openings of the felly, as described, with their bent ends inward. The disks B B are then forced toward each other by suitable clamps compressing the springs, and the bent portion i of the twin spokes slipped over the adjoining fianges C ofthe disks and under the lips c c of said fianges. The disks are then released, and springs D D, acting against them, force them apart on shaft A, causing them to tighten the spokes E instantaneously and hold them taut, as will be evident from the drawings. The eollar on the shaft A, or the point of' attachment of the springs thereto, is in the plane of the felly, and will keep the latter true with the hub, preventing dishing of the wheel, and as either hub-section is partially independent of the other any lateral strain on the wheel and consequent flexing of the spokes of a disk will be immediately taken up by the action of the spring against such disk. The spokes radiating from each disk are secured to the felly alternately with the spokes ofthe opposite disk.

It will be observed that by simply compress- `ing springs D and forcing disks B B toward each other I can flex the spokes so that they can be readily unhooked from the fianges C, thus enabling the wheel to be quickly taken apart for transportation, storage, or for rcpairs. It will further be observed that I can secure the spokes to the fellyprevious to attaching them to the disk, or disengage them from the latter without disturbing their attachment to the felly, or vice versa.

In Figs. Il and 5 I cut away or form the fiaring portions'of the disks so as to leave merely a narrow outer ring, and connect this ring with the portions by means of the radial bent arms C', which answer the samepurpose as flanges C and lips c, already described, but do not permit the engaging or disengaging of the spokes therefrom unless the latter are disengaged from the felly. In either case, however, by compressing the springs and drawing the disks toward each other I can readily disengage the spokes from the fellies' and disks,and in the first instance the spokes can be attached to the disks or to the felly, and in the latter case to the disk for transportation, and when ready to be set up can be quickly secured to the disk or to the felly by the means described. It will be seen that I use no screw-threads, require no riveting in setting up the wheel, and that the independently-niovable disks will automatically compensate flexing of the spokes and true77 the wheel.

When the wheels are to be used on stationary shafts, the keys and sleeves can be dispensed with and the disks turn freely on the shaft or axle. In such instances the springs may be arranged loosely on the shaft between the disks and turn with thelattcr, so thatthey still hold the disks apart.

Having described my invention, I claiml. 'Ihe combination of the eollared shaft or sleeve and the laterally-movable disks thereon at oppositcsides of the collar, with the springs interposed between said. disks and the collar on the shaft, and the felly and spokes, substantially as described.

2. In awheel, the combination of the fellies and spokes with a shaft or sleeve, two opposite hub-sections or disks mounted thereon and turning therewith, but cach being independently and laterally movable thereon, and springs on said shaft between and controlling said disks, all substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. rIhe combination of' the shaft or sleeve with the laterally-movable disks B B, mounted thereon,having fianges G, lips c, theinterposed springs between said disks, and the felly and spokes, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4L. The combination of the independentlymovable disksB, constructed substantially as described, and the interposed springs D D, controlling the disks, with the felly having a series of' openings, the pairs of spokes E, engaging with disks B, and having headed ends passed through openings in the felly, and the bushing II, placed on the ends of the spokes to secure them to the felly, all constructed and arranged substantiall y as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I clailn the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

P. IVI. CUMMINS.

Witnesses:

T. II. ALEXANDER, J. M. McDoNNALD.

ICO

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