US550815A - Ietal wheel and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W.-P. 81; J. w. BETTENDORFQ V METAL WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

No. 550,815. Patented Dec. 3, .1895.

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METAL WHEEL AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,815, dated December 3, 1895.

Application filed October 3, 1890. Renewed October 30, 1895. Serial No. 567,452. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAM P. BETTEN- DORF and Josnrn W. BEr'rENnoRF, of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented certain Improvements in Metal lVheels and Methods of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to wheels in which metallic spokes are seated insockets in a cast-metal hub, the sockets being formed integral with the hub and with continuous or undivided walls.

The aim of the invention is to provide for the firm connection and solid support of the spokes. V

In carrying the invention into effect we first provide a metal hub cast complete in one piece, with spoke-receiving sockets, each presenting a continuous unbroken or undivided wall, adapted to completely encircle the end of the spoke. Into each socket we insert the end of a spoke adapted to fill or substantially fill the same, and after the spoke is in position we subject the hub to an external pressure sufficient to compress or reduce the socket, so as to change its internal dimensions and cause it to tightly embrace and firmly support the spoke. It is to be observed that under our system there is a forci'- ble compression or condensation of the metal of the hub, or, in other words, a redistribution of the metal of the character known as cold flowing. The socket may be formed with a smooth interior surface to receive the end of the spoke, in which case the pressure applied should be such as to cause the entire inner surface of the socket to be forced and pressed inward into intimate contact with the spoke; or before introducing the spoke into the socket the interior surface of the socket may be formed into a projection and the outer surface of the spoke intoa depression to receive the projection, so that when'the spoke is introduced and the socket reduced in. size the projection will enter the depression and lock the parts firmly together; or the inner surface of the socket may be formed with a depression to receive an elevation on the spoke.

In the drawings we have illustrated a machine suitable for carrying our invention into practice; but it is to be understood that other Fig. 3 represents secsections on the lines and y 1 respectively,

of Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a bed or frame of any suitable form to sustain the operative parts.

E represents a curved arm attached to the bed in such manner that one end overhangs the other.

O is an anvil or support bolted on the other end of the arm beneath the upper end. This anvil is adapted to operate in connection with 7 5 the vertically-reciprocating die or former D, mounted in the overhanging arm. The upper surface of the anvil and the lower surface 'of the underlying die are dished or otherwise adapted to conform to the exterior shape of the hub-socket.

E represents a horizontal shaft mounted in the upper arm and provided at its forward end with an eccentric e, engaging the die to move the same upward and downward. At its outer end the shaft is provided with a gear-wheel F, engaging a driving-pinion F on a second shaft G, carrying a flywheel II, a drivingpulley I, and an idle pulley J.

. In preparing to construct a wheel we pro- 0 vide a hub L in one piece with a series of radial spoke-receiving sockets Z. Having introduced the inner end of a metal spoke into one of these sockets, we place the socket, as

shown in Fig. 1, upon the anvil G and subject it to the action of the descending die D. The socket is thus confined and subjected to a severe pressure between the anvil G andthe die D and compressed or reduced bodily and permanently, so as to tightly embrace the spoke. As the socket presents a continuous unbroken wall-that is to say, is without openings, slits, 0r incisions-it grasps and retains the spoke with great firmness.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the dies are so shaped that they not only reduce the socket but also reduce to a limited extent the contained end of the spoke, giving the same a reduced diameter near its inner end in order the more effectually to prevent its end motion within the hub.

WVe believe ourselves to be the first to subject a hub and the contained spoke to external pressure in such manner as to reduce the size of both the socket containing the spoke and the spoke, and this we claim, broadly, regardless of the peculiar shape which may be given the end of the spoke by such compression.

I11 Fig. 3 the spoke is represented as having an indentation f and the socket as having the corresponding internal projection f, so that after the spoke is inserted the external pressure, reducing the socket, will cause it to tightly embrace the spoke and also cause the projection f to enter the indentation, as shown in the right hand in .Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 4 the spoke is shown as having near the inner end a projection and the socket as having an enlargement to admit this projection when the spoke is inserted endwise. After the spoke is inserted the external pressure is applied to reduce the socket with the effect of causing the same to tightly encircle the spoke to fit over and around the projection, as shown in the right hand in Fig. l and in Fig. 6.

\Ve are aware that spokes have been inserted into a metal hub-socket and then expanded or radially enlarged therein by the operation known as upsetting. e are also aware that spokes have been inserted laterally into a groove in the side of a hub having lips which were thereafter folded downward over the spoke, thereby producing a socket with a longitudinal slit or opening in one side. WVe make no claim to either of the above constructions.

Our invention comprises three distinguishing features of novelty: first, a reduction of an undivided or seamless socket by the compression of the metal bodily to embrace the spoke; second, a reduction of both the spoke and the contained socket by the external pressure, and, third, the compression bodily of a continuous or seamless socket, so that it not only fits tightly upon but also interlocks with the spoke.

It will be observed that in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, as well as that shown in Fig. 2, there is an interlocking action between the spoke and the hub by which the longitudinal motion of the spoke within the hub is the more effectually prevented; but of course the inserted ends of the spokes may be of true cylindrical formt-hat is to say, without shoulders or notches.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. The improvement in the art of securing metal spokes to metal hubs, which consists in introducing the end of each spoke into a seamless or undivided socket integral with the hub, and then applying to the hub external pressure sufficient to compress and reduce the socket tightly around the spokes.

2. The improvement in the art of securing metal spokes to metal hubs, consisting in forming the hub with seamless or undivided sockets, inserting the spokes endwise into said sockets, and finally applying to the hub OXllGllltl pressure sufficient to compress and reduce in size both the sockets and the contained ends of the spokes.

3. A wheel comprising metal spokes, and a metal hub having integral therewith seamless compressed sockets in which the ends of the spokes are seated and tightly grasped.

4. In combination with the shouldered spokes seated therein, the hub having the integral seamless sockets compressed upon and interlocked with the ends of the spokes.

In testimony whereof we hereunto set our hands, this 12th day of September, 1890, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

WILLIAM P. BETTENDORF. JOSEPH IV. BETTENDORF.

\Vitnesses GUsTAv. N. MEVES, THos. B. CAISON.

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