US554204A

US554204A - Manufacture of wheels

Info

Publication number: US554204A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1913-02-04

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. STRAIT. MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS.

K0551130 1. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

Attorney (No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. STRAIT. 1 MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS. NO. 554,204.

Patented Feb; 4, 1896.

Wifnesse-s:

Attorney.

' ANDREW B GRAHAM.PNUYO-UTHO.WASNWGTON.D.C.

lhvirn TATES ATENT Fr es.

XVILLIAM STRAIT, OF ELMIRA, NENV YORK.

MANUFACTURE OF WHEELS.

SPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,204, dated February 4, 1896. Application filed May 1 1895. Serial No. 547,749. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM STRAIT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Wheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the letters and figures of reference marked on the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of wheels.

The invention consists in the-following-described process, construction and combination of parts, the features of which will first be fully described and the points of novelty then set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 represents an elevation of an apparatus to which I have applied my improvements, the front hinged portion of the mold being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same with both portions of the mold in place, parts of the devicebeing broken away and the hinged portion of the mold being thrown out in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the hub-mold, showing the means for locking the parts in place. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation broken away with the outer rim and section of the tire in place. Fig. 5 is a crosssection upon the line a: 00 of Fig. 4.

A represents a spider-frame having radiallyprojecting arms which support the main parts of the apparatus.

B is the main portion of the hub-mold and is cored out appropriately to cast the desired form of hub required. This hub-mold B is secured to a frame 0, which in turn is supported by the spider-frame A. The spiderframe and its supports are bolted to a support D in a rigid manner.

E is the face part of the mold and is supported by bar F rigidly attached thereto and hinged at its lower end at G to the spiderframe or a projection therefrom.

The inner contacting faces of the mold parts B and E are radially grooved with a series of depressions H, which are preferably angularly shaped, and within which the spokes of the wheel to be made are held an d clamped. These depressions in either side of the mold register with each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

I is an annular rim provided with a radially-disposed series of notches J having beveled faces which serve to gather and center the spokes K in their proper position for east ing the hub.

L is the outer rim of the apparatus rigidly secured to the spider-frame, and within which the tire M of the wheel is placed.

M denotes the rim or tire of the wheel, which may be made of ordinary fiat iron, or the construction and material may be varied, as desired; but in this case the rim or tire is formed of channel-iron and is provided with a groove or recess m, extending entirely around the same.

The wheel, with the exception of the hub, is first made up upon a suitable frame with the tire bent to shape and the spokes inserted therein and headed up or otherwise secured. The tire and its spokes are then placed upon the spider-frame within the rim L. The ends of the tire at their meeting point in the tire are not fastened, but a strap tie-piece O is preferably fastened to one end of the tire by means of the bolts or rivets o, as shown in Fig. 4, and bridges the space F between the meeting ends and is not fastened to the opposite end. After the wheel is put upon the frame of the apparatus a key-piece Q is inserted within the space P and driven between the ends of the tire, which results in forcing the tire outwardly against the annular rim L, thereby taking out all irregularities in the curve of the tire. At the same time the spokes K are centered by the beveled edges of the depressions J in the rim 1, so that the spokes are brought into the depressions H in the counter faces of the hub-mold,which is their proper position. The hinged portion E of the mold is'then closed and locked, in which position the inner ends of the spokes project into the mold-cavity, as shown in Fig. 1.

B, Fig. 3, are hook-shaped levers pivoted at S to the part B of the mold and swing radially. To look the mold-sections the levers too R are swung inwardly and a link-bar T is secured to the outer end of each lever to hold them in that position, after which Wedges U are inserted between the levers R and the side of the mold-section E and driven in, thereby locking the mold-sections.

V is the orifice through which the molten metal is poured to cast the hub of the wheel.

V is the core of the mold which is inserted before the casting is made.

X are lugs upon the mold-section for suitably registering the same.

The tire is preferably made of channel-iron, and the strap 0 fits therein between the flanges; but the tire may be made of ordinary strap-iron or any other form.

Y is a reciprocating sleeve adapted to project interiorly into the hub-section B of the mold and provided with suitable bearings in which it works.

Z is a lever pivoted upon the spider-frame or a projection thereof and adapted to engage the sleeve Yfor the purpose of reciprocating the same.

1 is a spring secured to lever Z for the purpose of normally throwing the sleeve outward from the mold against a stop.

2 is an adjustable stop set upon the frame for the purpose of limiting the outward movement of the sleeve Y.

After the wheel has been put in position and centered upon the frame and the mold looked upon the spokes the metal is poured in to the opening V to cast the hub upon the spokes. The wheel is then removed from the apparatus by unlocking the mold-sections and swinging out the section E before the metal has cooled. The wedge Q between the tire ends then drops out, or is forced out, and the cooling of the metal in the hub and its consequent shrinkage causes a radially-central pull upon all the spokes of the wheel, which results in drawing the separated ends of the tire up into contact with each other, after which the free end of the strap or tie-piece O is riveted or otherwise secured and the Wheel completed. The first action of the hot metal in casting the hub acts to expand the spokes, which tendency is resisted by the outer rim, L, after which the contraction of the metal by cooling causes the edges or ends of the tire to approach and make contact. This cooling of the hub may take place Within the apparatus, but I prefer to immediately remove the wheel and allow it to cool while the succeedto strike the hub and eject it from the mold..

I claim- 1. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wheels which consists in assembling spokes upon a cut and separated tire, expanding the tire against a tire-former to remove all unevenness therefrom, and then casting a hub upon the spokes, whereby the contrac tion of the hub metal causes the separated tire to close up.

2. The improvement in the art of manufacturing wheels which consists in assembling spokes upon a cut and separated tire, expanding the tire against a tire-former to remove all unevenness therefrom, centering the spokes, and then casting a hub upon the spokes, whereby the contraction of the hub metal causes the separated tire to close up.

3. The combination of the separable hubmold, the annular centering device intermediately disposed between said mold and the tire-former for bringing the spokes into relative position and the tire-former separate from said centering device, as set forth.

4:. The combination of the separable hubmold provided with hinges, the annular centering device intermediately disposed between said mold and the tire-former for bringing the spokes into relative position and the reciprocating ejector for removing the hub from the mold.

5. The combination of the two-part mold having hinge connections, the annular centering device intermediately disposed between said mold and the tire former, the ejector for removing the hub from the mold, the pivoted locking-levers provided with a link for uniting the same when locked and means for bringing the levers and link under tension.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VM. STRAIT.

Witnesses FENELON B. BROOK, J. FRED. KELLEY.