US1562452A - Felly and spoke connection - Google Patents

Description

ATTORNEY INVENTOR "I'll/11110111 wax/1M R. HUFF' Nov. 24 1925.

FELLY AND SPOKE CONNECTION Filed May 27, 1920 Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

RUSSELL HUFF. OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

DODGE IBRGTHERS INCL, A GORPORATIUN IZEARYLAND.

FELLY AND SPOKE CONNECTION.

Application filed May 27,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Rnssnm. How, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Felly and Spoke Connection, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved wheel construction, particularly one in which the felly is formed of sheet metal with wooden spokes, and my object is to improve and simplify the construction.

lVheels which are formed as set forth in the Baker Patent #1336385. dated April 6, 1920, have been suggested, but this form is open to various objections. One of the principal objections is that the bolts which pass through the spokes exert too great a pressure upon the wooden spokes when the nuts are screwed up and give a crushing effeet, which seriously interferes with their efliciency and life. One of my objects is to avoid this objection. Other advantages will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings showing the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view;

Fig. 2, a section on the line A-A;

Fig. 3, a section on the line C-C;

Fig. 4, a section on the line BB; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion on line DD of Fig. 1.

1 is the folly of the wheel, which may advantageously be formed of metal. 2 and 3 are the spokes. In order to hold the spokes, and at the same time prevent a crushing effect from being brought to bear upon them, I have provided two metal rings 4 and 5, which are formed into spoke sockets between them. The former is preferably an integral portion of the metallic felly. One or both of these rings may be bent, as in dicated, to form sockets in which the spokes are located. Preferably both rings are, at each spoke, bent as illustrated in Figs. 4. and 5 to form curved portions embracing the spokes. 7 Between the spokes or sockets the rings abut against each other, preferably as in dicated at 6, so that when the rings are drawn together the tension will be principally taken up by the abutting edges and the otherwise crushing effect not transmitted to the wooden spoke heads.

In the preferred form of the invention 1920. Serial No. 384,541.

illustrated, the ring 4 and the felly band of the wheel indicated at 1 are formed from a single piece of sheet metal circular in form and bent in proper shape. This piece of sheet metal is bent so that the outer part of the ring 4 is substantially perpendicular to the felly band 1 and that the portion of said ring between the spoke sockets extends transversely of the plane of the wheel and preferably substantially parallel with the felly band at a distance from the felly band. The ring 5 is also formed of a piece of sheet metal bent to the desired shape. As shown in the drawings, this ring is formed with an outer portion substantially perpendicular to the folly band and with an inner portion ex tending transversely of the plane of the wheel preferably substantially parallel with the felly band and arranged to abut against the inner portion of the ring l at a distance from the folly band. The ring 5 is adapted to lit closely within the telly band, as shown, and when placed in operative position with in the felly band a closed space is formed be tween the rings 4 and 5 and the felly band between the spokes. This construction renders the felly of the wheel strong and comparatively rigid and enables the same to withstand in a reliable manner the heavy strains to which the same is subjected.

'lhe fastening means for holding the two rings in place and clamping the spokes may, if desired, be bolts or rivets passing through the rings, and preferably one through each spoke head. In the drawings, I have shown each alternate spoke provided with a head ed bolt 7, and each other alternate spoke with a rivet 8. In order to prevent the bolts from turning in the hole in the spoke bored for the reception of the bolt, the hole is preferably smaller than the bolt itself, and the latter is provided with a friction portion, such as longitudinal corrugations 9, which will prevent the bolt from turning in the spoke when the bolt is used as part of a rim fastening means in the usual manner.

I preferably turn the spoke ends to a di ameter somewhat larger than the socket, so that when the wheel is assembled the end of the spoke will be somewhat compressed, as indicated at 10 in Figs. 2 to 5, thus holding the end very tightly and providing some allowance for future shrinkage of the spoke. I also prefer to make the socket somewhat elliptical, so that its diameter in a direction circumferential to the wheel is practically the same as that of the spoke, while its dimension parallel with the axis of the wheel is somewhat less than the spoke diameter, as indicated.

It will be observed that the portion of the ring 5 which directly surrounds the spoke abuts at each end of the bent portion, as indicated at 6 in Figure 4, against the other ring and therefore forms a virtual arch construction, taking the strain off from the spoke head. It, therefore, is not necessary that this socket portion be connected with or extended to the corresponding portion of the next adjacent socket. The construction illustrated, in which these half socket portions are all formed from a single ring, is the construction which I prefer.

I am aware that various changes may be made from the construction illustrated without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed. I therefore do not limit myself to the preferred embodiment above described and illustrated.

lVhat'I claim as new is- 1.. In a wheel, the combination of a fclloe and two metallic rings constructed to form spoke sockets located between the rings and arranged to conform to the shape of and support the spokes for some distance outwardly from the inner edges of the rings, one ring being fixed to the felloe and the other separate therefrom, said rings abutting against each other between the sockets.

2. In a wheel, the combination of a spoke and a spoke socket formed by two metallic socket members, one on each side of the socket, each of said members being bent laterally around the spoke and abutting against the other socket member to form a spoke-holding socket smaller in diameter than the original diameter of the spoke head, and means for drawing the two socket members together to compress the spoke head within the socket.

3. In a Wheel, the combination of a series of spokes, a circular piece of sheet metal bent to form a felly band and a ring extending inwardly from the felly band, a second separate sheet metal ring extending inwardly from the felly band and fitting closely within the same, spoke-holding sockets formed by lateral bends in at least one of the rings extending about the spoke heads, the rings abutting against each other between the sockets at a distance from the felly band, and means for drawing the two rings together.

4. In a wheel, the combination of a series of spokes, a circular piece of sheet metal bent to form a felly band and a ring extending inwardly from the felly band in the general direction of the plane of the wheel and bent to form partial socket portions arranged to encircle partially the spoke heads and portions between the sockets extending transversely of the plane of the wheel at a distance from said felly band, a second ring formed of sheet metal arranged to fit within the telly band and extend therefrom inwardly in the general direction of the plane of the wheel, the second ring having laterally bent partial socket portions arranged to encircle partially the spoke heads, and portions between the sockets extending transversely of the plane of the wheel at a distance fro-m said felly band so as to abut against the corresponding portions of the first ring, and means for drawing the two rings together to secure the spoke heads within the sockets formed by said rings.

5. In a wheel, the combination of a felly and two metallic rings formed into spoke sockets between them and abutting against each other between the sockets, one of which rings is secured to the felly, a series of spokes having heads normally of greater diameter than the diameter of the sockets and compressed within said sockets, and means for securing the rings together.

6. In a wheel, the combination of a series of spokes, a circular piece of sheet metal bent to form an inclined flange at one margin thereof, a felly band and a ring extending inwardly from the felly band in the general direction of the plane of the wheel and having partial socket portions arranged to encircle partially the spoke heads and portions between the sockets extending transversely of the plane of the wheel at a dis tance from said felly band, a second ring formed of sheet metal arranged to [it within the felly band and extend therefrom inwardly in the generaldirection of the plane of the wheel, said second ring having laterally bent partial socket portions arranged to encircle partially the spoke heads, and portions between the sockets extending transversely of the plane of the wheel at a distance from the felly band so as to abut against the corresponding portions of the first ring, a series of spokes having heads normally of greater diameter than the diameters of the sockets formed by said rings and compressed within said sockets, and means for securing the two rings together to hold the spokes within the sockets.

Signed at Detroit, Michigan, this 24th day of May, 1920.

' RUSSELL HUFF.

Images