US2048240A - Resilient car wheel - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet'l R. J. WITTM ER July 21, 1936.

RESILIENT CAR WHEEL Filed July 51, 1953 m my QNQ \wk Patented July 21, 1936 H NlT'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,048,240 RESILIENT CAR WHEEL Russell J. Wittmer, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio; a corporation of Ohio 1 4 Application July 31, 1933, Serial No. 682,936 1401mm. (c1.295 '11) I This invention relates to wheels for street cars or other railway vehicles. The invention more particularly provides a novel wheel comprising a rim relatively movable with respect to a hub and resilient means between the rimand hub for effectively cushioning the movements therebetween. An ObjECllOf the-invention is'the provision of a novel construction whereby there is produced a resilient wheel of marked efl'iciency while atjthe 1 same time obtaining the advantages of simplicity of construction and economy of manufacture :and

assembly. The invention comprisesin' this c'on-, nection provisions for cushioning movements between the rim and hub through the interposition of rubber means in a particularly efficient man- .ner an'd'without the necessity-of vulcanizing the rubber or providing special clamping means there- 'ior. A further feature 'of the invention resides in novel provisions, for protecting. the rubber against the. heat developed by the brakes. Other features and advantages will be more particularly pointed out in the ensuing description and setforth in the claims appended hereto.

' In the accompanying drawings:

. 2 5' Fig. lis a view inside elevation of a wheel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view .on. line 3 3l 30 of- Fig. 2,.with parts broken away. I

, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 2, with parts broken away.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the rubber inserts.

V 35 Referring to the drawings, the wheel of my invention'comprisesv a metal rim. 2having the usual wheel contour. A metallic hub member is shown at 3 having a radially extending-flange 4 parallelfto the radially extending web or flange 4o 5 of the rim 2. The latteris provided with a circumferential-shouldered portion 6 for the -re-- c'eption of a met'al'disk I. Bolts 8 extend thru said disk I, flange 4, and web 5, as well as thru a vertical flange 9 of a brake drum. l0 andserve 45 to maintain the parts in assembled relation.

Projecting from the web 5 toward the flange. 4 are studs ll; while similar studs l2 extendfrom, disk 1 toward saidfiange. .The latter is provided on opposite sides with studs l3. vAs shown the v 50' studs l3 on the face of the flange 4 adjacent the web 5 extend into overlapping relation to the studs l l i. e., a single vertical plane perpendicu- -lar to the axis of the hub maybe passed thru said studs H and I3. Likewise the studs 13 on 55the opposite side of fiange 4 project a sufilcient distance toward dis k to bring said studs into overlapping relation to the studs l2 on said disk.

In Fig; 3 the studs I3 (appearing in front elenatingin each circumferential series, could be arranged in separate series; 1. e., the series closest to hub 3 could consist entirely of studs l3, the next circumferential series could be composed entirely of-studs' f I, and so on. Furthermore, 15

the studs instead of being arranged in radial lines as shown, could be staggered so that one ormore would not be in radial alignment with adjacent studs. The arrangement of studsl2 with respect to the studs I3 on the face of flange 20 I 4 adjacent to disk 1 may be similar to that above 'described'between studs .ll and the studs 13 nearest web 5. In Fig. 4 the studs l3 extending toward disk I are shown in" section and the studs l2 in front elevation.

- .Between the web 5' and fiange 4 there is positioned a rubber disk or sheet l4 having holes l5" (Fig. '5) for receiving the respective studs II and I3. A- similar rubber disk I4 is positioned Y between'flang'e '4 and disk I. The holes in said rubber 'disk are no larger in diameter than the studs which they receive, whereby a snug fit isobtained. It is to be noted that the bolts 8 e are also snugly'engaged in openings in the rubber disks I4 and thus cooperate with said disks in the same manner asthe studs II and I2. The

. openings 16 in the flange 4, however, thru which 7 said bolts extend, are larger than the bolts, thus providing for relative movement between the hub and rim. Clearance is provided, as-indicated at 40 ll, between-each stud and the member opposite.

'- The purpose of this clearance is two-fold, the first being to permit relative movement between the hub andrim, as will be noted further hereinafter, and the second .to prevent'abrasion of the rubber where it contacts with the inner surfaces of disc I and web 5 and the opposite sides of flange-4. If the studs ll, 12 and I3 extended to the above surfaces the adjacentrubbe'r would be moved by the studs and the outer and inner surfaces of the rubber caused to slip along the surfaces ofith'e adjacent metallic members, thus causing abrasion.- By maldng the studs shorter than the thickness of the rubber sheet the end 01a stud will press into the rubber on relative movement of the parts without disturbing the contact between the rubber and the adjacent metal surfaces. A radius or chamfer may be pro-' vided on the ends of the studs to further increase the effect of the clearance.

It will be observed that the construction here disclosed enables relative movement to take place between the wheel rim and hub in any direction. Thus, the hub can move in a plane at right angles to its axis until the clearance indicated at 3 is taken up; while said hub can move parallel to its axis in either direction until clearances II! are taken up. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that, assuming upward movement of the hub 3 with respect to the rim 2, the rubber between the studs designated H and I3 will be in compression and that surrounding the pair of studs I3 and H" under tension. In other words, in movement between said hub and rim in a given direction, certain portions of the rubber will be in compression and simultaneously other portions will be under tension. The same is true of downward movement of the hub with respect to the rim, as. Y well as of torsional movements therebetween.

The aforesaid action of the rubber is obtained without any vulcanizing'of the rubber to the adj acent metal surfaces, and without any clamping of pression thereof is obtained upon tightening.

bolts 8 to a. desired extent. Moreover, very little additional machining of parts is required over that necessary for the ordinary type of rigid? wheel.

The brake drum l0 enables the braking action to occur at a distance from the rim 2 and. materially decreases the heat transmitted to the rubber. While the drum might be cast integral with the disk 'I, it is preferred that it be constructed as a separate part. Said drum, as shown,

includes an upper flange cut away at portions i9 (Fig. 4), providing a -series of circumfere'ntially spaced lugs 2|] engageable with the disk I. Also said drum has a lower circumferential series of lugs 2| separated by spaces 22 and engageahle with said disk. Thru the upper andlower series of lugs 20, 2 I, aforesaid, the main body portion of said drum I0 is-spaced from the disk I and a circumferential air chamber 23 is provided therebetween, and in addition the spacing of the lugs in each series provides further for engagement of the drum with the disk I at spaced points. Substantial diminution of heat transfer is thus further effected. Moreover, during rotation of the wheel air circulates'through the openings 22 and 19 and cavity 23, thereby cooling the wheel and drum and this is facilitated by the flanges 24, which, in addition to reinforcing the drum, provide additional air circulation by their fan action while the wheel is rotating. Additional restriction in the transfer of heat from parts of the wheel that become heated during operation may be had by placing asbestos or similar material adjacent the rubber sheets and between contacting surfaces of the metal.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the studs in the series nearest the axis of the hub 3 may be of less cross sectional area than those at greater distances from said axis; the cross sectional area of the studs of the respective series being shown as increasing with the distance of the studs fro-m sponse to movement of one said axis. The holes in the rubber disks are correspondingly of areas increasing with the radial distance from the axis of the disk, as shown in Fig. 5. The characteristics of the wheel can be modified by punching holes at points intermediate theholes IS in the rubber'disks. This also would permit a certain amount of flow of rubber as the bolts are tightened up in case the surfaces of the castings are such as to have irregular projections which would press the rubber inwardly during tightening of the bolts.

It will be seen that the structure above described can be readily disassembled without removal of the hub member from the journal. When it is desired to change the rim, the nuts'of the bolts 8 maybe removed and the rim slipped off without disturbing any of the other parts.

While obviously the web or flange 5 ofthe rim member 2 need not be cast integral therewith but may instead, if desired, be made separate therefrom and secured thereto (for example, in a manner similar to disk 'I), it suflicesior an understanding of my inventionthat it be illustrated as integral'with said rim and it has accordingly been so shown. i

The. terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there' is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described, or portionsthereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scopeof the invention claimed.

I claim; v l. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub hav-,

ing aflange projecting therefrom, a rim having a v radial web spaced from said flange, projections jections extending from said'web toward said flange and in overlapping relation to the projections of said flange, and rubber means between said flange and said web and extending around a projection on said web and thence to and around a projection on said flange with consequent tensioningvofportions of said rubber means in reof said projections away from the other. I

. extending from said flange toward said web, proe I 2. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange projecting radially therefrom, a rim having a radial web spaced from said flange, a disk of rubber between said flange and said web and having openings therein, projections from said jections from said flange fitting into others of said openings, the projections from said web and flange respectively extending axially of the wheel into overlapping relation to each other.

.3. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange projecting radially therefrom, a rim having a radial web spaced from said flange, projections extending from saidweb toward said flange, projections extending from said flange toward said web, said projections being so arranged that a plane transverse to the axis of the hub and passing through said projections on said flange also passes through said projections on said web, and a rubber element having openings into which the respective projections of said web and flange extend, and adapted to be placed concurrently under compression and tension in different portions thereof in response to relative movement between said flange and web.

' 4. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a radial web spaced from said flange, a

' rubber element between said flange and said web,v

and means comprising projections on said web and flange extendinginto axially overiapping'relation and fitting into holes in said element for holding the latter in position and placing different portions of said element concurrently under compression and tension respectively during relative radial movement between said web and said flange.

5. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a radial web spaced from said flange, rubber means between said flange and said web, and means comprising axially overlapping projections for concurrently placing certain parts of said rubber means under compression and other parts under tension during radial movement of said rim in a given direction with respect to said hub.

6. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub, a rim, rubber means between said rim and said hub, and means comprising axially overlapping projections for concurrently placing certain parts of said rubber means under compression and other parts under tension, during movement of said rim in a given direction radially of said hub.

7. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub member, a rim member, an element extending radially from one of said members, other elements extending radially from the other of said members on opposite sides of the first mentioned element, rubber means interposed between said flrst mentioned element and said other elements, projections extending from opposite sides of the first mentioned placed under compression during relative move-.

element into said rubber means, projections from said other elements extending into portions of said rubber means, said projections and said rubber means being so constructed and arranged that portions of said rubber means are placed under tension and other portions are concurrently ment in a given direction between said hub and rim members, and bolts extending through all of said elements and said rubber means, with provisions enabling one of said members to move with respect to said bolts.

8. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub. member, a rim member, rubber means between said rim and said hub, an element extending radially from one of said members, other elements extending radially from the other of said members on opposite sides of the first mentioned element, projections from the first mentioned element extending into said rubber means, and projections from said other elements extending axially into overlapping relation to the first mentioned projections and also extending into portions of said rubber means between the flrst mentioned projections.

v 9; A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, a plurality of series of studs extending around said flange at different radial distances from the axis of said hub, a plurality of series of studs extending around said web at different radial distances from the axis of said hub, and rubber means between said web and said flange and receiving said studs, said projections being so arranged that a plane transverse to the axis of the hub and passing through said projections on the flange also passes through said projections on said web.

' 10. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, a circular series of studs on said flange, a circular series of studs on said web, said studs on said web being interposed between said studs on said flange and overlapping the same, and rubber means between said web and said flange and receiving said studs.

11. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, a plurality of series of studs on said web and flange,.the cross sectional areas of the studs increasing with increase of radial distance from the axis of said hub, and rubber means between said flange and said web and having holes receiving said studs, the studs on said web overlapping the studs on said flange with consequent tensioning of portions of said rubber means in response to relative movement between said hub and rim. l

12. A resilient car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, a plurality of circular series of studs on said flange, a plurality of circular series of studs on said web, the studs of each of said series on said web being interspersed among the studs of a corresponding series on said flange, the cross sectional areas of the studs increasing with the radial distance thereof from the axis of said hub. and rubber means between said flange and said web having holes for receiving said studs, the

flange with consequent tensioning of portions of said rubber means in response to relative movement between said hub and rim.

13. A car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, rubber means between said web and said flange, and means comprising studs on said flange and web for concurrently placing portions of said rubber means under compression and other portions under tension in movement of said hub with respect to said rim in any of a plurality of directions. v

14. A car wheel comprising a hub having a flange extending radially therefrom, a rim having a web, rubber means between said web and said flange, and means comprising studs on said flange and web for concurrently placing portions of said rubber means under compression and other portions under tension upon rotation of said rim with respect to said hub in any of a plurality of directions. RUSSELL J. WITI'MER.

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