US1597223A - Apparatus for making wheels - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 24, 1926. f 1,597,223

J. H. WAGENHORST l APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEELS Filed Feb. 19, 1920 af Z0 .IIIIIIHI llllr f? 1 lum lll!! m '/o /0 www Patented ng. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. WAGENHOYRST, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

APIEARATUS FOR MAKING WHEELS.

Applicationfiled February This invention relates generally to Wheels comprising a metal felly and wooden spokes and more particularly to the apparatus for making such wheels. f

The object of the invention is to provide a simple machine for fixing the spokes within the inet-al felly without disturbing the true circularity thereof.

lith these objects in view, the invention consists in the detailed steps and the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating my method, and also one embodiment of apparatus for carrying out said method. Y

Fig. 2 is a view showing the manner of arranging the spokes in staggered relation to kprevent crushing of their edges, Fig. 3 is a view showing such spokes pressed into final position, and Fig. 4l is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing the co-.operation of one of the guiding` notches with the outer end of a spoke.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a suitable stand or frame 10 having a central hollow standard in which is arranged a yieldable spoke support 11, saidsupport being normally held raised by means of a helical spring 12 contained Within the bottom otsaid support. y

The stand 10 has a felly holding ring 13 arranged thereon andthis ring can be sized and shaped to receive the felly 14; therein as shown in Fig. 1, or it can be sized and shaped to receive the telly thereabout as shown at 15 in Figs. 2 and 3.

The telly is always heated so as to expand lthe same considerably and the felly can also be expanded by other methods.

The expanded felly 14 is placed within the ring 13 and the spokes 16 are arranged with their inner mitered ends upon the head 17 of the support 11, and the tenons of the spokes are insertedin sockets 18 the felly. Y

li plunger 19 isV then forced down by a piston 2O operating in a fluid pressure cylinder 21. and this plunger forces the inner ends of spokes downwardly and the support 11 yields by compressing the spring and the spokes are forced into the true plane of the wheel, the downward movement of the support being limited by a collar 22 contacting punched. in

19, i920. serial No. 359,936.

with a stop ring 23A arranged upon the stand. The collar is adjustable to accommodate dilerent thicknesses oll spokes.

The ring 13 holds the felly against mis shapement, or distortion while the spokes are being forced into the wheel plane. The rim being expanded by heat or otherwise, it will require very 'little pressure to force the spokes into the wheel plane.

The plunger is then raised, the wheel removed and the felly permitted to cool, and when cooled it will shrink perceptibly and place all of the spokes under uniform radial compression and provide a perfectly tight wheel. y

`In Figs. 2 and 3 the head 2L of the spoke support is of notched or castellated formation as shown, that is therev are alternating raised and depressed surfaces and 25a, upon which the mitered ends of the spokes are placed and in this way the spokes are arranged staggered so that in forcing the mitercd ends together the tendency to crush or chip off the edges of the initers will be reduced to a minimum.

W'ith this construction the lower edges of the mi'tered sides of the higher spokes, that is those supported on surfaces 25 of member 24, contact with the mitered sides of the lower' spokes which rest in the notches 25, and each of the higher spokes tends to force the lowerspokes with which it contacts apart from each other as the higer spoke is depressed, all of the mitered spoke ends being placed under compression as the higher spokes and the member 24 are forced downwardly under the action of the member 19, Vand the extension of the member 19 entering the central opening between the spoke ends insures uniform radial positioning of the inner ends of the spokes.

The plunger is constructed and operated exactly the same as previously7 described.

The felly 14; is placed about the ring 15 and snuglylits said ring and consequently no distortion of said felly can take place. The ring may be provided. with radial notches 26 to serve as guides in placing the spokes inthe felly.

l/Vhen the parts of the machine are in the positionshown in Fig. 2, and a elly has been positioned upon the support as shown,

the spokes may be quickly moved to the position shown in such figure, since the operator may, without particular care, engage the tenon end of a spoke in one of the grooves 26 and as the mitered end of the spoke is lowered toward its place on member 15 the tenen end of the spoke will skid outwardly in its groove 26 to its proper position rela tive to the felly.

Vhen the plunger is forced down it carries the spokes and follower down with it and the mitered ends of the spokes contact with a centrally arranged stop ring 27 and the continued pressure forces the support down until all of the spokes have been brought into the true wheel plane as shown in 3. The plunger is then raised and the wheel removed.

It will thus be seen that I provide a simple method of making a wheel of the character described and also a simple and efficient machine for making the same according to said method.

By using a heated or otherwise expanded felly very little pressure is required, and by' the provision of proper holding rings, the felly will be kept to true circular form and held against distortion.

It will be understood that the machine described may be used to form wheels in which the felly may be of any desired shape in cross-section, the word felly being intended to include arim or any other continuous peripheral band.

Certain features shown and described in this application, but not claimed therein, are described and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 360,804, filed February 24, 1920. The methoddisclosed in this application is described and claimed in my co,- pending application Serial No. 88,845, filed February 17, 1926.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a frame, a centrally arranged yieldable spoke support, said support being of castellated formation, a felly holding ring arranged upon said frame and adapted to hold a felly VagainstV distortion, means for forcing said spoke support downwardly and means for limiting the downward movement of said forcing means.

2. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a support, a ring arranged thereon with which an endless felly is adapt- Y ed to contact, .said ring being adapted to prevent distortion of said felly and having a plurality of radial guide notches, a centrally disposed'radially notched yieldable spoke support for supporting the inner ends of thespokes, means for depressing the spokes and central support, and means for `limiting the downward movement of said depressing means.

8. In a machine for making wheels, the

combination -of a support having an annular ange thereon adapted to receive and hold a metal felly from distortion, depressable means for supporting the inner ends of a plurality of spokes alternately at greater and less distances above said support, said flange having means for guiding the outer ends of the spokes, and means for forcing the inner ends of said spokes toward said support while the felly is held by said flange against distortion.

4. In a machine for making wheels, the combination of a support, means on said support for positioning a felly thereon, a member mounted for movement axially of said positioning means, said member being radially notched for supporting the inner ends of certain of a series of spokes at a given distance above said support and the inner ends of other spokes at a different distance above said support, and means for forcing the inner ends of the spokes toward said support.

5. In a wheel-making machine the combination of a support adapted to receive a felly, means thereon for preserving the concentricity of the felly, a depressable support adapted to support the inner ends of the spokes above the wheel plane, said supports having circumferentially spaced notches engaging the inner and outer ends of the spokesfor retaining them preliminarily in the proper radial planes, and means for forcing the inner ends of the spokes downwardly into the plane of the wheel. Y

6. In a wheel-making machine, the combination of a support adapted to receive a felly, a depressable plunger adapted to support the inner ends of spokes, the spoke-supporting portion of said plunger being notched so that certain of the spokes are supported at greater inclinations than other spokes, a ram adapted to engage the inner ends of the most elevated spokes to depress the plunger, and a stop adapted to engage the lower faces of the inner portions of the spokes, as they approach the wheel plane, and coacting with said ram to bring all the spokes into a common plane.

7. In a machine for making wheels, the combination with a support having an annular abutment thereon adapted to receive and hold a metal rim from distortion, means for supporting the inner ends of a plurality of spokes at different distances above said support, `and means forv forcing the inner ends of said spokes toward said support while the rim is held by said abutment against distortion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto my signature.

Jaimesv H. wAGENHoRsT.

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