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The
construction of carriages, carts and wagons was a specialized
trade. The making of wheels was also such a trade and was
the responsibility of the wheelwright. The town blacksmith
could make repairs and do one-offs, but the actual production
work was left to the specialist. This mechanism may have been
marketed for the town blacksmith.
The
traditional standard method of assembling wheels entailed
placing the finished hub in a fixture, driving in the spokes
and, at a separate assembly station, fitting the felloe (rim).
In patent no. 173,052, dated February 1, 1876, J.G. Peace
of Missouri claimed that his invention allowed for all of
the steps to be done at one single station. In practice, the
adjustable eccentric clamped the spoke, allowing the hollow
auger to be advanced, cutting the tenon. The adjustable hollow
auger was not included in the patent claim, as others had
done that previously. The patent claim was specifically for
the boring frame and mechanism.
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