Improvements in Pneumatic or Air Tyres, and Rims therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic or Air Tyres, and Rims therefor.
ALFRED JOHN DUNBAR HARRIS 6 Soham Road, Ordnance Road Enfield
Lock in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in an improved construction of tyres, for use on the wheels
of velocipedes, and other like vehicles, whereby important advantages are secured.
The rim of such wheels I preferably make semicircular in section, with the edges
turned inwards, and rolled, to form two semicircular grooves or recesses, the edges
of these recesses by preferance pass the center line of said groove, for reasons
hereafter described.
As a modification, I may form the rim of two separate parts, that is to say
I may form the semicircular part of one piece, and outer part containing the two
grot ves or channels of another piece of sheet metal, the two parts are then joined
together by brazing or other means, thus forming a hollow rim.
The tyre itself consists of an outer casing, formed of vulcanized rubber, with
insertions of canvas, and thickened at the tread, or weight bearing portion, in the
ordinary way. This outer casing is moulded into form of an endless band
U shaped, in cross section the edges are turned over and cemented, vulcanized, or
otherwise secured to the wall of the tyre, thus forming two tubes in the edges of the
tyre. These tubes rest within the channel formed within the rim before described,
and are capable of filling the said grooves. A tube projects through the rim from
the said tubes with valves through which air is pumped into the tubes, thus
expanding the tubes within the rim grooves (said grooves as before mentioned) are
continued beyond the center, thereby preventing the edges of the tyre from leaving
the grooves when the said tubes are inflated with compressed air, gas or liquid. In
the event of a puncture of outer casing, the small tube formed in the edge of
tyre can be deflated and lifted from its groove and instantly repaired upon its
inner side. I would here state that I do not confine myself to the circular grooves
before described within the rim, as I may form them of an angular or dovetail
shape. In a further modification I may dispence with the inflated edges of the
tyre, and substitute therefor metal wires, said wires to pass through cavities formed
in edges of the tyre, (as before stated). The wires pass round the whole circumferance
of the tyre, and are connected together at their ends by means of a nut, screwed
with right and left hand threads, the ends of the wires being screwed to correspond,
thus when the wires are tightened by means of the nut, the outer edges of the
tyre are tightened down on the rim within the grooves before described, and thus
form an air tight joint.
For the purpose of closing the nipple holes in the rim within the tyre, I may
use a flat vulcanized rubber band stretched tightly over the outer circumferance
and covering the said holes.
Width of said band from in. to in., which may be further assisted by canvas
if found desirable.

page_text: ALFRED JOHN DUNBAR HARRIS of 6 Soham Road, Ordnance Road Enfield
Lock, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists in an improved construction of tyres for use on the wheels
of velocipedes, and other like vehicles whereby important advantages are secured.
The rim of such wheels I preferably make semicircular in section, with the edges
turned inwards, and then rolled, to form two semicircular grooves or recesses, the
edges of these recesses by preference pass the center line of said grooves, for
reasons hereafter described.
As a modification, I may form the rim of two separate parts, that is to say
I may form the semicircular part of one piece, and outer part containing the two
grooves or channels of another piece of sheet metal, the two parts are then joined
together by brazing or other means, thus forming a hollow rim.
The tyre itself consists of an outer casing formed of vulcanized rubber, with
insertions of canvas, and thickened at the tread, or weight bearing portion, in the
ordinary way. This outer casing is moulded into form of an endless band, Ushaped
in cross section the edges are turned over and cemented, vulcanized or otherwise
secured to the wall of the tyre, thus forming two tubes in the edges of the tyre.
These tubes rest within the channels formed within the rim, before described and
are capable of filling the said grooves, an inflating tube projects through the rim
from the said tyre tubes, with valves through which air is pumped into the tyre
tubes, thus expanding the tubes within the rim grooves (said grooves as before
mentioned) are continued beyond the center, thereby preventing the edges of the
tyre from leaving the grooves when the said tubes are inflated with compressed air
gas or liquid. In the event of a puncture of outer casing, the small tubes formed
in the edge of tyre can be deflated and lifted from its groove and instantly repaired
upon its inner side. In the annexed drawing Figures 1 2 & 3 are cross sections
of a pneumatic or air tyre constructed according to my invention, the section
Figure 1. is taken through the branch tubes C by which the edges of the cover are
inflated and expanded within the semicircular recesses formed within the rim B¹.
Fig. 3. represents one edge of the cover deflated and removed from the rim A for
the purpose of repair upon the inner side. Figure 2 is taken through the branch
tube C through which the outer cover is inflated, A is the metal rim which is
made with each of its edges bent to form receptacles for the inflated edges of the
tyre. The edges of the said rims may be formed in semicircles extending around
the rims as shown at A Figures 1-2-3 and 6 or may be formed of a angular
shape as shown at A Fig. 4 & 5 the rim may be further strengthened as represented
in Fig. 6, in this case the tyre is made as in the preceeding examples Fig. 1-2
& 3 but in addition I bend a ring of metal which passes round the inner circum-
ference of the rim tbus forming a lower base as shown at E the edges of this ring
may be attached to the edge of the tyre by any suitable means. Fig. 7 is a further
modifacation or manner of forming the rim, A represents a U shaped rim of metal
with a hoop of wood secured in the center of the inner circumference, B is the
outer cover of canvas and vulcanized india rubber with its edges adopted to be
inflated with air gas or liquid as shown at B" the edges of the cover are turned up
and secured to the walls of the cover by cementing or vulcanizing, thus forming
the inner cavity, D for the reception of the compressed air gas or liquid, this part
of my invention is important for the following reason that in case of puncture the

page_text: cover or tyre will not fly off or leave the rim. Figures 4, 5 & 6 are similar views.
of a pneumatic or air tyre slightly modified in the form of the rim for the reception
of the edges of the outer cover.
Refering now to the manner of fixing the spokes within the rim this may be
done in two ways, that is to say I may pierce the rim in the center of the flat part
between the semicircular edges of the rim, in this I may use a flat vulcanized
india rubber band stretched tightly over the outer circumference, and covering
the heads of the spokes & holes for the reception of the same thus preventing any
escape of air through the said holes. Or the bottom of the circular edges of the
rim may be pierced for the reception of the spokes, in which case the above band
is not required.
Having now particularly described and asertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The combination of a metal rim having formed in its outer edges cavaties, a
flexible outer cover or tyre of U form having its edges adopted to be inflated with
air gas or liquid, so as to press out the edges and cause them to fit tightly within
the grooves or recesses formed in the rim.
2. A flexible outer cover or tyre of U form having its edges adopted to be
inflated with air gas or liquid with inflating tubes and valves in connection
therewith as described.
3. An air tyre constructed substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings annexed.
Dated this 15th day of October 1896.
ALFRED JOHN DUNBAR HARRIS.