Improved Means for Repairing Punctured Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Repairing Punctured Tyres.
1, FRANK HENRY TURNER, of Hartford, in the County of Hartford and State of
Connecticut, United States of America, Superintendent of The Hartford Rubber
Works Company, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact tool and an improved
repairing-plug by means of which punctures in pneumatic tires may be easily and
quickly repaired. The repairing tool presents in one structure the cutter for making
an opening with a clean hole through the tire and also means for properly
inserting, locating and securely setting the plug which is cemented in place to close
the aperture.
To this end my invention consists partly in the tool with the several parts, and in
the combination of such parts as hereinafter described, and it also comprises an
improved repairing-plug hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side view of the tool with the cutter shown in lengthwise section.
Figure 2 is a side view of a form of plug for use in connection with the tool.
Figure 3 is a view in cross section of a tire and in side view of the tool illustrating
the manner of enlarging the puncture for repair.
Figure 4 is a view in cross section of the tire showing the plug inserted and
illustrating the method of securing it in place in the puncture.
Figure 5 is a view, in lengthwise central section of the preferred form of plug.
Figure 6 is a side view of a modified form of the tool.
In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown embodied in a tool formed
with the two main members arranged at right angles to each other, although these
two parts may be otherwise arranged and yet embody the invention. The letter a
denotes the body of the tool, one branch which terminates in a head c preferably
cone-shaped and having its surface threaded to form a ginlet point so that this
head may he readily worked or forced through a puncture in the elastic walls of a
pneumatic tire.
The preferred form of the head e provides a cylindrical helt c¹ of a diameter
closely conforming to the interior diameter of the hollow cutter so that the edge
of the latter as it is moved forward in the cutting operation co-acts with the
edge of the shoulder on this cylindrical head and enables a sharp shearing cut to be
made by the edge of the cutter.
This cutter d'has preferably a broadened head milled on the edge to enable it to
be grasped and power enough used to cause the cutting edge to cut a clean,
round hole out of the substance of the wall of the tire through which the head c
has been thrust.
The branches band of the tool are preferably joined by a curved portion g in
one form, which affords a flat part that may be readily grasped by the fingers in
the use of the tool, and in a modified form these branches b', are joined by an
offset portion gl, the two branches extending parallel to each other, but in opposite
directions, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. One branch, as, is tapered and
terminates in a ball or round part 1, and it has at some little distance back from
the point a roughened portion f which serves to more securely hold, temporarily, the
shank of the plug which is located on the end of the branch. The end of the

page_text: branch is thrust into a central opening in the shank of the plug and the latter drawn
back onto the roughened portion until the shank of the plug is attenuated so as to
aid in the insertion of the plug into the opening in the tire or other article being
repaired by it.
The preferred form of the plug h has the shank formed with a reverse taper ³ at
the base near its point of juncture with the head, and the main part of the hole or
central opening in the shank flares outward, as at 4. Such a form of plug is preferred
for the reason that it may he readily held on a core in vulcanizing; for the further
reason that the reverse tapered portion when it is expanded in the opening cut
by the tool fits the opening more closely, and for the further reason that the smaller
the opening in the center of the shank of the plug left in the hole in the tire when
the repair is completed the thicker will be the walls of the shank and the least
objection found to the existence of any opening in the surface of the tire, or in the
plug used to repair it.
The within described tool is adapted more especially fer closing a puncture, as i, in
the wall of a pneumatic tire k as by means of the plug h, although it is equally usable
for repairing analogous articles.
This plug his cone-shaped in general outline with the shank projecting centrally
from the preferably recessed back of the plug, the shank being hollow along its
length. The opening in the shank of the plug is preferably contracted, as at h², at
that portion intended to fill the opening.cut in the wall of the tire, this form being
shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The recess in the back of the plug forms tapered
or flaring walls which when extended tend to resume the conical shape, and this
causes this flange A to tightly close any joint between the inner surface of the wall
of the tire and the wall of the flange.
For a limited distance along the branch back of the head c it is decreased
in diameter so as to allow the substance of the wall of the tire to close into the
recess thus formed and lie against the shoulder on the back of the head, as
illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, thus backing up the substance of the wall
against the operation of the cutter which is fed forward by a rotary movement on the
threaded portion of the body of the tool. At the inner end of this narrow section of
the branch & the body part is of substantially the same diameter as the cylindrical
opening through the hollow cutter, forming a shoulder which acts as an ejector for
the part cut from the wall of the tire when the cutter is run backward along the
threaded portion after having been used to cut a clean, round hole through the wall
of the tire at a part which includes the puncture.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
The point of puncture through the wall of the tire having been located, the head e
of the tool is thrust through the hole and the elastic walls about the puncture then
close on to the shank hack of the head, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The
cutter is then rotated on the body of the tool by means of the milled head and a clean
cut bule made through the wall of the tire by the rotary and pirogressive movement
of the cutting edge. As above stated the cutter operates with a shearing action,
the edge of the shoulder forming an opposing edge to the cutting edge of the
cutter which passes on to the cylindrical portion of the head and cuts a clean hole
through the wall of the tire.
After cutting the hole, the head e is withdrawn, and the plug 4 having been placed
upon the end of the branch fi, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a suitable supply
of cement is spread in the recess on the back of the plug and at the bottom of the
stem, and the pointed end of the plug is then thrust through the hole in the tire. A
backward pull upon the tool causes the flange of the plug to strike against the
inner wall of the tire and to roll outward by contact with it. The outer end of the
shank of the plug, may be then rolled back off the roughened portion and the end
of the branch withdrawn, this operation allowing the shank of the plug to resume
its greater normal diameter and to fit snugly by expansion in the hole cut through
the wall of the tire. It has been found that the act of inflating the tire after the
plug has been inserted will also cause it to be forced outward into proper position

page_text: if the inflation takes place before the cement has hardened. By means of suitable
cement the plug is secured in place. The diameter of the shank of the plug is
slightly larger than the diameter of the hole male by the cutter, and this shank, as
well as the back of the head of the plug, is smeared with proper cementing
material. It will aid in the insertion of the plug if the point is also smeared with
cement before attempting to thrust it through the hole in the tire.
In order to avoid any chance of pushing or tearing ont the point of the plug in
the act of inserting it, a piece of fabric m may be moulded into the body part of
the plug, which is afterwards vulcanized.
While it is preferred to form the roughened portion on the branch of the tool
which supports the plug, the roughening is not essential, as the increased diameter
of that part, or other equivalent device may be used to hold the shank of the
plug extended along the branch and attenuated for the purpose described.
As soon as the cement has dried sufficiently to securely bold the plug in
place the projecting end of its shank is shaved off by means of any sharp
instrument.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 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. In a tire repairing tool, a head with a shoulder located back of the bead,
and a tubular cutter borne on the tool back of the head and with its cutting
portion adapted to co-operate therewith in the cutting operation of the tool.
2. In a tire repairing tool, a head with a shoulder located back of the head, a
threaded portion located back of the shoulder, and a tubular cutter having an
interior screw thread fitting said threaded portion and with its cutting edge adapted
to co-operate with the head in the cutting operation of the tool.
3. In a tire repairing tool, a head having a reduced portion located back of the
head and forming a shoulder thereon, a threaded portion located back of the shoulder,
and a tubular cutter having an interior screw thread fitting said threaded portion
and with its edge adapted to co-operate with the shouldered head in the cutting
operation of the tool.
4. In à tire repairing tool, a pointed head having a reduced portion back of
the head forming a shoulder thereon, a threaded portion larger in diameter than
the reduced portion and forming a shoulder located in opposition to the shouldered
head, and a tubular cutter having an interior screw thread fitting said threaded
portion and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the shouldered head
in the cutting operation of the tool.
5. In a tire repairing tool comprising in the one structure a branch having a head
with a shoulder located back of the head, a tubular cutter borne on the tool back of
the head and with its cutting portion adapted to co-operate therewith in the cutting
operation of the tool, and the other branch of the tool having a plug holding point.
6. In a tire repairing tool comprising in the one structure a branch having a head
with a shoulder located back of the head, a threaded portion located back of the
shoulder, a tubular cutter having an interior screw thread fitting said threaded
portion and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the shouldered heal in
the cutting operation of the tool, and the other branch of the tool having a plug
holding point.
7. In a tire repairing tool comprising in the one structure a branch having a pointed
head with a reduced portion located back of the head and forming a shoulder thereon,
a threaded portion located back of the shoulder, a tubular cutter having an interior
screw thread fitting said threaded portion and with its cutting edge adapted to
co-operate with the shouldered head in the cutting operation of the tool, and the other
branch of the tool having a plug holding point.
8. In a tire repairing tool, a pointed head having a shearing edge at its base, a
reduced portion located back of the head forming a shoulder thereon, a threaded
portion located back of and larger in diameter than the reduced portion and forming a

page_text: shoulder located in opposition to the shouldered head, a tubular cutter having an
interior screw, thread fitting said threaded portion and adapted to co-operate with the
shouldered head in the cutting operation of the tool.
9. In a tire repairing tool, a body part having branches arranged at an angle each
with the other, a pointed head on one branch with a narrow shank forming a shoulder
back of the head, a threaded portion back of the narrow portion, a tubular cutter
.mounted on the threaded portion and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with
the head in the cutting operation of the tool, and the other branch having a dull pointed
end with a roughened plug holding portion back of the end.
10. In a tire repairing tool, a body part having branches arranged at an angle each
with the other, and with a back turned portion between the branches, a pointed head
on one branch with a narrow shank forming a shoulder back of the head, a threaded
portion back of the narrow portion, a tubular cutter mounted on the threaded portion
and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the head in the cutting operation
of the tool, and the other branch having dull pointed end with a roughened plug
holding portion back of the end.
11. In a tire repairing tool, a body part having branches arranged at sub-
stantially right angles each to the other, a pointed head on one branch with a
narrow shank forming a shoulder back of the head, a threaded portion on the
body part, an ejector adjacent to the threaded portion, a tubular cutter.mounted
on the threaded portion and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the
head in the cutting operation of the tool, and the other branch having a plug
holding end.
12. In a tire repairing tool, a cone-shaped head with a gimlet point, a shoulder
located back of the head, and a tubular cutter borne on the tool back of the head
and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate therewith in the cutting operation
of the tool.
13. In a tire repairing tool, a cone-shaped head with surface cutters, a shoulder
located back of the head, a threaded portion located back of the shoulder, and a
tubular cutter having an interior screw thread fitting said threaded portion and with
its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the head in the cutting operation of
'the tool.
14. In a tire repairing tool, a cone-shaped head with a spiral thread, a reduced
portion back of the head forming a shoulder thereon, a threaded portion larger in
diameter than the reduced portion and forming a shoulder located in opposition to the
shouldered head, and a tubular cutter having an interior screw thread fitting said
threaded portion and with its cutting edge adapted to co-operate with the shouldered
head in the cutting operation of the tool.
15. As an improved article of manufacture, a tire repairing plug comprising a head
on an integral stem, the latter having a central opening.
16. The improved tire repairing plug of elastic material having a pointed head, a
recess in the head forming back-turned flaring flexible walls, and a central integral
stem having a central opening therein terminating short of the point of the head.
17. As an improved article of manufacture, a tire repairing plug having a head on
an integral stem, the latter having a central opening contracted at that portion located
within the walls of the tire.
18. As an improved article of manufacture, a tire repairing plug of elastic material
having a head with flaring walls, a stem with a reversely tapered portion near its
junction with the head, and an opening lengthwise of the stem contracted at the inner
end of the opening.
Dated this 24th day of November A.D. 1896.
K HENRY
NER
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.