Improvements in Rubber Pneumatic Tires.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rubber Pneumatic Tires.
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM HUESTIS, of corner Bedford and Kingston Streets,
Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturer 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:-
This invention relates to rubber pneumatic tires for bicycles and consists in the
peculiar formation and structural arrangement of the composing elements.
In the manufacture of rubber pneumatic tires it is necessary that the fabric
which composes the same and which imparts the requisite strength should be
resilient. In consequence of this peculiar action which occurs at all times due to
irregularities in the surface of the roads, it is very essential that the various fibrous
threads composing the fabric of the tire should not touch, otherwise friction occurs,
the strength of the strands is impaired and frequently the fabric is rendered
worthless.
The object of my invention is to provide a resilient tire and at the same time
prevent contact of the threads upon each other while an economic method of
manufacture is likewise obtained.
The drawings herewith presented represent in
Fig. 1 a cross section of a rubber tire embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a tube for a tire mounted upon a mandrel and
showing the winding of the threads.
Fig. 3 is a cross section in part of a rubber tire much enlarged to show the
specific structure of the several parts.
In said drawings, 2 represents a maudrel upon which the tube composing the
tire is preferably formed. In the manufacture of a tire under my invention several
necessary features must be combined; first, the tube must be air tight; secondly,
it must be resilient and perfectly flexible, and thirdly the fibrous strands which
impart the necessary strength to withstand the pneumatic pressure from within
must not be contiguous.
To combine these essential features and at the same time produce a cheap and
enduring tire I assemble together an inner rubber tube 3, an outer rubber tube or
sheath 4, and intermediary fibrous thread 5 grouped between the tubes to impart
the necessary strength. In the manufacture of this tire I proceed as follows: a
mandrel 2 of the size of the inner diameter of the tire is- first provided, over this
is drawn the inner tube 3, which is to be positioned thereupon, without folds or
wrinkles. This tube is then wound with rubber covered threads 5 which have
been previously immersed in a bath of rubber cement or treated with rubber which
substance forms a coating of any thickness desired; this coating is indicated by
the heavy black line at 7 in the drawings. These threads may be wound on singly
and preferably obliquely of the tube or otherwise. After a suitable number of
turns of these rubber covered threads to make the tube either single, double or
treble ply or more as may be desired; the ends of the threads are subsequently
made last and the outer tube of rubber somewhat thicker than the inner tube for
durability of wear since it serves as the wheel tread is then drawn over and about
the threads.
Thus it will be seen that the two tubes have a number of wraps of rubber
covered threads separately applied and interposed between them. The mandrel is

page_text: now withdrawn, the ends of the tube joined together and the tire then vulcanized;
this act serves to make the several component parts unite, the rubber of the inner
and outer tubes filling up the spaces, or depressions between the threads which are
placed closely together. In this way a solid, compact tire is produced. At the
same time the threads although laid very closely together are completely and
effectually separated from each other. Hence no chafing or abrasion can occur
and the strength of said threads is not impaired or damaged by the constant
resilient action of the tire consequent upon use.
'
I am aware that fibrous threads have been imbedded in strips of rubber by passing
the same between calender rolls but to my knowledge fibrous threads provided
with a homogeneous complete coating of rubber have never before been employed
in this manner and wound separately about a rubber tube in the formation of a
pneumatic tire. In the application of rubber coated threads to produce a tire I
am enabled to wrap one, two, three or more windings and still produce a light tire
because I use a minimum amount of rubber in the shape of a rubber coating,
whereas with the threads embedded in a rubber band or strip an excess of rubber
is used and in consequence should more than one wrapping be used the weight of
the tire is greatly increased.
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. A tire for vehicles composed of two tubes of rubber, an inner tube and an
outer tube, and a wrapping of fibrous rubber coated threads interposed between
the tubes said threads being wound severally about the inner tube, substantially
as specified.
2. A tire for pneumatic use, consisting of an inner tube, a wrapping of fibrous
threads having a homogeneous rubber coating and separately applied about the
inner tube, and an outer tube to enclose the fibrous wrappings, the whole to be
subsequently vulcanized, substantially as explained.
Dated this Sixteenth day of April 1896.
FREDERICK WILLIAM HUESTIS.