Improvements in Pump Connections for the Valves of Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897.
[Communicated from abroad by THE NEW DEPARTURE BELL COMPANY, a corporation of
222 North Main Street, Bristol, Connecticut, United States of America,
Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Pump Connections for the Valves of Pneumatic
Tyres.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to nipples and couplings as they are called, and the particular.
embodiment which I have designed and shall describe in this specification relates to
a nipple and coupling for use on bicycles.
At present bicycles are almost universally provided with rubber tyres which are
hollow and which need to be filled with air in order to make them effective in use.
A valve is provided upon the interior of the tyre, and when it is necessary to expand
the rubber tire an air pump is used, an attachment being made with the air pump by
means of, a, small flexible rubber tube.. A coupling must of course be made between
the valve on the tire and the rubber tube connecting with the air pump. This is
usually done by means of various devices by which the end of the rubber tube is
screwed upon the tire upon which the pump may be put in operation. As this:
connection is of such a character usually that the rubber tube and the length of the
nipple are in the same line, the tube must necessarily be bent into a curve in order
that the pump may be worked successfully.
I believe that I have devised a nipple and coupling which is far superior to any
now in use and which has points of excellence which will be discovered in the
description hereinafter given.
Reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the letters and figures
marked thereon, the same figures designating, the same parts or features wherever
they occur.
Figure 1 represents a length of rubber tube provided with my improved nipple
and coupling on an enlarged scale.
Figure 2 represents the nipple and coupling in section on.the same scale..
Figure 3 represents a.horizontal section of the nipple and coupling on the same
scale and taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2..
Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the nipple.
Figure 5 represents a view of a pump and connections with tire by rubber tube,
coupling, nipple and valve.
1 is the screw end of the nipple-which is engaged in. use with the corresponding
screw. threaded valve upon the tire of the bicycle.
2 is a roughened milled screw upon the nipple for convenient use in screwing the
nipple into the valve upon the, tire.
3 is a washer.
4 is the duct through which the air is forced from the rubber tube through the
nipple into the tire. The nipple is grooved at 5 around its entire circumference and

page_text: in
the duct 4 divides at 6 into two side ducts 41 and 42 which open on either side into
said groove.
The coupling is provided with a shank 7 of an ordinary character for
engagement with the end of the rubber tube as at 14. For convenience
manufacture and attractiveness in style I make the coupling in the shape of a bulb 8,
although it is apparent that any other form would answer the same purpose. The
nipple has a tapering end 9 and the bulb has a tapering hole 91 into which the
tapering end 9 of the nipple will fit securely. 10 is a duct connecting the duct of
the rubber tube with the groove about the nipple when inserted into the bulb.
The nipple in operation is easily and conveniently screwed into the valve of the
tire at 11. Then the coupling 8 is placed over the nipple which it fits closely when
the groove 5 will at some point come opposite the duct 10 of the bulb and there will
be a free connection through the groove 5, ducts 41, 42 and 4 to the interior of the
tube of the bicycle wheel. The pump is operated in the ordinary manner, and the
tire filled. When the coupling 8 is removed, the nipple is unscrewed from the valve
of the bicycle tire. If desired of course the bulb can be slightly loosened on the
nipple end 9 when the nipple can be unscrewed by the hand milled screw 2 and the
escape of air prevented during the process.
There are many advantages in the use of my improved nipple and coupling which
may not be apparent, but I will enumerate the following: economy in manufacture,
attractiveness in appearance, compactness in force, convenience for carriage, ease of
manipulation.
Anyone unskilled in matters of this sort can readily understand the use of this
nipple and coupling, something which cannot be said of most of those in use.
After attachment it will be observed that the rubber tube stands at right angles to
the length of the nipple and the goose neck crook which is usually necessary is
avoided. The consequence is that a very much shorter length of tube can be used,
a matter of considerable importance where one conveys these attachments with him
for use upon the road.
It will also be observed that the back pressure of the air is against the walls of the
coupling in the groove and is thus not only slow in action but has no effect whatever
in forcing the nipple out of the coupling.
It is apparent that many modifications can be made in the form and details of
construction without departing from the spirit of my invention. I do not, therefore,
confine myself to the exact form and construction herein set forth but hold myself
at liberty to make such changes in construction as oome fairly within the scope of
my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. As a means of connection between a bicycle pump and the tire of a bicycle,
the combination of a coupling having a tapering aperture attached as a tip to the
end of the connecting rubber tube and provided with a duct as a continuation of the
duct of the tube, with a nipple adapted to be attached to the tire valve, tapered to
engage closely the tapered aperture of the coupling and provided with ducts
connecting the valve of the tire with a groove about its surface, so formed as to
always connect with the duct in the coupling, all constructed and arranged
substantially as described to enable connection to be easily, quickly and effectively
made between the pump and the tire.
2. The combination of the nipple adapted to engage the valve of the tire, having a
tapering end and a groove about the same connected by ducts to said valve, with a
coupling, adapted to be attached to the hose connecting with the pump, and provided
with a tapering aperture to receive said nipple and a duct connecting the hose with
the groove on said nipple, so that when in connection the coupling is maintained
in frictional air tight contact with the nipple, substantially as described.
3. A pump and valve connection, consisting of a nipple and a coupling attachable
thereto and detachable therefrom, maintainable in connection without other means

page_text: than the contact of correspondingly tapering surfaces, each being provided with
ducts, connecting, one with the valve, the other with the pump, and both with a
groove, so that air tight connection between the pump and valve is effected by contact
of the tapering surfaces in any relative circumferential position of the two members,
substantially as described.
4. A tapered nipple provided with a duct opening into the valve, a duct transverse
thereto opening into a groove in the tapered surface of the nipple, combined with
a coupling, having a tapered aperture to engage by frictional air tight contact the
tapered nipple, provided with a duct, substantially at right angles to the nipple
length when in contact, connecting the groove at one end with the pump at the other
so that back pressure of the air will not force the nipple and coupling out of connection,
substantially as described.
5. A nipple and coupling as a connection between an air pump and the tire or thing
to be inflated, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of June 1907
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.