Improvements in Tire Tightening Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tire Tightening Devices.
I, JAMES POLLOCK, of the City of Milburn, County of Lake, State of
Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 devices and means for tightening the tires on vehicle
wheels. I have shown one form of my invention, or an illustration or application
thereof, in the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 shows a vehicle wheel whose tire has become loosened, the felly having
been raised in the process of tightening the tire;
Figure 2 is a view of a washer or tightening collar which can be employed;
Figure 3 is a view of the same wheel with a certain number of these washers in
position, the tire having thus been tightened;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4, 4 of Figure 3 through the
end of the spoke and associated parts;
'
Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4, and
Figure 6 is a section on line X. X of Figure 3.
Like parts are indicated by the same letter in all the figures.
A is the hub of the wheel, B B the spokes, C the felly sections, D the tire.
This constitutes an ordinary vehicle wheel, all being made substantially in the
same general form. As a rule the spokes are oval in cross section, as indicated in
the drawing. Each has a projecting part or pintle E which is common round in
cross section. At the foot of this pintle a shoulder is formed by the end of the
spoke. An enlarged portion F is commonly formed on the felly to receive this
shoulder on the spoke. In the ordinary use of wheels, the tire frequently becomes
loosened. It will be found that this loosening effect is almost invariably accom-
panied by or perhaps associated with the sinking of the shoulder on the spoke into
the wood of the felly. In short a kind of recess is commonly formed there as
indicated. Now it is plain that if a slight elongation of the spokes could take
place, the parts would be moved upwardly, or the circle of the external edge or
face of the fellies would be slightly enlarged radially and thus the tire be
tightened on the wheel or the wheel proper be tightened in the tire. Ordinarily
these tires are tightened by removing the tire, taking out a section, and then
sinking the tire back into position; but this is a difficult and dangerous under-
taking, because if, as very frequently happens, the tire is made a trifle too short,
the result will be to dish the wheel or bend it so as to make it dish shaped. Under
these circumstances, of course, the wheel loses a large part of its strength and is
speedily injured. My undertaking, therefore, is practically to lengthen the spokes
or so many of them as may be necessary to tighten the tire.
tool used in this operation, which is indicated by the letter G.
sort of a jack, which having a bearing preferably on the hub
near the extremity of the spoke and slightly raise the same.
shaped preferably as shown, having an open interior J¹, a side opening J and
slots JJ. When the washer is cramped into position on the spoke, it is brought
into the position, indicated in the drawings, where it will be found that the exterior
I have shown one
The tool is some
will engage the felly
J is a metal washer,

page_text: edge of the washer is in the form of an ellipse or oval to correspond with the oval
of the cross-section of the spoke, and that the centre of the washer is circular to
correspond with the cross section of the pintle. This washer has preferably a
series of slots J'J' on its extended side or edge so as to permit it to be bent or
cramped to bring its separated ends together.. The separation between these two
ends should be just enough to enable the washer to receive the pintle. Of
course these slots are illustrative, for it would be easy no doubt to form the
washer in various ways and yet have it such as to accomplish the desired result.
When the felly has been raised as indicated in the drawings so as to free the
shoulder on the spoke from its opposed recess or cavity, and to expose a portion
of the face of the pintle, the washer will be forced into position, the pintle passing
between its open ends and coming into the central space. Any proper crimping or
cramping tool is then employed to bring the two ends of the washer close together,
whereupon, the washer having been properly formed, it will be found that its
exterior edge corresponds to and is continuous with the surface of the spoke; while
its inner edge fits snugly on the exterior surface of the pintle. I have contem-
plated the use of other devices than the washer to be inserted between the felly
and the shoulder on the spoke, as, for example, a band or strip of wire or metal
could be wound around the pintle; but the washer in some such shape as I have
shown would be the preferred form. The washer itself can be forced into position
without having slots, but I prefer the slots or an equivalent thereof. The shape
of the washer should be such that when brought to position so that its inner
aperture is circular, the outer circumference will be in the form of the cross
section of the spoke, as, for example, oval. When the washer or other such
device has been put into position, after the felly has been lifted from the shoulder
of the spoke, the washer or the like, being of the shape indicated, will form an
exterior surface continuous with the exterior principal surface of the spoke and
will also be, when the felly is relieved, seated in the recess or cavity formed by the
shoulder. When so received into such recess or cavity, the washer or the like is
prevented from changing its shape or position and forms a smooth and neat finish,
the only effect being that the spoke is thus slightly lengthened. Now when a tire
is found to be loose, these devices can be applied in this manner at any number of
spokes, and as the tire still continues to loosen, other spokes can be so treated from
time to time. The additional length, so to speak, imparted in this manner to each
spoke, is so slight as not to materially interfere with the shape of the wheel; and
as soon as enough washers have been put in to tighten the tire, the operation is
discontinued. Of course it will be understood that these washers or the like are
to be furnished in various sizes and shapes to conform to the standard patterns of
spokes. I have spoken of the washer as being metallic, and probably that is the
preferred substance, but I do not wish to be limited thereto, and mean to be
understood in my specification and claims as covering any and all substances out
of which such washer could be made, or such bearing surface, if something other
than a washer is used. I have also spoken of a cavity in the felly. Of course
these fellies are not originally made with such cavity, but I refer by this term to
the print or cavity or depression made in the under side of the felly by the engage-
ment of the shoulder or the end of the spoke therewith. This print or cavity
may, of course, be very shallow; though in some instances it is relatively quite
deep and commonly results from the wear and use of the wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
As a new article. of manufacture, a tire-tightening washer comprising a flat
substantially horse-shoe shaped piece of rigid metal having its ends separated by a
distance equal to its inner diameter when the ends are closed, having also a series
of inner notches so that the ends can be closed without breaking the metal, and

page_text: shaped so that when closed it forms a ring with an inner circle and a substan-
tially uniform outer elliptical circumference, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.