An Improved Type of Inner Tube for Pneumatic Tyres of Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Type of Inner Tube for Pneumatic Tyres of Cycles and
other Vehicles.
ANTHONY NICHOL, 29, Bank Street, Carlisle, Pharmacist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To the inner surface of the rubber tube that is usually inflated-a thin sheet
or sheets of soft rubber is attached at one or more points as described below.
Instance No. 1. There are two flaps or bands of thin soft rubber, one edge of
each being attached to opposite sides of the inner tube and their loose portions
covering and overlying on the tread-portion of the inner tube.
Instance No. 2. There is one flap or band attached by both its edges to the
inner surface of the inflated tube and covering half or thereabouts of the inner
circumference on its more vulnerable side; but being of a greater width than the
circumference covered, it thus rests loosely against the inner tube even when that
tube is fully inflated.
Instance No. 3. There is one flap or band attached along one side by one edge
-the loose portion overlying the tread portion of the inner tube, at which point
(tread portion) the band will be thickened by another layer of rubber or canvas.
Dated this 6th day of November 1897.
ANTHONY NICHOL.
An Improved Type of Inner Tube for Pneumatic Tyres of Cycles and
other Vehicles.
I, ANTHONY NICHOL, of 29, Bank Street, Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland,
Pharmacist, 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 pneumatic tyres for the wheels of cycles and other
vehicles, and consists of improvements in, and in connection with, the air tube
or chamber of such tyres, irrespective of whether such tyre be a single tube or
racing tyre, or what is technically known as a detachable tyre, i.e.,a tyre in
which the said air tube or chamber is retained upon the rim of the wheel by the
means of a detachable outer cover or envelope, secured in most cases by the infla-.
tion of said air tube.
The improvement constituting my invention consists in fixing within the said

page_text: air tube or chamber an endless band or strip of rubber or rubber composition for
the prevention of the escape of air from the said tube or chamber, should the
latter become punctured when inflated and in use, and for the purposes of my
invention the said strip may be of such a width as to extend over the whole inner
surface of that portion of the said air-tube liable to puncture by reason of its
being above the level of the edge of the rim of the wheel, and the said endless
strip may be either in one piece, cemented or otherwise connected by one or both
of its edges to the said tube, or in two pieces by a division made down its centre,
the said divided edges subsequently overlapping each other at or about the tread
of the said tyre. The said strip may be plane or smooth upon both its surfaces,
but for preference I render the said strip of zig-zag formation in cross section by
forming therein and thereof longitudinal plaits, undulations, or ridges during the
moulding or otherwise manufacture of same, the said strip when so moulded being
of such a length and width that when its two edges are cemented or otherwise con-
nected, as stated, to the said tube, the said strip could be laid within and close
against the said tube when the latter is stretched to its largest dimensions, without
the substance of the said strip being placed in a state of tension or its zig-zag
formation being disturbed, this formation of the said strip, and the manner of
fixing the same to the tube providing, that the mere inflation of the said air tube
or chamber, would, (as hereinafter explained) place the substance of the said strip
or band in a state of compression, the contractile force thereby exerted over the
whole of same serving to close up any puncture made therein after the with-
drawal of the cause thereof, while the said strip or band by reason of its air tight
connection with the said tube, would prevent exudation of air should the said tube
only become punctured, and to attain these ends without adding materially to the
cost and weight of the tyre, is the object and purpose of my invention.
In order that my said invention, and the manner in which I prefer to construct,
arrange, and employ the same, may be fully understood, I hereinafter refer to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which I have chosen to illustrate the
application of my invention to the tube of a detachable tyre.
Figs. 1 and 2 are views as examples of some of the many formations the said
resilient strip may be moulded to assume in cross section, when in its normal con-
dition.
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of either Figs. 1 or 2, illustrating the formation the
said strip would be likely to assume when forced by an evenly disposed pressure
(such as from compressed air) up against a smooth and rigid surface, such as that
of a fully inflated air tube or chamber.
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a detachable tyre and rim to which my
invention has been applied, illustrating the form or configuration the said strip
would be likely to take when the tyre is deflated, Fig. 5 being a like view illus-
trating the position and probable configuration of the same when the tyre is fully
inflated.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing of rubber or rubber composition
an endless band or strip A, during the moulding or otherwise manufacture of
which I form therein longitudinal ridges, grooves, plaits, crimps, or serrations, so
that the said trip may appear in cross-section as at Figs. and 2, or substantially
so, such plaits, serrations or the like being either formed with sharp or angular
risers or protuberences such as a and a¹ Fig. 1, or stunted or curved as at b and b₁
Fig. 2, or any desired combination of such or other formations, the said strip or
band being of a length preferably but not imperatively slightly in excess of that
of the air-tube or chamber B, into which it is to be fixed, the width of the said
strip being such, that when its edges c and c¹ are cemented or otherwise firmly
fixed in air tight connection with the inner surface of B, at any point below the
upper edges of the wheel rim C, the said strip or band could be laid around
within B, when this is in the position shewn by dotted outline at Fig. 4, without
the plaits, ridges or undulations thereof being disturbed, but when the tyre B
is being inflated the air would occupy the chamber within and formed by A

page_text: and B, and by the increased pressure of air the said band or strip would be forced
to occupy and follow the formation of B, and when the latter is enlarged to its
fullest limits, or that prescribed by the outer cover or envelope D, the air pressure
still continuing would operate to force the protuberences a and a¹ or b and bi
towards each other, until the said strip was approximately flat as at Figs. 3 and 5,
the thus flattening of the said protuberences serving to place the whole of the
substance of the said strip in a state of compression, and I find in practice that
the said strip by reason of its not being in fixed connection with the tread portion
of the tyre, would be likely to recede inwardly against the pressure from the point
of a nail or tack that may puncture the tyre B, the pressure of air inside A serv-
ing to force this up against, and closing the hole so made in B, when the said
nail or tack is withdrawn, but should the said nail or the like also puncture the
said strip or band A, the fact of the substance of the latter being in a state of
compression, the contractile force stored therein would immediately close up the
hole thus made, when the cause of same is withdrawn, and so effectually prevent
the slightest escape of air, and the greater the pressure of the air in the tyre the
more pronounced would be the efficiency of the strip or band A for preventing
the escape of same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
In a single tube or detachable pneumatic tyre for the wheels of cycles, and other
vehicles, the combination therewith of an internally fixed endless strip or band
such as A, of rubber, or rubber composition, the same having formed therein and
thereof longitudinal plaits, crimpings, or serrations, such as a or bbl, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.