Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, JOHN BOYD DUNLOP, of 50, Gloucester Street, Belfast Veterinary Surgeon
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles.
According to my said invention I provide improved wheels for velocipedes and
other vehicles having flexible rims and elastic tyres of simple construction, whereby
the power required for the propulsion of the said vehicles is reduced, the speed
thereof is increased, and vibration when passing over rough or uneven surfaces is
obviated or greatly reduced.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a wheel having a rigid or
approximately rigid rim and constructed in the usual or ordinary manner. The
peripheral surface of this rim is preferably flat. I provide moreover a second or
outer flexible rim or hoop constructed of steel, wood or other suitable material, and
of somewhat larger diameter than the inner rim, or rim of the wheel. I envelop or
cover both the rim of the said wheel, and the said outer rim or hoop with cloth,
canvas or other suitable material which is drawn tightly on and cemented thereto,
and I secure strips of india rubber or other elastic substance on the edges of the
said covered rims by means of india-rubber solution or other cement or in any other
convenient manner.
The outer flexible rim or hoop is secured to the rigid rim or rim of the wheel by
means of one or more strips or bands of linen, cloth, tape, cord or other flexible but
comparatively non-elastic material. These strips or cords are preferably passed
over and between the said inner rim and the outer rim or loop, somewhat in the
form of the figure 8, and are firmly cemented or otherwise secured thereto.
The said strips or cords moreover are coated or covered with a layer of india-
rubber or other suitable material to protect them from wear.
The strips of india-rubber or other elastic material on the edges of the rims
prevent the abrasion or cutting of the strips or cords, and moreover act as buffers
between the inner rim of the wheel and the outer rim or hoop.
On the outer rim or hoop moreover I place an india-rubber or other elastic tyre,
and firmly cement or otherwise secure it to the said strips or cords, and canvas,
cloth or other covering or envelope of the said flexible rim or hoop.
In place of joining the two rims, by means of canvas or tape I may employ thin
flexible bands or plates of steel or other suitable material which may be slightly
waved or corrugated, and which extend in an oblique direction between the inner
rim of the wheel and the outer rim or hoop. The said steel or other plates are
sometimes rivetted or otherwise joined or secured to the rims thereby increasing the
strength thereof.
Dash: 10th day of Tune 1801
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, JOHN BOYD DUNLOP, of 50 Gloucester Street, Belfast, in the County of
Antrim, Ireland, Veterinary Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles, and is designed
to render the wheels more elastic, whereby less power is required for the propulsion
of the said vehicles, the speed thereof is increased and vibration when passing over
rough or uneven surfaces is obviated or greatly reduced.
According to my said invention I provide a wheel having a rigid or approximately
rigid rim and constructed in the usual manner. The peripheral surface of this rim
is preferably flat or broader and flatter than the rims ordinarily in use for solid tyres.
I then apply to the said wheel a second or outer flexible ring or hoop constructed
of flat bars of steel, wood or other suitable material and of somewhat larger diameter
than the inner or ordinary, rim of the wheel. The outer flexible ring is placed
outside the rigid rim concentric therewith and in the same plane. I connect the
said ring to the rigid rim by pliable bands of cloth or the like as is hereafter more
particularly described.
The rigid rim of the wheel and also the outer ring are coated with suitable cement
and covered with cloth or other suitable fabric the same being again covered with
india-rubber solution or other suitable cement before or after being applied to the
rim or to the outer ring.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel made according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both drawings.
A is the rigid rim of an ordinary wheel and C is the outer flexible ring or hoop,
both the rim and hoop are covered with cloth as above mentioned. The ring C is
secured to the wheel by means of one or more strips or bands B made of linen,
cloth, tape or cord, or other flexible or pliable but comparatively non-elastic
material.
The said bands or cords B are coated with india-rubber or the like and are passed
over on the inner surface of the rim A and on the outer surface of the ring C and
crossed between said rim and ring after the form of the letter X as shewn in
Figure 2. The said bands are thereby firmly secured to the opposite edges of the
rim A. and ring C.
The coating of india-rubber on the bands B serves as cement to unite the said
bands to the covered rim and ring, and moreover protects the said bands from wear
and moisture.
The bands B may be fastened to the edges of the said rim and ring by means of
lacing, wrapping or stitching but are preferably secured as above described. On
the outer ring C I secure with cement or otherwise an india-rubber or other elastic
tyre D which may be solid, hollow or cellular in order to still farther damp the
vibration due to roughness of the road.
I may use strips of india-rubber or other clastic material placed on the edges of
the ring and rim to prevent abrasion or cutting of the bands or cords B, the said
strips moreover act as buffers between the inner rim of the wheel and the outer ring
or hoop.
The spring or resiliency of the wheel being principally dependent on the ring or
hoop C it is important that said ring be attached or secured to the rigid rim A
without holes or bolts, as flat springs are specially liable to break when holes are
made in them.

page_text: It being difficult to secure cloth or rubber directly to flexible flat steel or wood
by means of cement alone I wrap cloth or the like firmly round the rim A and
ring C as already described and thereby provide a suitable surface for securing
bands B and tyre D.
In order to obtain lateral stability in the wheel, it is important that the bands B
should cross each other as shown in Figure 2, and be securely fastened to the edges
of rim A and ring C.
During the operation of securing the ring C to the rim A, the wheel may be
placed on a suitable support and the ring C held in position by means of pieces of
wood placed between it and the rim of the wheel or by means of suitable clamps.
The bands B are drawn sufficiently tight to maintain the ring C in position, but
not so as to prevent the ring from bending or yielding when weight is placed on the
wheel.
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 :-
First. In a wheel for velocipedes or other vehicles the combination with a rigid
rim of a flexible or elastic covered ring or hoop larger than and concentric with the
said rim, and bands of cloth or other pliable material connecting the said rim with
the elastic ring substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. A wheel for a velocipede or other vehicle constructed substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of February 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.