Improvements in and connected with Elastic Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 11th Aug 1807 Accented 13th Nov 1807
Improvements in and connected with Elastic Tyres.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM BROWN of City Chambers, Clifford Street York in the
County of York Architect do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to spring tyres to be applied to the wheels of bicycles, cycles,
velocipedes, carriages and oinnibuses and wheeled vehicles generally and to motor cars
and road locomotives, also to perambulators, bath chairs, road skates and the like-
for the purpose of lessening the vibration caused by the unevenness or roughness of
the roads or rolling way.
. In order that the nature of my invention may be better understood I shall hereafter
refer to the two annexed sheets of drawings whereou the same. letters denote like
parts in the different figures, which are numbered consecutively.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a part of the spring tyre.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the tread of the spring tyre.
Figs. 3, 12 & 14 are cross sections of the spring tyre and outer cover as fixed to the
rim.
Figs. 4, 56 and 11 are part side elevations of the spring tyre showing different
arrangements of the springs and woven wires.
Figs. 8, 9 and 13 are cross sections of part of the tyre and the rim or felloe.
Fig. 10 I have abandoned and substituted Fig. 14.
Fig. 7 shows a part side view of a metal band at the base of the tyre.
The spring tyre is constructed having two equal sized circular rings r either of
grooved umbrella wire or of wire having a flat upper side and they are kept equidistant
by cross wires connecting them. To these rings short springs s are secured at equal
intervals apart. The springs which are of a flattened helical shape as shewn in
Fig. 2 (they might also be tapered as at s¹ Fig. 1), and are secured to the rings r by
means of small metal ferrules f slid on to the rings and short pieces of flat wire which
are held to the rings r by passing through the ferrules f and having their ends turned
up and then bent down over the lower ends of the springs thus holding them down
to the rings at each extremity of their bottom loops as shown. Otherwise the
ferrules might be placed between the springs as at f Fig. 1 and the ends of the flat
wires bent through the ends of two springs and towards each other holding them down.
to the rings as shown.
The upper ends of the springs are secured to two flexible laminated flat wires n n.
which are each composed of two or more wires, and run completely round the tyre
parallel to the rings rr. Two other wires m m, Fig. 1 & 2 (which may also be
laminated if desirable) run alongside the wires n n over & under the springs to hold.
them firmly to the wires n n and also to fill up the upper loops of the springs and keep
the wires n, n, towards each other.
The springs on one side of the tyre are coiled right handed and those on the other
side left handed, thus leaving their top loops open on the outer sides for convenience
in inserting the wires m m after the wires n have been placed therein, and in order

page_text: that the springs may be made and tempered in long coils which could afterwards be
cut into short lengths.
The tread of the tyre is constructed of flat steel wire coiled into a flat helix e
having small eyelets a formined along each side through which thin flat steel wires w
(preferably laminated) are threaded the helical tread being ent into short lengths
equal to the distances of the springs apart before being threaded on to the wires ww.
The tread is secured to the tyre by means of the flat wires g Figs. 1 and 2 placed
between the springs. The wires g, are shaped so as to pass under the wires n n their
ends being turned up between m and n and hooked over w, w, which lie exactly over
the wires m m Fig. 2. The coiled wire-tread e rests upon the wires n n as shown in
Fig. 3.
A band of suitable material such as leather or any other tough fibrous material which
could be steeped in a hardening solution is afterwards applied to the tread as at A
Fig. 1. It is corrugated transversely, so as to be flexible; and is laid on the steel
tread after the latter is fixed, its depressions heing placed between the steel wires of
the tread and held down by a string or wire binding passing from side to side over
it. To give lateral rigidity to the tyre I arrange the springs s in pairs along the two
rings rraforesaid, and couple each pair together by means of flat wire cross ties t
Fig. 3. These cross ties which are arranged in the form of a zigzag, extending in one
piece of wire from the upper to the lower side of the tyre and have eyelets formed as
at Fig. 3.and t Fig. 1, in which the springs are held: These eyelets may be
i
flattened as shown in Fig. 3 so as to give horizontal play in threading the springs
through them, and be wedged tight by parallel wires running through the eyelets of
successive ties.
The springs a shown in Figs. 1. 4. 5. & 6. & 11, are of a flattened helical
shape and are arranged in pairs along the tyre, Now I may entirely dispense with
any woven wires passing through these springs, or attached to them as regards those
parts of them lying between the wire n and ring r except those wires require to
secure the springs to the wires n n or ring r r, the flattened shape of the springs and
their being held firmly at each end of their top and bottom loops to the wires an
and rings, r, giving them sufficient rigidity in the direction of the length of the
tyre and the ties t t Fig. 3 attached to each pair of springs giving the necessary
transverse rigidity to the tyre.
. In a tyre subject to a longitudinal strain as in the driving wheel of a bicycle
or motor car I arrange flat wires a and c Figs. 1. 4. 5. 6 and 11, woven through
the springs to counteract this, the wires c c keep the springs from leaning over
to the right and the wires . a. prevent them from leaning over to the left,
and they also serve to strengthen the tyre and distribute the pressure and
hold the various parts together. Fig. 1 shows an arrangement of wires a and c
running parallel to the ring r the wires c (which are here shown bent) hold the
ends of each loop of the springs against the wires a. There may be two or
more sets of these wires on each side of the tyre running parallel to the rings ras
shown in Fig. 1 where the wires a a are placed towards the inner side of the springs
being held therein by the wires c c passing through the same loops outside the
wires a, a. If the springs are placed farther apart the wires c. c. can be nearly
straight. Fig. 5 shows another arrangement of the wires e and a. In this the
wires a a run parallel to the rings r as before, but the wires c care placed tangentially
to the rings, being secured, thereto by the ferrules which hold the springs to the
ring r the bottom loop of each spring being held thereto by the wire c which passes,
through it and the ferrule and has its end then bent over the other part of the loop.
as at f. To prevent confusion I have only shown two wires a a in Fig. 5, but more
may be inserted in the tyre between and above them if desired. Fig. 6 and 11 show
arrangements similar to Fig. 5 but with these differences. The springs are placed
further apart and the wires e and 'e are threaded through every other loop of the
springs thus leaving loops with no wires woven through them (two or more loops may
be left between unwoven instead of every other loop as here shown). Otherwise I
may dispense with the wires a a in Figs. 5 and 6 and substitute wires running along-

page_text: side each of the tangent wires cc and woven through the same loops as partly
shown by the wire a Fig. 1, c¹ being a tangent wire as aforesaid. Fig. 4 shows
another arrangement of the wires c and a. In this all of them are arranged
tangentially to the rings r but a a in opposite directions to ce and they are woven
through alternate loops of the springs thus leaving some loops unwoven. The
springs 88 may be placed further apart and the wires e cand a a so arranged that
each spring has one of each of the wires c and a woven through its top loop.
The wires a a may be placed so that their upper parts lie in the top loops of the
springs under the wire n and if long enough night each overlap and run through
two or more springs thus forming a laminated supporting wire in place of the
wire 'n.
The tangent wires c'e in Figs. 4 5 6 and 11 are placed parallel to those on the
other side of the tyre and the springs are opposite to those on the other side. Now
in applying the coiled wire tread e to the tyre I thread it in short pieces on to the
ends of the wires c'e on each side of the tyre the wires e e passing through the eyelets
at each side of the tread, being laid over each other as shown in Fig. 5 and thus
forming a laminated wire on each side of the tyre which takes the place of the
wire w in Fig. 1 and is held down to the wire n by the wire g, as in Fig. 1. The.
ferrules may be kept equidistant by means of shorter pieces of thin softer flat
wire p Fig. 6 bent as shown, which are placed in the ferrules above the wires c c and
the end of the wire p. is continued as far as the next ferrule where it is bent so as
to wedge the wire c tightly in its ferrule. Thus the tangent wires c c need not be
bent at their ends and may thus be of hard stiff spring steel.
The springs 88 in all the various figures may be connected along the sides of the
tyre by short pieces of wire b. b. Fig. 6, having a hook at each end and they may also
be similarly connected at their upper and lower ends. In addition to these I may
connect the springs to the ring r as in Fig. 6 by tangent wires j, running outside the
springs and hooked to the ring r where the wire c is bent up next the ferrule viz, one
tangent wire to every four or five springs. Or the wire p might be continued from
the ferrule and its end hooked on to the spring thus taking the place of the wire j
aforesaid. The springs in the different figures may be connected to the rings by
tangent wires placed in the opposite direction to 3, as at j¹ Fig. 6; or by tangent
wires to the opposite ring. The wires c c may be strengthened along their upper
parts by shorter pieces of flat wire laid above them as at q Fig. 6.
In any of the arrangements of the wires c and a with the springs shown in Figs.
1, 4, 5, 6 and 11, and hereinbefore described, the ties t t etc. may be attached to the
springs as in Fig. 3 or may be fixed to any of the wires c c or a a, these wires being
threaded through the eyelets of the ties.
In order to make the tyre more rigid laterally I sometimes make it with a wider
base than that shown in Fig 3 the rings r being further apart and the tread
narrower than in the figure. For this purpose the ties t t etc. are made gradually
longer as they approach the base (each being slightly longer than the one above it)
and the axes of the springs lie in a straight line from the sides of the tread to
the rings rrin their new positions. This makes the tyre in section tapered towards the
tread as shown in Fig. 12. Another method would be to connect the upper ties to the
wires cc Fig. 5 and the lower ties to a a which lying more towards the inside of
the springs than cc would give a tapered section of tyre in which the ties &t might all
be of equal lengths between their eyelets.
As I have before shown-in supporting the springs in both directions by the flat
wires cc and a a I prefer to leave parts of the springs unwoven so as to have as few
woven wires as possible so that they may not interfere with the compression of the
springs by filling up the spaces between their coils.
Now in Figs. 6. 11 and 12 The wires e, c are placed tangentially to the rings?r and
will be parallel to those on the other ring which are similarly arranged. The wires a a
on each side of the tyre are placed parallel to the rings and are placed towards
the inner sides of the springs as shown in Figs. 6-and 11 and in section in Fig. 12
being held therein by the wires c c passing through the same parts of the springs but

page_text: .on the outer sides of the wires a a. If desirable the wires a a and c c may all be
laminated viz. built up of two or more very thin flat wires so as to give the utmost
flexibility and present the least resistance to the downward pressure on any of the
springs 8 8. Otherwise only one set of wires (either a a or c c) may be laminated.
с
Now in applying the cross ties t, t, to this arrangement (Fig. 11), of the tyre, I
arrange that the outer wires co shall pass through the eyelets of the ties and the
inner wires a a are held in the inner angles of the ties as shown in cross section.
Fig. 12 at a a. The ties in each case being close to the springs they thus get a grip
on both the wires a and c and by means of these wires a firin hold upon the parts of
the springs held in the angles between the wires a and c. Ties could also be fixed.to
the other sides of the springs. Of course I arrange the wires a and c at different
heights in the springs on the other side of the tyre so as. to suit the eyelets in the
ties at that side as will be apparent in Fig. 12. The upper tie in each case is made.
horizontal and close up either beneath or above the wires n n. In all the before
described arrangements of the wires a and c or a and c Figs. 1. 4. 5 and 6. the ties
can be arranged upon these wires as in Figs. 11 and 12 and above described I prefer.
to fix the ties to the outer wires c c so as to make the ties as long as possible and
consequently more effective, the wires a a just filling up the other parts of the
springs and keeping them rigid by packing the wires ce tight. The ties are kept
close to the springs as in Fig. 11 either by.being bound to them with fine wire passing
through the eyelets as at t or by bending the wires as shown at a Fig. 11.
The ties t, t, might otherwise be held to the springs hy short bits of flat wire bent
around the springs and their ends passed through the eyelets of the ties as at
t5 Fig. 11 and parts could be continued as shown and hooked to the next spring.
Another way as at to, a short flat wire passing through the eyelets has its ends secured.
round the opposite side of the spring. Or as at t the eyelets could be threaded on
wires bound or secured by ferrules to the springs.
As regards the methods of fixing the tyre to the rim or felloe of the wheel
Figs. 3. 8. 9. 11. 12. 13. & 14 show various ways of doing this. In Fig. 3, pieces
of flat wire v, are used. These are bent so as to form two eyelets in which the
rings r, r, are held the wires v being slipped into the rings and placed at short
intervals apart and the ends of the wire are bent so as to hook onto the edges of
the rim, and they each terminate in a loop through which the ends of the
wire y, passing outside the rim are fastened. Now at the right of Fig. 3 is shown a
way of fixing hooks to the rings r without having eyelets for the rings r to pass
through. A wire with a loop at each end is placed over the rings and the wire v¹ is
placed below them its ends being bent up through the looped ends of the upper wire
and then down again. At v² just below this the positions of these two wires are
reversed and v2 may be bent down into the hollow of the rim as shown for the
purpose of holding the outer cover of the tyre to the rim by means of a band
placed between the cover and the wire v². Otherwise v² may be in the position
shown by the dotted line.
Fig. 8, shows a method of fixing adapted from that shown in Fig. 3. Here the
wire v, placed across the rim serves to support the rings which do not rest on
the cover of the tyre which is held down to the rim by the band which may be of
metal such as steel or of wood or other suitable and stiff material. The wire v is
partly supported by the band and holds it down into the rim by means of the
wire y outside the rim.
In Fig. 9 is shown a method by which the tyre can be made complete in itself
and quickly attached and detached from the felloe. My object being that a carriage
with ordinary felloes 'and iron tyres can have a set of spring tyres which can be used
or not as desired. I make the outer cover to entirely enclose the spring tyre, its.
edges being overlapped and secured together so as to exclude moisture, and the
fastening wires v, v, are secured to the tyre being hinged at or near the rings Tr
and made long enough to catch on the underside of the felloe when bent as
shown.
Their ends are looped, as shown and may be secured together by a piece of spring.

page_text: wire bent in the manner of a safety pin fastened to the end of and hooked through
the end of and then secured. The wires 3, 4 by pressing on the sides of
the felloe near the base of the spring tyre will prevent the tyre from moving.
laterally.
Another way would be to shorten the wires 3 v4 so as to be simply loops on each
side of the base of the tyre outside the cover and provide metal bands, wires or
chains passing around the felloe and secured to these loops by quickly detachable
hooks, preferably self securing as before. In these methods of fixing the tyre a
metal band (preferably steel) may be fixed to the base of the spring tyre to,
stiffen it and form a finish being secured to it by the two wires Fig. 12. which
may be arranged one above the rings rr and the other below the band so that the.
edges of the cover are held by the rings r r to the band and they could also be
cemented to it to exclude moisture. The edges of the band may be turned up as
shown so as to form an angle along each side.
Otherwise the band may be fixed to the rings at the base of the tyre by.
cross wires as before but the edges of the cover may be cemented to the band on its
outer side as shown in Fig. 14. In both instances the tyre is fixed to the rim by
means of wire hooks at the sides of its base and wires passing outside the rim as
shown in Fig. 3 or Figs. 8 or 9 and previously described, or by the method
shown in Fig. 13. The tread of the tyre could consist of a thin flexible steel band
as shown in section at Fig. 14. This band would be supported by cross wires
having eyelets at each end similar to those of the coiled tread e Figs. 1 and 2. These
supporting cross wires could be threaded onto the wires n n and placed at suitable
intervals apart, or the wires worm could also be used for this purpose and the steel
band would be secured by wires passing outside it having their ends fixed to the
springs or to the wires n n or m m. A strip of leather could be fixed along the
outer side of this steel band to form a tread within the cover.
Fig. 13 shows a method of fixing the tyre and cover to the rim without using
wires y around the outside of it. The edges of the rim are spread out horizontally
(they could otherwise be turned over as shown in Fig. 14). The flat wire hooks at
each side of the tyre come through the cover as shown at v and are bent so as to
catch on the edges of the rim k.
Through the looped ends of these hooks I thread broad flat wires y running.
parallel to the edges of the rim and I keep them in position by flat metal clips
having their ends hooked round the edges of the rim so as to press the wires lo
down and prevent them slipping off. Otherwise the clips could be of flat wire and.
hold the hooks on to the rim without using the parallel wires v10 as shown at 12.
The outer cover of the tyre may have small longitudinal strips of leather or other
suitable tough material A Fig. 14 sewn or cemented to its inner sides at intervals
along the sides of the tread. The ends of these strips have metal eyelets or are
folded over, for the purpose of attaching them to fastening wires which can either
be carried tangentially both ways to the rings r and there secure! either to the rings
or to the sides of the tyre or to the rim or they may be hooked longitudinally both
ways on to the upper parts of the springs. The object of the foregoing is to keep the
cover from slipping along the spring tyre when in use. It may also be fastened down
to the spring tyre at each side of the tread or cemented to the leather tread to keep
it from slipping sideways. Fig. 14 shows a inethod of supporting the parts of the,
cover which are slackened when the trend is depressed the object being to keep the
cover from spreading laterally at the tread and so to secure a narrow tread and keep
these parts out of the mud. At short intervals along both sides of the tyre I fix the,
spring arms o2 which are hinged near the rings 1, r being there coiled into short-
spring helices whose tendency is to swing the arms round into the positions shown
at o¹. The ends of the arms are formed into eyelets o, in which are fixed longitudinal
wires preferably wrapped (or strips of cane could be substituted) one on each side
of
the tyre. When the tyre is in its normal state the wires oo are held close to th
sides of the tyre but as the tread is depressed they assume the positions at o'. I ma
use in addition the wires o³ fixed to sides of the tread their other ends being fastener.
d

page_text: to o, o, either for the purpose of pushing the wires o round to o' or for the purpose
pulling them back to the sides of the tyre when it resumes its normal condition, for
which latter purpose they may be of very flexible flat wire.
In Fig. 3 is shown a method of attaching to the cover a renewable tread h¹ of
leather, rubber or other suitable material so as to be easily replaced when worn,
without detaching the cover from the spring tyre. Along the sides of the cover I fix
strips z, z, of leather or other suitable material by their lower edges, leaving their
upper edges free. Along these loose edges I provide holes preferably having metal
eyelets, at short intervals apart for the purpose of sewing or lacing on the tread h¹
whose edges are first placed below the flaps z z, so that holes may be marked in them
opposite the holes z¹ in the flaps or strips.
Fig. 7 shews a method of fixing the wires c, c, to a steel band e, by passing them
in and out through holes in the same thus dispensing with ferrules, and the springs
could be fixed to this band by means of the wires c, c, in a similar manner to that
previously shown at for f¹ Fig. 1.
Dated this fourteenth day of November 1896.
Improvements in and connected with Elastic Tyres..
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM BROWN of City Chambers Clifford Street York. in the County
of York Architect. 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 spring tyres for the wheels of motor cars, cycles &
wheeled vehicles generally, its object being to lessen the vibration caused by the
roughness or unevenness of the roads. In particular my.invention relates to tyres
such as are described in Specification of Letters Patent No. 7296 of A.D. 1896.
In order that my invention may be better understood I shall refer to the annexed
sheets of drawings whereon like letters denote like parts in the different figures.
Fig. 1 is a part side view of the spring tyre with outer cover removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section relating to Figs. 1 & 2 and shows the tyre & cover
fixed to a carriage wheel.
Fig. 4 is a part side view of the spring tyre relating to Fig. 7.
Fig. 5 is also a part side view of the tyre.
Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections of the tyre and cover as fixed to cycle rims.
Fig. 8 is a cross section of part of the tyre and rim in relation to Fig. 3.
Fig. 9 shows a side view of the tool used in coiling the springs.
Figs. 10 & 11 show different views of the tool used in forming the ties for
connecting the springs.
My tyre consists of a spring tyre enclosed in a cover of canvas & rubber or of
leather. The spring tyre consists of a thin flexible tempered steel band h, at the
tread, and a steel band k forms the base of the tyre, the band k may be flexible but
is stronger than h. Between these bands h & k I arrange springs 8 at short
intervals apart and secured at their upper ends to the band h and at their lower ends
to the baud k. The band k is made of a suitable size and curved to fit the
circumference of the rim, the band h being also curved circumferentially so as to
be equidistant from the band k. The springs s are flattened or oval helical springs
made of steel wire and hardened and tempered. They are arranged in pairs along
the tyre with flattened sides parallel to each other, and each pair of springs is coupled

page_text: together by zigzag ties made of slightly tempered flat steel wire. These ties t
have eyelets formed in each of their angles and the springs are afterwards threaded
through these eyelets and twisted into position as shown in Fig. 3. I prefer to use
springs along one side of the tyre coiled a different hand to those on the other side,
thus each set of ties connects a right handed & a left handed spring. The ties t
keep the tyre steady laterally, and the springs having their broadest way longitudinal
in the tyre keeps them steady in this direction also. This longitudinal stability is
maintained by the method of fastening the springs to the bands h & k, both corners
of the tops of the springs being held thereto. This is done by perforating holes near
the edges of these bands and passing the ends of short pieces of flat steel wire through
these holes as at f2 Fig. 1 and then through the ends of the springs and then bending
them down as shewn. The springs may be fixed to the band h in a similar manner.
If desirable instead of the base band I may substitute two circumferential wires r
Figs. 4, 5, & 7. These may be of grooved umbrella wire or flat steel wire. In this
case I fasten the springs a to these wires r Fig. 5 by fixing metal ferrules falong the
wires (and held apart by short pieces of wire laid in between). Then the wires fare
passed through the ferrules and turned down over the ends of the springs as shown.
Fig. 4 shows an alternative method at in which the ferrules are placed between
the springs and wires f each secure the ends of two springs. The wires ? 1 are held
equidistant by cross wires v Fig. 7 placed at short intervals apart & having eyelets
at their ends in which the wires are held. The tread band h is provided with a
band of leather or other similar flexible material h¹, along its upper side to prevent it
from chafing the cover g. This band & can be fastened to the band & by binding or
sewing it with fine wire or string.
If all the ties t were of equal length my tyre would have the tread the same width
as the base as shown in Fig. 6. However I prefer to make the tyre (in cross section)
tapered towards the tread as in Figs. 3 & 7 thus giving it a narrow tread and a
wide base, which gives increased lateral stability and also a better appearance.
For this purpose I gradually shorten the ties t as they approach the tread, thus
leaning the springs towards each other when coupled by these ties. I also make all
the ties connecting each pair of springs in one continuous zigzag. In a driving wlieel
the tyre may have the springs connected tangentially by wire ties Fig. 1 hooked
onto successive springs. The springs could otherwise be connected by a succession
of wire ties such as shown at tartanged parallel to the base band k.
Fig. 4 shows at another way of attaching the zigzag ties to the springs short
pieces of flat wire being bent round the springs and then passed through the eyelets
of the ties and their ends then spread out to prevent the ties slipping off.
In some cases I weave tempered flat steel wires and Fig. 4 through the springs
in order to keep them steady longitudinally in the tyre. Both wires a and c pass
through the same parts of the springs but the wires a are towards the inner side of
the springs. I inay utilize these wires for fixing the ties t to the springs by
threading the ties onto the wires c which may be bent slightly to keep the ties close
to the springs, and the wires a are also held in the angles of the ties adjoining the
eyelets."
The outer cover of my spring tyre can be of canvas and rubber as are used for
pneumatic tyres, or a coyer of leather may be used especially in the case of heavy
vehicles. I may also use a renewable band g' of leather or other suitable flexible
material fixed along the tread of the cover g. Along the sides of the cover
adjoining the tread I sew strips of material such as leather as having their upper
edges free. Along these loose edges I provide holes 2 preferably lined with metal
eyelets and at short intervals apart for the purpose of sewing or lacing on the trend'
g2 whose edges are first placed below the flaps zz so that the positions of the holes
inay be marked in them opposite the eyelets in the flaps. Then the tread band g" is
sewn to the outer side of one flap and can then be sewn to the outer side proceeding
in short lengths each sewn loosely and the sewing afterwards pulled tight. As
regards the methods of fixing my tyre to the rims of wheels Fig. 3. 6. 7 and 8 shown
various ways of doing this. Fig. 3 shows a method of fixing the tyre to the rim of an

page_text: ordinary carriage wheel I so as to be readily detachable therefrom, so that the tyres
could be used or not as may be desired, the tyre being complete in itself. The cover
g has its edges folded beneath those of the band k and they may be sewn together.
Then I place a steel band 2 below them and secure the two bands and
together (by means of wires same as shown at 2 and 3 in Fig. 8)
and at short intervals along the edges of the band 2 I fix flat wire arms v
and which are hinged at their upper ends to the band 2 and their lower end; bent
so as to hold onto the underside of the felloe l as in Fig. 3. These ends are formed
into eyelets to one of which is fastened a spring wire v bent into the form of a safety
pin the other end of hooking through the eyelet at end of and is then sprang
round its own shank thus detachably holding the arms and v in position, these
arms being made a close fit so that when secured, their upper sides press against the
sides of the felloe I and thus hold the base of the tyre from moving laterally. The
band is of course made to fit close onto the felloe and its ends are secured together
and the tyre can be pushed sideways on or off the felloe when the arms v. are
disengaged. Fig. 8 shows the same arrangement for fastening the tyre to a carriage
wheel as shown in Fig. 3 but having two rods for the base of the tyre to which the
ends of the springs are secured. These rods take the place of the band k in Fig. 3,
but the lower band 2 is retained and has its edges turned up slightly as shown so as
to enable the rods to lie in the angles and the rods are held to the band k² by
wires and as before described. Fig. 6 shows a method of fixing the tyre to a
rim by means of the cross wires u whose ends terminate in loops. Wires y pass below
the rim and are secured to the looped ends of the wires the inter-
mediate parts of the wires v holding the band and the edges of the
cover into the hollow of the rim as shown. The ends of the band are not
secured together, thus allowing it to stretch slightly in placing the tyre onto
the rim. Fig. 7 shows a tyre having rods r r. in place of the base band k and held
on to the rim by means of wires v and y, after a similar method to the above. In
this case the wires may have eyelets formed through which the rods are threaded
and thus held. Otherwise the wires v may be laid above the rings and not have
eyelets formed for the rods r. r.
ย
Referring to the drawings left with the provisional specification Fig. 13 shows a
method of fixing the tyre and cover to the rim. The edges of the rim are spread
out horizontally (they could otherwise be turned over as shown in Fig. 14). The flat
wire hooks at each side of the tyre, come through the cover has shown at vand
are bent so as to catch on the edges of the rim . Through the looped ends of these
hooks I thread broad flat wires io running parallel to the edges of the rim and I
keep them in position by the flat. metal bands fixed across the rim at short
intervals having their ends booked round its edges so as to press the wires down.
and prevent them slipping off. The bands also serve to give a support for the tyre
to rest upon.
Fig. 9 of drawings filed herewith shows a side view of the tool-I use in coiling the
springs. The flat bar is revolved at the end of a spindle and it has two
notches and 6 in which the wire b is alternately pressed so as to overcome its
stiffness in coiling it. The coils are afterwards cut to the required lengths all the
springs having the same number of twists in them. Fig. 10 is a side view and
Fig. 11 a top view of the tool I use for forming the zigzag ties t. The bar m has a
number of pins e at equal intervals apart, the top row being placed so as to be
centrally between the bottom row. The bar m is revolved round a spindle which
terminates in a pin , on which the eyelets are formed in the wire t. In forming
cross ties for tapered sections of tyres the wire t is first held on the pin e¹ and next
held on the pin e" and so on alternately on an upper and a lower pin. There may be
better methods of forming springs and ties and it must be understood that I do not
confine myself to the methods I have shown, and do not claim for them.
In tyres
for vehicles of medium weight such as cycles the springs may be about one inch
broad and 1 inches long, and made of wire about Nos. 14 to 16 B. W. Gauge. The

page_text: tread band
could be about one inch broad and its thickness about Nos. 26 to 30
B. W. G. But I distinctly say that. I do not confine myself to these sizes.
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:
(1) A spring tyre for the wheels of cycles Motor cars and vehicles generally,
having a tread band constructed of a flexible tempered steel band, a base band
consisting of a steel band or of two rods of grooved wire or flat wire, oval springs
arranged between base and tread and zigzag cross ties connecting the springs
substantially as herein set forth.
(2) In a spring tyre having a base band k or wires and flexible tread band h and
springs 8 connected by cross ties t the production of a tapered cross section by
gradually shortening the ties t as they approach the tread.
(3) In a spring tyre having springs connected by wire cross ties, the means of
attaching ties t to springs & by threading the springs through eyelets in the ties
substantially as set forth and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
(4) Fixing the wire ties t to the springs 8 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and herein
set forth.
(5) Means for attaching the springs s at both corners of their ends to the rods r
as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
(6) Means for attaching the springs 8 to a band k as shown in Fig. 1.
(7) The means employed for attaching my tyre and cover to the rim of an ordinary
carriage wheel as described and shown with reference to Figs. 3 & 8.
(8) The combination with the tread band h springs 8 cross ties t and cover g, of a
renewable tread g² placed outside the cover and removably attached thereto in the
manner substantially as shown and described with reference to Fig. 3.
(9) In a spring tyre, the combination with a base band, flexible tread and
springs & ties located between base and tread of a canvas and rubber or leather
cover g and means for securing the same to the rim of a wheel such as shown in
Fig. 6.
.
(10) In a spring tyre, the combination with the base rods 1 r flexible tread band h
and springs 8 & ties t located between base and tread, of a canvas and rubber of
leather cover and means for securing tyre and cover to the rim of a wheel such
as shown in Fig. 7.
(11) In a spring tyre having oval springs coupled with ties the arrangement of
right handed coiled springs in combination with left hand springs as set forth.
(12) In a spring tyre having a base band k (or rods 1) springs & ties t and tread
band the combination therewith of a band hi preferably of leather secured to the
band has set forth.
(13) Means for fixing my tyre to rims of cycles such as shown in Fig. 13
("provisional" drawings).
(14) Supporting a spring tyre on rims such as shown in Fig. 13 by means of
cross bands 11.
(15) The arrangements of ties shown at 3 & Fig. 1.
(16) In a spring tyre the combination of oval helical springs located between base
& tread & zigzag cross ties connecting the springs and gradually shortening in
the direction of the tread whereby a tapered cross section of the tyre is attained.
Dated this 12th day of August 1897.
FREDERICK WILLIAM BROWN.