Improvements in Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
Improvements in Wheels.
1, WILLIAM BORTHWICK SMITH, of 139, Cannon Street, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My present invention relates more especially to wheels having what are known
as pneumatic tyres, and used for velocipedes of all kinds, and other vehicles.
It consists of novel methods of making such wheels, so that they are simple,
light, resilient, and effective, and at the same time strong and not likely to get out
of order.
Supposing that my invention is to be applied to the wheel of a bicycle or other
velocipede having a pneumatic tyre, I make the metallic rim of the wheel
preferably more or less semicircular in cross section and thicker at and near its
central part where the outer ends of the spokes are fitted and fixed to it.
I make the edges of the semi-circular rim of sufficient width, so that they can
be bent over and turned in toward each other, their edges which are preferably
doubled over so as to form a continuous beading, approaching nearly to each other
but leaving a continuous opening between them of uniform width completely
round the rim. The sides turned in as described, form a somewhat flexible and
elastic seat for the pneumatic tyre, and may either extend straight toward each
other so as to form a flat surface in cross section or they may be bent further
down so as to form a concave surface, or in some cases they may be left projecting
somewhat up, so as to form a convex surface.
The continuous opening round the rim between the edges of the plates may be
closed by a separate thin strip of ebonite, metal, or other suitable material, so as
to prevent the tyre from being forced into the opening.
The inner tube of the tyre is of strong flexible air-tight material into which
air can be forced in the usual well known way. It is surrounded and held by a
cover of india rubber or other suitable material in the form of a continuous strip
the longitudinal central part of which is preferably the thickest so as to receive
the wear at the part which touches the ground when the wheel is running, the
thickness gradually decreasing upon each side to the edges of the strip.
Each such edge is thickened or expanded so as to form a continuous beading
preferably circular in cross section, and containing a central core or centre of
suitable section, of metal, whalebone, cane, vulcanite, or other sufficiently hard and
incompressible material.
One of such beadings is preferably of somewhat larger section than the other,
and to fit it in its place in order to hold the inner air tube in position it is first
inserted into the parallel opening between the edges of the plates of the rim first
described, and the other or smaller beading is then forced through the opening, by
the side of the first, and when both have been so inserted completely round the
rim, they hold the tyre firmly and securely in its place.
A longitudinal strip or flap may be formed inside the elastic cover described one
edge of it being formed upon or attached to the latter whilst its other edge is left
free, so that it covers the more or less angular internal junction of the two edges
of the covering strip. Or, a wedge shaped piece may be formed upon it all round
to fill the angular space described.
The metal rim may be of any suitable section, and may be formed with an
internal groove all round for the fastenings of the spokes.

page_text: The rim and tyre constructed as described are very strong, resilient and durable,
and are not likely to become injured. The turned in sides or edges of the rim
which support the tyre add materially to the resiliency.
In order to prevent any possible tendency of the outer or covering tyre to
" creep "round the rim, serrations or notches suitably shaped may be made on one
or both of the bent in edges of the plates which form the continuous opening
round the rim. Corresponding projections may be made on the outer side of the
covering tyre to fit in these notches. Or, projections may be formed upon the
metal plates fitting in corresponding holes in the covering tyre.
In another modified form of wheel and tyre, I make the body of the wheel
consist of two discs preferably of thin sheet steel, the centres of which are fixed
to the hub of the wheel, where they are separated from each other to as great a
distance as is convenient.
The discs are then curved so as to approach each other and are then again
curved outward, and the outer edges are connected by a continuous rim the outer
face of which is concave in cross section and receives the pneumatic tyre. This
pneumatic tyre consists of a continuous tube of the usual kind of sufficient
strength and of considerable diameter in transverse section, into which air is
forced in the manner usual with pneumatic tyres. It is held in its place by a
covering strip of india rubber preferably thickened or projecting at the part which
runs upon the ground. The edges of this strip are provided with enlarged
beadings of the kind already described and containing in the same way a central
core of sufficiently hard and incompressible material.
These beadings are drawn down sufficiently tightly over the edges of the
curved side discs and are held in place by a sufficient number of tongues cut out
of the latter, or out of the concave continuous rim, and having their inner ends
bent outward so as to pass over and hold the beading. In this way a very strong
and effective wheel is formed. This method of holding the covering tyre may be
applied to other forms of construction of the rim.
In a modified form of the wheel just described I curve or bend inward the
outer edges of the two discs, so that the space between them at their outer edge is
circular or nearly so in cross section, their edges however being separated so as to
I fit and fix
leave a continuous opening round the wheel of sufficient width.
between them a metal rim also circular or nearly so in cross section but open at its
outer side, the edges of the opening being bent over or otherwise connected to the
edges of the discs. I take a hollow pneumatic tyre of the ordinary kind of con-
siderably larger diameter in transverse section than the circular channel in the rim,
and I force the inner part of this hollow tyre into the said channel, the outer part
projecting outside the latter, and when air is forced into the tyre the latter is
expanded the inner part being firmly held in the channelled rim and the outer
projecting part forming the tyre itself which is preferably thickened at the part
which runs upon the ground. This arrangement forms a very simple, strong, and
resilient tyre.
It may be modified more or less in its construction and arrangement. For
instance the discs may be curved so that their inner sides touch and are rivetted
together at the proper distance from the centre, and are then bent round so as
themselves to form the circular channel, their outer edges being curved toward
each other but leaving an opening all round of sufficient width into which the inner
part of the pneumatic tyre is forced in the same way as in the arrangement last
described, the outer part of the tyre projecting and being preferably thickened
where it runs upon the road.
The edges of the opening formed may be beaded or curved out so as to preserve
the tyre from injury. A protecting cover may be used outside the pneumatic tyre
and provision may be made by serrating or notching the metal channel or rim to
better hold the tyre and prevent creeping. The resiliency of the wheel is increased
by the flexibility and elasticity of the sides of the channel which holds the
pneumatic tyre in the arrangements described.

page_text: The inner part of the discs may be perforated instead of solid, and they may be
formed of metal, or other suitable material.
Dated this 29th day of May 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheels.
I, WILLIAM BORTHWICK SMITH, of 139, Cannon Street, in the City of
London, Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
My present invention relates more especially to wheels having what are known
as pneumatic tyres, and used for velocipedes of all kinds, and other vehicles.
It consists of novel methods of making such wheels, so that they are simple,
light, resilient, and effective, and at the same time strong and not likely to get out
of order.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention.
Supposing that my invention is to be applied to the wheel of a bicycle or other
velocipede having a pneumatic tyre, I make the metallic rim of the wheel (as
illustrated in cross section in Figures 1 and 2) preferably more or less semi-circular
in cross section and thicker at and near its central part a where the outer ends of
the spokes bare fitted and fixed to it.
I make the edges of the semi-circular rim of sufficient width, so that they can
be bent over and turned-in toward each other, as shewn at c, c, their edges which
are preferably doubled over so as to form a continuous beading as shewn at d, d,
approaching nearly to each other but leaving a continuous opening between them of
uniform width completely round the rim. The sides turned-in as described form a
somewhat flexible and elastic seat for the pneumatic tyre, and may either extend
straight toward each other so as to form a flat surface in cross section or they may
be bent further down so as to form a concave surface (as shewn in Figure 2), or in
some cases they may be left projecting somewhat up, so as to form a convex
surface (as shewn in Figure 1).
The continuous opening round the rim between the edges of the plates may be
closed (as shewn in Figures 1 and 3) by a separate thin stripe of ebonite, metal,
or other suitable material, so as to prevent the tyre from being forced into the
opening.
The inner tube f of the tyre is of strong flexible air-tight material into which
air can be forced in the usual well-known way. It is surrounded and held by a
cover g of india rubber or other suitable material in the form of a continuous strip
the longitudinal central part of which is preferably the thickest so as to receive the
wear at the part which touches the ground when the wheel is running, the
thickness gradually decreasing upon each side to the edges of the strip.
Each such edge is thickened or expanded so as to form a continuous beading h, h,
circular in cross section, as shewn in Figure 1, or more or less triangular, as shewn
in Figure 2 and containing a central core or centre of suitable section, of metal,
whalebone, cane, vulcanite, or other sufficiently hard and incompressible
material.
One of such beadings, h', is preferably of somewhat larger section than the
other, as shewn in Figure 2, and to fit it in its place in order to hold the inner air
tube in position it is first inserted into the parallel opening between the edges of
the plates of the rim first described, and the other or smaller beading his then
forced through the opening, by the side of the first, and when both have been 80

page_text: inserted completely round the rim, they hold the tyre ƒ firmly and securely in its
place.
A longitudinal strip or flap may be formed. inside the elastic cover described,
one edge of it being formed upon or attached to the latter whilst its outer edge is
left free, so that it covers the more or less angular internal junction of the two
edges of the covering strip. Or, a wedge-shaped piece may be formed upon it all
round to fill the angular space described, (as shewn at o Figure 2).
The metal rim may be of any suitable section, and may be formed with an
internal groove all round for the fastening of the spokes,
The rim and tyre constructed as described are very strong, resilient and durable,
and are not likely to become injured. The turned-in sides or edges c, c¹, of the
rim which support the tyre f add materially to the resiliency.
66
In order to prevent any possible tendency of the outer or covering tyre to
creep" round the rim, serrations or notches suitably shaped may be made on one
or both of the bent-in edges d, d, of the plates which form the continuous opening
round the rim. Corresponding projections may be made on the outer side of the
covering tyre to fit in these notches. Or, projections may be formed upon the metal
plates fitting in corresponding holes in the covering tyre.
In another modified form of wheel and tyre, I make the body of the wheel
consist of two discs preferably of thin sheet steel, the centres of which are fixed to
the hub of the wheel, where they are separated from each other to as great a
distance as is convenient.
The discs are then curved so as to approach each other and are then again curved
outward, and the outer edges are connected by a continuous rim the outer face of
which is concave in cross section and receives the pneumatic tyre. This pneumatic
tyrė consists of a continuous tube of the usual kind of sufficient strength and of
considerable diameter in cross section, into which air is forced in the manner usual
with pneumatic tyres. It is held in its place by a covering strip of india rubber
preferably thickened or projecting at the part which runs upon the ground. The
edges of this strip are provided with enlarged beadings of the kind already
described and containing in the same way a central core of sufficiently hard and
incompressible material.
These beadings are drawn down sufficiently tightly over the edges of the curved
side discs and are held in place by a sufficient number of tongues cut out of the
latter, or out of the concave continuous rim, and having their inner ends bent
outward so as to pass over and hold the beading. In this way a very strong and
effective wheel is formed. This method of holding the covering tyre may be
applied to other forms of construction of the rim, and is illustrated in Figure 1,
in which,, are tongues cut out of the rim a, and having their ends bent
outward so as to pass over and hold the beadings h, h, as described, (the tongues
passing through holes in the covering tyre).
In a modified form of the wheel just described I curve or bend inward the
outer edges of the two discs, so that the space between them at their outer edge is
circular or nearly so in cross section, their edges however being separated so as
to leave a continuous opening round the wheel of sufficient width. I fit and fix
between them a metal rim a (which may itself form the rim of the wheel when
discs are not used, but ordinary spokes as illustrated in Figure 4), also circular or
nearly so in cross section but open at its outer side, the edges of the opening being
bent over or otherwise connected to the edges of the discs (when the latter are
used). I take a hollow pneumatic tyre of the ordinary kind of considerably
larger diameter in transverse section than the circular channel in the rim a and I
force the inner part f¹ of this hollow tyre into the said channel as shewn, the outer
part projecting outside the latter, and when air is forced into the tyre the latter
is expanded the inner part being firmly held in the channelled rim and the outer
projecting part forming the tyre itself which is preferably thickened at the part
which runs upon the ground. This arrangement forms a very strong, simple, and
resilient tyre. (n represents a connecting strip of strong perforated canvas.)

page_text: It may be modified more or less in its construction and arrangement.
For
instance, where discs are used, they may be curved so that their inner sides touch:
and are rivetted together at the proper distance from the centre, and are then bent
round so as themselves form the circular channel, their outer edges being curved
toward each other but leaving an opening all round of sufficient width into which
the inner part of the pneumatic tyre is forced in the same way as in the arrangement
last described the outer part of the tyre projecting and being preferably thickened
where it runs upon the road.
The edges of the opening formed may be beaded or curved out as shewn at k, k',
so as to preserve the tyre from injury. A protecting cover (not shewn in the
figure) may be used outside the pneumatic tyre and provision may be made by
serrating or notching the metal channel or rim to better hold the tyre and prevent
creeping. The resiliency of the wheel is increased by the flexibility and elasticity
of the sides of the channel a, which holds the pneumatic tyre in the arrangement
described.
In Figure 3 is shewn a somewhat modified form of tyre, in which the hollow
rim a is more or less triangular in section, its outer bent-in parts being flat instead
of curved, and of very thin material, and the rim being supported in an outer rim /,
the edges of which m, m', are bent inward and hold the beadings h, h', at the
edges of the covering tyre g. The space left between the parts c, c, is shewn
closed by a continuous strip e.
The
Figure 5 shews another modification of the tyre just described, in which the
bent-in parts c, c, are flat, and one overlaps, but is not fixed to, the other.
outer tyre has its edges m, m', bent outward, and the beadings h, h', upon the
covering tyre g are forced under these edges, which are notched at intervals so as
to leave projecting hooks which pass through openings above the beadings h, h.
I do not claim the use of discs instead of spokes in making wheels, but
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 --
1. The wheel tyre, consisting of a metal rim, concave in cross section at its outer
side the edges of the rim being bent over and turned-in toward each other, but
having a continuous opening between them completely round the rim, such turned-in
edges forming a flexible and elastic seat for, and in combination with, a pneumatic
tyre, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the
accompanying drawing.
2. In combination with the rim formed as described in Claim 1, the separate
thin strip covering the continuous opening between the edges of the rim,
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.
3. In combination with a rim formed as described in Claim 1, and with a
pneumatic tyre supported by such rim, a cover having continuous beadings
containing central cores round its two edges, the said beadings being fitted into
the continuous opening between the edges of the rim, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 2.
4. In combination with the rim formed as described in Claim 1, serrations,
notches, or projections in one or both of the bent-in edges of the plates which form
the continuous openings round the rim, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
5. The method of holding the cover which holds the pneumatic tyre upon the
rim, by means of tongues cut out of the sides of such rim and having their inner
ends bent outward so as to hold the continuous beadings formed upon the edges of
the cover, which beadings are fitted under the projecting tongues, substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 1.
6. The rim consisting of a continuous channel circular or nearly so in cross
section its outer edges being separated so as to leave a continuous opening round
the wheel, in combination with a hollow pneumatic tyre, the inner part of which is

page_text: forced into the said channel whilst the outer part projects outside the latter, the
said inner part being firmly held in the channelled rim when air is forced into the
pneumatic tyre, substantially as described, and illustrated in Figure 4.
Dated the 28th day of February 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.