Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1887.
Complete Left, 8th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
I, EDWARD CHARLES FREDERICK OTTO of 7 York Grove, Peckham in the County
of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to apply and secure, in a ready and effectual manner;
elastic tyres to the rims of wheels especially of light vehicles such as velocipedes, and
in such manner that the tyre may be conveniently applied thereto in a condensed
state in order that the ends of the length of rubber forming the said tyre may be
held closed by the elastic pressure such pressure also closing any accidental cut the
said tyre may receive.
According to my invention pass through an aperture in the centre of a length of
the elastic material which is to form the tyre (hereafter termed "rubber") a piece
or pieces of "catgut" as commonly used for numerous purposes such as strings for
musical instruments, driving sewing machines, small lathes &c. the thickness or
diameter of the catgut being regulated according to the diameter of wheel to
which the rubber is to be applied or as circumstances may require.
The length of rubber is longer than would be required for a given sized wheel
if intended to be applied thereto in an uncompressed state and before being applied
to the wheel it is condensed in length upon the catgut core the ends of which are
preferably fastened by means hereafter described, the length of the circumference of
the core when fastened being such that it can be sprung or
"jumped over the edge
of the wheel rim the elastic nature of the core allowing of this operation and a grip
is thus obtained on the wheel rim which is equal throughout the whole circumference
of the tyre, whereby the said tyre is held in every part throughout firmly to the rim.
"
I prefer to secure the ends of the catgut core by means of hooks and eyes fixed
thereon by screwing as employed in joining the ends of the catgut bands of turning-
lathes &c., or I may in some cases join the ends by a knot; other equivalent means
may be employed.
The tension of the core after application to the wheel rim may be increased or
diminished as may be required by twisting the said core before it is so applied either
One way or the other

page_text: I sometimes twist two or three strands of the catgut together to form the core by
which any tendency of the rubber to move on the core may be prevented but I
generally find this to be unnecessary as the friction of a single piece of catgut is
usually sufficient.
When desired the catgut core may be inserted in the rubber tyre and the ends
joined in the course of manufacture and in this latter case the rubber would not
be in compression when on the wheel rim but the tyre would be completed in the
course of manufacture.
In some cases I replace the "catgut" herein described by so treating a fibre core
with India rubber or other elastic medium as to give such a core sufficient elasticity
for the purposes hereinbefore described.
BREWER & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Securing Elastic Tyres in Wheel Rims.
I, EDWARD CHARLES FREDERICK OTTO of 7 York Grove, Peckham in the County
of Surrey 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 :—
The object of my invention is to apply and secure, in a ready and effectual manner,
elastic tyres to the rims of wheels especially to the wheels of light vehicles such as
velocipedes and in such manner that the tyre may be conveniently applied thereto
in a condensed state in order that the ends of the length of rubber forming the said
tyre may be held closed by the elastic pressure such pressure also closing any
accidental cut the said tyre may receive.
According to my invention I pass through an aperture in the centre of a length of
the elastic material which is to form the tyre (hereafter termed "rubber"), a piece
or pieces of "catgut" as commonly used for numerous purposes, such as strings for
musical instruments, driving sewing machines, small lathes etc., the thickness or
diameter of the catgut being regulated according to the diameter of the rubber to
which the core is to be applied or as circumstances may require.
The length of rubber is longer than would be required for a given sized wheel if
intended to be applied thereto in an uncompressed state, and before being applied
to the wheel it is condensed in length upon the catgut core, the ends of which are
preferably fastened by means hereafter described; the length of the circumference
of the core when fastened being such that it can be sprung or "jumped" over the

page_text: edge of the wheel rim the elastic nature of the core allowing of this operation and a
grip is thus obtained on the wheel rim which is equal throughout the whole
circumference of the tyre whereby the said tyre is held in every part throughout
firmly to the rim.
I prefer to secure the ends of the catgut core by means of hooks and eyes fixed
thereon by screwing as employed in joining the ends of the catgut bands of turning
lathes etc., or I may in some cases join the ends by a knot; or other equivalent means
may be employed.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings on
which similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a piece of rubber having a core of catgut, and
showing the ineans for fastening the ends of the said core by hook and eye ferrules.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the hook part of the aforesaid
fastening.
Figure 3 is a section, and Figure 4 is a plan of a similar fastening or ferrule to
that shewn at Figures 1 and 2 but in these figures a double eye is employed the
hook being dispensed with.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively section and plan in which the two ferrules for the
two ends of the catgut core are formed from one piece of metal, both the "hooks "
and the "eyes" being dispensed with.
Figure 7 shews the ends of the catgut core united by means of a knot.
a is a piece of the "rubber" or elastic material which is to form the tyre, b is the
inserted core of catgut, c is the hook, and c¹ the eye carried by screwed ferrules c³, c³.
In the fastening as shewn at Figures 1 and 2 the ends of the catgut core are
treated with a hardening fluid such as boiled linseed oil or varnish, and are then
screwed and compressed into the ferrules c², c³; the holes d are then pierced
transversely through ferrule and core, and rivets are inserted, the projecting ends of
the catgut are then "swelled " over by the application of a heated iron, and before
the tyre is placed into the wheel rim the ferrules are joined together by means of the
hook and eye c and c¹ and the ends of the rubber are drawn over same and closed.
Or instead of the hook and eye I may form each ferrule with an eye piece as at
Figures 3 and 4, the eye pieces overlap each other bringing the eyes e opposite each
other, and I then insert a rivet. The core is screwed into the ferrules as at
Figures 1 and 2 and rivetted but the swelling of the ends is dispensed with as I find
an efficient joint may be produced without such swelling of the ends.
Figures 5 and 6 shew an example in which the two ferrules are formed from one
piece of metal; d d are the pierced holes through ferrule and core and through which
rivets are passed; el is the eye, it being in this case useful for holding or twisting
the combined ferrule e², c³ and through this hole the ends may be swelled. To avoid
overtwisting the core when screwing the second end of same into the latter form
of ferrule, I first untwist the core as many times in one direction as it will be twisted
in screwing it into the ferrule in the other direction and all according to the number
of turns it will receive.
When joining the ends of the core by means of a knot I employ a length or lengths
of comparatively thin catgut which I twist into the proper sized circle until such
circle is composed of 2, 3, or more thicknesses of the catgut, the position of the knot
in such a circle of catgut is shewn at e Figure 7 in which figure, two thicknesses only
are shown that is the catgut has been doubled and the ends united by a suitable knot;
other equivalent means such as splicing may be employed.
The tension of the core after application to the wheel rim may be increased or
diminished as may be required by twisting the said core before it is so applied either
in one direction or the other.
I sometimes twist two or three strands of the catgut together to form the core by
which any tendency of the rubber to move on the core may be prevented, but I
generally find this to be unnecessary as the friction of a single piece of catgut is
usually sufficient.

page_text: When desired the catgut core may be inserted in the rubber tyre and the ends
joined in the course of manufacture or the catgut core may be made in the form of a
ring of a given size which would be suitable for insertion during the manufacture of
the rubber, and in these latter cases the rubber would not be in compression when on
the wheel rim but the tyre would be completed in the course of manufacture.
It will be obvious that the shapes of the section of the catgut core may vary.
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. in securing elastic tyres in wheel rims, the use and employment of a catgut
core, in such manner that its elastic properties are utilised as set forth.
2. In securing clastic tyres in wheel rims, the employment of an inserted catgut
core, the ends being united, or the core being formed in a circle, such tyre being
applied by springing or "jumping" the rubber and inserted core over the rim of the
wheel substantially as set forth.
3. In securing elastic tyres in wheel rims, the employment of the inserted catgut.
core, in combination with the mode and means for securing the ends of the said
catgut core substantially as herein shewn and described with reference to Figures 1 to 7
of the accompanying drawings.