Improvements in or relating to Elastic Tyres for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Elastic Tyres for Bicycles and
other Vehicles.
1, THOMAS SMITH, of 615 Park Street, Riverside, Jacksonville, in the County
of Duval, and State of Florida, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-wheel tires and is especially
designed for use in connection with bicycles. The object of the present invention
is to dispense with the ordinary pneumatic tire and the disadvantages incident to
the use thereof, such as puncturing and frequent repair, and to provide a
mechanically elastic or resilient tire which will not be affected by puncturing and
which will not require to be repaired before the rider can proceed further. A
further object of the invention is to so co istruct and apply the improved tire
to the rim of a wheel that access may be readily obtained to all parts thereof.
To this end the invention consists in an improved tire embodying certain novel
features and details of construction as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in
the drawing and finally pointed out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of a wheel rim, etc. showing
the improved tire applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tire or tread proper.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the wheel rim and
tire showing the manner of retaining the coiled spring in place.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the inner surface of the wheel rim
showing the manner of securing the overlapping edges of the outer case or cover
of the tire.
Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings,
66
Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a wheel rim, which, for
the purpose of the present invention is of that form known as crescent" being
concavo-convex in cross section. Within the concaved periphery of this rim is
placed a coiled or spirally wound spring 2, preferably of steel and made from a
continuous flat ribbon having the desired degree of elasticity so that it will yield
readily at the point of impact for absorbing the jar that would otherwise be
communicated to the wheel in travelling over a rough and broken surface. This
coiled spring extends circumferentially entirely around the wheel rim and is
provided at intervals preferably of four or five inches, with openings in its coils
which are adapted to receive the inner ends of a number of screws 3, which pass
through openings in the rim at intervals corresponding to the openings in the
coils of the spring. The rim 1, whether of wood or metal, is countersunk upon
its inner surface and the heads of the screws 3 are received thereby within the
substance of the rim so as to be flush therewith and to present a smooth unbroken
surface over which the ends of the outer case or cover may be lapped.
The outer case or cover 4 also extends circumferentially entirely around the
rim of the wheel and also passes transversely around the rim so as to embrace
and enclose both the rim 1 and the spring 2.

page_text: The central portion of the outer case or cover is considerably thickened or
reinforced, thus constituting a soft and resilient tread to the tire, the cover 4 being
preferably of soft rubber, lined inside with canvas or not as may be found most
expedient. The opposite edges of the cover 4 are perforated at numerous intervals
and at correspondingly opposite points, and these perforations, indicated at 5, are
adapted to be threaded over a plurality of pins 6 projecting inwardly from the
inside surface of the rim. The perforations at one edge of the cover 4 are engaged
over the pins 6, and the opposite edge of the cover is then lapped over the first
edge and its perforations engaged with the pins 6. Nuts are then screwed
inward and tightened upon the pins 6 and against the overlapping edges of the
cover 4, thus completing the application of the tire.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved tire is quite
simple and that may be manufactured at low cost and also that it attains material
advantages over the ordinary pneumatic tires as a puncture of the outer case or
cover will not render the tire unfit for use and necessitate immediate repair. In
fact, the improved tire requires no repairing and may be ridden continuously until
worn out.
In the event of the spring breaking which might occur upon an unusual shock,
the cover 4 may be readily removed, as also the spring 2, and a new spring may
be substituted for the old one.
I do not wish to be limited to the use of a continuous steel ribbon in the con-
struction of the spring and it will be apparent that other changes in the form,
proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing
from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.
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
In a tire, the combination with a rim provided at intervals along its inner surface
and centrally thereof with inwardly-extending threaded projections, of a continuous
coiled flat ribbon spring having the edges of its contiguous coils in contact with
each other and seated directly in and bearing against the rim and extending
longitudinally around the same, screws passing through the rim from the inside and
engaging threaded openings at intervals in the coils of said spring, a resilient
covering passing continuously around and enclosing both the rim and spring
and having its longitudinal edges overlapping each other upon the inner
surface of the rim and provided with registering perforations for engaging said
projections, and nuts on said threaded projections for binding the edges of the
covering against the rim, whereby the covering may be removed for giving access
to the spring, substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of February 1807
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.