Improvements in and relating to "Puncture Closers," or Devices for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres, Rubber Hose, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1899—–Accepted, 10th Dec., 1899
Improvements in and relating to "Puncture Closers," or Devices for
Repairing Pneumatic Tyres, Rubber Hose, and the like.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE FREEMONT GLIDDEN, of No. 6, Hearn
Street, and HIRAM HUTCHINS, of No. 2, Patten Street, both of Watertown, in
the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Machinists.
I, ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES, of 55 and 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 is an improved device for fastening puncture closing plugs in
pneumatic tyres, such as are commonly used on bicycles, or other vehicles, and also
rubber hose and the like.
The preferred form of plug contains a hinged head or button on one end which
is inserted through the puncture into the inside of the tyre, and then its threaded
shank is engaged by a cooperating cap, so that the edges of the puncture are
tightly pinched between the cap and head and permanently and neatly closed;
but in handling such small parts it is very difficult to properly manipulate them
so as to make the closer permanent, and accordingly, with a view to obviating the
difficulties and providing simple means for using the closer, the hereinafter
described improvements have been devised comprising in general the provision of
right and left threads, as will be explained, and cooperating independent holders
for the two parts of the closer.
The details of construction and manner of use of the improved devices will be
pointed out in the course of the following description, and the invention will be
inore particularly defined in the claims.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the manner
of use of this invention.
I
Figs. 2 to 4 are perspective views of the separate parts to be described.
In the preferred form of puncture closer the button or head a is swivelled to a
threaded shank a', and the cap b is internally threaded.
The shank is centrally recessed and provided on its inside with right hand
threads, and on its outside with left hand threads, as clearly shown in the drawings,
the internal threads of the cap 6 being also left hand threads to cooperate with the
external threads of the shank a¹, for a purpose presently to be explained.
b
Co-operating with the internal threads of the button or shank thereof is a
holder c, shown as a heavy wire provided with a loop or other holding means c¹, at
ita upper end and having a right hand threaded lower end fitting within the
recess of the shank a, the body of the holder c being of a size to readily receive
the head of the closer and permit it to slide up and down thereon freely.
A wrench or tool d is provided to cooperate with the parts thus far described,
this tool having a flat thumb piece or holding portion d', transversely bent at dª to
partially encircle the body of the holder e, and cut away at its opposite edges

page_text: so as to present engaging corners d³, to fit into notches b¹ in the head b, and
enable the operator to thereby hold the head stationary while the parts are being
screwed together.
The opposite cut away parts of the holding portion are of different widths to
accomodate themselves to different sizes of closer heads.
At one end the tool d is bent around on itself in tubular form and sharpened
at its end so as to constitute a cutter or punch '.
In use, it will be supposed that a puncture has occurred in a tyre indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The operator immediately cuts a hole through the tyre, as indicated by the
vertical lines Fig. 1, with the punch d, and then screws the end of the holder e
into the shank of a button a, and inserts the latter through the puncture of the
tyre into the inside thereof, said holder first having received a head b thereon, as
shown in Fig. 1, and thereupon the operator places the tool d about the body of the
holder c and engages its corners with the notches of the head h, as shown in
Fig. 1, and then simply pulls the shank of the button against the head and turns
the holder e to the right, this movement operating to screw the head and button
tightly together pinching the tyre between them to the extent desired, whereupon
a reverse movement of the holder screws it out of the shank of the closer and
leaves the latter in place.
Of course if preferred the threading of the parts may be reversed; although the
arrangement shown is preferred.
The tool
button.
operates as a holder for the head, and the part e as a holder for the
It is not new to provide a punch for this purpose, nor to provide a combination
tool broadly, nor to provide a closing button with external and internal threads,
but these threads have never been made right and left, so far as my correspondents
are aware, but so far as they are aware they are the first to provide any such
arrangement as that shown.
The off-set or bent part of the tool d is substantially semi-cylindrical, being
just sufficient to cause the tool properly to embrace the body of the holder c, while
bringing the corners into proper diametrical position relatively to the head b,
for engagement with the notches b₁ thereof.
It is not intended to restrict the invention to the precise details of construction
shown, as very many changes and modifications may be resorted to without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A puncture closer, comprising a separate head and cap or button, the latter
having a shank provided with internal and external threads extending in opposite
directions, and the head having internal threads to cooperate with the external
threads of said shank, substantially as described.
2. A puncture closer, comprising a separate head and cap or button, the latter
having a shank provided with internal and external threads extending in opposite
directions, and the head having internal threads to cooperate with the external
threads of said shank, in combination with a holder for said cap or button, said
holder having a hody fitted to receive loosely thereon said head, and having a
threaded end with the threads extending in a direction to cooperate with the
internal threads of said shank, substantially as described.
3. A puncture closer, comprising a separate head and cap or button, the latter
having a shank provided with internal and external threads extending in opposite
directions, and the head having internal threads to cooperate with the external
threads of said shank, in combination with a holder for said cap or button, said
holder having a body fitted to receive loosely thereon said head, and having a
threaded end with the threads extending in a direction to cooperate with the

page_text: internal threads of said shank, a holder for said head, said holder having a flat
holding portion provided with a transverse bend for partially encompassing the
body of said cap holder, said head holder being provided with means for engaging
and holding the head, substantially as described.
4. The herein described special tool, consisting of a thumb piece or flat holding
portion having a transverse semi-cylindrical bend, and cut away at its edges to
provide engaging corners, and having a cylindrical portion sharpened at its end
to constitute a punch, substantially as described.
Dated the 6th day of November 1899.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.