Improvements in Tyres for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
Improvements in Tyres for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
I, ROBERT COUSINS, of 29, Liberty Street, in the City and County of San
Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to velocipedes and like vehicles having elastic tyres
on their wheels and to a method of preserving such tyres from abrasive wear
and also from puncture when hollow and filled with air and consists in an
articulated or jointed armor of metallic scales that overlap each other and
cover all the exposed portion of the tyres including the sides thereof; such
metallic scales being held by an annular trough shaped ring or hoop fastened
to the rim of the wheel and through which loosely project tangs formed on
each end of the metallic scales, which tangs are rivetted or bent so the scales are
held closely around the flexible tyres and are free to move inward when com-
pressed, but not outward farther than the normal shape of the tyre permits.
This invention is equally applicable to solid or hollow tyres of india rubber or
like elastic material subject to abrasive wear or puncture and forms a protection
without materially affecting the resilience or other properties of such tyres.
זך,
1111
J
1000
ALLISON BROS..
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Tyres for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
I, ROBERT COUSINS, of 29, Liberty Street, in the City and County of San
Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Merchant, 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 certain improvements in velocipedes or other like
vehicles having flexible tyres and to a means of protecting the latter from
puncture and abrasive wear.
My improvements consist in an armour of sheet metal scales of a peculiar
form that overlap one another, entirely covering the exposed surface of the
flexible tyre, adjustably held by a grooved or trough-shaped ring or hoop fastened
to the rim of the wheels.
The objects of my invention are to preserve flexible tyres from puncture and

page_text: wear by hard substances without materially affecting the resilience and elas-
ticity of such tyres.
-
To these ends I construct the wheels as shown in the drawings herewith,
forming a part of this specification, l'ig. 1 being a broken section of a wheel
rim provided with my improved tyre armour.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line - in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view showing one of the curved armour plates when extended flat.
Similar numerals of reference are applied to corresponding parts.
In the drawings, 1 is the wheel rim, in which are fastened the spokes 2 in the
usual manner. is the elastic tyre, commonly of gutta-percha, fitting into a
concave seat in the rim 1 as seen in Fig. 2.
The metallic armour consists in a series of scalloped plates 4 having curves 5
and 6 at the sides and fastening tangs 7 at the ends that pass through and are
held by the trough-like rings 8 and 9 at each side, as seen in Fig. 2.
These plates 4 are preferably of steel rendered resilient by being tempered and
are made long enough to wholly cover the tyre where exposed and are curved to
fit thereon as seen in the section.
In mounting these scales or plates 4 the tangs 7 pass through corresponding
holes in the rings 8 and 9 and are then bent at the points as shown at 10 in
Figures 1 and 2 to prevent their withdrawal when in use.
These tangs 7 pass loosely through the rings and 9 so as to yield and be
pressed inward if required, when the wheel passes over an abrupt obstruction;
such movement is however inconsiderable because the compression of the tyre
and plates radially is compensated by lateral expansion without moving the
tangs 7.
The rings 8 and 9 are held by straps 11 that pass around the interior of the
rim 1 at intervals as shown in Fig. 1 or are fastened thereto in any suitable
manner.
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 series of overlapping plates embracing and covering the tyre from side
to side but not attached thereto and in combination therewith the trough-like
rings 8 and 9 attached to the wheel-rim and provided with perforations to
receive the tangs 7 of the armour plates, substantially as specified.
2. A series of overlapping plates having their flat surfaces smooth and provided
at each end with tangs 7, the perforated trough-like rings 8 and 9 and means to
attach the latter to the wheel-rim, substantially as specified.
3. The flexible tyre 3, armour-plates 4 and the rings 8 and 9 to which the
armour-plates are so attached that the latter can move inward and the tangs 7
slide through the rings 8 and 9, substantially as specified.
4. The combination of the flexible tyres 3, armour-plates 4, the retaining
rings 8 and 9 attached to the wheel-rim by the bands 11 constructed and opera-
ting in the manner substantially as specified.
Dated this 18th day of April 1900.
ALLISON BROS..
Agents for the Applicant.