Improvements in Tyres for. Cycles and for other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for. Cycles and for other purposes.
I, HORACE HENRY HOLT, of 17, Parliament Street, S. W., Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is primarily designed for the purpose of introducing a rubber tyre
for cycle wheels but it will be understood that it is applicable to the wheels of
other vehicles and also to various kinds of wheels, discs and the like used in
machinery.
Solid tyres for cycles are in use, and also a hollow india-rubber tyre which is
inflated by air, and thus used as a kind of pneumatic spring tyre.
The present invention relates to a combination tyre that can be used at will either
as a solid tyre or as an expanding tyre, and the expansion can he brought about by
forcing in, to any required degree, air, water, gas, or any other suitable injectory
fluid preference being given to those which would have no tendency to corrode or
otherwise injure the material of which the tyre is composed.
Although the invention is primarily intended for cycles, I do not limit its
application to these machines.
The ordinary pneumatic tyre is useful on good roads and in dry weather, but on
bad roads and in wet weather-and especially over greasy stones-it is liable to
pick up a lot of mud and slip. The ordinary tyre does not possess this disadvantage
in the same degree, but it allows more of the vibration of the inachine to be communi-
cated to the rider than the pneumatic tyre, therefore the advantage of being able
to possess a tyre which can be used either as a solid or as an expanding tyre will
be apparent.
I propose to effect this in several ways and would employ india-rubber or gutta
percha for preference, but I do not limit myself to those materials and variations
may be made in the mode of carrying out the invention.
The tyre may be secured to the cycle felloe by the usual india-rubber or other
cement, or by any other suitable method.
One way of carrying out my invention is to provide a rubber tyre adapted to
fit into the hollow felloe of the wheel as is customary in the construction of cycle
wheels. About half of the section of this tyre would be solid and I prefer to
carry up from this solid half a semi-circular portion also solid and integral with
the solid half of the tyre but of smaller diameter so that a semi-annular space
would be left to complete the circle of the original half of the tyre. This semi-
annular space is filled up with a portion of rubber which I may describe as a half
tube and which in the making of the tyre is connected at its edges with the solid
half of the tyre either being moulded as a portion with it or securely fastened on to
it as may be preferred. This tyre is secured to the felloe of the wheel by its solid
portion by cement by rivets or otherwise as may be preferred, and is provided
through its solid portion with a suitable inlet controlled by a valve, and in use
may be operated as follows:-As a solid tyre the half tube lies upon the solid
semi-circular core and the tyre presented has the appearance of and about the same
effect as an ordinary solid rubber tyre; upon the introduction however of air,
water or other suitable fluid, preferably however an expansible and compressible
fluid, the half tube is forced away from the solid co to a greater or less extent
according to the pressure applied or amount of fluid introduced. By this means a
tyre is produced with a cushion or separating medium between it and the solid core,
but should it be necessary for any purpose to return this expanded tyre and to use
what I may call the solid tyre all that is necessary is to open the valve and allow
In this
the fluid to escape when the tyre returns to its first described condition.
an enormous advantage is evident over the existing expanded or pneumatic tyres

page_text: in that should the tyre become pricked or cut and the fluid escape the machine is
not rendered useless as it can proceed with the so-called solid tyre as before.
A slight modification of this tyre may be made by providing a complete tube
with a solid core, that portion of which is in contact with the portion of the tube
contained in the hollow felloe of the wheel, may if desired be comented or other-
wise secured to it so as to prevent expansion or movement of that portion of the
tube. The inlet and valve are employed in this case as before and the operation is
substantially the same as in the former case.
In another modification a complete tube is employed and secured in the hollow
felloe as before but has in its interior a spiral wire preferably flat in section into
which if desired set screws may be screwed, passing through the felloe of the
wheel, the rubber tube, and screwing into the flat spring, jamming it sufficiently
tightly to prevent escape of the fluid past the screws. The action here is similar
to those previously described the fluid being introduced into the hollow of the spiral
pressing against the rubber and distending it.
If desired to facilitate the grip of the tyre upon the road or for other reasons the
periphery of the tyre may be moulded or shaped corrugated or otherwise arranged
for this purpose.
Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the edges of the metal felloe
injuring the rubber tyre; this may be provided against in a variety of ways as by
the particular shaping of the rubber, the rounding, curving or bending out of the
edges of the felloe, the introduction of a metallic or other protecting slip or by
similar means.
A suitable valve for the introduction of the fluid pressure and the retaining of it.
when admitted may be constructed as follows:-
A tube preferably of brass or gun metal is provided with a conical valve seat against.
which fits a valve with a long stem and a conical head the seating or the valve being
preferably bushed or fitted with leather, rubber or equivalent material adapted to
produce a tight joint. A. stop or other means may be provided to prevent the
valve opening farther than a certain distance and suitable guides may be provided
for the stem which is screwed at its end and carries a nut which may screw against
the end of the tube, a packing washer of some suitable material being preferably
interposed. The valve head or valve proper is at the end of the tube which is in the
rubber tyre itself the nut and end of the spindle passing through the metal felloe of the
wheel and being accessible there. In use the bellows pump or other implement for
supplying the fluid pressure is screwed on to or into the end of this tube the nut
having been previously slacked and the valve released the pressure is then intro-
duced and upon the removal of the pump or bellows the pressure automatically
closes the valve which may then be made doubly secure by screwing up the mut
which thus makes a permanently tight joint until it is desired to release it.
Dated this 17th day of Lune 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for Cycles and for other purposes.
1, HORACE HENRY HOLT, of 17, Parliament Street, S.W., Civil 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:-
This invention is primarily designed for the purpose of introducing a rubber tyre
for cycle wheels but it will be understood that it is applicable to the wheels of
other vehicles and also to various kinds of wheels, discs and the like used in
machinery.
Solid tyres for cycles are in use, and also a hollow india-rubber tyre which is
inflated by air, and thus used as a kind of pneumatic spring tyre.

page_text: The present invention relates to a combination tyre that can be used at will
either as a solid tyre or as an expanding tyre, and the expansion can be brought
about by forcing in air or gas to any required degree.
The ordinary pneumatic tyre is useful on good roads and in dry weather, but on
bad roads and in wet weather, and especially over greasy stones, it is liable to slip
and to pick up a quantity of mud. The ordinary tyre does not possess this
disadvantage in the same degree, but it allows more of the vibration of the machine
to be communicated to the rider than the pneumatic tyre, therefore the advantage
of a tyre which can be used at will as either a solid or as an inflated tyre will be
apparent.
I propose to effect this in several ways and would employ india-rubber or gutta-
percha for preference, but I do not limit myself to those materials and variations
may be made in the mode of carrying out the invention.
The tyre may be secured to the cycle felloe by the usual india-rubber or other
cement or by any other suitable method.
One way of carrying out my invention is to provide a rubber tyre adapted to fit
into the hollow felloe of the wheel as is customary in the construction of cycle
wheels. About half of the section of this tyre would be solid and I prefer to carry
up from this solid half a semi-circular portion also solid and integral with the solid
half of the tyre but of smaller diameter so that a semi-annular space would be
left to complete the circle of the original half of the tyre. This semi-annular
space is filled up with a portion of rubber which I may describe as a half tube and
which in the making of the tyre is connected at its edges with the solid half of the
tyre either being moulded as a portion with it or securely fastened on to it as may
be preferred. This tyre is secured to the felloe of the wheel by its solid portion
by cement, by rivets or otherwise as may be preferred, and is provided through its
solid portion with a suitable inlet controlled by a valve, and in use may be
operated as follows: As a solid tyre the half tube lies upon the solid semi-
circular core and the tyre presented has the appearance of and about the same
effect as an ordinary solid rubber tyre; upon the introduction however of air,
water or other suitable fluid, preferably however an expansible and compressible
fluid, the half tube is forced away from the solid core to a greater or less extent
according to the pressure applied or amount of fluid introduced. By this means a
tyre is produced with a cushion or separating medium between it and the solid core,
but should it be necessary for any purpose to return this expanded tyre and to use
what I may call the solid tyre all that is necessary is to open the valve and allow
the fluid to escape when the tyre returns to its first described condition. In this an
enormous advantage is evident over the existing expanded or pneumatic tyres in
that should the tyre become pricked or cut and the fluid escape the machine is not
rendered useless as it can proceed with the so-called solid tyre as before.
A slight modification of this tyre may be made by providing a complete tube
with a solid core, that portion of which is in contact with the portion of the tube
contained in the hollow felloe of the wheel, may if desired be cemented or other-
wise secured to it so as to prevent expansion or movement of that portion of the
tube.
The inlet and valve are employed in this case as before and the operation
is substantially the same as in the former case.
In another modification a complete tube is employed and secured in the hollow
felloe as before but has in its interior a spiral wire preferably flat in section into
which if desired set screws may be screwed, passing through the felloe of the wheel,
the rubber tube, and screwing into the flat spring, jamming it sufficiently tight
to prevent escape of the fluid past the screws. The action here is similar to those
previously described the fluid being introduced into the hollow of the spiral pressing
against the rubber and distending it.
If desired to facilitate the grip of the tyre upon the road or for other reasons
the periphery of the tyre may be moulded or shaped, corrugated or otherwise
arranged for this purpose.
Any suitable means may be employed to prevent the edges of the metal felloe

page_text: injuring the rubber tyre; this may be provided against in a variety of ways as by
the particular shaping of the rubber, the rounding, curving or bending out of the
edges of the felloc, the introduction of a metallic or other protecting slip or by
similar means.
A suitable valve for the introduction of the fluid pressure and the retaining of it
when, admitted may be constructed as follows:-
A tube preferably of brass or gun metal is provided with a conical valve seat
against which fits a valve with a long stem and a conical head the seating or the
valve being preferably bushed or fitted with leather, rubber or equivalent material
adapted to produce a tight joint. A stop or other means may be provided to
prevent the valve opening farther than a certain distance and suitable guides may
be provided for the stem which is screwed at its end and carries a nut which may
screw against the end of the tube, a packing washer of some suitable material
being preferably interposed. The valve head or valve proper is at the end of the
tube which is in the rubber tyre itself the nut and end of the spindle passing
through the metal felloe of the wheel and being accessible there. In use the bellows
pump or other implement for supplying the fluid pressure is screwed on to or into
the end of this tube the nut having been previously slacked and the valve released
the pressure is then introduced and upon the removal of the pump or bellows the
pressure automatically closes the valve which may then be made doubly secure by
Screwing up the nut which thus makes a permanently tight joint until it is desired
to release it.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a cross section of the felloe of the wheel and tyre and represents
the valve in longitudinal section; in this view the tyre is expanded as represented
in full lines, and the "solid tyre in dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is also a cross section through felloe and tyre representing the "solid
tyre in full lines and the expanded in dotted lines.
and
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but represents a slightly modified form of tyre
Fig. 4 is also a similar view to Fig. 2 but represents a modified tyre
arrangement.
All these views are made of a convenient size to illustrate the invention, and
have no reference to the actual size of the invention as carried out in practice
which may be either larger or smaller according to requirements.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A represents the felloe or rim of the wheel and B the solid portion of the tyre
the part B of which in Figs. 1 and 2 is semi-circular, C showing the dividing line
between B and the expansible portion D of the tyre. In Figs. 1 and 2 the whole
tyre is formed solid excepting for the division C whereby the portion D is separated
from B; to use this tyre as a "solid" tyre it would be employed without the
insertion of air pressure and its condition would then be such as is shown in Fig. 2.
To use this tyre as an inflated or pneumatic tyre, air would be pumped through the
valve M to be presently described into the space C between B and D thus
extending the portion D and causing it to assume more or less the shape and
position indicated in Fig. 1 the space between the inner line of D and the outer
line of B being then filled with air compressed to the required extent.
The tyre
is then a genuine air cushion or pneumatic tyre, and can be used as such unless the
portion D should become perforated in which case the air escaping through the
perforation would allow D to collapse when it would return to its original position
* solid
and the tyre would be as represented in Fig. 2 and could then be used as a
tyre. The advantage of this over a tyre which when punctured merely lets the
air out but does not contract and behaves like a loose bag catching in the forks of
the machine and becoming cut between the edges of the felloe and the ground,
would be at once apparent to any practical rider.
"
In Fig. 3 the arrangement is substantially the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 excepting
that the division C is carried entirely round so that the portion B' becomes a core

page_text: to the tube D which in this case also extends entirely round. The core B' may be
made of solid rubber or hollow rubber (a tube within a tube) or of any other
suitable material.
In Fig. 4 the portion D is a complete tube inside which is wound the spiral
wire E in a manner similar to that commonly adopted with various kinds of rubber
tubing excepting that in this instance the wire E instead of being a round wire is
a flat one to accommodate the screws F which passing through the felloe A and
tube D screw into the flat wire E and thus secure the tyre to the rim. This tyre
may be inflated as before and used as a pneumatic tyre as shown in the dotted lines
or it may be used as a "solid" or cushion tyre as indicated in full lines in the
figure. The wire E may be arranged so as to support the tube D) as a
"solid
tyre or may be sufficiently resilient to allow it to spring after the manner of a
cushion tyre.
In Fig. the tyre may be fastened to the felloe in any convenient manner as by
cementing in the manner usual with solid tyres or by the method indicated in
Figs. 2 and 3 or by other suitable means. In Fig. 2 the tyre is shown secured by
a cross wire or rivet G passing through both felloe and tyre. In Fig. 3 the same
method of fastening is adopted but the rivet G passes through both the tube D and
the core B' the end of G may in both cases be threaded so as to screw into the
felloe or may be riveted over when in place.
The valve by which the air is introduced to and retained in the tyre will be
understood by reference to Fig. 1 in which H is a tube preferably screw threaded
on its outside so as to be screwed into the felloe A. and the solid portion B or
core B of the tyre or in the case of Fig. 3, through the tube D and core B', or in
Fig. 4, simply through the tube D. The tube H is hollow throughout its length
its internal diameter being preferably enlarged towards its inner end at I and a
valve seating provided at J which may with advantage be lined with rubber as
shown in the drawing. A portion of the recess I may be screwed at K to
receive the supplementary valve-seat L which may also be lined with rubber if
desired though it is not so shown in the drawing. A valve M has a long spindle N
screwed at its end N¹ to receive a nut O between which and the end of the tube H
may be inserted a rubber or metal washer P. By means of this nut when
the valve M is closed upon its scat J it may be securely fixed there by screwing
up the nut which for this purpose may with advantage be a wing or thumb nut
the escape of air past the valve M by the vibration or movement of the valve
is thus prevented. The valve spindle N may be guided centrally in tube H by
the guides Q which may be perforated or divided so as to allow of the passage of
the air through the tube H. The outer end of H may be internally screwed as
shown to facilitate the fixing of the nozzle of the pump by which the air is
introduced.
To use this valve device the nut and washer Pare removed the pump nozzle
screwed into the outer end of H and the air forced in to the required extent the
valve M being forced inwards by the pressure of the air. If desired a stop of any
suitable kind as for example a set screw passing through the solid wall of H may
be employed so as to fix the valve M or prevent its closing upon the seat L while
the air is being introduced and before it has attained sufficient pressure in the tyre
to force the valve out against its seat J. After sufficient pressure has been
attained the valve M if left free will close after every stroke of the pump. To
release the pressure in the tyre the valve M may be pushed in against the air
pressure by its projecting spindle.
The purpose of the second valve seat L is to allow of the valve M which is
double-headed so as to fit either of the seats J or L being employed in the reverse
direction as a vacuum valve in case the expansible portion of the tyre D should
have lost its resiliency and should fail when used as a "solid tyre to adhere
closely to the core 1. In such case a vacuum may be produced at the division C
so as to cause D to closely adhere to B₁ or to E in Fig. 4 the valve M then
serving to prevent the entrance of air. Instead of a single valve M being used

page_text: for this purpose a separate vacuum valve may be employed with suitable means
to throw either valve out of operation when required. Such vacuum may be pro-
duced by means of the usual charging pump with the intervention of a suitable
branch nozzle which would have the effect of reversing the operation of the
pump so as to make it suck out the air from the interior of the tyre instead of
forcing it in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that the inflation of a hollow rubber tube for the purpose of
producing a resilient tyre is not new, also that various kinds of tyres provided
with longitudinal openings for the purpose of producing a soft cushion have been
made, and that no claim is made to either of these features per se, but what I
claim is :-
1. In a wheel tyre the combination with a non-expansible back or core such
as B B of an expansible portion or covering such as Dadapted to be separated from
the non-expansible portion by the introduction of air or gas or upon the withdrawal
or escape thereof to return to close contact with the said non-expansible portion
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a wheel tyre a tube or covering such as D normally in contact with its
backing or core but adapted upon the introduction of a suitable medium to be
forced away from said backing or core substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A wheel tyre adapted to be used either as an expanded or
or as a ❝ solid tyre substantially as described.
::
pneumatic tyre
4. In a wheel tyre the combination with a solid hollow or compressible core
such as B' of an outer tube or coating surrounding said core and adapted to make
close contact therewith as a "solid" tyre or to have a portion of it removed from
the core by the interposition of a suitable medium such as air or gas substantially
as described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a wheel tyre the combination with a tube such as D of a resilient or rigid
internal support such as E the said tube being adapted to expand upon the
introduction into its hollow interior of a suitable medium or upon the expulsion of
such medium to return to close contact with the support E substantially as described
and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In a wheel tyre the combination with a hollow tyre having an internal
flattened wire support E of screws such as F passing through the felloè or rim of
the wheel and screwing into the said support E' substantially as described and
illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
7. In a valve for wheel tyres the combination with a tube such as H haying a
valve seat J of a valve such as M with a long stem or spindle N adapted to project
beyond the end of the tube and screwed to receive a nut O whereby the valve
may be securely fixed to its seat substantially as described and illustrated in
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
1.
8. In a valve for wheel tyres the combination in the same device of both a
pressure and vacuum valve substantially as described.
9. In a wheel tyre the method of assisting or supplementing the contraction
of the expansible portion of the tyre by the employment of a vacuum substantially.
as described.
Dated this 16th day of March 1891.