Improvement in Puncture Preventing Devices for Pneumatic Tires.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Puncture Preventing Devices for Pneumatic Tires.
I GEORGE SEELY ENGLE Lawyer of Aberdeen in the County of Brown, and
State of South Dakota, United States of America, 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 invention relates to armors for pneumatic tires.
Heretofore attempts have been made to provide a puncture-proof pneumatic
tire, and among the various devices or contrivances resorted to with a view of
accomplishing this result, are metallic plates arranged in some instances to lap
joint, and again plates have been embedded in the tread of the tire, while others
have been fastened to the rim so as to make a spring action independent of and
interfering with the pneumatic action of the air tube.
In the employment of the overlapping plates, as the wheel is rotated in contact
with the ground, the front and rear ends of the plates are caused to successively
embed themselves into the inner tube or air chamber, thus in a short space of time
rubbing and abrading the tube, and finally puncturing it.
In one of the other forms, the tread of the tire must be made of considerable thick-
ness in order to accommodate and permit the metallic plates to be embedded therein,
and this thickness of the tire increases the cost and causes material reduction to
the speed of the machine equipped with the same, and is further objectionable in
that the plates soon cut through and work out through the tread of the tire.
The object of my invention is to overcome these objections without sacrificing
flexibility and resiliency, by providing an armor which will not injure the inner
tube or air chamber, and which will afford absolute protection against the puncture
of said tube or chamber, and not materially increase the weight of the tire.
To this end the invention consists broadly in interposing between the inner and
outer tube or jacket of a pneumatic tire a flexible strip or plate of heavy linen
fibre, rubber or analogous material, provided with a series of spring plates which
are attached by rivets or otherwise to the strip or plate, and have located between
and under their separated ends supplemental plates that bridge the spaces between
the adjacent ends of the main plates, whereby in the revolution of the wheel upon
the ground, the ends of the main plates will be prevented from coming in contact
with the strip or belt to which they are attached, and from chafing and puncturing
the same, but on the other hand, will press upon the centers or intermediate
portions of the supplemental plates and force them bodily and uniformly against
the strip to which they are attached.
The invention further consists in providing the outer tube or covering with
pockets to receive wearing plates made of steel or any other hard material, to
take the wear of the main plates and prevent them wearing through the cover or
outer tube.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is a view of a pneumatic tire embodying my invention, showing the
outer tube or covering unlaced for a portion of its length to more clearly illustrate
the application of my invention:

page_text: Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the tire, illus-
trating the position the parts assume when the tire supports the weight of a rider;
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, showing the relation of the parts under the
same conditions;
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a fragment of the strip, showing several
of the plates attached thereto by rivets; and
Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the strip and one of these plates,
showing a modified form of the means for attaching the plates.
In said drawing, 1 denotes the inner tube or air chamber; 2 the outer tube or
covering, and 3 the armor. The armor consists of a flexible strip 4, of any
suitable material, such for instance, as canvas, rubber, or a combination of the
two, or of any other material that possesses a sufficient degree of flexibility,
strength and toughness. This strip is of a width such as to entirely embrace and
surround the inner tube or air chamber.
5 denotes what I shall term for convenience of reference, and to avoid con-
fusion, the main plates, and 6 the supplemental plates. The main plates have a
transverse curvature that corresponds to the curvature of the tire when inflated,
and extends from points about one eighth of an inch from the outer edges of the
rim so as not to strike the rim with ordinary riding when the tire is properly
inflated. These outer plates have their lower ends bent or folded upon themselves
to form smooth beads, thereby reducing to a minimum the liability of the ends
of the plates cutting through the strip to which they are secured, and puncturing
the inner tube or air chamber, and from cutting the outer covering. The plates
are secured to the strip at equal distances apart by rivets 7, or as shown in Fig. 5,
the plates may be formed with transverse grooves and staples 8 projected upwardly
through the strip, and have their free ends or limbs bent down into said groove.
Any other means, however, may be employed for attaching the plates to the strip.
By reference to the drawings it will be observed that the ends of these plates
do not quite abut, but that there are spaces formed between them. The supple-
mental plates bridge these spaces, and have their ends projecting quite a little
way beyond the adjacent ends of each pair of main plates. These supplemental
plates are secured to the flexible strip in any suitable manner, but in the present
instance I have shown them attached by rivets. As before stated, the supple-
mental and main plates are formed of steel, preferably thin clock spring steel,
and may be coated or treated to render them non-corrosive.
In action, as the tire is rolled in contact with the ground, the front and rear
ends of the main plate will be successively depressed upon the center of the under
plate, and this depression will cause the supplemental plates to be bodily and
uniformly depressed, thus evenly pressing upon the strip and preventing the edges
on the tread of the auxiliary plates from abrading or cutting through the strip
and puncturing the air chamber or inner tube, by reason of the continued bearing
and pressing of the ends of the upper plates being in the center or middle of the
lower plates.
To prevent the main plates chafing or cutting the outer tube or covering, I
provide the said tube or covering with pockets a, and spring in said pockets thin
sheets of steel b, which receive the wear of the main plates.
Were these auxiliary plates not provided, and the main plates secured to the
strip and allowed to overlap at their ends, the tendency of the ends of the plates
would be to cut the strip, for as the wheel is rolled in contact with the ground,
one plate would bear against the other and tilt it longitudinally, thus lifting
one end of the plates away from the strip and forcing its opposite end into
contact with the strip. This constant action in the course of a short space of time,
would abrade or cut the strip, and eventually puncture the inner tube or air
chamber, and would cut the outer tube or covering with the lifted or upper edge
of the plate.
⚫ The construction of armor shown in the accompanying drawing entirely obviates

page_text: these difficulties, and ensures the absolute safety of the inner tube or air chamber
against puncture.
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. An armor for pneumatic tires, consisting of a flexible strip, main plates
secured thereto and curved in the direction of their width and spaced apart, and
auxiliary plates secured to said strip between the spaces and under the ends of
the main plates, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the inner tube and outer tube or covering of a
pneumatic tire, the said outer tube or covering being provided with pockets, and
plates located and held in said pockets, of a strip of flexible material interposed
between the inner and outer tubes, main plates secured to said strip and curved in
the direction of their width and spaced apart, and auxiliary plates secured to said
strip between the spaces and under the ends of the main plates, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 19th day of August 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE.
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.