Year: 1898

page_text: I, JEAN PAUL LEGRAND, of 8, Rue du Sentier, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present application consists of a protective device which pre-
vents bursting of pneumatic tyres of all kinds and especially for vehicles cycles,
motor-cars, and so forth.
The protective device consists of a thin endless band of steel resting upon a
belt of supple leather which constitutes the tread of the wheel when applied to
the ground. This band of steel and leather is attached to the tyre when the latter
is not yet completely pumped up; and it is held in place upon the tyre by means
of two strips of leather cut to shape and sewn on each side of the leather belt.
The protective device formed is of a size proportionate to the size of the rubber
tyre which remains a little smaller in diameter than this tube so as not to hinder
its passage between the fork of the machine. The protective device being placed
upon the tyre when the latter is not yet fully pumped up, the more the tyre is
then filled the more it will dilate and be forced against its cover which itself
cannot dilate; the adhesion between the two soon becomes sufficient to render the
steel blade which cannot expand firmly fixed to the outer surface of the tyre.
The leather bands which hold the steel blade in place instead of being sewn to the
leather strip might also be fixed on by means of screws, rivets, or the like. Instead
of enclosing the metallic strip between bands and strips of sewn leather, it might
be simply enclosed in a band of rubber formed with projections upon the two sides.
In the case of bicycles in which the wheels revolve in forks, the adjusting of
the protective device in the manner described would necessitate the remounting of
the wheels; to remedy this drawback it suffices to cut the protective device and
join its two ends together by means of joining pieces strong enough to resist any
extension of the strip when the tyre is dilated.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:
The invention relates to improvements in metallic protectors for pneumatic
tyres for wheels.
These
Every day the use of pneumatic tyres becomes more general, justified by the
great advantages they possess, especially smoothness of running, which makes them
indispensable for different kinds of cycles and for carriages and motor cars.
advantages have hitherto unfortunately been attended by great drawbacks, such as
the high price, the rapid wear, the frequent punctures and the danger of side slips.
With the object of remedying these defects, the novel metallic protectors have
been devised which surround the pneumatic tyre with a pliant, non-stretching
metal plate, continueus or divided and attached to the tyre in such a way as to be
held there permanently, and which cannot be torn off by sharp turns.
The means employed for putting my invention in practice are described below
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shews a transverse section of a rim furnished with its pneumatic tyro
and the protective device.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a detailed section of the protector blade.
Fig. 4 shews in section a variation of the same.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew details of construction and methods of fixing the protector
blade.
The protecting device consists of a thin endless steel band B which forms the
tread this band furnished with its cover C is placed on the pneumatic tyre A
when the latter is not completely inflated; it is held on the fyre by the assistance
of two strips of leather 1 and D cut to shape, and sewn on each side of the
cover C. The protector thus formed is of a size proportioned to that of the
pneumatic tyre, but a little smaller than the diameter of the latter so as not to
hinder its passage between the forks.
The protector being placed on the tyre when it is not fully inflated, the more
the tyre is inflated, the more it dilates, and the more it is forced on the cover
which does not dilate. The adherence between the two soon becomes sufficient to
render the steel band, which cannot expand, firmly fixed to the outside surface
of the tyre.
The leather straps which hold the steel band in place, instead of being sewn
to the leather cover, may also be fixed by means of screws, rivets, or small metal
clips with hooks and catches as shewn in Figure 5. These small blades are
held in place on the leather belt by simple notches, the leather of the notches
turning over them. Their sewn points fit into the shaped strips to keep them
adhering to the band and the leather cover without sewing being necessary; the
more the tyre is inflated the greater will be the adhesion. Instead of enclosing the
metal band between straps and strips of sewn leather, it may be simply enclosed
in a band of rubber C (Fig. 4) formed with overlaps on the sides. In the case of
bicycles where the wheels revolve in forks the adjustment of the protecting device
as described would necessitate the remounting of the wheels; to prevent this draw-
back, it, suffices to cut the protecting device and to join the two ends by means of
connecting pieces of which an example is shewn in Fig. 6: in this figure, the
means of joining consist of two small metallic angle plates H H which are riveted
on the leather cover and band and countersunk in the protecting device, and which
have their ends bent at right angles and pierced with a hole in these holes are
placed two little knobs of a metallic piece I having the same shape and section as
the shaped strips and also having on its projection two notches which fit on the
little catches so as to prevent their separation and to render the tread non-expanding
when the tyre is dilated.
The method of adjusting this protector is very simple. First, the plate is pro-
perly placed on the inflated pneumatic tube, it is then riveted, diminishing its
circumference by several centimeters, and then replaced on the deflated pneumatic

page_text: tube and all the hooks are successively fastened to the rim, and the tyre then only
requires to be inflated.
All those who use motor cars know what danger they often run by side-slip due
to the slipping of the rubber on the wet ground. Sideslip is prevented by the
use of metallic protectors.
I
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
1. Improved protector for pneumatic tyres preventing them from puncture and
causing them to travel on a resistant and elastic metallic plate, which is inex-
tensible; said device being caused to adhere to the exterior part of the rim of the
wheel by the dilatation of the pneumatic tube by the action of air pumped into its
interior the said adhesion being also facilitated by the form of the protecting
device, which encloses the metal plate, and conforms to the shape of the pneumatic
tube, consisting of leather belting, india-rubber, or other elástic material; the
aforesaid plate being optionally formed of any suitable metal or of elastic material,
such as wood, whalebone, celluloid, and so forth, and held upon the tyre in the
manner above described: the said protecting device being applicable to pneumatic
tyres of vehicles of all descriptions, substantially as set forth.
2. The improved auxiliary devices for attaching protective treads to pneumatic
tyres, substantially as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in Figures 5 and 6
of the accompanying drawing.
Tatal the 15th day of habr 1900
W. P. THOMPSON & Co..
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham.