Improvements in the Tyres of Carriage and Velocipede Wheels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Tyres of Carriage and Velocipede Wheels.
FRANK STANLEY WILLOUGHBY, Merchant, 15 Cross Street Manchester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
In my (and anothers) Specification of Patent Number 4064 year 1890, a method
is described of armouring wheels tyred with india-rubber by giving the rubber a
metallic extra tyre. The particular novelty of that invention lies in the fact that
the extra metallic tyre, although of considerable thickness, is a flexible one and
not of the nature of a rigid hoop of metal but being in the form of a coil of metal
it is flexible. The object of my present invention is as in my previous one to
provide a metallic outer tyre or armour to rubber which is itself flexible.
In my present invention in lieu of using a metallic coil I use one or more some-
what slender or thin metal bands or strips preferably of tempered spring steel,
this metal band is of a width suitable for the channel rim it is to be used in
conjunction with (see Patent 40640). This band is so thin that when formed into
a hoop it will be flexible and yield just as the coil armour does, upon this strip, on
the side of it which will, when it is laid over the rubber tyred wheel come towards
the ground, I firmly secure short lengths of metal of suitable thickness, the thick-
ness varying according to the work expected from the wheel for example for
ordinary vehicle wheels the thickness might be anything from one-eighth of an
inch to three quarters of an inch, while as an armour for pneumatic or other
velocipede wheel the thickness might be anything from a sixty-fourth of an inch to
an eighth of an inch. The length of these pieces of metal may vary considerably,
they may be shorter than their width or they may be several times their width.
Their width is to a certain extent decided upon by the width of the interior of the
channel with which they are in combination (see Patent 4064). These blocks of
metal are firmly secured to the flexible metal strips by riveting, screwing or by the
strips passing through a recess formed in them preferably near their base, or in
any convenient way, and they are so placed that they butt end to each other either
quite close or nearly so, and thus an outer tyre is formed with a practically
continuous surface but in segments or sections and being only connected with each
other by being secured to the common back-ground of a flexible metal strip. In
this way
I am able to form an armour which has most of the flexibility of a thin
band or strip, together with a wearing surface as thick as it is decided to make the
metal blocks, and entirely free like the coil armour from movable joints, except
perhaps one where the two ends of the armour are united.
I prefer to somewhat round off those edges of the ends of the metal blocks which
go towards each other on the side which goes towards the metal flexible strip so as
to leave more of the flexible metal strip unbound by the metal blocks from which
I do not seek to obtain flexibility but only wearing surface, so get some length
of unbound metal strip between each block and obtain greater flexibility thereby.
Instead of forming the metal blocks of a somewhat rectangular square or oblong
shape they may be disc like or may be round, semicircular, oval crescent or othe
shaped bars of metal secured transversely or otherwise upon the flexible metal
strip, the idea being to thicken the flexible metal strip for wear and tear but
in such a sectional or segmental manner that its flexibility is not materially
interfered with. I sometimes instead of making the flexible metal strip with a
smooth continuous surface corrugate gimp or have flutes formed in it transversely
and these corrugations &c., may be of considerable depth forming projections like
loops jutting out from the metal strip, they may be formed on either or both sides
if on the side which goes next to the rubber, the rubber must if the corrugations
are deep be moulded so as to have recesses to receive them, if on the opposite

page_text: side, towards the metal blocks, the blocks are placed between the corrugations and
the corrugations fill up theispaces left by the rounding off the blocks, or fill up the
spaces left between the blocks. These corrugations are formed to obtain greater
flexibility and they also enable me to get a little elongating flexibility or spring
out of the tyre, so that I can after forming it into a loop stretch it into place in
the wheels rubber filled channel, and being in a state of tension it will have a
permanent "nip" on the rubber. The corrugations are further useful when made
on the side next to the rubber, as, forming an inward projection they prevent the
outer tyre being pulled off sideways, and the channel rim may be made shallower.
The bed or background to which the metal blocks are attached may be other than
a flexible thin metal strip, for instance it may consist of one or more slender metal
rods or wires, or it may take the form of a flexible metal coil similar to that
described as the actual armour in Patent Number 4064*. In another form of my
invention I take an ordinary flat metal wheel tyre of full thickness preferably for
my purpose made of steel, and at intervals say of every one or two inches I saw-cut
or plane a transverse groove in the metal and I make this groove of such a depth
that it goes nearly through the tyre say all but a sixteenth of an inch and at the
bottom of each groove I form a certain amount of clearance. In this way without
building it up as previously described, I form a segmental tyre having flexibility
by reason of the thinness of its base and yet free from numerous moveable joints.
Wherever steel is used it is better to finely spring temper it.
If
The complete armour is made of a length suitable to the wheel to which it is
to be applied and it is best if made of steel, tempered in a circular form.
made with corrugations as described the two ends may be united before it is sprung
on the wheel and in any case the union of the two ends may be made in a variety
of ways. Although india rubber only is mentioned in this Specification the words
must be taken to mean any similar vibration destroying substance, material or
composition.
Dated this 8th day of October 1892
FRANK STANLEY WILLOUGHBY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Tyres of Carriage and Velocipede Wheels.
! FRANK STANLEY WILLOUGHBY of 15 Cross Street, Manchester, 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 and accompanying drawings to which reference is hereinafter
made:-
:-
The object of my invention is to provide an additional elastic metallic exterior
or outer periphery of considerable thickness as a wearing surface to any wheel
tyred with indiarubber or similar vibration destroying substance material or com-
position such as cork air or water inflated indiarubber imitations of indiarubber
compounds of indiarubber springs or any other elastic or resilient medium applied
to the periphery of a wheel for the purpose of destroying vibration and deadening
sound.
It has been repeatedly demonstrated that anything of the nature of a rigid
inelastic tyre or hoop of metal laid over the vibration destroying medium largely
nullifies the effect of such medium and so treated wheels are nearly as jolty and
noisy as though unfurnished with rubber or springs or other elastic material. This
will be readily understood from the fact that such rigid outer tyre has to move
bodily that it has no local elasticity consequently no play is allowed to the vibra-
tion destroying material which it encircles and its vibration destroying effect is
greatly nullified.
Attempts have been made to obtain local flexibility in the
wearing surface by forming a linked or articulated armour connected by hinge like
joints. There is however in such a device the inherent defect that the joints wear
°

page_text: and the tyre becomes slack and useless. To overcome such defects was the object
of the invention patented to me and another and described in Patent Specification
No. 4064 A.D. 1890 (hereinafter referred to as Specification No. 4064 of 1890) for
providing elastic tyred wheels with an additional outer tyre consisting of a flexible
metal coil which coil although incompressible and possessing a considerable wearing
thickness of metal is owing to its spiral construction flexille and though non
resilient of itself it does not materially interfere with the resiliency of the medium
over which it is laid. The object of my present invention is exactly as in Specifi-
cation No. 4064 of 1890 but in lieu of using a metallic coil for a wearing surface
I in one form of my present invention use one or more somewhat slender or thin
metal bands or strips preferably of tempered spring steel. This metal band is of a
width suitable for the channel rim it is to be used in conjunction with (see Specifica-
tion No. 4064 of 1890) or to the general dimensions of the tyre. This band is so thin
that when formed into a hoop it is flexible and yields just as the coil armour does. Its
thinness would however preclude the possibility of long life. I therefore upon this strip
on the side of it which will (when it is laid over the elastic medium surrounding the
wheel) come towards the ground firmly secure short lengths of metal such as Figure II
of suitable thickness the thickness varying according to the work expected from the
wheel for example for ordinary road vehicles the thickness might be anything
from an eighth of an inch to three quarters of an inch while as an armour for a
velocipede or any such light vehicle tyre the thickness might be anything from a
sixty fourth of an inch upwards. The length of these pieces of metal may vary
considerably. They may be much shorter than their width such as mere discs or
small plates prisms or lamellæ or they may be several times their width which
width is to a great extent decided upon by the width of the channel with which
they are in combination or by the general dimensions of the tyre. These blocks of
metallic wearing surface may be firmly secured to the flexible metal strip by
riveting screwing or in any other way by which a permanent union can be effected.
For example the blocks may have studs or projections on their underside to be
riveted through holes in the metal strip as shown in Figures VI and VII. Or
they may be cast or formed with a slot recess or hole through their length pre-
ferably but not necessarily through their base and the thin flexible metal strip may
be threaded through this recess this last named method being preferable where
the blocks are very short and the attachment may be made more rigid and
complete (if the blocks are long) and movement be prevented by passing rivets or
screws vertically through both blocks and band. I may place these blocks upon
the strip end to end in actual contact or very nearly so and they may have a washer
between them or I may make the end of one block concave transversely and the end
of its immediate neighbour convex transversely so that the end of one fits into the
end of its neighbour forming a transverse knuckle joint as in Figure XIX. It
will thus be seen that I form a tyre with a practically continuous surface but in
segments or sections the segments of some length or exceedingly short being only
connected with each other by their attachment to the common flexible metal strip.
Thus I am able to build up an armour or outer protection which has most of the
flexibility of a thin metal band together with a wearing surface corresponding to
the thickness of the metal blocks and entirely free like my coil armour from
movable wearing joints except perhaps one where the two ends of the armour are
united. In order that my armour may have greater flexibility I in the case where
the blocks are attached to the outer face of the metal band and are of some length
prefer to round or bevel off those edges of the ends of the blocks which go towards
each other on the side which goes towards the flexible metal strip so as to leave a
greater length of strip unbound by the blocks and obtain greater flexibility
thereby (Figure VIII). With a similar object in view in the case when the band
is threaded through the blocks and they are of some length I do not make the hole
or recess with parallel sides top and bottom but I make the bottom side (or both)
curved or arc shaped (Figure VIIIA) and the band (when passed through and the
whole tightly laid on the elastic tyre of the wheel) bears only upon the apex of

page_text: the bottom side of the recess and if rivets or screws are resorted to in addition I
prefer to pass them vertically through at the apex (Figure XVIII). Thus in this
case also a considerable portion of the flexible metal band is unbound by the
blocks and great flexibility is thereby obtained. I consider this detail most
important when the blocks are of some length.
Instead of forming the metal blocks of a somewhat rectangular square or oblong
shape they may be round lozenge oval prismatic or other shapes and placed on
edge threaded upon or secured transversely or longitudinally upon the flexible
metal strip indeed it is obvious that the general design and curvature of these
blocks might be varied indefinitely without departing from the spirit of my inven-
tion in order to form a non-continuous thickening of the metal strip. Various
other forms of armour threaded on or attached to flat bands are shown in trans-
verse section in Figs. XI, XIV, XV, XVII, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV,
and XXV. There are however important details of design connected with the
inner or underside of these metal blocks which though not an essential in all forms
of my invention I should like to have clearly understood as ensuring in some forms
the better working of the same particularly are these details of importance where
the elastic bed is one of indiarubber or other pliable material to which it is not
possible as in the case of a spring bed to attach the outer tyre by means of screws
or rivets but where the outer tyre depends for its adhesion to its bed by its con-
tractile grip. In this case it is necessary in order to prevent the metal blocks
attached together as described from becoming laterally displaced from their bed
either that the channel rim with which the wheel is tyred should have sides
sufficiently deep to contain the rubber and also a portion of the depth of the
metal blocks as in Figs. XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV, XXV, XXVII, XXIX,
XXXII, XXXIII, XXXIV, or that the rubber placed in a shallower channel
or rim should be formed with an annular recess or annular projection and that the
metal blocks be formed with a corresponding annular projection or recess to engage
with the same as shown for example in the Specification of Morton's Patent
No. 3026 of A.D. 1866 and illustrated in most of the figures in Sheet 2 of the
accompanying drawings. It may be of advantage to give the rubber (where the
rubber is the resilient or part of the resilient material employed) an outer face of
vulcanite or similar substance as described for example in Challiner's Patent
No. 15818 of A.D. 1890.
Another form of my invention is where I give to the flexible metal strip
Figures and 14 transverse.corrugations y. These may be of considerable depth
forming projections like loops jutting out from the metal strip and in the case where
metal wire or rod is used in lieu of the flexible metal band as hereinafter explained
undulations may be formed in the wires or rod. Such corrugations or their
equivalents may be formed on either or on both side faces as shown in Figure 1.
If on the face which goes next to the rubber the rubber must if the corrugations
are deep be moulded with transverse recesses to receive them. If on the opposite
side i.e. towards the metal blocks I place the blocks between the corrugations as
shown to the right of Fig. I and the corrugations fill up the spaces between them
caused by the rounding or bevelling of the ends previously referred to.
The object
of these corrugations or the like is to get greater flexibility and also to enable me
to get a little longitudinal extensibility so that I can after forming the whole into
a hoop stretch it into place on the wheel's elastic tyred rim and if the length be
accurately decided it will have a permanent and elastic "nip" upon the springy
cushion of the wheel. It is obvious that if a corrugated band (or wire hereinafter
described) is used in the case where it is threaded through the metal blocks the
corrugations could not be very deep but would take more the form of a wavy band
or wire.
In another form of my invention I in lieu of one or more flexible metal strips
use one or more slender metal rods or wires secured to the blocks or passed through
their centres their base or through any other portion of them as shown in cross
saation
L
V
VIL
T

page_text: and XXXIV of Sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings. And in another form
of my invention I in lieu of one or more flexible metal strips or wires use one or
more flexible metal coils similar to those described as the outer periphery of the
elastic wheel in Specification No. 4064 of 1890 secured to or passed through the
blocks but as in this my present invention the flexible coils are not used as
the actual wearing face but only as an elastic material to which the wearing surface
is attached I while leaving myself at liberty to make the coils from any suitable
section of metal prefer to make them from metal rod of flat or oblong section
coiled on its side. Coils so formed can be made with sufficient lateral flexibility
for my purpose and great longitudinal rigidity without being very large in diameter
or very heavy. Further in this my present application of a coil to a wheel tyre the
word coil must be taken to cover any form of metallic flexible coil whether a single
coiled strand or an assemblage of such as in the case of the Stowe flexible shaft
or the rope like metal substance known as wire rope it being quite practicable to
use such for my present purpose. Figures XIII, XXVI, XXVII, and XXIX
show cross sections of blocks secured by such coils.
In another form of my invention I take for the outer tyre a bar of metal of the
full thickness I intend my outer tyre to be (Figure IX) and preferably made of
spring steel and at intervals say for example of every one or two inches I saw cut
or plane or otherwise form a transverse groove in the metal and I make these
grooves of such a depth that they go nearly through the tyre say all but a sixteenth
of an inch and at the bottom of each groove I prefer to make a certain amount of
clearance h. In this way without building up as previously described a thick
segmental tyre is formed having flexibility by reason of the thinness of its base and
yet free from numerous joints. A modification of this part of my invention consists
in building up the armour by using short lengths of band coil or wire rigidly
attached to and forming flexible connections between successive blocks as shown in
Figure IXA. Whenever steel is used it is better that it should be finely spring
tempered. The complete armour is made of such a length as that it tightly
encircles the elastic rim of the wheel to which it is to be applied and may with
advantage be tempered either as a whole or in parts preferably in a circular or
hooped form. If made with corrugations etc. as described the two ends may he
united before it is placed over or sprung on to its elastic bed. The joining of the
two ends may be done in a variety of ways and forms no real part of my invention.
Such however may be accomplished in the following ways-
In the cases when a flexible coil is used the end of the coil to which the blocks
are attached or on which they are threaded may be joined in any of ways described
in Specification No. 4064 of 1890 and in the cases when slender metal bands or
wires are used and the blocks are of some length the union may be effected (see
Figures III, IV, V) by forming the two extreme ends of the two end metal blocks
one with a tongue or projection and the other with a groove or recess fitting into
each other a suitable hole being drilled through both for the reception of a
transverse pin. The reverse or inner ends of these two last blocks are securely
fastened to the band or wires by screwing riveting clamping or in any other
convenient way. The whole segmental tyre is then laid over its elastic bed the
two end blocks are forcibly drawn together compressing somewhat the elastic bed
until the holes in the tongue and groove coincide when the pin is slipped through
both and the tyre is complete. In the case of an air inflated tyre (Figs. XX
and XXVIII) the fact of expanding or inflating the tyre by the air pressure may
be made to secure or assist in securing my sectional armour or wearing surface
firmly in place by the pressure such inflation would exert upon it on its under side
which is shaped to receive the inflated cushion.
Although I have attached drawings hereto which show various applications and
modifications of my invention I should like it to be clearly understood that I in no
way limit myself to the details of these drawings as the ways in which my invention
can be carried into practical effect may be varied and extended almost indefinitely
considering the many various forms of elastic tyres there are in use without

page_text: departing from the essential features hereinbefore set forth.
In all the drawings
is the channel rim or gutter rim in various forms secured to or forming the felloe
of the wheel r is the elastic material b is the metal block, is the recess through
which is passed the flexible band coil or wire as the case may be. f is the flexible
coil band or wire as the case may be. p is the projection or depression herein
referred to. a is the apex of the curved inner edge of the recess s. t is the rivet.
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. The use in combination with a wheel having an elastic or resilient tyre of an
additional external metallic tyre formed in sections having flexible metallic
connection substantially as herein before set forth.
2. In a wheel for vehicles the combination of a channel shaped rim a bed or
support of india rubber (or similar vibration destroying material) having annular.
recesses or projections therein and a metallic tyre formed in sections having recesses
or projections corresponding to or engaging with those in the rubber bed and united
by threading on or by attachment to one or more flexible metallic bands or other
flexible metallic connecting media substantially as and for the purposes described
hereinbefore and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a combination such as referred to in Claim No. 2 an external metallic
flexible armour formed by firmly securing by riveting or otherwise detached plates
prisms or other shaped pieces of metal to a continuous elastic or flexible band or
bands of metal substantially as described and illustrated.
to a flat
4. In a combination such as referred to in Claim No. 2 an external metallic
flexible armour formed by threading the separate sections thereof on
continuous elastic or flexible band of metal substantially as set forth.
5. In a combination such as referred to in Claim No. 2 an external metallic
flexible armour formed by securing together a number of detached blocks of metal
by means of one or more metal rods or wires substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown.
6. In a combination such as referred to in Claim No. 2 an external metallic
flexible armour formed by combining together a number of metal blocks plates
prisms or lamellæ by means of one or more flexible metal coils substantially as
herein before described and shown.
7. In a combination such as referred to in Claims Nos. 2, 3, and 5 the use of a
metallic connecting medium for the sections of the armour having corrugations
flutings undulations or the like for the purpose of imparting longitudinal elasticity
or a contractile tendency to the external armour substantially as set forth.
8. In a combination such as referred to in Claim No. 2 a channel resting on or
forming the felloe and whose sides are sufficiently high to extend beyond the
rubber bed and partly up the sides of the blocks of the external armour either as
an adjunct to or in lieu of the depressions and projections in the rubber bed and the
external armour for the purpose of preventing lateral displacement substantially as
herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
9. In a wheel for vehicles the combination of an elastic external metal tyre
produced by forming deep transverse slits or grooves in the outer face of the said
tyre (as described with reference to Figure IX) with an elastic or resilient support
substantially as set forth.
10. In a combination such as that referred to in Claim No. 9 the use of a tyre
formed by metal blocks having dexible connections substantially as herein described
with reference to Figure IXA.
1000
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.