Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Wheels for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 4th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Wheels for Cycles and
other Vehicles.
We, LUCAS & Co., of 21 Boulevard Poissonniere, Paris, in the Republic of
France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tyre characterized by its great
lightness and by the simplicity of the mode of fixing it which is due to the special
form of the rim of the wheel as hereinafter described.
The tyre is constructed with an outer band or cover provided at its edges with
rolls beads or enlargements which may be composed of any suitable material such
as cords rubber or the like being fixed to the band or tyre in any convenient
manner or forming an integral part thereof. For example they may be formed by
cords which are engaged in the canvas which lines the cover. This cover contains
an air tube of any suitable form.
The rim of the wheel is of special form being constituted essentially by a part in
the form of a V groove or gutter which is prolonged by a species of annular cavity
forming a recess for the reception of the beads or rolls on the edges of the cover.
This recess is contracted at the outer part where it presents a narrow annular
opening in the bottom of the V groove of less width than the bead on the edge of
the cover so that when the beads are placed in the recess they cannot escape through
the annular opening in the rim.
The throat or opening in the rim is widened for a short distance sufficiently to
admit of the passage of the beads or enlargements on the edges of the cover and in
order to place the pneumatic tyre in position the beads are pushed into the widened
part of the tyre and a flattened part of the beads is pressed into the narrow part of
the opening. By pulling the tyre so as to drag it round the rim the beads are
gradually worked into the interior of the recess.
After causing the cover containing the deflated air tube to describe nearly one
complete revolution upon the rim in this manner the beads are completely slipped
into the recess with the exception of a short length remaining above the widened
part of the opening.
By again dragging the cover slightly in the same direction this part also falls to
the bottom of the rim and the tyre is now in its proper position and may be inflated
in the usual manner.
The widened part of the opening is utilized for fixing the inflating valve which
passes between the beads and maintains the latter in position at this part.
In order to remove the pneumatic tyre it is sufficient to unscrew the valve,
to pull the beads through the widened part of the opening and cause the cover
to slide upon the rim at the same time drawing the beads or enlarged edges
through the widened part of the opening until they are completely drawn out of
the rim.

page_text: In practice it is unnecessary to provide a flattened part in the beads when the
latter are made of cord or rubber as they flatten of themselves when pushed into the
narrow part of the opening in the rim.
This mode of inserting the beads into the interior of the rim may evidently be
modified without affecting the principle of the invention.
The edges of the rim may be bent over to allow for fixing of the spokes but any
other mode of fixing may be adopted.
C Amen+ 1002
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Wheels for Cycles and
other Vehicles.
We,
LUCAS & COMPANY of 21 Boulevard Poissonnière Paris in the Republic of
France, 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 present invention relates to a pneumatic tyre characterized by its great
lightness and by the simplicity of the mode of fixing it which is due to the special
form of the rim of the wheel as hereinafter described.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures:-
Figure 1 is a transverse section (on the line 1-2 Figure 2) of the rim provided
with the pneumatic tyre inflated; Figure 2 a longitudiual section, Figure 3 a plan
of the portion of the rim in which is situated the widened part enabling the tyre
to be placed in position. Figure 4 is a transverse section of the rim at this
widened part on the line 3-4 Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the rim shewing the position of the pneumatic
tyre deflated at the commencement of the operation of placing it in position..
Figure 6 is a corresponding view indicating the position of the pneumatic tyre
near the end of the operation of placing it in position.
Figure 7 represents the pneumatic tyre placed in position before inflating.
The tyre is constructed with an outer band or cover E provided at its edges
with rolls beads or enlargements B which may be composed of any suitable material
such as cords rubber or the like being fixed to the band or tyre in any convenient
manner or forming an integral part thereof. For example they may be formed by
cords B which are engaged in the canvas which lines the cover E. This cover
contains an air tube A of any suitable form. The rim J of the wheel is of
special form being constituted essentially by a part a b c (Figure 4) in the form
of a V groove or gutter which is prolonged by a species of annular cavity d
forming a recess for the reception of the beads or rolls on the edges of the cover.
This recess is contracted at the outer part where it presents a narrow annular
opening in the bottom of the V groove of less width than each bead on the
edge of the cover B so that when the beads are placed in the recess d they
cannot escape through the annular opening in the rim.
The throat or opening in the rim is widened at any part in its periphery
for a short distance sufficiently to admit of the passage of the beads or enlarge-
ments on the edges of the cover and in order to place the pneumatic tyre in
position (Figures 5, 6 and 7) the beads are pushed into the widened part of
the tyre and a flattened part B¹ of the beads is passed into the narrow part of the
opening (Figure 5). By pulling the tyre so as to drag it round the rim in the

page_text: direction of the arrow in Figure 5, the part B' B2 of the beads is gradually worked
into the interior of the recess.
After causing the cover containing the deflated air tube to describe nearly one.
complete revolution upon the rim in this manner the beads are completely slipped
into the recess with the exception of a short length B³ Figure 6 remaining above
the widened part of the opening.
By again dragging the cover slightly in the same direction this part B³ also
falls to the bottom of the rim and the tyre is now in its proper position Figure 7
and may be inflated in the usual manner.
The widened part of the opening is utilized for fixing the inflating valve which
passes between the beads and maintains the latter in position at this part.
In order to remove the pneumatic tyre it is sufficient to unscrew the valve to
pull the beads through the widened part of the opening as indicated in Figure 6
and cause the cover to slide upon the rim at the same time drawing the beads or
enlarged edges through the widened part of the opening until they are completely
drawn out of the rim.
In practice it is unnecessary to provide a flattened part B¹ in the beads when the
latter are made of cord or rubber as they flatten of themselves when pushed into
the narrow part of the opening in the rim.
This mode of inserting the beads into the interior of the rim may evidently be-
modified without affecting the principle of the invention.
The edges of the rim may be bent over at jj to allow for fixing the spokes but.
any other mode of fixing may be adopted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. For fixing pneumatic tyres for velocipedes and other vehicles a rim with a
narrow opening of less width than either of the beads or rolls at the edges of the
cover of the pneumatic tyre so as to retain the tyre when the beads or rolls have
been introduced into the interior of the rim.
2. A rim comprising a part forming a recess for the beads or rolls of a pneumatic
tyre cover and an external part in the form of a gutter serving as a bearing for the
pneumatic tyre and an opening sufficiently narrower than either of the beads or
rolls to prevent the beads or rolls from escaping from the said recess.
3. In a rim as claimed by the preceding Claim 2 a widened part admitting of the
introduction of the beads or rolls on the cover and their insertion into the part of
the rim in which they are received or contained and their removal substantially as
described.
Dated this 4th day of June 1894.