Improved Means for Inflating the Tyres of Pneumatic-tyred Wheels of Vehicles
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Inflating the Tyres of Pneumatic-tyred
Wheels of Vehicles
I, HENRY LOW WEBSTER, of Klerksdorp, in the South African Republic, at
present residing at Swiss Villa, Warwick Road, Ealing, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communi-
cation from John Goss, of Krugersdorp, in the South African Republic, Engineer),
to be as follows::
This invention relates to means for inflating the tyres of pneumatic-tyred
wheels of vehicles, or for automatically restoring any loss of pressure which may
occur through leakage, the operation taking place whilst the vehicle is in motion.
In a pneumatic-tyred wheel fitted with my inflating mechanism, the central
spindle, which is usually fast in the forks and is formed or provided with cones
for the anti-friction balls to work on, is fitted with an eccentric; and in a guide
formed in the side of the hub or attached thereto is mounted a plunger, the inner
end of which bears against the periphery of the eccentric, whilst the outer end
is connected with a rod which extends in a radial direction towards the rim of
the wheel. Mounted in the inner face of the rim of the wheel is an inlet valve
of the usual kind in conjunction with a small air barrel containing a piston, the
latter being connected with the radial rod before referred to. As the wheel
rotates, the eccentric forces the plunger and rod outwards and thus actuates
the piston within the barrel, compressing the air in front of the piston and
forcing the same through the delivery valve into the tyre. The air gains access
to the interior of the barrel through a small hole in its side, immediately beyond
the piston before the latter commences its compressing stroke, the hole becoming
covered by the piston and communication with the atmosphere shut off upon
the piston commencing to move. The return stroke of the piston is accomplished
by means of a spiral spring, which may surround the connecting rod and bear
against the cover of the barrel.
Upon the pressure in the tyre reaching the prescribed limit, the air compressed
by the piston fails to pass the delivery valve and re-expands in the barrel on
the retreat of the piston. Any convenient means for throwing the apparatus
out of action may nevertheless he employed; as for example a moveable link
for attaching the connecting-rod to the plunger.
1000

page_text: Improved Means for Inflating the Tyres of Pneumatic-tyred
Wheels of Vehicles.
I, HENRY LOW WEBSTER, of Klerksdorp, in the South African Republic, at
present residing at Swiss Villa, Warwick Road, Ealing, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communi-
cation from John Goss, of Krugersdorp, in the South African Republic, Engineer),
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to means for inflating the tyres of pneumatic-tyred
wheels of vehicles, or for automatically restoring any loss of pressure which may
occur through leakage, the operation taking place whilst the vehicle is in motion.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a segment of a pneumatic-tyred
wheel furnished with my improved means for inflating the tyre; the hub
being shown in transverse section while the pump barrel is shown in longitudinal
section. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view at right-angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a
detached view in section of the hub and central spindle showing the plunger
of the pump out of operation.
In a pneumatic-tyred wheel fitted with my inflating mechanism, the central
spindle a, which, in the case of a bicycle, is usually fast in the forks and is
formed or provided with cones for the anti-friction balls to work on, is fitted
with an eccentric b; and in a guide c formed in the side of the hub or attached
thereto is mounted a plunger d, the inner end of which carries an anti-friction
roller do and bears against the periphery of the eccentric, whilst the outer end
is connected with a rod d which extends in a radial direction towards the rim
of the wheel. Mounted in the inner face of the rim of the wheel is an inlet
valve e of the usual kind in conjunction with a small air barrel f containing
a piston the latter being connected with the radial rod and plunger d
before referred to. As the wheel rotates, the eccentric 6 forces the plunger d
and rod outwards and thus actuates the piston d2 within the barrel f, com-
pressing the air in front of the piston and forcing the same through the delivery
valve e into the tyre. The air gains access to the interior of the barrel through
a small hole f¹ in its side situate immediately beyond the piston ³ (see Fig. 1),
the hole becoming covered by the piston, and communication with the atmosphere
shut off, upon the piston commencing its compressing stroke. The return
stroke of the piston is accomplished by means of a spiral spring d³, which may
surround the connecting rod d¹ and bear against the cover of the barrel f.
Upon the pressure in the tyre reaching the limit of effective inflation, the air
compressed by the piston 2 fails to pass the delivery valve e, and, on the
retreat of the piston, resumes its normal condition in the barrel. Any convenient
means of throwing the air-compressing apparatus out of action may nevertheless
be employed, as, for example, a moveable link for attaching the connecting-rod
to the plunger; or the plunger d may be fitted with a pivoted bar d* which,
upon being turned so that its free end bears upon the cap pertaining to the
guide c, as shown in Fig. 3, the plunger d is held away from the eccentric b,
the piston moved to the inner end of the air barrel f and the air-admission
aperture f¹ covered or closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim:-
1
1

page_text: wheels, same comprising an air-barrel whereof the piston is connected with
a plunger operated by an eccentric or cam upon the axis of the wheel.
2. In a pneumatically-tyred wheel, an air-barrel having a compressing piston
operated from a stationary eccentric mounted upon the central spindle, sub-
stantially as set forth.
3. In a pneumatically-tyred wheel, the combination, with an air-valve, of an
air-barrel, a compressing piston, a plunger connected with said piston and an
eccentric, all arranged or operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In a pneumatically-tyred wheel, an air-barrel having a compressing piston
operated by a stationary eccentric secured to the central spindle in conjunction
with means for throwing the air-compressing piston out of action, substantially
as set forth.