Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Light Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes
and other Light Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM GOLDING, of No. 4, Portman Street, Moss Side, Manchester,
Inventor and Patentec, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
It has for its object the prevention, in some cases, of the escape of air from the
interior air bladder tube when it is punctured, and in other cases such a reduction
of the discharge of air through the puncture as will admit of the rider reaching a
convenient place to repair the damage.
This object is effected by constructing the interior air bladder tube of such
dimensions that it is, when unstretched, both longer and of greater diameter in
cross section than the corresponding dimensions of the confining canvas or other
restraining enveloping casing when stretched to the utmost. The result of this is
that when the air bladder tube is filled with compressed air no part of it is
expanded but every part is under compression between the interior compressed air
on the one side and the exterior non-expansible enveloping casing on the other.
In the case of clean punctures made by nails, thorns, tacks, pins &c., the pressure
of the interior compressed air upon the wall of the bladder in the immediate vicinity
of the puncture, closes the latter and prevents the escape of air altogether. In
the case of punctures made by irregularly shaped sharp flints, broken glass &c.
where some grit or dirt may be thrust into and stick within the walls of the
puncture, the escape of air, if not completely stopped, is very considerably
reduced.
Dated thie Twenty fifth dow of A worst 1801
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatio Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes
and other Light Vehioles.
I, WILLIAM GOLDING, of No. 4, Portman Street, Moss Side, Manchester,
Inventor and Patentee, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly desoribed and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
It has for its object the prevention, in most cases, of the escape of air from the
interior air bladder or interior air tube of pneumatic or air-inflated tyres when
punctured, and in other cases such a reduction of the discharge of air through the
puncture as will admit of the rider reaching a convenient place to repair the
damage.
This object is effected by constructing the interior air bladder or interior air tube
of such dimensious that it is when unstretched both longer, and of greater diameter
in cross section, than the corresponding dimensions of the confining canvas or other
restraining enveloping casing when stretched to the utmost under the tension of the
contained compressed air. The result of this is, that when the interior air bladder
or interior air tube is filled with compressed air, no part of it is expanded but every
part is under compression between the interior compressed air on the one side and
the exterior restraining enveloping tube on the other.
The accompanying drawings illustrate, by cross sections, the method of

page_text: constructing an improved interior air bladder or air tube according to my said
invention.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 shews the mandrel, with the restraining envelope and air tube
upon it, as it is built up previous to vulcanization;
Fig. 2 shews the same in the next stage of construction, after vulcanization;
Fig. 3 shews such air tube joined on to or placed within a crescent-shaped outer
casing, forming together a complete pneumatic tyre; and
Fig. 4 shews an alternative arrangement of the construction also completed in the
form of a tyre.
Sheets 2 and 3 illustrate alternative methods of construction.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 5 shews the mandrel, restraining band and rubber strip (for
forming the air tube) as it is arranged previous to vulcanization;
Fig. 6 shews an alternative arrangement of Fig. 5;
Figs. 7 and 8 respectively illustrate the next step, in which the strips shewn in
Figs. 5 and 6 are joined into air tubes; and
Fig. 9' shews the tube illustrated in Fig. 7 joined to or placed within a crescent
shaped outer casing, forming together a complete tyre.
On Sheet 3, Fig. 10 shews a strip of rubber arranged in loops or corrugations
upon a strip of canvas which afterwards forms the restraining envelope;
Fig. 11 represents the same strip flattened down and secured continuously to the
canvas band;
Fig. 12 illustrates an air bladder or tube formed of the compound strip shewn in
Fig. 10;
Fig. 13 illustrates the same tube when inflated, and also illustrates an air tube,
uniuflated, formed of the compound strip shewn in Fig. 11; and
Fig. 14 shews such air tube joined on or placed within a crescent shaped outer
casing, forming together a complete tyre.
I do not intend to confine the use of my puncture closing tube to combinatious
with the outer casings shewn in Figs. 3, 4, 9, and 14 as they may equally well be
employed or-used with any hollow tyre, cover, or casing adapted for the purpose,
or they may be used without any outer cover, though this latter is very undesirable.
In Fig. 1m represents the mandrel, in cross section. It is surrounded by a
stripe of, one or more ply, canvas or other suitable restraining fabric or material,
the canvas being preferably cut on the bias or cross. The edges of the canvas are
overlapped as shewn on the upper part of the mandrel at c'.
A strip of rubber is placed round the canvas strip so as to form a tube and is
solutioned to it. Another strip of rubber is placed round this first rubber tube
and solutioned to it the greater part of the way round. The two strips are
arranged so that they break joints, as shewn at x and y. The usual well-known
means are adopted to prevent the joints and y and the two surfaces of the two
tubes at the overlap between a and y from being united together during the process
of vulcanization. After vulcanization, the two rubber tubes are opened at the
overlap and the overlap of the canvas tube is peeled apart. The whole is then
turned over so as to bring the canvas to the outside to form a restraining envelope,
and to place what was previously the outer surface of the rubber tube in the
interior. The overlaps of the rubber and canvas tubes are then solutioned down
separately, taking the shape shewn in Fig. 2: The canvas tube, under the stress
of the elasticity of the rubber, and of the contained compressed air when inflated,
increases in diameter somewhat in cross section, but it contracts longitudinally to
a corresponding oxtent. The effect is that the inner surface of the rubber tube is
compressed radially, longitudinally, and circumferentially in cross section, that is
laterally in all directious in respect to any punctured hole which may be made.
An effect of this lateral compression is the thickening of the wall of the tube.
Instead of forming the tube of two strips of rubber as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, a
single strip may be used and the edges overlapped, the overlapped parts being
preferably moulded thinner.
Fig. 3 illustrates the air tube as just described (and shewn in Fig. 2) surrounded

page_text: by a crescent shaped outer casing, in which it may be placed loose or to which it..
may be rubber solutioned, or partly vulcanized and partly solutioned, the two in
conjunction constituting, when fitted with inlet pipe and valve, a complete pneumatic
or inflatible tyre.
Instead of vulcanizing the tube on a mandrel, as described in reference to Fig. 1,
it may
be vulcanized in the usual annular mould. In cases where the wall of the
tube is unusually thick, the built up strip may be vulcanized flat. An alternative
arrangement is to shape and vulcanize a tube of rubber with an interior tube of
canvas, and after vulcanization to turn the tube inside out. This is shewn in
Fig. 4 surrounded by a crescent shaped casing forming a complete tyre. In somo
cases the rubber tube may be turned inside out without the canvas, the cauvas
envelope being solutioned on afterwards. In the figures the thickness of the air
tube is exaggerated for the sake of clearness.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a method of putting more compression in the rubber wall
of the tube than is possible in the one just described, and is suitable for tubes having
comparatively thinner walls. In Fig. 5 m represents, in cross section, a bar or
mandrel shaped with a shoulder. The rubber and canvas strips are wrapped round
as shewn. First, the edge of the canvas strip is wrapped partially round the
mandrel, as shewn in the figure it is put separately round the lower half and over
the shoulder. This part afterwards forms the overlap of the canvas as shewn at c¹
in Figs. 7 and 8. The remainder of the canvas strip c (which is narrower than the
rubber strip) is solutioned to the inner surface of the rubber strip, and wrapped
with it round the mandrel, the greater part of the outer turn of rubber being free
from canvas.
It is then wrapped in cloth and vulcanized. Fig. 7 shews this
compound strip formed into a tube and inflated. The tube is formed by opening
out the compound strip, turning it over so as to bring the convex surface on the
inside, and solutioning the overlaps of the rubber and canvas separately together as
described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The canvas e is on the outside, the
rubber wall towards the road side is double, the outer end y of Fig. 5 is now inside,
and the inner end is outside. Fig. 6 shews an alternative arrangement in which
the edges of the rubber strip from v to y and from to a, are shaped or moulded
thinner than the rest of the strip. It may be wrapped round a cylindrical bar or
mandrel, but it is preferable to use a mandrel with two shoulders as shewn in the
figure. This may be conveniently inade of two semi-circular sections of thin steel
or tinned iron with flat inner lateral flanges, brazed or soldered together. In this
method the canvas overlap is outside as shewn at e', and reaches from the edge y of
the rubber strip to the point marked, the usual means being adopted to prevent it
adhering, during vulcanization, to the rubber strip beneath it. In Fig. 8 this strip
is represented made into a tube and inflated. The tube is formed in the same
manner as described with reference to Figs. 5 and 7, except that in joining the
overlap of the two thinner edges of the rubber strip, the end y is placed over or
outside the other. To effect this the thinner parts of the rubber strip are solutioned
together from to y, and the canvas.overlap c is solutioned down as shewn. Fig. 9
represents the tube shewn in Fig. 7 surrounded by a crescent shaped casing cou-
structed of a canvas tube c³ and a rubber tube, the whole forming a complete
tyre.
An alternative method of construction is illustrated on Sheet 3. Fig. 10 shews,
in cross section, a strip of rubber bb formed into one or more loops or corrugations,
see 1 to 6º, and vulcanized in that shape to a flat strip c of one or more ply canvas
or other suitable restraining fabric or material, the canvas being preferably cut on
the bias or cross.
Previous to vulcanization, the hollows are packed with suitable
material or with metal rods so as to obtain the shape required. The end r, part of
the end y near t, and a short length, sec d¹ to d between each loop or corrugation
are also vulcanized to the canvas strip cc. Fig. 12 illustrates a tube formed from
the compound strip just described by overlapping the edges from a to y and
solutioning them together, and by overlapping the canvas strip, see c¹¹ and
solutioning them together at the overlap and to the rubber tube within. In Fig. 12

page_text: the tube is shewn uninflated while in Fig. 13 it is represented to be inflated,
flattened down, laterally compressed, and thickened, between the interior com-
pressed air and the outer restraining envelope. The same tube is shewn in Fig. 14
surrounded by a crescent-shaped casing forming with it a complete tyre. In an
alternative process, the corrugations of the rubber strip or tube b b are solutioned
down continuously to the canvas strip or tube cc. This may be conveniently
effected after vulcanization by pouring rubber solution in a liquid state down the
tunnels between the rubber and canvas and pressing the corrugations against
the canvas. Or the rubber strip bb shewn in Fig. 10 may be vulcanized free
from the canvas strip and then one or both of the surfaces which are to come
into contact are solutioned. It is then pressed down until firmly united at the
points of contact shewn in the position in Fig. 10 and afterwards pressed flat
as represented in Fig. 11.
The corrugations shown in the figures run longitudinally but they may be
made to run laterally. The tubes illustrated in Sheets 1 and 2 are puncture
closing all the way round. Those shewn on Sheet 3 are puncture closing all
round except at the overlap which is intended to be placed next the metal rim
of the wheel. The tubes shown on Sheets 1 and 2 may also be constructed
so as to be partly instead of wholly puncture closing, for instance, the outward
half next the road may be so constructed, the remainder of the rubber of the
tube being in its normal state.
I do not restrict the manufacture and application of puncture closing tubes
or tyres according to my said invention to the particular processes and methods
of carrying it out as hereinbefore described, as it is to be expected that when
these tubes or tyres are being made in considerable quantities, other processes
and methods will suggest themselves to experts in the manufacture of india
rubber for carrying into effect the essential elements of the construction and
arrangement of the parts according to my said invention.
'
In the case of clean punctures made by nails, thorns, tacks, pins &c., the
pressure of the interior compressed air upon the wall round the puncture acting
in conjunction with the elasticity of the rubber causes it to close up tightly
round the puncturing object and immediately such puncturing object is with-
drawn to close the punctured hole up tightly, thus preventing the escape of air
altogether. In the case of punctures by irregularly shaped sharp flints, broken
glass &c., where some grit or dirt may be thrust into and stick within the
punctured hole, the escape of air, if not completely stopped, is very considerably
reduced.
Instead of compressed air; gas, water or other liquids may be used.
When canvas is referred to in the descriptions I intend to include alternatively
any other fabric or material suitable for a restraining envelope and for the purpose
described: In the term rubber, as used herein, I include rubber compounds and
rubber substitutes having such similar qualities to rubber as will effect the purpose
described.
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. In a pneumatic or air-inflated tyre for the wheels of velocipedes and other
light vehicles, an interior air bladder or air tube which is of larger dimensions in
its normal state than the dimensions of the corresponding parts of the confining
canvas or other restraining enveloping casing, substantially as, and for the purpose,
hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a pneumatic or air-inflated tyre for the wheels of velocipedes and other
light vehicles, an interior air bladder or air tube which is in a state of compression
laterally along its inner surface, or along a part of its inner surface, when inflated,
substantially as, and for the purpose, hercinbefore set forth.
3. A pneumatic or air-inflated tyre for the wheels of velocipedes and other light

page_text: vehicles, which has the property after being punctured of closing its wall
immediately the puncturing object is withdrawn so as to prevent the escape of the
interior compressed air, owing to the wall in the neighbourhood of the air chamber
being constructed or arranged so as to be in a state of compression laterally.
Dated this 4th day of December 1891.
WILLIAM GOLDING.