Improvements in Hollow Resilient Tyres for Wheels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Hollow Resilient Tyres for Wheels.
A communication by JEAN PIERRE SERVE, of Caluire and Cuire, in the Republic
of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.L.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in resilient tyres for wheels. It has
for its object to provide means for rendering resilient tyres, such as are at pre-
sent constructed, more solid and more resistant while preserving for them a
great resiliency whilst at the same time it diminishes the causes of accidents,
deterioration and wear, which go on increasing in proportion as the use of re-
silient tyres is extended to vehicles of constantly greater weight.
In order to carry out this invention use is made, in combination with the
ordinary resilient tyres, of metallic springs independent one of the other and
arranged in a special manner in order to obtain the desired advantages.
The protective cover is formed in the ordinary manner of indiarubber or any
other suitable material. Covers of cotton or other suitable textile fabric are
placed between the outer cover, and the air tube or chamber.
Between the inner covers and the air tube, metallic springs herein after more
particularly described are placed or are imbedded in the cover. It is preferable
to employ the fabric covers between which the springs are inserted but this is
not indispensable and the springs may be placed directly between the indiarubber
cover and the air tube. Or only a single fabric cover may be employed.
The tyre is held beneath the bent over ends of the steel rim by means of
thickened edges or beads or by means of a pin or wedge, or by any other ordinary
means.
In order to strengthen the air tube whilst nevertheless preserving its resiliency,
it is surrounded with a series of metallic springs. These springs are formed of
bands of metal, shaped in such a way as to assume the form of the air chamber
when it is inflated; these springs have their edges bent back in order to engage
in the beads which fix them in the steel rim, or in order to enclose the pin which
serves to maintain them on the rim. These springs are placed in succession one
to the other, and form a series of open rings juxtaposed but independent one
of another. The width of each ring is determined for each particular case and
for a given thickness and shape, the narrower the ring, the more elastic it will
be. This arrangement of rings independent one of the other imparts a great
resiliency to the tyre, in fact when an obstacle is encountered the springs bend
inward individually proportionately to the pressure which they receive, without
their elasticity being interfered with by the re-actions of the adjacent springs.

page_text: The good working of the springs requires that they form one with, or in other
words are perfectly adherent to, the cover.
As it is very difficult to make steel suitably adhere to the indiarubber, each
individual metallic spring is surrounded with a sheath or casing of cotton or
other textile material, or leather, or any other suitable substance capable of
easily adhering to the india rubber by means of a solution.
In order that the springs may be more thoroughly connected with their
enveloping sheaths, it is preferred to coat them with a thick glue or thick com-
mercial pitch varnish, but this is not indispensable. The exterior of
the sheath can also be coated with any suitable material which will facilitate its
adherence to the indiarubber of the cover or to the other materials with which
it is in contact.
The springs are surrounded by a sheath of textile material, which sheath con-
tains each spring separately, and the whole of the springs are inserted between
the inner covers which assists in rendering the connection of the springs with the
other parts of the tyre more complete but this is not an indispensable precaution.
In order to prevent the metallic springs wearing or even cutting the casing
of the air tube, there may be introduced between the metallic strip and the
sheath a band of hide, leather, or other suitable material, said band being placed,
according to circumstances, on the external surface, or on the internal surface
or on both surfaces of the spring.
It is evident after this that the air tube is very efficaciously protected by these
rings, and that the risks it incurs of being punctured by nails or other pointed
bodies are much diminished, seeing that most frequently it will be the metal
strip that is attacked and not the indiarubber of the air tube. In order to still
more effectively protect the air tube, the joints are covered between two springs
with strips of sheet steel, copper, aluminium, or other suitable metal, thin
enough not to injure the resiliency of the whole.
In order that these strips may not be displaced by slipping along the springs,
a rib is formed in the centre of each strip in longitudinal direction which engages
in the interval between two consecutive springs. If it be feared that the rib
thus formed will impart too much rigidity and injure the flexibility of the
strip, the rib may be cut at intervals more or less wide apart. This arrangement
removes all rigidity caused by the rib. Any other suitable means may also be
employed for forming on the strip projections fulfilling the same object, for
instance by stamping, small elongated studs.
Instead of employing a single row of springs, for heavier vehicles two or more
rows of superposed springs may be arranged. In this case, they are arranged
so that the joints of one row of springs fall in the centre of the springs of the
other row, the use of strips then becomes unnecessary and nevertheless the air
tube is perfectly protected against pointed or cutting articles by the springs
lapping one over the other.
The springs may however be of cylindrical, elliptical, ovoid, or any other
suitable form.
Preferably when it is wished to obtain a great resiliency, the springs are
given when in a condition of repose, that is to say when the pneumatic tyre is
not inflated, the form of an ellipse, the larger axis of which is in a plane, passing
through the axis of the wheel and is parallel to said axis. Under the action of
the pressure produced by the inflation of the air tube, the ellipse is deformed
and tends to assume a form approaching that of a circle. Under these circum-
stances it is evident that the rim has a very great resiliency because it bends
not only under the action of the weight of the vehicle but also this tendency
to bend is augmented by the action of the spring which tends to resume its
normal or primitive form.
Of course it is evident that the system of springs hereinbefore described which
is preferably applicable to pneumatic tyres may also be employed for resilient
tyres of any kind, composed of solid india-rubber or in any other suitable manner.

page_text: The springs herein before described may be of steel tempered, or otherwise, or
simply of iron or any other suitable metal or metallic alloy.
Dated this 24th day of January 1899.
A communication by JEAN PIERRE SERVE, of Caluire and Cuire, in the Republic
of France.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6,-Bank-Street, Manchester,
both-in-the-County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in resilient tyres for wheels. It has
for its object to provide means for rendering resilient tyres, such as are at pre-
sent constructed, more solid and more resistant while preserving for them a
great resiliency whilst at the same time it diminishes the causes of accidents,
deterioration and wear, which go on increasing in proportion as the use of re-
silient tyres is extended to vehicles of constantly greater weight.
In order to carry out this invention use is made, in combination with the
ordinary resilient tyres, of metallic springs independent one of the other and
arranged in a special manner in order to obtain the desired advantages, as will
now be completely described, reference being made to the accompanying draw-
ings, in which,
Figure 1 is a transverse section of the rim of a wheel with a pneumatic tyre
provided with this system of springs.
Figure 2, a sectional view of the special form given to the springs;
Figures 3 and are longitudinal sections of the tyre on a plane perpendicular
to the axis of the wheel and passing through the centre of the tyre showing var-
ious arrangements of the springs.
Figure 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of the part L and a modification
of same.
Figure 6 shows a modification of the arrangement of the springs and their
sheaths.
The same letters of reference indicate the like parts in all the figures.
A is a protective cover formed in the ordinary manner of indiarubber or any
other suitable material. M is a second cover of cotton or other suitable textile
fabric placed beneath the cover A, and N is a similar cover to the cover M placed
directly above the air tube or chamber.
Between the covers M and N metallic springs B hereinafter more particularly
described are placed or are imbedded in the cover. It is preferable to employ the
fabrics M and N between which the springs are inserted but this is not indis-
pensable and the springs may be placed directly between the indiarubber cover
A and the air tube C. Or only a single cover such as M or N may be employed.
The tyre is held beneath the bent over ends of the steel rim E by means of
thickened edges or beads D), as shown on the left hand side of Figure 1, or by
means of a pin or wedge T, as shown on the right hand of this Figure, or by any
other ordinary means.

page_text: Cindicates the indiarubber wall of the air tube.
In order to strengthen the air tube whilst nevertheless preserving its resiliency,
it is surrounded with a series of metallic springs such as B. These springs are
formed of bands of metal, shaped in such a way as to assume the form of the air
chamber when it is inflated; these springs have their edges bent back in order to
engage in the beads D which fix them in the steel rim, or in order to enclose the
pin T which serves to maintain them on the rim.
As may be seen on the left hand side of Figure 3 these springs are placed
in succession one to the other, and form a series of open rings juxtaposed but in-
dependent one of another. The width of each ring is determined for each particu-
lar case and for a given thickness and shape, the narrower the ring, the more
elastic it will be. This arrangement of rings independent one of the other im-
parts a great resiliency to the tyre, in fact, when an obstacle is encountered the
springs bend inward individually proportionately to the pressure which they
receive, without their elasticity being interfered with by the re-actions of the
adjacent springs. The good working of the springs requires that they form one
with, or in other words are perfectly adherent to, the cover.
As it is very difficult to make steel suitably adhere to the indiarubber, each
individual metallic spring B is surrounded with a sheath or casing H of cotton
or other textile material, or leather, or any other suitable substance capable of
easily adhering to the india rubber by means of a solution.
In order that the springs may be more thoroughly connected with their
enveloping sheaths, it is preferable to coat them with a thick glue or thick
commercial pitch varnish, but this is not indispensable. The exterior of the
sheath can also be coated with any suitable material which will facilitate its
adherence to the indiarubber of the cover or to the other materials with which
it is in contact.
In the case indicated in the drawings the springs are surrounded by a
sheath H of textile material, which sheath contains each spring separately,
and the whole of the springs are inserted between the covers M and N which
assists in rendering the connection of the springs with the other parts of the
tyre more complete but this is not an indispensable precaution.
In order to prevent the metallic springs wearing or even cutting the casing of
the air tube, a band H', as shown in Figure 6, may be introduced between the
metallic strip B and the sheath H of hide, leather, or other suitable material,
said band H being placed, according to circumstances, on the external surface,
or on the internal surface or on both surfaces of the spring.
It is evident after this that the air tube is very efficaciously protected by these
rings, and that the risks it incurs of being punctured by nails or other pointed
bodies are much diminished, seeing that most frequently it will be the metal
strip that is attacked and not the indiarubber of the air tube. In order to still
more effectively protect the air tube, the joints between the two springs are
covered as shown in the right hand part of Figure 3 with strips L of sheet steel,
copper, aluminium or other suitable metal, thin enough not to injure the
resiliency of the whole.
In order that these strips may not be displaced by slipping along the springs,
a rib is formed in the centre of each strip in longitudinal direction which
engages in the interval between two consecutive springs. If it be feared that
the rib thus formed will impart too much rigidity and injure the flexibility
of the strip L, as shown on the left hand side of Figure 3, the rib may be cut
at intervals more or less wide apart. This arrangement removes all rigidity
caused by the rib 7. Any other suitable means may also be employed for form-
ing on the strip L projections fulfilling the same object, for instance by stamp-
ing, small elongated studs, 12, as shown on the right hand side of Figure 5.
Instead of employing a single row of springs, as shown in Figure 3, for
heavier vehicles two or more rows of superposed springs may be arranged, as
shown in Figure 4. In this case, they are arranged so that the joints of one

page_text: row of springs fall in the centre of the springs of the other row, the use of
strips L then becomes unnecessary and nevertheless the air tube is perfectly
protected against pointed or cutting articles by the springs lapping one over
the other.
The shape of the springs such as shown in Figure 1 is only given as an
example, they may however be of cylindrical, elliptical, ovoid, or any other
suitable form.
Preferably when it is wished to obtain a great resiliency, recourse is had to
the arrangement shown in Figure 2; the springs are given, when in a condition
of repose, that is to say when the pneumatic tyre is not inflated, the form of an
ellipse, the larger axis of which is in a plane, passing through the axis of the
wheel and is parallel to said axis. This form is shown at B by dotted lines.
Under the action of the pressure produced by the inflation of the air tube, the
ellipse is deformed and tends to assume the form B approaching that of a circle.
Under these circumstances-it-is-evident-that-the-rim-has-a-very-great resiliency
because it bends not only under the action. of the weight of the vehicle but also
this tendency to bend is augmented by the action of the spring which tends to
resume its normal or primitive form.
Of course it is evident that the system of springs hereinbefore described
which is preferably applicable to pneumatic tyres may also be employed for
resilient tyres of any kind, composed of solid india rubber or in any other suit-
able manner.
The springs herein before described may be of steel tempered, or otherwise,
or simply of iron or any other suitable metal or metallic alloy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-.
1. The improvement in resilient tyres for wheels, which consists in providing
same with metallic springs (B) formed of a series of metallic bands having a
shape corresponding to that of the tyre and placed in succession one to another,
said metallic bands being covered with a sheath (H) of suitable substance for
facilitating the connection of the springs with the cover of the tyre, substan-
tially as herein before described.
2. In resilient tyres having metallic springs (B) such as described: coating
said springs with glue or commercial pitch varnish and covering them with a
sheath (H) of suitable material adapted to facilitate the connection of the
springs with the cover of the tyre, substantially as described.
3. In resilient tyres having metallic springs such as described placed in suc-
cession one to another, the provision of metallic strips such as L having pro-
jections adapted to engage between the joints of the springs (B) in order to
prevent the displacement of the metallic strips substantially as herein before
described.
4. In resilient tyres having metallic springs such as described the special form
of springs B adapted when the tyre is not inflated, to assume the form of an
ellipse, the larger axis of which is parallel to the axis of the wheel but to assume
an approximately cylindrical form when the tyre is inflated, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
5. The general construction and combination of parts forming the improved
resilient tyres substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.