Improvements in the Manufacture of Tyres and Tyre Covers for Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in the Manufacture of Tyres and Tyre Covers for
Wheels of Vehicles.
I, CHARLES JAMES GRIST, of 20, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;-
I take linseed or other drying oil and partially oxidize it by applying heat to
the vessel in which it is contained, having previously added litharge or other
suitable oxidising agent, to a temperature of say 400° F. or upwards taking care
that it does not boil for more than say about 24 hours furthermore attention
should be given that the oil is kept stirred for about 48 hours being continually
kept in motion by suitable apparatus which may be conveniently arranged on
or adjacent to the vessel for the purpose.
The oil is then allowed to cool until it reaches about its normal temperature.
I now take a suitable fibrous substance such for instance as jute, hemp, cotton,
animal fibre or other suitable fibre, in which the separate fibres composing the
mass are or can be made to be distinct and separable but at the same time of
uniform or substantially uniform character and taking care that the fibres shall.
be clean and free from any deleterious foreign substance in mixture or adhering
to them.
These I free from the fibre by means of carding or other suitable cleansing
method. I then spread and loosen the fibres subjecting them to the action of
heated air in order to remove as far as possible traces of aqueous moisture because
any moisture present militates against the success of the process.
The partially oxidized oil being now at about its normal temperaturo and the
fibres in a clean and dry condition I immerse such fibres in a loosened and
graduated condition into the oil, the fibres are then immersed in the oil but
immediately taken out again and I attach great importance to these precautions.
The fibres thus dipped are placed in a hydro-extractor of the usual or convenient
pattern for the purpose of extracting the superfluous oil not actually adhering to
the fibres.
When this has been effected and the free oil has been thoroughly removed I
take the fibres out of the extractor and each fibre is found to be covered at
intervals with small globules of oil which adhere to it. I now pull the fibres
thoroughly apart and loosen them by means of a carding machine or other suit-
able device and afterwards spread these fibres as loosely as possible on wire gauze
or other suitable netting or reticulate or openwork surface and pass a current of
heated air for suitable periods through them by means of a revolving fan or
other suitable air supplying means turning every hour or so and redistributing

page_text: the fibres on the netting by suitable lifting and turning means till each particle
of oil is oxidised and dried.
Then I again immerse the fibres in the oil and drain off the superfluous oil by
means of the hydro-extractor or its equivalent and more globules of oil will be
found to be adhering to portions of the fibres not covered after the first dipping
then I repeat the drying process explained above and when dry I immerse the
fibres a third and last time subjecting them to the action of the hydro-extractor
as before when the fibres will be completely coated or nearly so with globules
of oil and the drying process will be accomplished as before.
I have not found it economically useful to subject the fibres to more than
three dippings of oil, as the object is to give only one coating to each fibre and
this is attained by partially coating portions of the surfaces of the fibres at each
immersion and this is generally sufficiently completed after three immersions
and more have a bad effect.
If more immersions were made the fibres would be liable to become over
saturated so that the moving heated air would be unable to oxidise the whole
sufficiently and the resulting product would be useless for-my-purposes.
I now grind up the fibres treated as described above, until they become of a
homogeneous character.
This masticating or grinding I prefer to accomplish by means of rolls (running
at different surface speeds so as to obtain the desired effect) running at a high
speed.
The material is now placed in crushing rolls which I employ cold and I add
about 5% to 10% of powdered sulphur to it while the crushing is progressing
taking care that the fibrous treated material is not allowed to become so heated
as to injure it. This I prevent by occasionally stripping it off the rolls by means
of a knife or gauge suitable for the purpose. When the sulphur is thoroughly
mixed I allow the material to cool to about normal and I then again place it in
the crushing rolls and add whatever colouring material is desired such as French
chalk, ochre or other suitable colouring agent adapted to the particular purpose
in view.
The material as now delivered from the rolls is in sheets and ready for use
and it can when cool be stored away until required for use.
I take the material in sheets and again place it in the crushing rolls when I
may add from 2% to 10% of asbestos, barytes or other suitable hardening
material. When thoroughly mixed and crushed together I place the material
immediately in a squirting machine of the usual pattern such as is used in the
manufacture of rubber tyres, which forces the material through a die which is
made the required shape and the material then passes into a mould of the same
shape as the die the mould being then placed in a vulcanizing or hydraulic press
of the usual pattern. I may use a thin band of wire or one or two wires running
from the squirting machine through the mould so as to form a tie on tyre which
may be fastened in the rim of the wheel by any of the ordinary methods now in
use for rubber tyres.
Again I may make the tyre with an air space running throughout its length
by placing a rod or piece of metal in the mould from the squirting machine.
I may fix the tyre in the rim of the wheel by squeezing it in the usual way
and fastening the ends with a clip or solution of the same material or cement
of the usual kind.
By this means a tyre will be formed which will withstand climatic influences,
which will be resilient and resist wear.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Tyres and Tyre Covers for
Wheels of Vehicles.
I, CHARLES JAMES GRIST, of 20, Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Electrical 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:
I take linseed or other drying oil and partially oxidise it by applying heat to
the vessel in which it is contained, having previously added litharge or other
suitable oxidizing agent, to a temperature of say 400° F. or upwards taking care
that it does not boil for more than say about 24 hours furthermore attention
should be given that the oil is kept stirred for about 48 hours being continually
kept in motion by suitable apparatus which may be conveniently arranged on
or adjacent to the vessel for the purpose.
The oil is then allowed to cool until it reaches about its normal temperature.
I now take a suitable fibrous substance such for instance as jute, hemp, cotton,
animal fibre or other suitable fibre, in which the separate fibres composing the
mass are or can be made to be distinct and separable but at the same time of
uniform or substantially uniform character and taking care that the fibres shall
be clean and free from any deleterious foreign substance in mixture or adhering
to them.
These I free from the fibre by means of carding or other suitable cleansing
method. I then spread and loosen the fibres subjecting them to the action of
heated air in order to remove so far as possible traces of aqueous moisture because
any moisture present militates against the success of the process.
The partially oxidized oil being now at about its normal temperature and the
fibres in a clean and dry condition I immerse such fibres in a loosened and
graduated condition into the oil, the fibres are then immersed in the oil but
immediately taken out again and I attach great importance to these precautions.
The fibres thus dipped are placed in a hydro-extractor of the usual or convenient
pattern for the purpose of extracting the superfluous oil not actually adhering to
the fibres.
When this has been effected and the superfluous oil has been thoroughly re-
moved I take the fibres out of the extractor and each fibre is found to be covered
at intervals with small globules of oil which adhere to it. I now pull the fibres
thoroughly apart and loosen them by means of a carding machine or other suit-
able device and afterwards spread these fibres as loosely as possible on wire gauze
or other suitable netting or reticulate or openwork surface and pass a current of
heated air for suitable periods through them by means of a revolving fan or
other suitable air supplying means turning every hour or so and redistributing
the fibres in the netting by suitable lifting and turning means till each particle
of oil is oxidized and dried.
Then I again immerse the fibres in the oil and drain off the superfluous oil by
means of the hydro extractor or its equivalent and more globules of oil will be
found to be adhering to portions of the fibres not covered after the first dipping
then I repeat the drying process explained above and when dry I immerse the
fibres a third time subjecting them to the action of the hydro-extractor as before
and repeat the process until the fibres are completely coated or nearly so with
globules of oil and the drying process will be accomplished as before.
I now grind up the fibres treated as described above, until they become of a
homogeneous character.
The masticating or grinding I prefer to accomplish by means of rolls (running

page_text: at different surface speeds so as to obtain the desired effect) running at a high
speed. The material is now placed in crushing rolls which I employ cold and
I add about 5% to 10% (although for certain grades of material I increase the
proportion to as much as 20%) of powdered sulphur, preferably what is known
as flowers of sulphur, to it while the crushing is progressing taking care that the
fibrous treated material is not allowed to become so heated as to injure it.
This I prevent by occasionally stripping it off the rolls by means of a knife or
-gauge-suitable for the purpose. When the sulphur is thoroughly mixed I allow
the material to cool to about normal and I. then again place it in the crushing
rolls and add whatever colouring material is desired such as French chalk, ochre
or other suitable colouring agent adapted to the particular purpose in view.
The material as now delivered from the rolls is in sheets and ready for use
and it can when cool be stored away until required for use.
I take the material in sheets and again place it in the crushing rolls when I
ordinarily add from 2% to 10% of asbestos, barytes or other suitable hardening
material but in some cases I add as much as 25%. When thoroughly mixed
and crushed together I place the material immediately in a squirting machine
of the usual pattern such as used in the manufacture of rubber tyres, which forces
the material through a die which is made the required shape and the material
then passes into a mould of the same shape as the die the mould being then
placed in a vulcanizing or hydraulic press of the usual pattern.
I sometimes use a thin band of wire or one or two wires running from the
squirting machine through the tyre so as to form a tie-on tyre which may be
fastened in the rim of the wheel by any of the ordinary methods. now in use for
rubber tyres.
Again sometimes make the tyre with an air space running throughout its
length by placing a rod or piece of metal in the mould from the squirting
machine.
Again I sometimes for certain descriptions of tyres proceed as follows:-
After the masticating process with sulphur has been completed I place the
material in a steam jacketted chamber and vulcanize it by heating up to from
250° to 320° F.
A temperature of 280° being a commonly useful degree for some uses where
unusual hardness is desired. I then crush it again in the rolls and add 5% to
25% of resin, shellac or bodies of similar properties. After this I run the
material through a "squirting" or equivalent type of machine and proceed in
the manner before described.
I may fix the tyre in the rim of the wheel by squeezing it in the usual way
and fastening the ends with a clip or solution of the same material or cement of
the usual kind or by running or laying a wire, wires or band in the material
when placed in the mould.
By this means a tyre will be formed which will withstand climatic influences
which will be resilient and resist wear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;
The manufacture of compositions for tyres and tyre covers for wheels of vehicles
mainly composed of oxidized oil and fibre with certain other described matters
admixed, prepared and applied as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated the 3rd day of November 1898
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55/56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.