Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 23rd Oct., 1897
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention is an improvement in pneumatic tyres for velocipedes or other
vehicles, the primary object of which is to provide a pneumatic tyre less liable
to be punctured than ordinary tyres, but having the resiliency or life of those
which are not constructed or provided with special means for preventing such
accidents.
While many forms of puncture-proof or non-puncturable pneumatic tyres have
been constructed or proposed, the property of non-puncturability or resistance to
the passage of pins, thorns or other sharp or pointed bodies has usually been
In other
secured only at the sacrifice of lightness, resiliency and elasticity.
words, the covering or sheath of the tyre is either made thicker, or is composed
of or contains some form of armor, but in every case the walls of the tyre, under
the action of internal air pressure, are rendered rigid by the incorporation there-
with, or the application thereto, of the armor, and this to such an extent that
the tyre drags and is so wanting in life or resiliency as to be unpleasant to ride.
In carrying out this invention there is used a protective cover, or, what may
for convenience be designed as, an armor, or in other words, a material capable of
resisting to a great or less extent the punctures of the tyre by sharp or pointed
objects, or even to afford a bullet proof cover, but it is not incorporated with
the wall of the tyre proper, nor intimately united to it, but merely held or
supported in position intermediate to the tread of the tyre and the road, or other
surface over which it travels.
The invention, therefore, consists broadly in this, viz., a protective cover_or
sheath applied to a tyre, not as a part of the tyre proper, but so as to afford a
surface upon which the tyre may roll. From the nature of the invention it is
evident that the cover or sheath may be applied and secured in many different
ways, either to the tyre or rim, with the same result.
In the preferred form of the invention the tyre proper, is a light, thin and
highly resilient hose-pipe or single tube tyre, and this is surrounded by a cover
or sheath of canvas provided with a thick rubber tread, or otherwise constructed
to resist puncture. The edges of the said cover are united, preferably, to the
tyre, as by means of cement, but only at such portions, or nearly so, as are within
or below the edges of the rim, the unattached portion being of so much greater

page_text: dimensions than the tyre as to loosely surround the latter, even when it is inflated
to its fullest capacity.
Under these conditions the weight of the wheel and rider is sustained by the
tyre proper which may be made with any, desired degree of, resilience, while
the cover which loosely surrounds the tyre, and which is entirely free to alter its
shape, is simply interposed between the tyre and the ground.
The protective cover or armor for the tyre may be made of any suitable
material and may contain a strip or band of some non-puncturable material such
as a steel band, or the like... It is desirable that the cover be made with especial
reference to preventing the passage through the walls of the tyre of any foreign
bodies which would cause leaks, but as the construction of the improvement is
such that the wheel to which the tyre is applied, practically lays a track upon
which the tyre runs, it is useful for running over rough roads when even a
narrow and comparatively rigid metal band is incorporated with the cover.
To summarize the nature of the invention it may be stated to consist of a
combination of a pneumatic tyre and a protective cover normally free from
attachment to or intimate contact with the tyre along the tread portion but
affording a surface concentric with the tyre upon which the latter bears.
Covers or sheaths of various kinds have been applied to tyres, but they have
either been cemented or united to the tyre or otherwise held in contact there-
with as by air pressure, and so as to constitute a part of the wall of the tyre
proper when under inflation. In the present case, however, the tyre and the
cover, are, or may be, practically independent in every sense except in the one
that the cover is interposed between the tyre and the ground.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention subject of the present application for letters patent, is an improve-
ment in pneumatic tyres, the primary object of which is to provide a pneumatic
tyre less liable to be punctured than ordinary tyres, but having the resiliency or
life of those which are not constructed or provided with special means for
preventing such accidents.
Many forms of so-called puncture-proof or non-puncturable pneumatic tyres have
been constructed or proposed, but in all of such tyres, the property of non-punctura-
bility or resistance to the passage of pins, thorns or sharp pointed bodies encountered
in almost every road and path, is secured only at the sacrifice of lightness,
resiliency and elasticity. In other words, the covering or sheath of the tyre is
either made thicker, or is composed of or contains some form of armor, but in
every case the walls of the tyre, under the action of internal air pressure, are
rendered rigid by the incorporation therewith, or the application thereto, of the
armor, and this to such an extent that the tyre drags and is so wanting in
life or resiliency as to be unpleasant to ride.
In carrying out this invention there is used a protective cover, or, what may
for convenience be designated as an armor, or, in other words, a material capable

page_text: of resisting to a greater or less extent the puncture of the tyre by sharp or pointed
objects, or even to afford a bullet proof cover, but it is not incorporated with
the wall of the tyre proper, nor intimately united to it, but merely held or
supported by attachment to the inner or seating portion of the tyre, or to the
wheel in position intermediate to the tread of the tyre and the road, or other
surface over which it travels.
From
The invention, therefore, consists broadly in this, viz., a protective cover or
sheath applied to a tyre, not as a part of the tyre proper, but as a fixed attach-
ment therefor so as to afford a surface upon which the tyre may roll.
the nature of the invention it is evident that the cover or sheath may be applied
and secured in many different ways, either to the tyre or rim, with the same result.
In the preferred form of the invention, the tyre proper is a light, thin and
highly resilient hose-pipe or single tube tyre, and this is surrounded by a cover or
sheath of canvas provided with a thick rubber tread, or otherwise constructed
to resist puncture. The edges of the said cover are united, preferably, to the
tyre, as by means of cement, but only at such portions, or nearly so, as are within
or below the edges of the rim, the unattached portion being of so much greater
dimensions than the tyre as to loosely surround the latter, even when it is inflated
to its fullest capacity.
Under these conditions the weight of the wheel and rider is sustained by the
tyre proper which may be made with any desired degree of resilience, while
the cover which loosely surrounds the tyre, and which is entirely free to alter
its shape, is simply interposed between the tyre and the ground.
The improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of the improved tyre showing portions of a wheel
on which it is mounted.
Figure 2 is a section of a tyre and rim showing a modification.
A designates a rim of any form or kind adapted to receive a pneumatic tyre.
B is an inflatable or pneumatic tyre which, as shewn, is composed of a rubber
lined tube of fabric covered or coated exteriorly with rubber, but which may be
any kind of pneumatic tyre, and is preferably made light and strong like the
higher grades of track or racing tyres.
C is a loose uninflatable protective sheath or cover which, in the present instance,
is shown as composed of a canvas: band d with an outer and comparatively thick
band of india rubber e united to it, as in Figure 2, a rubber band e in which is
cmbedded a strip or plate f of steel or other suitable puncture proof material.
The edges of the cover C are united to the inner portion of the tyre B, or
the exterior of the rim, or to both, as by means of cement, but the remaining
portion is left detached from the tyre and should be substantially larger than
the tyre when inflated, so that it will be entirely free to bend or change its shape
at the point of contact with the ground, as shown at the lower portion of Figure 1.
It will be found that when the above described relations between the tyre and
cover are preserved, a comparatively thick and highly puncture proof armor
may be applied to a tyre which detracts but slightly from its resiliency, and, in
fact, in some respects, improves its riding qualities.
It is well known that covers or sheaths of many kinds have been employed in
tyres, but in all such cases the said cover has either been united to the inflatable
portion of the tyre or secured thereto, or to the rim, in such manner as to con-
stitute a part of the wall of the tyre proper when under inflation. But in the
present improvement the cover and the tyre are, or may be, practically independent
in every sense except in the one that the cover, while maintained in fixed relation
to the wheel, is interposed between the tyre and the ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a protective cover, secured in

page_text: fixed relation to the tyre but normally free from attachment to or intimate
contact with the tread portion of the same, and affording a surface upon which
the tyre bears at the point of contact with the ground, as set forth.
2. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a protective cover or sheath
secured in fixed relation to the tyre, but of substantially larger dimensions than
the tyre when fully inflated.
3. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a protective cover or sheath of
substantially larger internal circumference than the tyre when duly inflated and
secured to the tyre at its inner or seating portion only, as set forth.
4. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a protective cover applied to
and secured in fixed relation therewith, but normally free from attachment to
or intimate contact with the outer or tread portions of the tyre, and of such
dimensions relatively to the tyre, when the latter is inflated, as to permit the
said cover to alter its shape independently of the tyre, as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of August 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.