Improvements in and relating to Inflatable Tyres.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1894-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Inflatable Tyres.
I, GEORGE HOSTEL CHINNOCK of 199 Gates Avenue, Brooklyn, in the County
of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, 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 :―
My invention relates to means and details thereof, for applying and retaining
inflated tires upon the rims of wheels, especially of the usual bicycle type.
The characteristics of the device embodying my invention are fully set forth
in the drawings, and the claims set forth what I believe to be novel
and useful. Preliminary to the detail description and claims, I may state
some of the leading features of the device in a general manner.
As usual,
there is a stout canvas and rubber tube for holding compressed air. The
general object is to hold the cover over the tube to the rim of the wheel. I
provide what may be termed a sectional securing or restraining band, the ends
overlapping, and a wedge shaped bolt passing through the overlapped portions.
The holes are long, so that when the bolt is tightened, the sections are drawn
together. The pull on each section is at both ends from the center.
The edges
of the rubber cover are compressed between the sectional band and the rim and
the slack of the cover may be taken up if the cover is too large, or the inner tube
too small, so that tubes and covers of variable sizes may be employed. When the
inflated tire collapses, no injury is done to the rider, because the tire does not fall
off from the rim.
Fig. 1 illustrates a securing band formed in different lengths or sections and
applied to the rim of a wheel. Part of the band is broken away, and different
parts of the device are in different phases, so as to show in one view how the device
operates.
Fig. 2 shows overlapping ends of certain bands which are used in the con-
struction. They are overlapped to such an extent as to allow the passage of the
fastening bolt.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the binding bolts on a much enlarged scale.
Fig. 4 is a different view of the bolt.
Figs. 5 and 6 are different views of the uut used on the bolt.
Fig. 7 is a view of the bolt as viewed from the right hand in Fig. 3.
Fig. 8 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of that device which is shown in
Fig. 1, and shews the application of the inflated tire and its cover.
Fig. 9 is a section of the wheel tire at "y" in Fig. 8. The bolts are shown
tightened, so that the tire is ready for use.
Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective and cross-sectional views of a complete tire
modified as hereinafter described.
Figs. 11 and 11B are modifications of the clamp.
Figs. 12 and 13 are similar views of another modification.
Fig. 13 shows a different phase of that shown in Fig. 13.
Figs. 14 and 15 are similar views of still another modification. The perspective
views in each instance show the cover partly removed.
The views that are
perspective show cross-sections. In Figs. 13 and 15 parts of the tire are broken
away.
Figs. 16 and 17 show the same as Fig. 15, in different phases.
The device embodying my invention consists of the combination of a sectional
band having sections a, circumscribing the rim b, of the wheel, bolts e, having
wedge shaped shanks passing through slots d provided in the ends of suid

page_text: sections, whose ends over-lap each other, and nuts e for retaining the bolts c to the
rim through which they pass. The slots in the bands a extend lengthwise and
are so located that when the ends of the bands overlap each other the wedge
shaped shanks are located in the slots. The bolts c have large flat heads c², which
press upon the bands when the nuts are tightened. Referring particularly to
Fig. 1, it may be stated that some of the nuts are loose and others are tight, so as
to show their various dispositions. In Fig. 8 all the nuts are tightened. The
cover is lettered f. It is held to the rim by the pressure of the bolts c upon the
bands a, the edges of the cover being between the bands and rim.
It should be noticed that the slack of the cover may be taken up by loosening
the bands a and drawing the edges of the cover closer together and then again
tightening the bands. After this is accomplished, the inner tube may be inflated
by forcing air through the usual valve g.
If by any accident, the inner tube should collapse the rider will receive no
injury, because the rubber tire will be retained upon the rim b by my clamping
devices.
When the rubber tire wears out, it may be replaced by another, but not
necessarily of the same size as to the diameter from the rim 6 outward, because
the slack can be taken up as described. Further, these bands and bolts may be
applied to any type of bicycle or wheels, having a rim b, as all that is necessary
is to make holes in the rim for the passage of the bolts c.
The heads of the
bolts are preferably rather large, so that they may hold the bands effectually.
The reason why the wedges c¹ are provided is that as the bolts are drawn inwardly
by the nuts e, the bands are pulled upon from opposite ends, until they are pressed
upon the rim of the wheel, and against the edges of the cover as above set forth.
The nuts e may have milled heads as in Fig. 5, or hexagonal heads as in Fig. 1.
The shanks are purposely not wedge shaped relatively to the sides of the rim b,
but only in the direction of the full length of the bands a, because the bands are
to be drawn together in the direction of the circumference of the wheel. When
any band is released at one end, it straightens outward, as shown at the left of
Fig. 1. This is because they are in practice made of straight strips of tempered
steel.
In order to apply a cover in the first instance, the bands a are placed upon
the rim and the bolts c passed through them and the rim b, and the nuts e are
placed loosely thereon, so that the bands a stand out from the rim 6 to their
maximum extent, as shown approximately at the upper right hand side of Fig. 1.
Now the cover and the tube f' are taken and the lateral edges placed under
the bands a, at the opposite sides thereof and forced toward the central line of
the rim, until the inner diameter of the cover is about equal to the full diameter
of the tube f, which may be inflated after the clamps are tightened.
My invention is capable of modification. See for example in Figs. 10 and 11,
where the bands are omitted, and only the bolts are employed, which need not
have the wedge shaped sbanks c Another modification shown consists of
molding projections h, so that the edges may he dovetailed and prevented from
pulling apart when the bolts are accidentally loosened. These projections / which
fit in corresponding grooves, take the place of the bands in holding the edges
effectually together and around the tube flat points between the bolts c, which
pass through-holes i located in the cover at the proper position. These holes serve
a very useful purpose for the cover f, preventing it from creeping around the rim b,
which is well known to be objectionable. In practice, I usually employ eight bolts
to a tire when the bands are omitted.
In Figs. 14, 15 and 17 is shown a further modification, whereby projections
on the rubber cover are provided in such manner that the cover can be adjusted
to differently sized inflatable tubes. The projections are lettered and 2 being
parallel and extending around the length of the cover f. The projections h
are at the extreme edges, and those lettered are away from the edge so as to
leave a groove; between them. The bands are preferably employed in this
instance, as shown at a, the side edges being rolled or bent upon themselves to

page_text: form thickened edges, which lie beyond the projections h¹, in Fig. 15, whereby
the cover is drawn up to its smallest size. The cover can be let out to a larger
size as shown in Fig. 17, where one thickened edge lies beyond both projections and
where the other lies in one of the grooves.
In Fig. 16, the cover has its fullest capacity by allowing the edges of the bands
to lie in the respective grooves j. Notches are cut into the edges of the
cover at the bolts, so that creeping of the cover may be overcome. Washers 1, of
some soft material such as combined canvas and india-rubber, are provided between
the bolts heads and the bands a. These may extend all or partly around the
rim. They serve to protect the inflated tube f1 from being cut by the bands a,
which would otherwise wear against it with injurious effects. In Figs. 12, 13
and 13ª, the rim 6 has inwardly turned edges and the cover f has flanges fitting
therein. As before, there are notches k in the cover at the bolts c.
The heads
bear directly upon the cover and between it and the inflated tube f' is a flap n,
one edge of which is fastened to the cover. This flap protects the inflated tube
from wearing against the bolt heads c. The rim 6 by its overturned edges
may be said to be provided with lateral grooves for the reception of the flanges
As the cover is held all around by the rim, the bands are unnecessary in this
instance.
m.
In Fig. 114, the cover is provided with enlarged edges H, which are located
between the band and the rim and heads H¹ extend around the cover to prevent
the edges from being pushed too far under the band.
In Fig. 11, grooves C are provided on the bolt so as to lock the band better to
the bolt.
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. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a spring band divided into
segments which are joined end to end with overlapping portions, an inflatable
tube located around the segments, a cover over the tube having its edges
located between the segments and the rim, and means for putting the segments
under tension.
2. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a spring band divided into
segments which extend around said rim, and means for putting the segments under
tension.
3. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a spring band divided into
segments, which are joined end to end, with overlapping portions, an inflatable
tube located on the segments, a slotted cover over the tube and having its
edges located between the segments and the rim, and means for putting the
segments under tension, said means consisting of wedge shaped bolts, which
press against the edges of holes provided in the overlapped portions of said
segments.
4. The combination with the rim of the wheel, of an inflatable tube circum-
scribing the same, a cover therefor, a band divided into segments which are
joined end to end, with overlapping portions, which contain longitudinal holes,
bolts passing through said holes, and having one pair of opposite sides parallel to
each other, the other pair being tapered towards each other, and pressing against
the edges of the holes in the direction of the length of the segments and nuts upon
the bolts on the side of the rim opposite the said segments.
5. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a spring band divided into
segments which are joined end to end, with overlapping portions, an inflatable
tube located around the segments, a slotted cover surrounding the tube, and having
notches in the edges thereof, bolts, having tapered portions, which pass through the
segments and the rim, and located at and in said notches, and having grooves in
which the edges of the segments are sprung.
6. The combination with the rim of a wheel, of a slotted cover, containing an

page_text: inflatable tube, a pair of parallel beads, extending along each edge of the cover, a
band having thickened edges which are located against said beads, and means for
clamping said band to said rim.