IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WHEEL TYRES, AND IN THE MEANS FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO WHEELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Mulliner, of Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, in
the County of Middlesex, and Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC WHEEL TYRES, AND IN THE MEANS
FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO WHEELS."
Scaled the 30th May 1876, and dated the 1st February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Mulliner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1876.
1
FRANCIS MULLINER, of Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, in the County of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Middlesex, and Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
ELASTIC WHEEL TYRES, AND IN THE MEANS FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO WHEELS."
The object of this Invention is to avoid the objection which has hitherto
attended the employment of elastic tyres, which after a short term of service
become slack and slip out of place.
To prevent this I mould the vulcanized india-rubber tyre of such form in cross
section that it will bed on the flat metal tyre of the wheel, and offer at its sides
recesses for lateral gripping rings to bed in and hold firmly to the moulded rubber,
These gripping rings will be conveniently made in segments, and each segment
will be provided with two or more lugs to receive tie bolts, which passing through
the felloe of the wheel will enter lugs on the segment pieces composing the ring
on the opposite side of the elastic tyre, and being tightened up will cause the
segments to grip the elastic tyre firmly between them. The elastic tyre may be
conveniently made in segments to facilitate replacement of any injured part.
This method of securing the tyre is applicable not only to carriage wheels, but also
to the wheels of traction engines, agricultural implements, velocipedes, band
barrows, and trucks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Mulliner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st August
1876.
FRANCIS MULLINER, of Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, in the County of
Middlesex, and Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELASTIC WHEEL TYRES, AND IN THE MEANS FOR APPLYING THE SAME TO WHEELS."
The object of this Invention is to avoid the objection which has hitherto
attended the employment of elastic tyres, which after a short term of service
break or become slack and slip out of place.
To prevent this I mould the vulcanized india-rubber tyre of such form in cross
section that it will bed on the flat metal tyre of the wheel and offer at its sides
recesses for lateral gripping rings to interlock with and hold firmly to the moulded
rubber. These gripping rings will be conveniently made in segments, and each
segment will be provided with two or more lugs to receive tie bolts, which passing
through the felloe of the wheel will enter lugs on the segment pieces composing
the ring on the opposite side of the elastic tyre, and being tightened up will cause
the segments to grip the elastic tyre firmly between them.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shows in side view a portion of a wheel
fitted with an elastic tyre of india-rubber according to my Invention, and Fig. 2 is
a cross section of the same.
In these views A is the felloe; B, the ordinary metal tyre; and C, the elastic
tyre composed of moulded vulcanized india-rubber.
The elastic tyre C, it will be seen, is made flat on its inner periphery that it may
bed upon the metal tyre, and its breadth at that part corresponds with the breadth,
of the tyre B.
The rubber tyre C tapers by preference towards its outer periphery, as shown in
Fig. 2, and in its sides are formed annular recesses to receive the lateral gripping
pieces D, D. These gripping pieces are made of round wire bent to correspond
with the annular recesses in the india-rubber tyre, and short radial lugs D* are
welded thereto. The lugs of the gripping pieces on either side of the wheel are
drilled to receive screw bolts or rivets, and when fitted to the wheel the holes of
the lugs are brought into coincidence with holes drilled transversely through the
felloe. Bolts E are then passed through the wheel and secured by nuts, as shown
at Fig. 2.
The construction of the gripping pieces may be varied as convenience may
dictate. Thus in lieu of those shewn in Figures 1 and 2 I may adopt the con-
struction shewn in the section Fig. 3 and in the detached view Fig. 4, which latter
represents the inner face of the gripping piece. In these Figures it will be seen
that instead of the segment shaped piece of wire used to interlock with the india-
rubber tyre a line of dog tooth projections is provided. By this means a tight
lateral grip of the india-rubber tyre will be ensured, and as the breadth of the tyre
within the circumference of the gripping pieces is much larger than the space
between the annular gripping surfaces, all tendency of the elastic tyre to drag away
from its bearing surface will be prevented.
It may be here remarked that the elastic tyre may be conveniently made in
segments to facilitate replacement of any injured part. This method of securing
the tyre is applicable not only to carriage wheels but also to the wheels of traction
engines, agricultural implements, velocipedes, hand barrows, and trucks.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Elastic
Wheel Tyres, and in the Means for Applying the same to Wheels," and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. Constructing elastic wheel tyres in the manner and for the
described.
purpose above

page_text: Secondly. Securing the improved elastic wheel tyre in place by means of inter-
locking lateral gripping picces, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Mulliner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
FRANCIS MULLINER. (L.S.)