Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1897--Accepted, 11th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic Tyres.
We, BENJAMIN RADCLIFFE ADKINS, of 14, Albion Road, College Park, Lewisham,
in the County of Kent, Engineer, and CHARLES WINDSOR, of 71, Tressillian Road,
Brockley, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to various improvements in apparatus of the kind
described in our application for Letters Patent No. 8045 of 1896 for automatically
inflating a pneumatic tyre and maintaining a practically constant pressure therein,
and it has for object to further simplify the construction and improve the efficiency
and working of such apparatus.
According thereto the pump cylinder is provided at its inner end with an improved
construction and arrangement of combined suction valve, air closure and air filtering
device.
It comprises an internally screw threaded socket fitted with an endways adjustable
screw plug the inward and outward movements of which are limited respectively by
a central tubular extension at the bottom, of the socket and a fixed gland screwed
into the free end of the socket between the edge of which and the flange on the
gland a packing ring is preferably placed. A packing ring is also placed between
the inner end of the gland and the screw plug. The screw plug is perforated and
on that surface thereof that nearest the cylinder, is provided with a centrally
arranged piece of packing material and at one side thereof with a suction valve
consisting of a piece of sheet material such as india rubber which is suitably held
at its ends over the perforation or perforations in the plug as for instance by a plate
that is bent away from the plug (at its central portion and is provided at its ends
with pins that are fixed in holes in the plug. The plug is made with a hollow
extension or chamber that extends through the gland and is charged with filtering
material such as cotton wool or the like kept in place by a perforated plate which
is provided on one side with projections arranged to take into recesses into the outer
edge of the hollow extension and is fixed in place by a set screw passing through it
and taking into the body of the plug. The arrangement is such that by screwing
back the plug the tubular extension in the socket and air passage to the cylinder
will be uncovered so that on the outward or suction stroke of the piston, the central
or free portion of the suction valve will move away from the perforated portion of
the screw plug and permit air to be drawn through the filtering chamber and pass
freely to the cylinder whilst on the inward stroke of the pump piston the central or
free portion of the suction valve will close against the perforated portion of the plug
and prevent the escape of air. By screwing up the plug so as to cause the central
piece of packing material to abut closely against the tubular extension in the socket
fter the tyre has been sufficiently inflated, the air passage leading to the cylinder
can be closed in a very effectual manner so as to maintain the pressure in the tyre.
In a modified construction, the plug is provided at its inner end or that nearest
he cylinder, with a hollow extension of smaller cross section than the plug and
hrough the wall of which the air inlet opening is formed, the suction valve in thi
[Price 8d1

page_text: case being a piece of rubber retained in place over the air inlet opening
by a part ring so that it is free to open by suction and close by pressure.
The centrally arranged piece of packing material is carried by the inner end of the
said extension. In each arrangement, the socket may be made in one piece with the
pump cylinder, or it may be screwed onto a tubular extension of the inner end of 5
the pump cylinder in which case a packing ring should be inserted between the
socket and cylinder.
The delivery valve at the outer end of the pump cylinder consists of a ball fitted
to work freely. but without lateral play in a recess in a valve plate so as to control the
passage of air through a hole in the said plate, one or more grooves in the side of 1
the recess permitting air to pass the ball valve the opening movement of which
is suitably limited as for example by a stirrup shaped piece of wire having its ends
fixed in the valve plate. The delivery valve is located above an annular recess in the
bottom of the valve box into which the valve plate and outer end of the cylinder are
screwed as before, two concentrically arranged rings of packing material such as
leather or india rubber and the inner of which is provided with a central tubular
extension, being compressed between the valve plate and the bottom of the valve box
at-opposite sides of the annular recess so as to ensure a tight joint at this part. The
annular recess communicates as before with the interior of the tubular extension of
the outer end of the valve box which is screwed to the tubular stem by which air is
delivered to the interior of the tyre to be inflated. The outer end of the tubular
extension of the valve box according to this invention is made with a spherical bearing
surface to bed directly against a rubber or other ring of elastic or yielding material
arranged between it and rim of the wheel to which the apparatus is applied so as to
allow of the required swivelling of the pump cylinder.
The washer or plate between which and the outer flanged end of the tubular stem
the inner periphery of the tyre is clamped by the tightening up of a nut on the said
stem, is provided with lips or projections which, after the tightening up of the nut,
can be bent up so as to come at opposite sides of two diametrically arranged pins or
projections on the nut and so prevent the nut from becoming loose. The said washer
or plate, which may be of rectangular shape, is provided at its sides with outwardly
extending flanges which bend in the pneumatic tyre at opposite sides of the flange
on the stem with the object of preventing undue wear of the tyre in proximity to
its connection with the stem. For a like purpose a piece of material such as canvas
is arranged between the tyre and washer or plate and inner periphery of the tyre
cover and the wheel rim. The nut is provided with a convex surface arranged to bear
upon an annular concave surface on a plate through a large hole in which and the
wheel rim the stem passes. The plate is fixed to the outer periphery of the wheel
rim and is formed with holes adapted to receive the pins or projections on the nut
and prevent undue twisting of the nut, stem and attached tyre when screwing the
pump cylinder and delivery valve chamber on the stem.
The inner end of the pump piston rod is preferably screwed through the piston
so as to project on the inner side thereof so that after removal of the screw plug in
the socket at the inner end of the pump cylinder, a pin can be passed through the
inner end of the cylinder and screwed onto the projecting end of the piston rod in
order to admit of the piston being worked by hand for the purpose of inflating the
tyre at starting and so dispense with the need of a separate air pump for this
purpose.
For connecting the outer end of the piston rod to the plate that is attached to
the outer peripheral or tread portion of the tyre, there is provided on the inner side
of the said plate a hollow or recessed boss that extends through the said portion of
tyre and in which the flattened and perforated outer end of the piston rod is held by
a pivot pin. This pin passes loosely through the boss and is held in place endways
by a washer or ring that surrounds the boss and between which and the said plate
the tyre is clamped by pressure applied by any suitable means, such as by flanging
or rivetting the edge of the boss over the washer or ring, or by a nut screwed on the
boss. This nut may be locked by any suitable means, conveniently by lips or

page_text: The
the washer or ring being bent upward and inward so as to enter slots in the nut.
plate is or may be curved both longitudinally and transversely and the outer surface
of the washer or ring shaped to correspond.
To prevent the boss on the plate striking against the outer end tubular stem when
the tyre is only partly inflated, the boss and outer end of the piston rod is surrounded
by a ring of india rubber or like material. As will be obvious some of our
improvements can be used without the others and some of the parts may be
modified to adapt them to different constructions of pneumatic tyres.
Dated thi, 11th day of 1005
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic Tyres.
We, BENJAMIN RADCLIFFE ADKINS, of 14, Albion Road, College Park, Lewisham, in
the County of Kent, Engineer, and CHARLES WINDSOR, of 71, Tressillian Road, Brockley,
in the County of Kent, Gentleman, 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 has reference to various improvements in apparatus of the kind
described in the specification of former Letters Patent grauted to us Nos. 8045 and
12651 both of 1896 for automatically inflating a pneumatic tyre and maintaining a
practically constant pressure therein, and it has for object to further simplify the
construction and improve the efficiency and working of such apparatus, as we shall now
proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings wherein
Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 2 partly in elevation and partly
in cross section on the line x x of Fig. 1, inflating apparatus embodying our present
invention applied in connection with a wheel rim and pneumatic tyre. Fig. 3 is a
horizontal section on the line y y of Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views
hereinafter referred to. Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations at right angles to one another
and each partly in vertical section, showing part of a wheel and pneumátic tyre with
a modified construction of inflating apparatus applied thereto. Fig 9 is a side
elevation of the modified construction of the air closure and air filtering device shown
in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a sectional plan on the line y¹ y¹ of Fig. 7.
In inflating apparatus according to this invention, the pump cylinder 1 is provided at
its inner end with an improved construction and arrangement of combined air closure
and air filtering device. This device according to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3
comprises an internally screw threaded socket 2 fitted with an endways adjustable
screw plug 3 the inward and outward movements of which are limited respectively by
a central tubular extension 4 at the bottom of the socket and a fixed gland 5 screwed
into the free end of the socket between the edge of which and the flange on the gland
a packing ring 6 is preferably placed. A packing ring 7 is also placed between the
inner end of the gland and the screw plug. The screw plug is formed with a
perforation 8, (or there may be more than one) and, on that surface that is nearest
the cylinder 1, is provided with a centrally arranged piece of packing material 9, and

page_text: it may be, at one side thereof, with a suction valve 10 consisting of a piece of sheet
material such as india rubber which is suitably held at its ends over the perforation 8
(or perforations) in the plug 3, as for instance by a plate 11 (Fig. 4) that is bent away
from the plug at its central portion 11 and is provided at its ends with pins 11" that
are fixed in holes in the plug. The plug is made with a hollow extension or chamber 3*
that extends through the gland 5 and is charged with filtering material 12, such as
cotton wool or the like, kept in place by a perforated plate 13 which is provided on
one side with projections 13ª arranged to take into corresponding recesses in the outer
edge of the hollow extension 3 and is fixed in place by a set screw 14 passing through
it and taking into the body of the plug. As will be seen, the arrangement is such
that by screwing back the plug 3 the tubular extension 4 within the socket 2 and the
air passage 15 leading therethrough to the cylinder 1 will be uncovered so that on the
outward or suction stroke of the pump piston 16 the central or free portion of
the suction valve 10 will move away from the perforated portion of the screw plug and
permit air to be drawn through the filtering chamber 3ª and pass freely to the
cylinder, whilst on the inward stroke of the pump piston the central or free portion of
the said suction valve will close against the perforated portion of the plug and prevent
any escape of air. By screwing up the plug so as to cause the central piece of packing
material 9 to abut closely against the tubular extension 4 after the tyre has been
sufficiently inflated, the air passage 15 leading to the cylinder can be closed in a very
effectual manner so as to maintain the pressure in the tyre.
In the modified construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the screw plug 3 is
provided at its inner end, or that nearest the cylinder, with a hollow extension 3b of
smaller cross section than the plug and through the wall of which the air inlet
opening 8 is formed, the suction valve 10 in this case being a piece of india-rubber
that is retained in place over the air inlet opening by a part spring ring 17 which
holds the ends of the piece of india rubber against the hollow extension 3b in such a
manner that the central portion thereof constitutes a valve that is free to open by
suction and close by pressure. In practice however we have found that when the
chamber 3 in the screw plug 3 is charged with filtering material 12 such as cotton
wool, a suction valve is not absolutely necessary, as the filtering material prevents a
free escape of air from the cylinder through the screw plug on the return stroke of the
pump piston, whilst the partial vacuum set up on the outer side of the piston at this
time serves to cause the air to move from the inner to the outer end of the pump
cylinder. The centrally arranged piece of packing material 9 is carried by the inner
end of the hollow extension 3b.
In each arrangement, the socket 2 may be made in one piece with the pump
cylinder 1 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or it may be screwed on to a tubular
extension 4 of the inner end of the pump cylinder as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
in which case a packing ring 18 should be inserted between the socket and
cylinder.
The delivery valve at the outer end of the pump cylinder in the example
shown in Fig. 1, consists of a ball 19 of suitable material such as brass fitted to
work freely but without lateral play in a recess 20 in a valve plate 21 so as
to control the passage of air through a hole 22 in the said plate, one or more
grooves 23 in the side of the recess permitting air to pass the ball valve when
the same moves into its open position, the valve seat being annular and formed
in the plate at the outer end of the hole 22. Fig. 1 is a sectional detail view
showing a modification in which the delivery valve 19 consists of a disc of
flexible material such as leather fitted to work freely within the recess 20 in the
valve plate 21. By these constructions of valve undue wear is prevented and a
very effective closure of the communication between the pneumatic tyre and the
air pump cylinder can be maintained when the pump is not working. The
opening movement of the valve is suitably limited, as for example by a stirrup
shaped piece of wire 24 (Fig. 1) having its ends 24* fixed in the valve plate, or
by a plug 24 (Fig. 14) fitted tightly in the recess 20 and formed with air exit
grooves 23*.

page_text: In each case the delivery valve 19 is located above an annular recess 25 in the
bottom of the valve box 26 into which the valve plate and outer end of the
cylinder are screwed as heretofore, two concentrically arranged rings 27, 27* of
packing material, such as leather or india rubber, being compressed between the
valve plate 21 and the bottom of the valve box 26 at opposite sides of the
annular recess so as to ensure a tight joint at this part. The inner ring 27* is
provided with a central tubular extension 27b, that fits around and forms an air tight
joint with the pump piston rod 40 hereinafter more particularly referred to, 28 is a
ring of packing material arranged between the valve plate 21 and the outer end of
the cylinder which abuts against it. The annular recess 25 communicates, as before,
with the interior of the tubular extension 29 of the outer end of the valve box 26
which is screwed to the tubular stem 30 by which air is delivered to the interior of
the air tube 31 of the tyre to be inflated. The outer end of the said tubular
extension 29 according to this invention is made with a spherical bearing surface 29ª
to bed directly against a rubber or' other ring 32 of elastic or yielding material
arranged between it and the rim 33 of the wheel to which the apparatus is applied,
so as to allow of the required swivelling movements of the pump cylinder.
The washer or plate 34 between which and the outer flanged end 30ª of the tubular
stem 30 the inner periphery of the air tube 31 of the tyre is clamped by the tightening
up of a nut on the said stem, is provided with lips or projections 34ª which, after the
tightening up of the nut 35, can be bent up so as to come at opposite sides of two
diametrically arranged pins or projections 35 on the nut and so prevent the nut from
becoming loose, the stem 30 being formed with one or more flat surfaces and the hole
in the washer or plate 34 being shaped to correspond so that the washer or plate
cannot turn on the stem. The said washer or plate 34, which may be of rectangular
shape as shown, is provided at its sides with outwardly extending flanges 34b which
bend in the pneumatic tyre at opposite sides of the flange 30° on the stem 30 with
the object of preventing undue wear of the air tube 31 of the tyre at that part
thereof in proximity to its connection with the said stem. For a like purpose a piece
of material 36 such as canvas is arranged between the air tube of the tyre and washer
or plate 34 and inner periphery of the tyre cover 37. The nut 35 is provided with a
convex surface, as shown, arranged to bear upon an annular concave surface 38% on a
plate 38 through a large hole 38b in which and the wheel rim 33 the stem 30 passes.
The plate is fixed to the outer periphery of the wheel rim as by rivets 39, and is
formed with holes 38° adapted to receive the pins or projections 35° on the nut 35 and
prevent undue twisting of the nut, stem and attached tyre when screwing the pump
cylinder 1 and delivery valve chamber 21 on the stem 30.
The inner end of the pump piston rod 40 is preferably screwed through the piston
so as to project on the inner side thereof as shown in Fig. 6, so that after removal of
the screw plug 3 from the socket 2 at the inner end of the pump cylinder, a pin 41
(Figs. 6 and 7) can be passed through the inner end of the cylinder and screwed onto
the projecting end of the piston rod in order to admit of the piston being worked by
hand for the purpose of inflating the tyre at starting and so dispense with the need of
a separate air pump for this purpose. The inner end of the piston rod may however
be internally screw threaded as shown in Fig. 1 to receive when desired, the externally
screw threaded end of a piston operating pin.
For connecting the outer end of the piston rod 40 to the plate 42 that is attached
to the outer peripheral or tread portion of the tyre, there is provided on the inner side.
of the said plate, a hollow or recessed boss 42* that extends through the said portion
of the tyre and in which the flattened and perforated outer end 40° of the piston rod
is held by a pivot pin 43 (Figs. 1 and 2). This pin passes loosely through the boss and
s held in place endways by a washer or ring 44 that surrounds the boss and between
which and the said plate the tyre is clamped by pressure applied by any suitable
means, such as by flanging or riveting the edge 42 of the boss over the washer or
ing 44, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or by a nut 45 screwed on the boss as shown in
Figs. 7 and 8. This nut may be locked by any suitable means, conveniently by lips 44*
on the washer or ring 44 being bent upward and inward so as to enter slots 45* in the
"

page_text: nut. The plate 42 is or may be curved both longitudinally and transversely and the
outer surface of the washer or ring 44 shaped to correspond. 36 is a strip of material
such as canvas placed between the air tube 31 and the plate 42 to prevent undue wear
of such air tube. The hole in the piece of canvas should be much larger than the
boss 42ª in diameter so that the rubber air tube can be forced by the washer or ring 44
into direct contact with the plate so as to ensure an air tight joint at this point.
To prevent the boss 42 on the plate 42 striking against the outer end 30 of
the tubular stem 30 when the tyre is only partly inflated, the said boss and
outer end of the piston rod 40 is surrounded by a ring 46 of india rubber or
like material.
As will be obvious some of our improvements can be used without the others
and some of the parts may be modified to adapt them to different constructions
of pneumatic tyres.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
1. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for inflating pneumatic tyres, the
combination with the inner end of the air pump cylinder provided with an air inlet
passage, of an internally screw threaded socket provided at the bottom with a tubular
extension and at its free end with a gland, an endways adjustable plug screwed into
the socket, formed with one or more air inlet passages therethrough and provided on
its outer side with packing material arranged to abut against the end of the tubular
extension. within the socket when the plug is screwed towards the same, and on its
inner side with a hollow extension or chamber that extends through the gland and
is charged with filtering material held in place by a removable perforated plate, and
a packing ring arranged between the screw plug and gland, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed, whether or not the
air passage or passages in the screw plug be controlled by a suction valve as set
forth.
2. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for inflating pneumatic tyres,
controlling the communication between the outer end of the pump cylinder and the
pneumatic tyre by means of a delivery valve consisting of a ball fitted to work freely but
without lateral play in a recess within a valve plate formed with a hole for the passage
of air from the pump cylinder to the tyre and with one or more grooves in the side
of the recess for permitting the air to pass the valve when the same moves into its open
position, substantially as herein described.
3. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for inflating pneumatic tyres, the
combination with the tubular stem for connecting the pump cylinder to a pneumatic
tyre, of a nut screwed on the stem and provided with a convex inner end and with
inwardly projecting pins, a washer or plate fitting the stem and provided with lips or
projections adapted by bending to lock the nut and prevent it becoming loose and
with outwardly extending flanges arranged to bend in the pneumatic tyre at opposite
sides of flanges on the adjacent end of the stem, and a plate fixed to the wheel rim to
which the apparatus is applied, and through which the tubular stem passes, the said
plate being provided with an annular concave bearing surface for the nut and with
holes into which the pins on the nut extend, substantially as described for the
purposes specified.
4. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for inflating pneumatic tyres,
pivoting the outer end of the pump piston rod within a hollow or recessed inwardly
extending boss on the plate used for attaching the rod to the outer peripheral or tread
portion of the pneumatic tyre, by means of a pivot pin that passes freely through the
rod end and boss and is held in place endways by a washer or ring that surrounds the
boss and between which and the said plate the tyre is clamped, substantially as herein
described.
5. The improved tyre inflating apparatus constructed arranged and operating

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 6
inclusive or modified according to Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 11th day of November 1897
W. LLOYD WISE,
6, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C, Chartered Patent Agent.