Improvements relating to the Wheels of Velocipedes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept.. 1891-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Wheels of Velocipedes.
I, FREDERICK LOUIS LANGE of 5 The Terrace, Upton Park, Slough, Bucks,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is now generally admitted that for speed, and also for comfort in riding
velocipedes, pneumatic and cushion tyres are a great improvement on the ordinary
solid tyres, but one great objection has been found to the broad tyres, and that is,
their liability to slip sideways and upset the rider.
Now the object of this invention is to obviate this inconvenience, and the invention
consists in the adaptation to the pneumatic and cushion tyre, of an annular cover
having longitudinal ribs on its outer face.
In carrying out my invention, I make, in the usual way, a soft rubber vulcanised
tube of the required size, and having attached thereto, hard rubber ribs, which
form the running surfaces. This tube, when formed, I rip along the inner side, and
apply it to the velocipede wheel, so that it will lap round and entirely cover not
only the pneumatic tyre, but the rim of the wheel, to which the cover will be
attached by cement or otherwise.
By this means I provide two, three, or more separate and distinct running
surfaces, one or other of which will come into action according to the greater or
less inclination at which the velocipede is running, and thus slipping will be
prevented.
As the cover becomes worn out, it can readily be stripped off and a fresh one
cemented on.
...
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Wheels of Velocipedes.
I FREDERICK LOUIS LANGE of 5 The Terrace, Upton Park, Slough, in the
County of Bucks 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:—
My invention relates to elastic tyres having hollow interior spaces within them
for the purpose of increasing the resilient action of the rubber, and it consists of an
annular cover having longitudinal ribs on its exterior surface-adapted to be placed
over the rubber tyre, the object being to prevent side slipping of the wheel which
is an inherent defect of this type of tyre owing to the broad surface it presents to
the road under the load carried by the wheel.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention,
Figure 1 is a view in cross section of a pneumatic or inflated tyre fitted with
my improved cover,
Figure 2 is a view in cross section of a tubular tyre fitted with my improved
cover,
Figure 3, 4 and 5 are views in cross section, and
Figure 6 is a view in broken plan showing various methods of constructing the
cover.
Throughout the several views similar parts are marked with like letters of
reference.

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, A designates the
ordinary pneumatic or cushion tyre fixed to the rim of the wheel B and generally
constructed, arranged and operating in the manner already well-known. Over the
tyre A is placed an annular cover Č having at or about its centre two, three, or
more continuous longitudinal ribs or projections c. This cover C may be attached
to the tyre either by cementing its edges to the inner side of the rim of the wheel,
or by lacing its edges together round the rim.
The cover C may be made of rubber or leather, or of a combination of both, or
either or both combined with canvas. The construction which I prefer to adopt is
that illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 in which the cover is made of a thin sheet of
soft rubber with a canvas backing, with the ribs or projections made of a good
hardwearing compound of rubber.
To construct my cover I prefer to form it in the shape of a tube as shown by
Figure 4 and split it longitudinally at the point marked to enable it to be placed
round the tyre, but it may equally as well be moulded in the form shown by
Figures 5 and 6.
When the cover is made of leather I prefer to form the ribs or
projections by making longitudinal folds therein as shown by Figure 3.
With a cover of this construction all liability of the wheel to slip sideways is
overcome as the ribs provide distinct running surfaces, two or more of which are
always in contact with the surface of the road whatever the inclination of the wheel
may 'be.
It will be seen that the cover can easily be removed, or attached, and that it
does not in any way interfere with the efficiency of the tyre it is covering, but that
on the other hand with pneumatic or inflated tyres it gives increased protection to
the inflation tube from puncturing.
I am aware that it is not new to form projections or corrugations on the bearing
surfaces of rubber tyres, and I therefore do not broadly claim such as my inven-
tion, but
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
1st. A flexible annular cover, having two or more longitudinal ribs or projections,
and adapted to be placed over the hollow tyre of a velocipede wheel and to be
attached thereto by cementing its edges to the inner side of the rim carrying the
said tyre, as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. A flexible annular cover, having two or more longitudinal ribs or projections
and adapted to be placed over the hollow tyre of a velocipede wheel and to be
attached thereto by lacing together its edges round the rim of the wheel, as and
for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The combination with a pneumatic or inflated tyre, of a flexible cover having
two or more continuous longitudinal ribs or projections and adapted to be fixed
round the said tyre by cementing its edges to the inner side of the rim of the wheel,
or by lacing its edges together on the inside of the rim of the wheel, as set forth.
4th. The combination with a cushion or self-sustaining hollow tyre, of a flexible
cover having two or more longitudinal ribs or projections and adapted to be fixed
round the said tyre by cementing its edges to the inner side of the rim of the wheel,
or by lacing its edges, together on the inside of the rim of the wheel, as set forth.
Dated this 25th day of September 1891.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.