Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycle and other Vehicle Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycle and other Vehicle
Wheels.
I, HENRY ESCHBACHER, of 120 Parnell Road, Old Ford, in the County of
London, Dyer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the tyres employed on cycle wheels, or the wheels of
other kinds of road vehicles. The invention is intended to give a high degree of
elasticity to the tyres of the said wheels, like the inflated tyres now in use, while at
the same time avoiding some of the difficulties met with in thin and delicately
constructed tyres inflated to a high pressure.
My invention is as follows. I construct the rim of a cycle wheel (for example)
with sides of a sufficient depth to receive a number of spiral springs, and an india
rubber tyre supported upon the said springs within the flanges of the rim. The
spiral springs are arranged with their axis placed in a radial direction, (like the
spokes of a wheel), and as close together as possible or convenient within the flanges
of the rim. The springs, or the rim, are preferably made so that the springs may
have a good flat bearing at their inner ends; or a suitable base piece is provided for
this purpose and fitted to the said ends of each spring, and adapted to the form
and curvature of the rim to afford the desired bearing surface. These base pieces
may be made of sheet metal, wood, hard rubber, leather, or any suitable composition;
and they are formed, turned, moulded or otherwise shaped to give the required
bearing surface; and they also serve to keep the springs at the required distances
apart. The upper or outer ends of the springs either bear directly upon the under
side of the rubber tyre, or I sometimes interpose a cap piece (suitably formed)
over each spring, of a similar nature to the base pieces above mentioned.
The rubber tyre is stretched over the springs (within the flanges of the rim) and
thus has its bearing upon them. Although it is proposed to use solid rubber tyres,
yet I do not restrict myself to any particular kind or outward form of tyres; and
I may apply my invention to the wheels of other road vehicles such as carriages,
cabs, bath chairs, as well as to cycles.
Dated this 28th day of September 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycle and other Vehicle
Wheels.
I, HENRY ESCHBACHER, of 120 Parnell Road, Old Ford, in the County of
London, Dyer, 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 relates to the tyres employed on cycle wheels, or the wheels oi
other kinds of road vehicles. The invention is intended to give a high degree of
elasticity to the tyres of the said wheels, like the inflated tyres now used, but
avoiding some of the difficulties met with in thin and delicately constructed tyres
inflated to a high pressure.

page_text: my invention. In these,
Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the rim and tyre of a wheel of a cycle;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along part of the circumference of Fig. 1 ;
Figs. 3 and 4 show modifications of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 shows a modification of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 6 is an elevation of a spiral spring with a separate cap and base piece in
their relative positions..
Fig. 7 is an elevation, and Fig. 8 a plan, of a brass eye, for keeping the tyre in
position.
In the drawings, the steel rim a of the cycle wheel is made with sides of
sufficient depth to receive a solid rubber tyre band a number of spiral springs c
placed radially and at about an equal distance apart within the rim and beneath
the tyre. Consequently the rubber tyre bis seated upon, and is supported by, the
said spiral springs c either directly or with a cap piece d of suitable form and
material placed between. The rubber tyre b is stretched over the tops of the
springs c, and slipped between the flanges of the rim, so that the inner circum-
ference of the tyre is about one quarter of an inch below the outer circumference
of the flanges of the rim, between which it fits closely to prevent side play.
Consequently the under side of the tyre & bears upon the springs c and as there are
(for example) about 60 used in the rim a of a wheel of about 28 to 30 inches in
diameter, the springs c are comparatively close together and afford a good support
to the rubber tyre.
In some cases I use a base piece e of wood or other suitable material to give a
good bearing within the metal rim, and also to assist in keeping the springs in their
relative positions, or I may fit segments of wood within the rim for the same
purpose, and bore holes partially or entirely through the same to form pockets to
receive the lower ends of the springs as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In some cases as
indicated above a suitably formed cap piece d of wood or other suitable material is
interposed over the springs and beneath the tyre, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, or
I may mould projections or recesses on the inner side of the rubber tyre at suitable
distances apart to receive, or fit into, the outer ends of the springs c as shown in
Figs. 3 and 4.
The rubber tyre b is easily stretched and placed in position over the springs and
within the flanges of the rim a, in the manner above indicated, and can be as
readily removed. But to prevent any possibility of the tyre slipping out of position
when in use, I attach loops or elongated eyes fof brass wire to the inner side of
the tyre by moulding them in, or by means of rubber solution, or other convenient
manner in such a way that each loop extends down between two adjoining springs
into the interior space of the rim, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. A screw or rivet g
is then placed transversely through the rim a from one flange thereof to the other
so as to pass through the eye f to admit the required degree of radial movement of
the tyre, but not enough to allow the latter to come out of position without removing
the screw y. The rubber tyre 6 is a ring shaped solid tyre, such as is frequently
used.
The cap and base pieces (e and d) can be made of sheet metal, wood, hard rubber,
leather, or other suitable substance or composition, and they are formed or adapted
to give the required bearing surface, or to keep the springs at the required distance
apart. I am aware that springs of various forms have been used in combination
with elastic tyres, and that spiral springs have also been used close together and
placed in a radial direction to support the tyre and therefore do not claim these
things.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
In vehicle wheels, the combination of a hollow metallic rim having deep vertical

page_text: side flanges, with a number of spiral springs placed radially within the said rim
near to each other, and a continuous solid rubber tyre seated within the side flanges
and upon the said springs in such manner that a practically continuous spring
support is provided against the underside of the tyre, a base piece or pieces adapted
to keep the springs in their relative position, and wire loops attached to the tyre
and screws passing through the same and the side flanges of the rim whereby the
tyre is allowed a limited vertical motion but prevented from escaping from the rim,
substantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in Figs. 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of June 1894.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.