Year: 1897

page_text: I FRANK WYNNE of 13 Ashley Gardens in the City of Westminster Civil Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My improvements relate to the production of a hollow or tubular pneumatic ring
hereinafter called sphincter tube ring the diameter of which can be readily increased
by inflation beyond its normal diameter against an elastic or resilient resistance so
that it can be placed around a body of larger diameter than the said normal diameter and
can afterwards be wholly or partially deflated so that it will then exert a centripetal
or sphincter grip like action around and upon a body to which it is applied and
which resists its reversion to its original state Such a ring is specially suitable for
securing an inflatable. tyre ring around and upon a wheel and sometimes also for
making an airtight joint and is made of an endless tube so constructed and of such
material as to be capable upon being subjected to internal fluid or gaseous pressure
of expansion along or parallel to its own axis (hereinafter called axial expansion) but
only of limited circumferential extension (hereinafter called distension) so that the
tube, as distinguished from the ring, can increase in length without increasing
except perhaps to a small extent in cross sectional area, or even in many cases the
axial extension may involve slight reduction of cross sectional area, and so increase
the diameter of the ring.
Such a tube may be conveniently made by wrapping an elastic tube such as a
rubber tube spirally with a suitably inelastic filament or thread or ribbon or wire and
I sometimes include such spiral winding in the walls of the tube and when using
metal winding I sometimes make use of the resiliency of the helically wound wire
spiral hereinafter called wire coil to increase the elastic resistance to inflation of the
tube and by its resilient action to increase the centripetal force or sphincter grip
action on deflation-I sometimes include such a separate helically wound spiral of
wire forming a resilient ring and hereinafter referred to as a separate wire coil inside
the tube.
I sometimes wrap the tube or include in its walls parallel lying rings and I do not
limit myself to the exact arrangement or the material of the wrapping so long as I
suitably limit the distension of the tube in relation to its axial expansion-nor do I
limit myself to the material of the walls of the tube.
I generally provide the sphincter tube ring with a valve through which it can be
inflated and deflated by air or liquid pressure.
In applying the sphincter tube ring to such purposes as fastening or holding an
inflatable tyre on a wheel rim, the inflatable tyre may or may not be provided with
annular enlargements which fit into convenient annular recesses on the rim but in
any case I place a suitable part of the tyre between the inflated sphincter tube ring
inside the tyre and the rim which. on deflation it grips. I sometimes employ two
such sphincter tube rings and pass the valve tube between them.
I sometimes place the sphincter tube ring inside the air tight inflatable inside
rubber tube that is generally provided with an outside; detachable cover.

page_text: I sometimes place the sphincter tube ring between the air tight inflatable inside
rubber tube and the cover.
I sometimes use the sphincter tube ring to make an air tight annular joint with
the margins of the inflatable tyre and in this case I make the margins of the tyre,
and the parts of the sphincter tube ring where these come together of soft smooth
rubber so as to make a good joint or in cases where the margins of the inflatable
tyre overlap, where these margins come together to make an air tight joint I make
them of smooth rubber.
I sometimes make the inside inflatable rubber tube, when such is used in
connection with an outside cover of a strip of rubber folded over and made into an
endless tube which can be opened out to yield access to its interior for inspection or
repair and I lap its margins and place the sphincter. tube ring inside this inside
inflatable rubber tube and use it to make an airtight annular or ring joint round the
inner circumference of this inflatable rubber tube and I prefer to do this by making
the margins overlap and I use the centripetal pressure of the deflated sphincter tube
ring to press these margins together between itself and the rim of the wheel or
between itself and the interposed cover but I sometimes make the airtight joint
directly between the smooth outside rubber of the sphincter tube ring and the
margins.
I sometimes attach the sphincter tube ring to the inside inflatable tube and
sometimes to one of the margins when this is made of a folded strip and sometimes
to one of the margins of the cover and sometimes I attach it directly and sometimes
through a narrow annular airtight band of rubber.
I sometimes attach one margin or part of the inside inflatable tube to one part or
margin of the outside cover.
.
I, FRANK WYNNE, of 13 Ashley Gardens in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, 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 :—
In the specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me dated
5 Dec. 1896 No. 27808, I have described the construction and application to
pneumatic tyres for the purpose of closing the joint around the inner peripheries
thereof and for holding the tyres on wheel rims of a hollow or tubular pneumatic
ring, termed an inflatable sphincter grip ring, the diameter of which can be readily
increased by inflation beyond its normal diameter against an elastic or resilient
resistance so that it can be placed within the tyre around the inner periphery thereof
and can afterwards be wholly or partially deflated so that it will then exert a
contractile or sphincter grip like action around and upon the inner periphery of the
tyre to which it is applied and which when on a wheel rim resists its reversion to
its original state, and so secures the pneumatic tyre around and upon the wheel
and closes the joint around the inner periphery thereof.
Now the present invention relates to improvements in the construction and
application to pneumatic tyres of inflatable sphincter grip rings of the kind
referred to.
Such a ring is made of an endless tube so constructed and of such materials as to
be capable upon being subjected to internal liquid or gaseous pressure of expansion

page_text: along or parallel to its own axis (hereinafter called axial expansion) but only of
limited circumferential extension (hereinafter called distention), so that the tube, as
distinguished from the ring, can increase in length without increasing except perhaps
to a small extent in cross sectional area, or even in many cases the axial extension
may involve slight reduction of cross sectional area, and so increase the diameter of
the ring.
Such a tube may conveniently be made by wrapping a tube of elastic material
such as india rubber spirally with a suitable inelastic filament or thread or ribbon or
wire as I shall now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying
drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an inflatable sphincter grip ring
according to this invention. The dotted lines shew by way of example, the same
ring but increased in diameter by inflation with air under pressure. Fig. 2 shows
in longitudinal section and to a larger scale than Fig. 1, a portion of such a ring.
Fig. 3 shows a cross section on the line-x-x-of-Fig. 2-
In this example, the inflatable sphincter grip ring is made of a suitable length of
good air tight india rubber tubing 1 the ends 1ª of which are suitably united together
to form an endless ring. For this purpose the ends. of the tube may conveniently be
butt jointed by a junction piece 2 consisting of a short length of india rubber tubing
(Fig. 2) inserted within and secured to them by cement or otherwise. Or instead of
being of india rubber, the juncture piece 2 may consist of a piece of metal tubing, which,
as shown in Fig. 2, is preferably corrugated for convenience in fastening the ends of the
rubber tube 1 to it. To the tube 1 is secured, preferably at the part where its ends
are connected together to form the complete ring, an inflation tube 3 which will
usually be of india rubber and is provided with a non-return valve 3 of known or
suitable kind for retaining the pressure in the ring until it is desired to deflate the
same. The valve case is adapted to be connected to an air pump as usual in which
the non return valve 3ª may be included. The inflation tube may be connected to
the inner or outer periphery of the ring, or to either side thereof, as may be
desired.
The tube is supported in a tangential i.e. circumferential direction by a
practically inextensible thread 4 such as sewing or pack thread, which is wound
spirally around the tube with the convolutions near together so as to effectually
support the tube circumferentially and prevent its distention, when inflated, without
materially interfering with its power of axial extension. The winding on of the
thread can be effected whilst the tube is partially or sufficiently inflated to cause the
tube to retain its original circular form in cross section during the winding operation
and enable the thread to be laid around it in a regular and even manner which should
be done without much compression of the india rubber tube.
The india rubber tube 1 is conveniently a ready vulcanized one but it may be of
natural rubber. It is coated on its surface with rubber solution previous to the
packing thread being wound thereon in order to prevent the thread from shifting.
This serving of packing thread may then be covered with a thin layer 5 of vulcanized
rubber, either in the form of a spiral ribbon, or a ready made tube drawn over the
stretched inner tube 1, or a sheet, the straight joint in the latter case being placed
where it will least interfere with the operation of the sphincter grip ring in making
a joint in a pneumatic tyre, that is to say, away from the tyre upon which the ring
is to contract. In some cases, as for example in which the sphincter grip ring is
solutioned to the upper or radially outer overlapping margin of a tyre ring or cover
around which it is to contract, as described in my said former specification, and does
not come into contact with any other part, the thread on the ring may be wrapped
with a layer 5 of unvulcanized rubber so that it will become embedded or included
in the wall of the tube, or it may even be left unwrapped with such a layer of rubber.
Or when a wrapping of unvulcanized rubber is used, it can be vulcanized in place
on the tube if desired.
The exterior of the ring prepared as described is preferably smooth, especially
when the ring itself has to make an air tight joint with the smooth rubber surface
on the inside of a pneumatic tyre and is not solutioned fast thereto. When the

page_text: material used to prevent distension of the tube 1 is in the form of a ribbon wound
spirally round the said tube, whether this is of vulcanized or unvulcanized rubber,
and the ribbon is solutioned on its inner side to the tube leaving the outside plain,
no additional outer covering need be employed in cases where it is not desired that
the outside surface of the sphincter grip ring should make an air tight joint with
the pneumatic tyre.
Instead of winding the tube with thread or ribbon after being made up into a
ring and partly inflated as hereinbefore described, it can be more conveniently
wound whilst in the form of a straight tube supported internally by a collapsible
mandrel which may consist for example, as shown in cross section and longitudinal
section, in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively, of a number of rods 6, conveniently six in
number, arranged around a central core 7, preferably made in two lengths, the
arrangement being such that upon withdrawing the core 7, which may be lubricated
with plumbago, from between the rods 6, the latter can be readily loosened and with-
drawn from the wrapped tube 1.
Fig. 5A is a cross section showing another form of mandrel, made of a thin metal
tube 6ª parted or split longitudinally and having a sett or bias tending to make it
collapse, or to make its margins overlap to a greater extent than shown. This
metal tube is inserted in the tube 1 which has to be "served" and inside it is placed
an inflatable tube which by suitable means is inflated until it gives the required
support to the wall of the tube to be "served".
Fig. 5 shows another form of mandrel consisting of a split metal tube the
longitudinal margins or edges of which are adapted to be hooked together as shown
so as to limit the possible distension of the tube which in this case has a bias to
expand or open out but can be readily collapsed to facilitate its being inserted within
and removed from the india rubber tube. This form of mandrel may be used when
serving very thin rubber tubes.
Fig. 6 shows a piece of a sphincter grip ring supported circumferentially by thread 4
of the kind mentioned, wound spirally on the exterior of the tube and uncovered. Fig. 7
shows a piece of a sphincter grip ring upon which is spirally wound a tape or ribbon 4ª
of silk, cotton or like practically inelastic material. Fig. 8 shows a modified
construction in which spiral tapes or ribbons 4ª of the kind mentioned are embedded
in the wall of the tube, during the manufacture thereof. In Fig. 9 the rubber
tube is provided externally with a series of supporting rings 4b which are arranged
parallel and close to one another and which are of suitable material, for example
textile material, that will, under the conditions to which it will be subjected in use,
be practically inextensible.
The threads 4, ribbons 4ª, or rings 4b should in all cases be arranged sufficiently.
close together to prevent any liability of the india rubber between the consecutive
convolutions or rings being blown outward when the ring is inflated with air under
pressure sufficient to increase its diameter to a suitable and moderate extent.
For use in a pneumatic tyre as described in my said former specification and as
hereinafter described, the sphincter grip ring may be made of an india rubber tube
having a diameter of say inch and a thickness of wall of say inch, its initial or
normal diameter, for use in a 28 inch tyre being about 21 inches. It is however to
be understood that I do not limit myself to these dimensions as the same may be
considerably varied, and are merely given as an example.
When using a metal winding I sometimes make use of the resiliency of the
helically wound wire spiral hereinafter called wire coil to increase the elastic
resistance to inflation of the tube and by its resilient action to increase the
centripetal force or sphincter grip action on deflation. I sometimes include such a
separate helically wound spiral coil of wire, forming a resilient wire ring, and
hereinafter referred to as the supplementary sphincter grip ring, inside the tube.
Such a resilient sphincter grip wire ring may conveniently be combined with the
elastic material of an inflatable sphincter grip ring such as hereinbefore described,
by including it in or wrapping it around the elastic wall of such a ring as shown at 8
in Figs. 10 and 11 respectively.

page_text: Fig. 12 shows partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, a portion
of an inflatable sphincter grip ring within the interior of which is placed a resilient
coiled wire ring 8 forming a supplementary sphincter grip ring. Figs. 13 and 14
are elevations at right angles to one another and each partly in section showing an
inflatable sphincter grip ring 1 in which the resilient ring 8 formed originally of
spirally wound wire is partly flattened so as to assume a corrugated shape in plan and
so as to fit the curvature of the inner peripheral portion of the ring 1 against which
it bears. It is desirable that in every case the spirals or corrugations of the
supplementary sphincter grip ring should have a comparatively large pitch so that a
comparatively thin and light wire can be employed. The supplementary sphincter
grip ring is not self operative, that is to say, it does not include in itself the means
of expansion by pneumatic or other fluid pressure, but being conjoined to the
inflatable sphincter grip ring will share in the axial expansion thereof and will
contract with such ring on deflation.and.add-its-contractile-force-to-that-of-the-said-
ring. The length of wire to form the supplementary sphincter grip ring after being
coiled, corrugated or otherwise bent to the desired shape is inserted in the
rubber tube 1 before the ends thereof are connected together, and upon pressing
back one or both of the ends of the tube, the ends of the wire ring can be
conveniently connected together in any suitable way as for example by welding,
after which the ends of the tube can be connected together as hereinbefore
explained.
When the sphincter grip ring is constructed with a supplementary sphincter grip
ring, its initial or normal diameter relatively to the internal diameter of the pneumatic
tyre or other body with which it is to be used, can be greater than would otherwise
be desirable.
Inflatable sphincter grip rings constructed as hereinbefore described can be used
with pneumatic iyres of various constructions in the manner described in my said
former specification and as shown for example in cross section in Fig. 15 of the
accompanying drawings which show such a sphincter grip ring applied to a
pneumatic tyre of the so-called tubeless type consisting of a single inflatable ring 9
having a division joint 10 all round its inner periphery, the edges 9*, 9 of the said
tyre ring being thickened and shaped to fit the annular recess 11 in the wheel rim 12.
3 is the inflation tube with valve 3 for the sphincter grip ring 1 which, when
deflated, closes around the edges 9ª, 9b of the tyre ring so as to form an air tight
joint between them and hold them on the wheel rim. 13 is the inflation tube with
valve 13ª for the inflatable tyre ring 9.
In some cases two inflatable sphincter grip rings may be used in a pneumatic tyre
as shown in cross section in Fig. 16 wherein the tyre ring is shown formed on its
inner side with two adjacent inwardly extending annular ribs or projections 9c and
with two annular grooves 9d to receive the two inflatable sphincter grip rings 1
which, when deflated, as shown in full lines press the ribs or projections 9c against
one another so as to form an air tight joint between them. The inflatable tyre 9
may, as shown, be advantageously provided with annular enlargements 9e 9f the outer
sides of which are bevelled and fitted into correspondingly shaped annular recesses or
grooves 12, 12b in the wheel rim 12 in which they are firmly held by the contractile
The inflation
action of the sphincter grip rings 1 when the same are deflated.
tube 3 is connected to both of the sphincter grip rings and passes in an air
tight manner through the enlarged edge 9' of the tyre ring which may be cemented
to the wheel rim.
An inflatable sphincter grip ring of the kind hereinbefore described may according
to this invention be used in a pneumatic tyre comprising an inflatable rubber tube,
usually called the inner air tube, and an outer detachable cover. In this case the
inflatable sphincter grip ring 1 may as shown in cross section in Fig. 17 be placed
between the inner air tube 14 and the edge portions 15", 15 of the outer cover 15
which are shown overlapping and are tightly secured upon. the wheel rim 12 when
the inflatable sphincter grip ring is deflated. The outer cover can be formed of
rubber and canvas in the ordinary way and one of its edges, viz. 15b, may be cemented

page_text: or
to the wheel rim. Or the sphincter grip ring 1 may, as shown in Fig. 18, be placed
inside the inner air tube 14 so as, when deflated, to hold the same and the overlapped
edges of the tyre cover 15 firmly upon the wheel rim 12, and also press the annular
enlargements or extension 9° 9' on the cover into the annular recesses
grooves 12ª, 12b of the wheel rim 12 and hold them there. The inflation tube 3 for
the ring 1 in this case passes in an air tight manner through the wall of the inner
air tube 14 and also through one of the edge portions of the tyre cover 15.
The inner air tube 14 instead of being made as a complete tube as in Fig. 18, may,
as shown in cross section in Fig. 19, consist of an annular strip of rubber the edge
portions or margins 14 14 of which are overlapped so as to form a tube that can be
readily opened out to afford access to its interior for inspection or repair, the joint
between the separated or overlapped edge portions or margins being made tight by
the deflation of the sphincter grip ring 1 which is placed inside the tube and then
acts to press the overlapping edge portions or margins together between itself and the
wheel rim or, as shown in Fig. 19 between itself and the edge portions 15", 15b of
the outer cover 15 which are shown with annular enlargements or extensions 15*
that take into a groove in the wheel rim 12 in which they are held by the contractile
action of the sphincter grip ring. Or the edge portions or margins 14ª, 14b of the
inner air tube 14 may, as shown in Fig. 20 be arranged to form a division joint 14°
all round the tube, an air tight joint being formed between them and the smooth
outer surface of the rubber sphincter grip ring 1 when the latter is deflated. The
sphincter grip ring may be cemented either directly or indirectly to the inner surface
of the inner air tube, or of one of its edge portions or margins when it has an annular
joint all round its inner periphery. In the latter case the outer surface of the edge
portion or margin to which the ring is connected may be cemented to the inner
surface of one of the edge portions or margins of the tyre cover 9.
The sphincter grip tube when deflated, and especially when its contractile reaction
is assisted by that of the resilient .helical or corrugated wire ring, holds the tyre on to
the wheel, but more effectively when the outer cover is provided with annular en-
largements or extensions, and the rim with corresponding grooves into which the
pressure of the deflated sphincter grip ring forces the extensions and holds them
there.
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 :-
1. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of an inflatable sphincter grip ring
arranged and operating as set forth and made of a tube of elastic material such as
india rubber supported circumferentially against distension by a thread or ribbon of
practically inextensible material applied as described and provided with means where-
by it can be inflated with fluid under pressure and deflated, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. In a pneumatic tube, an inflatable sphincter grip ring constructed arranged and
operating as set forth and provided with a separate resilient wire ring adapted to act
as a supplementary sphincter grip ring, substantially as herein described.
3. Securing a pneumatic tyre provided with annular enlargements upon a wheel
rim provided with corresponding annular recesses by means of one or more inflated
sphincter grip rings adapted upon deflation to press the enlargements on the tyre
into the recesses in the wheel rin and hold them there, substantially as herein
described.
4. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of two inflatable sphincter grip rings of
the kind hereinbefore referred to arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Fig. 16 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with a pneumatic tyre comprising an inflatable inner air tube
and an outer cover, of an inflatable sphincter grip ring constructed and operating
substantially as herein set forth and arranged within the said inner air tube of the
tyre, substantially as described.

page_text: 6. A pneumatic tyre of the kind referred to in the preceding claim in
which the inflatable inner air tube is formed of an annular strip of india rubber bent
to a tubular shape, and the annular joint around the inner circumference of such tube
is made air tight by the contractile action caused by deflation, of the inflatable
sphincter grip ring located within such tube, substantially as herein described.
7. My improved pneumatic tyres with inflatable sphincter grip rings constructed
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
respectively to and shown in Fig. 17; in Fig. 18; in Figs. 19 and 194 and in Fig. 20
of the drawings annexed, whether or not the said inflatable sphincter grip rings be
be constructed with resilient wire rings forming supplementary sphincter grip rings
as set forth.