Improvements in the Manufacture of Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by ERNEST W. YOUNG, of 339 W. Lake Street,
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Mechanic.]
Improvements in the Manufacture of Pneumatic Tyres.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co., of 11 and
12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres in which a slack longitudinally
arranged patching web or ply of india-rubber or other suitable material is attached
along its longitudinal edges within the pneumatic tyre and arranged to normally
lie away from the tread portion of the tyre so as not to be liable to become
punctured when a puncture occurs in said portion of the tyre, the said ply or web
being free to be picked up at any point along its length and cemented to the inner
wall of the tyre for the purpose of closing a puncture. The "inner-wall" of the
tyre could be the inner wall of "
a hose-pipe or "one-tube" pneumatic tyre, but
the principal use and advantages of this invention are in connection with
pneumatic tyres comprising a sheath or casing, and an inner, elastic, inflatable
air-tube.
"
Prominent objects of the invention are, to simplify and cheapen the production
of such repairable tyres; to produce them rapidly and economically; to avoid
objectionable puckers or wrinkles in the patching-ply or strip and thereby permit
it to be successfully used at any point along its length for closing a puncture in
the tyre; and to provide light flexible and elastic hinge connections between the
body of the ply or strip and the inner wall of the tyre, so as to permit the ply or
strip at any desired point or points along its length to be picked up by the inner
side of the tread portion of the tyre.
In carrying out the said invention, the patching ply or strip is provided with
short longitudinally arranged slits formed through the strip at points near its
longitudinal edges. This ply or strip is formed of some thin, flexible material, it
being by preference of vulcanized rubber or rubber compound, although an
imitation rubber compound can be employed.
The operation of slitting the strip or web can be rapidly and economically
performed, and to such end it is only necessary to pass the strip between a couple
of rapidly rotating rolls whereof one is provided with one or more cutters arranged
for making the slits at suitable distances apart. By thus slitting the strip or web,
it will have at intervals along its length, certain edge portiors which will readily
stretch and which can be drawn laterally away from the body of the web.
In order to apply this slitted ply or strip to an inner inflatable tube for a
pneumatic tyre, the tube is desirably distended or filled out to the condition or to
about the condition it will be in when inflated within the sheath or casing, a simple
and convenient way of distending the tube being to insert a rod or mandrel within
the same.
The ply or strip is then laid upon the tube, and its edge portions
alongside the slits are then drawn laterally away from the body of the web and
cemented upon the tube, it being understood that such operation will stretch said
ID031

page_text: edge portions of the ply or strip, particularly at the junction between their ends
and the body or main portion of the ply or strip, and that the said edge portions
are not to be cemented at their said end portions, whereby, the latter will remain
in a stretched condition until the tube is turned to bring the ply or strip inside the
same. Obviously the patching ply, web or strip thus applied to the distended
tube, will lie in a circle having a greater radius than the radius of the circle in
which the ply or strip will lie after the tube has been turned so as to bring the
ply or strip inside, and distended by inflation. It will also be seen that, owing to
such difference in the two circles, the ply or strip when brought inside of the tube,
as a result of turning the latter, would pucker, unless provision is made for taking
up such surplus slack or puckers. But by stretching the ply or strip at points
between its main or body portion and the points at which it is cemented to the
air-tube, as hereinbefore described, and then turning the tube so as to bring the
ply or strip inside, the said ply or strip will, when thus brought inside of the tube,
contract at its previously stretched portions, and will therefore adapt the ply or
etrip transversely to the inner circle and take up all wrinkles or puckers. When
therefore, any portion of the ply or strip, which normally lies away from the tread
side of the tyre, is cemented to a punctured portion of the tyre at its said tread
side, the portion of the ply or strip thus cemented will be smooth and will therefore
effectively and with certainty close up the puncture. As a simple way of providing
air-passages between opposite sides of the patching ply or strip, so as to admit of
a free circulation of air through the bore or passage within the tyre, when one
or more portions of the ply or strip are cemented to and picked up by a punctured
portion of the tyre, the marginal edge portions of the ply or strip which
intervene between the slitted portions, are not cemented to the inner wall of the
air-tube.
The patching ply or strip normally lies away from the tread side of the tyre,
and hence will be out of the way and not liable to puncture. When a puncture
occurs in the tread side of the tyre, cement is introduced through the puncture
thus made, and the punctured portion of the tyre (in a deflated condition) is
depressed so as to unite with the ply or strip which will adhere to the depressed
portion of the tyre by reason of the previously introduced cement, and upon again
inflating the tyre, such cemented portion of the ply or strip will be picked up.
The edge portions of the ply or strip alongside the slits provide flexible hinge
connections between the strip and tyre, and will therefore permit the strip to be
easily picked up.
When the inflatable inner tube, is made with closed ends, for example flattened
closed ends, it can be first turned inside out through the hole usually left for the
flexible nipple, and after applying the patching ply, the tube can be again turned.
In other cases, however, where twice turning the tube is not required, the ply or
strip can be applied upon the tube and the latter can then be turned so as to bring
the ply or strip inside the tube.
The tube can be arranged within a sheath or casing, and, when thus arranged,
the patching ply or strip will normally lie away from the tread portion of the tyre,
so as not to be injured when a puncture is made in the tyre. A portion of the ply
or strip, at any point along its length, can, however, be picked up and cemented
to a punctured portion of the tube, the ply or strip being sufficiently slack for such
purpose.
The patching-ply or strip can also be arranged within and attached to the inner
wall of a one-tube pneumatic tyre. The ply or strip can also be made in two or
more lengths, the simplest way being, however, to form it of a single length.
The use of the slitted ply or web in connection with the elastic inner air-tube of
a pneumatic tyre constitutes, however, a matter of further and decided improvement,
since it permits the ply or strip to be rapidly and economically made and attached;
and, when attached, allows it to lie smoothly within the air-tube it being observed
that should the ply or strip normally pucker, such puckered portion could not be
relied upon as a safe and effective means for closing a puncture.

page_text: It will be seen that the thin patching web or strip can be produced of the
required width, and then provided with longitudinal slits along its marginal
portions, whereby no stock will be wasted.
Dated the 20th day of June 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Pneumatic Tyres.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co., of 11 and
12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 pneumatic tyres in which a slack longitudinally
arranged patching web or ply of india-rubber or other suitable material is attached
along its longitudinal edges within the pneumatic tyre and arranged to normally
lie away from the tread portion of the tyre so as not to be liable to become
punctured when a puncture occurs in said portion of the tyre, the said ply or web
being free to be picked up at any point along its length and cemented to the inner
wall of the tyre for the purpose of closing a puncture. The inner-wall of the
tyre could be the inner wall of a "hose-pipe" or "one-tube" pneumatic tyre, but
the principal use and advantages of this invention are in connection with pneumatic
tyres comprising a sheath or casing, and an inner, elastic, inflatable air-tube.
Prominent objects of the invention are, to simplify and cheapen the production
of such repairable tyres; to produce them rapidly and economically; to avoid
objectionable puckers or wrinkles in the patching ply or strip and thereby permit
it to be successfully used at any point along its length for closing a puncture in the
tyre; and to provide light flexible and elastic hinge connections between the body
of the ply or strip and the inner wall of the tyre so as to permit the ply or strip at
any desired point or points along its length to be picked up by the inner side of
the tread portion of the tyre.
In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,
Figure 1 is a section taken transversely through a pneumatic tyre embodying the
said invention.
Figure 2 is a section taken longitudinally through the inner air-tube, a portion
of the same being broken away for convenience of illustration.
Figure 3 shows the patching-strip broken away at its middle portion for
convenience of illustration.
Figure 4 shows the patching-strip as first applied to the distended air-tube, the
same being broken away at the middle for convenience of illustration.
66
Figure 5 is a section taken transversely through a one-tube" or hose-pipe
tyre embodying the said invention.
"
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section drawn to an enlarged scale, through a portion
of a pneumatic tyre embodying the said invention.
The patching-ply or strip A, is provided with short longitudinally arranged slits a
formed through the strip at points near its longitudinal edges. This ply or strip
is formed of some thin, flexible material, it being by preference of vulcanized
rubber or rubber compound, although an imitation rubber compound could be
employed.
The operation of slitting the strip or web can be rapidly and economically performed,
and to such end it is only necessary to pass the strip between a couple of rapidly

page_text: rotating rolls, whereof one is provided with one or more cutters arranged for
making the slits at suitable distances apart. By thus slitting the strip or web, it
will have at intervals along its length, certain edge portions a', which will readily
stretch and which can be drawn laterally away from the body of the web.
In order to apply this slitted ply or strip to an inner inflatable tube B for a
pneumatic tyre, the tube is desirably distended or filled out to the condition or to
about the condition it will be in when inflated within the sheath or casing C, a
simple and convenient way of distending the tube being to insert a rod or mandrel
within the same. The ply or strip is then laid upon the tube, and its edge
portions a' alongside the slits are then drawn laterally away from the body of the
strip or web and cemented upon the tube as in Figure 4, it being understood that
such operation will stretch said edge portions of the ply or strip, particularly at
the junction between their ends and the body or main portion of the ply or strip,
and that the said edge portions are not to be cemented at their said end portions,
whereby, the latter will remain in a stretched condition until the tube is turned to
bring the ply or strip inside the same. Obviously, the patching-ply, web or strip
thus applied to the distended tube, will lie in a circle having a greater radius
than the radius of the circle in which the pły or strip will lie alter the tube has
been turned so as to bring the ply or strip inside, and distended by inflation as in
Figure 1. It will also be seen that owing to such difference in the two circles, the
ply or strip when brought inside of the tube, as a result of turning the latter,
would pucker, unless provision is made for taking up such surplus slack or puckers.
But by stretching the ply or strip at points between its main or body portion and
the points at which it is cemented to the air-tube, as herein before described, and
then turning the tube so as to bring the ply or strip inside, the said ply or strip
will, when thus brought inside of the tube, contract at its previously stretched
portions, and will therefore adapt the ply or strip transversely to the inner circle
and take up all wrinkles or puckers. When, therefore, any portion of the ply or strip,
which normally lies away from the tread side of the tyre, is cemented to a punctured
portion of the tyre at its said tread side, the portion of the ply or strip thus
cemented will be smooth, and will, therefore, effectively and with certainty close up
the puncture. As a simple way of providing air-passages between opposite sides of
the patching-ply or strip, so as to admit of a free circulation of air through the
bore or passage within the tyre, when one or more portions of the ply or strip are
cemented to and picked up by a punctured portion of the tyre, the marginal edge
portions a² of the ply or strip which intervene between the slitted portions, are
not cemented to the inner wall of the air-tube.
The patching-ply or strip normally lies away from the tread side of the tyre,
and hence will be out of the way and not liable to puncture. When a puncture
occurs in the tread side of the tyre, cement is introduced through the puncture
thus made, and the punctured portion of the tyre (in a deflated condition) is
depressed so as to unite with the ply or strip which will adhere to the depressed
portion of the tyre by reason of the previously introduced cement, and upon again
inflating the tyre, such cemented portion of the ply or strip will be picked up as in
Figure 6. The edge portions a¹ of the ply or strip alongside the slits, provide
flexible hinge connections between the strip and tyre, and will therefore permit the
strip to be easily picked up.
Where the inflatable inner tube, is made with closed ends, for example, flattened
closed ends, it can be first turned inside out through the hole usually left for the
flexible nipple, and after applying the patching-ply, the tube can be again turned.
In other cases, however, where twice turning the tube is not required, the ply or
strip can be applied upon the tube and the latter can then be turned so as to bring
the ply or strip inside, the tube.
The tube can be arranged within a sheath or casing, and, when thus arranged,
the patching-ply or strip will normally lie away from the tread portion of the tyre,
so as not to be injured when a puncture is made in the tyre. A portion of the ply
or strip, at any point along its length, can, however, be picked up and cemented to

page_text: a punctured portion of the tube, as in Figure 6, the ply or strip being sufficiently
slack for such purpose.
The patching-ply or strip can also be arranged within and attached to the inner
wall of a one-tube pneumatic tyre, D, Figure 5. The ply or strip can also be
made in two or more lengths, the simplest way being, however, to form it of a
single length.
The use of the slitted ply or web in connection with the elastic inner air-tube of
a pneumatic tyre, constitutes, however, a matter of further and decided improve-
ment, since it permits the ply or strip to be rapidly and economically made and
attached, and, when attached, allows it to lie smoothly within the air-tube it being
observed that, should the ply or strip normally pucker, such puckered portion could
not be relied upon as a safe and effective means for closing a puncture.
It will be seen that the thin patching web or strip can be produced of the
required width, and then provided with longitudinal slits a along its marginal
portions, whereby no stock will be wasted.
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 enclosed patching-ply or strip
normally away from the tread portion of the tyre and having attaching portions
which are partially separated from the main portion of the ply or strip by cuts or
slits, substantially as set forth.
2. An inflatable inner tube for a pneumatic tyre, provided with an internally
arranged flexible patching-ply or strip having attaching portions which are
partially separated from the body of the ply or strip by cuts or slits formed in such
ply or strip, and the said attaching portions being attached to the inner wall
of the said air-tube so as to form flexible hinge-connections, substantially as
set forth.
3. An inflatable inner-tube for a pneumatic tyre provided with an internally
arranged flexible patching-ply or strip having elastic attaching portious which
are partially separated from the body of the ply or strip by cuts or slits formed in
the latter, and which are attached to the inner wall of the said tube so as to provide
flexible and elastic hinge-connections, substantially as set forth.
4. An inflatable inner tube for pneumatic tyres, having closed ends and provided
with an internally arranged flexible patching-ply or strip having cuts or slits along
its longitudinal edge portions and having its marginal portions a' alongside the cuts
or slits attached to the inner wall of the said tube, substantially as described.
5. The within described method of preparing repairable inner elastic tubes for
pneumatic tyres, consisting in distending the tube, arranging thereon a slitted
patching-ply or strip such as set forth, laterally stretching the strip at intervals
along its longitudinal edge portions a', cementing parts of the stretched portions
to the tube so as to leave stretched parts between the points of attachment and
the body of the ply or strip, and turning the tube so as to bring the ply or strip
within the same.
בד
30 1 1
5 L11005
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.