Improved Method of and Composition for Automatically Repairing Punctures to the Pneumatic Tyres of Cycle and other Vehicle Wheels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec, 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Composition for Automatically Repairing
Punctures to the Pneumatic Tyres of Cycle and other Vehicle
Wheels.
I, JEAN GAA, of 99, Horburgstrasse, Basle, in the Republic of Switzerland,
Chemist, 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:-
Punctures to pneumatic tyres of cycles and other vehicles provided with a pneu-
matic tyre which are caused by nails, thorns, pieces of glass and other like objects
and which are so unpleasant, may be again closed or repaired in a very simple
manner.
The invention has for its object an improved material or composition for effecting
this. Certain solid or semi-solid bodies suspended in a suitable liquid are intro-
duced into the air tube which without further manipulation stop up the puncture
by the action of the compressed air so that the journey may be continued without
great delay.
I have found a number of resins and gum resins to be suitable substances for
this object, also ammonia, galbanum rubber (gummi) and guttapercha which may
Shellac acts in a
be employed in the form of emulsions of these substances.
similar way and is deposited in a gelatinous form from shellac dissolved in glycerine
or carbo-hydrates or a mixture of both. "Vegetable or mineral cellulose and also
the substance formed by deposition from its alkaline solution may be employed
in a similar way, and further, raw or tanned membrane, indiarubber or gutta-
percha in a suitably disintegrated condition may be employed. These latter sub-
stances may be converted or brought into a suitable form by first boiling (preferably
under pressure) with a suitable liquid which under all circumstances must contain
glycerine for preventing the drying up and preserving the elasticity of the rubber
tube more particularly when stored for a long period, for instance during the winter,
and are then introduced into the tube through the valve opening; or a suitable
quantity of the substances may be filled into the air tube through the opening in
the same and the liquid added thereto through the valve only when the cycle is
to be used.
In the latter case a long continuous running of the wheel is necessary before the
solid bodies will have obtained the necessary plastic condition or properties by
means of friction or the like.
The following are a few examples of the mixture.
Example I. 30 kilogrammes of an alkaline solution and 10 kilogrammes of a
shellac solution are mixed with a solution of 30 kilogrammes of glycerine, 10 kilo-
grammes of dextrose and 10 kilogrammes of indiarubber (gummi) in 40 kilogrammes
of water under constant stirring; the resulting fluid mass is then stirred or agitated
until it begins to gelatinise.
Example II. 10 kilogrammes of powdered gum ammoniac are emulsioned with
10 kilogrammes of indiarubber (gummi) powder and 20 kilogrammes of water.
To the resulting emulsion there is added 20 kilogrammes of glycerine. In place

page_text: of the gum ammoniac galbanum may also be added or a solution of guttapercha
may be employed.
Example III. 20 kilogrammes of cellulose are boiled preferably under pressure
for 5 to 6 hours with a solution of 100 kilogrammes of rubber (gummi) in 400 kilo-
grammes of water, and then concentrated to 300 kilogrammes. 100 kilogrammes
cf glycerine and 100 kilogrammes of dextrose are further added. The cellulose
may also be réplaced by an equivalent quantity of any of the above mentioned
bodies.
The proportions mentioned in these examples may of course be modified in
various ways. It has been found preferable to employ a mixture of quantities
of the substances contained in the above mentioned examples. Even the rubber
(gummi) may be replaced by any suitable substitute such as casein, glue or the
like
1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. An improved fluid substance or composition for automatically repairing
punctured pneumatic tyres of cycles and other vehicles which consists of freshly
precipitated shellac, gum ammoniac, galbanum, guttapercha, rubber (gummi)
animal or vegetable cellulose, and tanned or raw membrane emulsioned or sus-
pended in a solution of carbo-hydrates or rubber substitutes and protected against
drying up by the addition of glycerine substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The method of automatically repairing punctured pneumatic tyres of cycles
and other vehicles which consists in stopping up the punctured places with semi-
solid or solid bodies suspended in suitable liquids containing more particularly
glycerine and carbo-hydrates, such as freshly precipitated shellac, ammonia,
galbanum rubber (gummi), guttapercha, animal or vegetable cellulose, and tanned
or raw membrane, which are constantly carried along in the air tube substantially
as described.
3. The application and use of glycerine for preserving the elasticity of the india-
rubber pneumatic tyres of cycles and the like by inserting and carrying it always
in the air tube along or in combination with other substances. substantially as
hereinbefore set forth.
.
Dated this 2nd dow of Danamber 1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.