Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Vehicle Wheels,
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Vehicle Wheels,
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH, of Albany Buildings, 47, Victoria Street, West-
minster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
-
The use of india rubber tyres for road vehicles is well known.
For protecting the india rubber from abrasion and wear various forms of
shields or shoes have been devised and employed. Considerable difficulty in
practice has been experienced with the shoes. They have either lessened the
resiliency of the tyres or have been liable to be torn off whilst in use.
The immediate object of this invention is to firmly secure the protecting shoe
so that it shall not be torn off or become deranged in ordinary use and the
resiliency of the tyre still be retained.
For this purpose a tyre is employed of approximately similar section to some
now in use namely of channel shape with inturned sides.
A band of rubber is laid in the channel tyre. The main part of this rubber
band is narrower than the space between the lips of the channel tyre but the bottom
is preferably provided with flanges that fill or nearly fill the base of the channel-
tyre for about half of its depth. Recesses may be made in the sides of the channel
tyre for the reception of these rubber flanges.
The shields or shoes are also of channel shape, inverted but the sides instead
of turning inwards like those of the tyre turn outwards.
The width and shape of the shield is such as to permit of its being inserted in
the channel tyre and cover the main portion of the rubber, the edges of the sides
resting upon the rubber flanges and the outward turned lips leaving on either
side a space between them and the inturned lips of the channel tyre. Into these,
spaces strips (preferably round) of rubber are forced and act as keys holding the
shields or shoes in position.
The shoes or shields are in short sections.
The rubber is preferably in one length and in addition to the flanges previously
described may when the wheel tyres are wide be further secured to the channel
tyre by bands or studs.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH, of Albany Buildings, 47, Victoria Street, West-
minster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
[Price 8d.]

page_text: •
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The use of india rubber tyres for road vehicles is well known.
For protecting the india rubber from abrasion and wear, various forms of
shields or, shoes have been devised and employed. Considerable difficulty in
practice has been experienced with the shoes. They have either lessened the
resiliency of the tyres or have been liable to be torn off whilst in use.
The immediate object of this invention is to firmly secure the protecting
shoe, so that it shall not be torn off or become deranged in ordinary use, and the
resiliency of the tyre still be retained.
For this purpose a tyre is employed of approximately similar section to some
now in use, namely of channel shape with inturned sides.
A band of rubber is laid in the channel tyre. The main part of this rubber band
is narrower than the space between the lips of the channel tyre but the bottom is
preferably provided with flanges that fill, or nearly fill, the base of the cliannel
tyre for about half of its depth; recesses may be made in the sides of the channel
tyre for the reception of these rubber flanges.
The shields or shoes are also of channel shape inverted but the sides instead of
turning inwards like those of the tyre turn outwards.
The shoes or shields are in short sections. The width and shape of the shoe
or shield is such as to permit of its being inserted in the channel tyre and covering
the main portion of the rubber, the edges of the sides resting upon the rubber
flanges, and the outward turned lips leaving on either side a space between them
and the inturned lips of the channel tyre. Into these spaces strips (preferably
round) of rubber are forced, and act as keys, holding the shields or shoes in
position.
The rubber is preferably in one length, and in addition to the flanges previously
described may, when the tyres are wide, be further secured to the channel by
bands or studs.
In order that this invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings.
In these several illustrations A is the channel shaped tyre, the sides of which
are turned inwards at their outward edges, or lips, as shown at B. C shows a
section of the india rubber band or cushion the base of which D, D¹ fills the
space between the sides of the channel A. E is the metal shoe of channel shape
inverted covering and protecting the rubber band or cushion and having its
sides F, turned outwardly. It will be seen that the lips B, 131 of the channel
tyre and the lips F, F, of the shield interlock and are kept in position by the
rubber bands G, G¹ which are forced in between the lips after the shield has been
placed in its position over the rubber forming the cushion tyre, thus retaining
the shield in position.
The rubber forming the cushioned tyre may either be solid as shown in Fig. 2
or hollow as shown in Fig. 1 according to requirements. When hollow a short
metal tube may be used for jointing purposes between sections of the rubber
forming the cushioned tyre. Thus excluding water from the hollow space H.
Fig. 4, shows a section suitable for a wider tyre. In order to further secure
the rubber cushion in position, I employ the wire rods or bands I, I¹ for binding
the rubber upon the tyre. These bands can be inserted through slits K, and the
ends secured by hooks, nuts, or any other convenient manner.
As a security for preventing the rubber from "creeping" I interpose between
the base of the rubber and the channel tyre a belt, or band, of canvass or the
like material, cementing the same in position, as shown at L in Fig. 3.
The lips upon the tyre and shields are not limited to the precise form shown
in the drawings. A slight modification is shown in Fig. 3.
The channel tyre and shoes are both formed of metal, the channel tyre preferably
of rolled steel, the shoes also of rolled steel, or annealed cast steel may be con-
veniently used.

page_text: I am aware that shielded rubber tyres have previously been used, and that
numerous patents have been granted for various devices connected therewith.
The order of arrangement may be reversed the portion shown as a shoe may be
used as the channel tyre, and the portion herein shown as the channel tyre could
be cut into short sections and used as the shield or shoe. This arrangement
would give a broader "tread" upon the road.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is:
1. Elastic tyres for vehicle wheels, consisting of a metal channel with inturned
edges, containing a rubber cushion, shielded by metal shoes with outwardly
turned edges interlocking with the inturned edges of the metal tyre, and rubber
strips, or bands, placed between the interlocking edges, keying and securing the
whole together, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In elastic tyres for vehicle wheels the combination of a rubber cushion
secured by wires, or metal bands, within a channel having inwardly turned edges,
and shoes or shields having outwardly turned edges, interlocking with the edges
of the channel, and elastic bands or strips, placed between the interlocking edges
substantially as described & illustrated in Fig. 4.
3. In elastic tyres for vehicle wheels, the combination of a rubber cushion
having a canvass band interposed between its base and the channel tyre and
cemented thereto, the channel tyre having inwardly turned edges, and shoes or
shields having outwardly turned edges, interlocking with the edges of the channel,
and elastic bands, or strips placed between the interlocking edges substantially
as described, and illustrated in Fig. 2.
4. Elastic tyres for vehicle wheels substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Ninth day of May 1899.
M. HOLROYD SMITH.