Improvements in or connected with Pneumatic Tyres of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 14th day of November 1895, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an-Amendment of this
Specification.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Pneumatic Tyres of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
1, WILLIAM HERBERT SEWELL of Diamond, Coleraine, Ireland, General
Produce Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to construct the tyres of bicycles, tricycles and
other vehicles whereby there is a great saving of ground friction and consequent
ease of propulsion, increased speed and smoothness of motion; and in the case of
the tyres becoming punctured it will not affect the efficiency of the machine so as-
to cause a serious inconvenience.
In carrying my invention into practice, I make the tyres of a series of pneumatic
balls, which may bo either placed close together so as to form a continuous circle,
or placed at a short distance apart from each other as may be found most desirable..
The rim of the wheel may be provided with nests or pockets into which these balls
are placed and are held in position by confinement at points of largest circumference
by means of friction or other suitable means. Or the halls may be placed in a
cover which may be continuous or otherwise, and this cover would be fixed to the
rim in any convenient manner. The balls may be inflated with ordinary air at
ordinary pressure or at any desired pressure, or they may be inflated with any
su.table gas either before or after being placed in position.
In case of any of the balls being punctured these are easily removed and fresh
ones inserted in their place, but even were fresh balls not at hand, a puncture
would not, as I have already explained, cause the rider any serious inconvenience.
of necessary I might have a small metal disc arrangement attached to or
mounted into the balls at point of contact with ground to make balls puncture-
proof.
Daiod this 23rd day of June 1894
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Pneumatic Tyres of Bioycles,
Tricycles, and other Vehicles.
1. WILLIAM HERBERT SEWELL, of Diamonde, Coleraine, Ireland, General
Produce Merelmant. do 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:-
My invention has for its object to construct the tyres of bicycles, tricycles, and
other vehicles whereby there is a great saving of ground cohesion or friction, and
consequent case of propulsion and banlage increased speed and smoothness of
motion and in the case of the tyres becoming punctured it will not affect the
efficiency of the machine so as to cause a serious inconvenience.
In carrying my invention into practice I make the tyres of a series of pneumatic
balls which in either be placed contignons to one another-or at any suitable
distance apart from each other as may be found most desirable. The rim of the
wheel is provided with groves or nesta or pockets, into which these balls aro
placed and are held in position by confinement at points of largest circumference
means of friction, or by other suitable means. The balls may be inflated with
ordinary air at ordinary pressure, or at any desired pressure, or they may he
inflated with any suitable gas either before or after being placed in position.
In case of any of the balls being punctured, these are easily removed and fresh
ones inserted in their pince, but even were fresh ones not at hand, a puncture
would not, as I have already explained, cause the rider any serious inconvenience.
Qr
If necessary might enclose each ball in a cover of any suitable material,
and have a small disc or plate of metal or other suitable material attached to or
mounted into the balls at point of contact with ground to make balls puncture-
proof, and to increase durability.
In order that my invention inny he properly understood and readily carried into
effect have hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in the several
figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is a side view of a cycle constructed according to my improvements.
Figure 2 is a fragmental view showing partly in section one method of fixing the
cup or pocket to the rims of the wheels."
Figure 2 is a view of a different construction of ball.
Figure 3-is-n-side elevation of part of wheel of eyele showing a different-Arrange
ment for fixing the balls to the rim-of-the-wheel, the balle in this-ease-being-chown
as lying-antignons-to-one-another-
Figure 1-is-n-plan showing more clearly-how-ball-in-above Figure-3 is connected
to the rim of the wheeh
Figure is a section of part rim of wheel, pocket, and ball, showing a further
method of fixing the pocket and balls.
Figure 6 is a fragmental view showing a different method of connecting balls to
the wheel of a cab or other vehicle.
Figure 7 is a section showing ball enveloped in a cover or bag, and with a metal
face for protecting the point of the ball which comes in contact with the ground,
specially adapted for a vehicle.
Figure 8 is a view showing how the balls may be inflated simultaneously.
In applying my improvements to a cycle, the wheels A are constructed of a
series of spokes B connected at their outer ends to two rims C, D, having a space
J
betwee them. In this space E, and riveted or otherwise fixed to the rims, there
are nests or pockets F, ring contignons-to-one-another, or-these-Heste-or-pockets F

page_text: mbe placed at a suitable distance apart from each other. Into each of these
ests or pockets F there is placed a ball G, which is provided with a flange H, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2, or the balls may be made as shown in Figure 6. This
flange H, when the ball G is pressed home into the pocket F, retains it in its
proper position. The balls may also be made with a collar K, as shown in Figure 2^,
which in the case of them becoming deflated, would prevent them being forced
through the nests or pockets F.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the rim of the wheel in this case is shown-solid,
but with grooves Ient ont, and the balls G are made with flanges M,-and-when
the balls are placed in position, these flanges-M-Git into the grooves-I,-and-the
balls-are-thereby held in-position:
In Figure 5 the rim of the wheel is also made solid, and the cups or pockets F,
which are in two sections, are screwed or bolted to the rim, and the ball G in this
case is a plain spherical one, and the greater part of it is enveloped in the cup or
pocket F, made in two sections, which is clamped or bound together by means of a
clamp or band N, thus securely holding the ball G.
In applying my improvements to a cab or other vehicle, the nests or pockets F
in which the balls are placed may be made in two sections, and on to the lower
portion of each of the nests or pockets F there is screwed or otherwise fitted a
disc or cup-shaped piece 1 provided with a screw J, and this is screwed on to the
rim of the wheel, as shown in Figure 6. As in the case of a cycle these balls
may form a continuous row, or may be are placed at equal distances apart.
In Figure 7 the ball is a plain spherical one, and is encased in a separate
cover or bag O, which is fixed to the pocket F. This cover or bag is made of
canvas or other suitable material, but the lower part is of metal, or other durable
material, so that it will make the balls puncture-proof, as well as increase
durability.
If necessary I might connect the balls G to a tube P of copper or other material
by single acting inlet valves Q, and inflate them from one or more main inlet valves R
of the ordinary type lot into the connecting tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
In cycles or other vehicles, constructing the tyres of a series of balls placed in
grooves: nests or pockets in or on the rim of the wheel either contignons-to-one
another or at any suitable distance apart whereby the vehicle is run on a discon-
tinuous series of arcs or points of a pneumatic sphere, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shown in the several figures of the accompanying
sheet of drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of April. 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.