An Improvement in Elastic Wheel Tyres.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Elastic Wheel Tyres.
I, WOODFORD PILKINGTON, Civil Engineer, of 46, St. Johns Park, Black-
heath, S.E. London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of elastic wheel-tyres, which may be
light and applicable to velocipedes or may be large and strong and suitable for
carriages, wagons, artillery limbers and ambulances.
I form the tyres of bent plates of steel or other suitable material bent or caste
in a square grooved shape, to fit the ordinary felloes of a wheel. The felloes I
support laterally with plates of iron or steel fixed on with screws to strengthen
the felloes in lien of the ordinary tyres. Over these I place the bent groove
shaped hollow segments of the outer moving elastic tyre fixed on overlapping each
other in the direction of the run or tread of the wheel, which are then held in
place by bolts passing through the felloes, having slots cut in them sufficient to
admit of movement to the required elasticity. Inside these segmental bent tyres
plates I place balls of india rubber either blown out or solid or other suitable
springs so as to keep the segmental tyres in extreme tension.
Dated this 27th day of April 1891.
WOODFORD PILKINGTON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Elastic Wheel Tyres.
1, WOODFORD PILKINGTON of 46, St. Johns Park, Blackheath, S.E. 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 :-
This invention has for its object the construction of elastic tyres to carriage
wheels generally and especially for artillery, limber and ambulance wheels and may
be made light or heavy depending on the purpose for which they are employed, in
order to prevent vibration on rough roads. This is accomplished by inserting
"springs
inside moveable sliding cover plates, which overlap each other in the
direction of the tread of the wheel and which are made to move on bolts in oval
slots to the extent of compression required. The springs employed are preferably
india rubber balls filled with air under pneumatic pressure, which are inserted
between the ordinary felloe and tyre of the wheel and the metal shoe plates, &
brought under initial tension strain by means of a "cramp" so as to give expansive
as well as compressive action to the springs.
The sliding cover plates are made of metal preferably of maleable cast iron or
sheet steel as may be required.
The springs may also be of steel coils lined with rubber if preferred. These
elastic tyres can be made and fitted to any carriage wheels, without requiring any
change in the mode of construction and answer equally well upon either vertical
or dished wheels.

page_text: these tyres, shewing the bent shoe plates, covering the springs, or pneumatic rubber
balls, and the felloes of the wheels to the depth required and the bolts and slots
on which they move.
Fig. 2 shews a vertical, cross section of a 5 foot ordinary wheel fitted and
furnished with these tyres.
Figs. 3. 4 & 5 respectively, shew a plan, elevation and section of the moving
parts to a quarter scale-viz. 3" to a foot.
It is well to notice that the channelway, formed by the bent plates is perfectly
parallel on the inside throughout when put together. This necessitates the
outside offset or "break," corresponding with the thickness of the metal employed,
and shews latterally on the outside, but on the face, or tread of the wheel, the
space is filled with extra metal, thus perfecting the circle, and adding strength
without, much increase of weight, which at the sides is not required. The slot ways
on which the plates move are completely covered by washers 2" in diameter, so
preventing the inlet of mud and dirt, & a band of leather is also placed to prevent
the ball bearing springs, from contact with the iron and also to keep out dust &
dirt, being cut to more than full width.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. The construction of elastic tyres for wheels of carriages with moveable metal
shoe plates, overlapping each other and supported by springs, in the manner
described, these shoe plates being made radial to the wheel and covering the felloe
to the depth required.
"
2. The production of complete elastic movement by means of "slots cut in the
shoe plates, to the depth of the sliding movement required, and which work on
bolts passing through the felloes.
3. The manner of construction of the cast or bent metal shoe plates, so as to
give a perfectly straight parallel channelway, when put together, on the inside &
normal to the "tread" of the wheel when in motion, by means of a "break” or
"offset" at the overlapping ends, which is cast or rivetted on.
Dated this 8th day of February 1892.