Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
1 JOHN JOSEPH ESMONDE of Cliffdale, Pontesbury Salop, Surgeon do hereby.
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This tyre is to be used either as an inner tube (pneumatic) or as a sole tube, in
cycles or any conveyances used on the high roads. It consists of a plain.inner
tube which is divided into two compartments by a strip of indiarubber or other
suitable structure sufficiently wide to allow the said strip to be inflated towards
the inner or outer portion of the tube as required, each section of the tube will be
secured to & will be supplied by a separate valve for pump, so that when the
tyre is first inflated the strip of indiarubber shall be blown towards the inner
surface & so merely form an extra layer on the inner side of the tube. On
puncture the other valve is used & so inflates the tube that the strip of india-
rubber is blown to the outer side of the tube & forms a layer inside the outer
portion of the tube & so prevents the escape of air.
Dated this 8th day of September 1896.
JOHN JOSEPH ESMONDE....
1, JOHN JOSEPH ESMONDE of "Cliffdale," Pontesbury in the County of Salop,
Surgeon 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tyres for cycle and other
wheels, and has for its object to provide a means that may partly operate for the
prevention of puncture of the air bag, and partly for enabling the tyre to be still
used, and the machine ridden upon, after such puncture has occurred.
My invention consists in providing in the said air-bag or tube, a flexible
diaphragm or partition, placed longitudinally therein, and either moulded or
otherwise formed integrally therewith, or fixed by suitable cement with its edges
parallel with each other, and horizontally across the said air-bag, so as to form
two longitudinal compartments therein, each provided with a suitable and separate
valve, that either may be inflated under pressure, which in a general way would be.
the outer, so that the said diaphragm or partition would be thereby forced towards
the rim of the wheel, and form merely an inner layer for the inner portion of the
said tube, but when this inflated compartment becomes punctured, the pump would
be applied to the valve belonging to the other half at the opposite side of the said
diaphragm or partition, which, by inflation would force this outwardly towards,

page_text: and form an inner layer for the outer portion of the said bag or tube, thereby
closing up the said puncture so that the machine may be ridden as before, and the
said puncture be repaired at any time subsequently, and while in this position the
said diaphragm operates to some extent for preventing further puncture, since
the said bag, and the said diaphragm or partition must be both punctured before
the air can escape spontaneously.
In order that my invention and the manner of its applications and use may be
fully understood, I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of such an air-bag or tube and wheel rim,
according to my invention, in which the said diaphragm or partition is shown in a
state of collapse, that is to say, without the said bag or tube being inflated on
either side of this.
Fig. 2 is a like view of a single tube or racing tyre and wheel rim, according to
my invention, showing the position of the said diaphragm when the outer half of
the said bag is inflated, while Fig. 3 is a like view of an ordinary pneumatic tyre,
envelope and rim, showing the position of the diaphragm or partition where the
inner half of the said tube or bag is inflated, presumably after puncture of the
said outer half.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the manner in which the outer end of the flexible
tube employed for inflating the said outer compartment of the tyre, may be
connected to the said diaphragm, while Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which
the opposite end of the said flexible tube may be connected to its valve on the
wheel rim. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of Fig. 4.
In carrying my invention into effect I place within the air bag or tube A as at
Fig. 1, an endless band or strip B of rubber, rubber composition or other elastic
material, in such a manner, that this forms a partition or diaphragm dividing the
said bag into two equal sized longitudinal compartments C, and D, and either
fixed thereto by the means of rubber solution or other suitable elastic cement, or
moulded or otherwise formed integrally therewith during its manufacture, the
said diaphragm or partition being fixed in such a manner, that when the said air
bag A. is in position upon the rim of the wheel E, this lies horizontally across the
same as illustrated by Fig. 1. At the centre of its width or thereabouts and at
any part of its length, the said diaphragm or partition B is provided with a hole,
to which is connected at the inner side thereof one end of an elastic tube F,
which may be by the means of suitable cement, or by the means of a short tube
such as G, passed therethrough and fixed by suitable nuts such as H, as illustrated
at Fig. 4, while the opposite end of F would be connected to the inner end of a
suitable valve J Fig. 5, passing through and connected to the rim E in the usual
way, and by means of this air under pressure may be passed into the chamber Ca
second valve J', passing through the rim E, is connected to the bag A in the usual
way, by means of which the chamber D may be inflated.
At the first charging of the tyre the chamber C would be inflated, when the
diaphragm or partition B would be forced down towards the rim E, with the tube F
in a state of collapse as at Fig. 2, and in order that the accumulated pressure of
the air in C, may not exercise a like pressure upon the said tube, and prevent this
from collapsing as stated, I prefer to employ the tube G having at its upper end a
small grating K, (Fig. 6) and internally a small hole L (Fig. 4) and between K
and L is placed a ball M, which, when air from a pump was forced into F, would
be driven against the grating K and allow the said air to pass and enter the
chamber C, but between each stroke of the pump the ball M would be forced by
the pressure of the air in C down upon the hole L, and so prevent the compressed
air from returning into F.
If the chamber C should become punctured, and thereby partially or wholly
deflated, the rider would connect his pump to the valve J and so inflate the
chamber D, thereby forcing the diaphragm B, towards the tread of the wheel, and
close up to the outer portion of the tube A as at Fig. 3, thereby forcing out,
through the said puncture such air as may be remaining in C, and closing up the

page_text: Baid puncture or punctures, so that the rider may continue his journey upon the
machine and repair the said puncture or punctures at some future time.
I wish it distinctly understood that I regard the placing of the diaphragm
horizontally across the said tube A as an indispensable condition for the purposes
of my invention, as this, if placed vertically therein, would readily permit that the
second inflated chamber may be punctured in the same way as was the first, which
becomes almost impossible by reason of the double thickness to be pierced when
the diaphragm is in position as shewn in Figs. 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In a pneumatic tyre for the wheels of cycles and other road vehicles, the
combination of a diaphragm or partition such as B, placed horizontally across the
air bag or tube A so as to form two compartments C and D, with means such as
a valve J and tube F for inflating the former and a valve such as J' for inflating
the latter, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the
drawings hereunto appended.
2nd. In a pneumatic tyre the combination of two inflatable chambers such
as CD divided by a horizontal diaphragm or partition such as B with means
such as a valve J' for inflating the chamber D and a valve such as J passing
through the rim and connected to a flexible tube such as F for inflating the
chamber C, the said tube having at its upper end a tube such as G enclosing a
ball such as M, operating between a hole or passage such as L and a grating such
as K, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the
accompanying drawings.
D
3 out
Daishio 1806
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.