Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Flexible Tyres for the Wheels of Cycles and other Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Flexible Tyres
for the Wheels of Cycles and other Wheeled Vehicles.
I FREDERICK WILLIAM KNIGHT of 37 Aston Village Astou Mechanical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention for improvements in the construction of flexible tyres for the
wheels of cycles, and other wheeled vehicles, consists substantially of the following
arrangement of parts. My aim and object being to remedy punctures when
travelling to impart the required resiliancy, and to reduce or minimise undue shock
or vibration.
To effect this object I primarily employ a metallic rim, by preference semi-
circular in cross-section, and an endless band of the required width and of a
substance, elastic or yielding to the required degree, it may be india rubber,
canvas, or other suitable material, this band I strain over the rim, and secure thre
édges of this said band to each rim edge or near thereto preferably by having each
edge of the band bound with wire which will engage with or near to each edge of
the rim. I thus form a diaphragm or base which is resiliant, and receives the:
tread of the tyre which rests thereon or may be affixed thereto, this tread may be
a light metallic tube, circular in cross-section or any other section or a tread of any
other suitable material and configuration. By preference I cover the metallic
tube, or other tread, with an elastic material, which I cement or otherwise affix to
the elastic diaphragm, at or near its edge, and the rim.
Or I may by another mode, still employing the rim, and the endless band as a
diaphragm or base, as above set forth, but the outer cover or tread I should form
endless as a tube, and known as an envelope from india rubber constructing
its inner surface with projections so as to form chambers, or I may pack the said
envelope with sponge or other suitable material in either case, securing by any
means, the said envelope and upon the resiliant diaphragm as above set forth.
Under great pressure or weight from the rider, and to reduce strain I may employ
an elastic tube configurated to the interior of the rim and diaphragm combined,
which can be inflated in any suitable way.
It will be understood that the weight of the machine and rider is dispersed to
the whole of the surface of the periphery of the elastic or yielding diaphragm
consequently it minimises all shocks.
Dated 25th June 1806
THOS.
KENDRICK,
New Eldon Chambers, 50 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent.
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Flexible Tyres
for the Wheels of Cycles and other Wheeled Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM KNIGHT of 37 Aston Village Aston Birmingham
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 for improvements in the construction of flexible tyres for the
021

page_text: wheels of cycles and other wheeled vehicles consists substantially of the following
arrangement of parts. My aim and object being to remedy punctures when
travelling to impart the required resiliency and to reduce or minimize undue
shock.
.. To effect this object I primarily employ a metallic rim by preference semicircular
in cross section and an endless band of the required width and of a substance clastic
or yielding to the required degree it may be india rubber canvas or other suitable
material this band I strain over the rim and secure the edges of the said band to
each rim edge or near thereto.
Preferably by having each edge of the band bound with wire which will engage
with or near to each edge of the rim I thus form a diaphragm or base which is
resilient and receives the tread of the tyre which rests thereon or may be affixed
thereto this tread may be a light metallic tube circular in cross section or any
other section or a tread of any other suitable material and configuration. By
preference I cover the metallic tube or other tread with an elastic material which
I cement or otherwise affix to the elastic diaphragm at or near its edge and
the rim.
Or I may try another mode still employing the rim and the endless band as a
diaphragm or base as above set forth but the outer cover or tread I should form
endless as a tube and known as an envelope from india rubber constructing its
inner surface with projections so as to form chambers or I may pack the same
with spouge or other suitable material in either case securing by any means the
said envelope to and upon the resiliant diaphragm as above set forth. Under
great pressure or weight from the rider and to reduce strain I may employ an
elastic tube configurated to the interior of the rim and diaphragm combined which
can be inflated in any suitable way.
It will be understood that the weight of the machine and rider is dispersed to
the whole of the surface of the periphery of the elastic or yielding diaphragm
consequently it minimizes all shocks.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
I will now proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts in each figure in which they
occur.
Figure 1 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm with tube and rubber envelope surrounding the same and secured to
the rim by lacing and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm with chambered rubber tread thereto secured to the rim by lacing
and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 3 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm with chambered rubber tread packed with sponge or like material
secured to the rim by lacing and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 4 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm with outer rim to receive the solid rubber tread secured to the rim
by lacing and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 5 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rin
the diaphragm secured thereto by wires the tread with a metallic surface and
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 6 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm secured thereto by wires the rubber tread with metallic core and
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 7 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the rim
the diaphragm secured thereto by wires with outer rim to receive the solid rubber
tread and constructed according to my invention.
Figure 8 is a view longitudinal section shewing the method of lacing the outer
rim (for receiving the tyre) to the diaphragm as Figure 4.

page_text: Figure 9 is a view in section through the diaphragm shewing how the component
parts are built up.
Figure 10 is a view in section of a tyre the component parts of which are the .
rim the diaphragm secured thereto by wires the rubber or wood tyre or felloe with
metallic surface held in position by side plates and constructing according to my
invention.
In each of the figures I employ a metallic rim somewhat of the ordinary configu-
ration marked a while 6 is the endless band or diaphragm strained over the said
rim a and secured thereto by lacing c as shewn at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 or by the wires d
(endless by preference) engaging with the edge or near thereto of the said rim a
at Figures 5, 6, 7, 10.
In Figure 1 I shew a cylindrical tube e taking its bearing upon the surface of
the diaphragm b and secured thereto by suitable means this tube I cover by the
india rubber or elastic envelope f which forms tread attached to the diaphragmb
at and is laced to the rim a as above described.
For Figure 2 the rubber tread fl is formed with chambers g g and provided with
support g and attached to the diaphragm b and to the rim a.
In Figure 3 the rubber tread is also chambered at g to receive the sponge or
like material g² and attached to the diaphragm band to the rim a.
In Figures 4, 8 and 9 I shew the solid rubber tread in the outer rim h secured
to the diaphragm b at h¹ by lacing or otherwise and to the rim a.
In Figure 5 I shew the solid rubber tread with the metallic surface i attached
to the diaphragm b and to the edges of the rim a by the wires d.
In Figure 6 I shew the solid rubber tread with the metallic corej which may
be tubular or otherwise attached to the diaphragm b and to the edges of the rim a
by the wires d.
In Figure 7 I shew the solid rubber tread fl in the outer rim h attached to the
diaphragm b and to the edges of the rim a by the wires.d.
In Figure 9 I shew the diaphragm b and in connection therewith the rubber k
and canvas and leather m for protecting same. n are the eyelets and n¹ the hook
to be employed in place of n when desired for the lacing.
In each of the Figures 1 to 7 I employ a flap o to act as a cushion and prevent
injury to b when weight is applied.
In Figure 10 I shew a modification of my invention as applicable to other
vehicles, a is the metallic rim, bis the elastic diaphragm attached to a by the
wires d, is the tyre or felloe with metallic surface i, f¹ held in position by the
metallic side plates p.
When great pressure or weight from the rider is brought to bear upon the
diaphragm 61 may find it necessary to inflate the same which may be accomplished
by the arranging of an elastic tube betwen the said diaphragm b and the rim a or
other convenient manner.
It will be understood that by attaching the outer rim h and tyre to the
diaphragm b when the weight is applied that the lower half of the diaphragm b is
in compression while the top half is in tension and that the weight of the machine
and rider is dispersed to the whole of the surface of the peripheries of the elastic or
yielding diaphragm 6 consequently it minimizes all shocks.
While I have described the features of my invention and the object I have
attained and shewn upon the sheet of drawings I do not limit myself to those nor
to the form or details of construction but contemplate necessary or desirable changes
without departing essentially from the principle of my said invention.
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
"For improvements in or relating to the construction of flexible tyres for the
wheels of cycles and other wheeled vehicles"
1. The construction and combination of a diaphragm 6 with metallic rim a for

page_text: supporting the tube / the envelope f in connection with said diaphragin secured
to a by lacing c as Figure 1 substantially as herein before described.
2. The construction and combination of a diaphragm with metallic rim a for
supporting outer rim h to receive the tread fi secured to a by lacing cas
Figures 4, 8 and 9 or by the wires d'as Figure 7 substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. The construction and combination of a diaphragm b with metallic rim a for
supporting the tread with chambers gg and support g'or its equivalent
secured
:
to a by lacing c as, Figures 2 and 3 substantially as herein before described.
4. The construction and combination of a diaphragm b with metallic rim a for
supporting the tread f¹ with metallic surface i or metallic core ; secured to a by
wires d as Figures 5 and 6 substantially as hereinhefore described.
for
... 5. The construction and combination of a diaphragm b with metallic rim
supporting the tyre or felloe f¹ with metallic surface i with side plates p secured
to a by wires d as Figure 10 substantially as herein before described.
6. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts substantially
as herein before described in the foregoing specification and illustrated on the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated 25th March 1907
THOS.
KENDRICK
New Eldon Chambers, 50 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent.