Improvements in and appertaining to Protectors for Resilient Tyres.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and appertaining to Protectors for Resilient Tyres.
A communication by JEAN PAUL LEGRAND, of 8, Rue du Sentier, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to metallic protectors for resilient tyres and the means
for fixing said protectors on the tyres.
It consists essentially in forming the said protectors of narrow metal strips
independent one of another. The said strips are fixed on a suitable support by
their ends being bent to engage over the edges of the support whether the sup-
port be formed of a strip fixed on the tyre, or whether the support forms an
integral part of the tyre itself, which presents at its external portion two heel
pieces or projections, on which the metal strips are engaged or fastened. This
system of protector has the advantage of being adapted to follow closely the form
of the tyre in the deformations due to its elasticity and of being attached thereto
in a very solid manner and of well resisting the tearing off action due to the
stripping.
The protector is essentially composed of metallic pieces, the ends of which are
at each side bent round towards the interior of the piece which serves to support
them. The said pieces or strips are of comparatively narrow width (about 20
millimetres), this width being measured in the direction of the periphery and
they are separated one from another by a slight interval. They are about two
millimetres in thickness, but it is evident that the width must vary with the
diameter of the wheel, and the thickness should be proportionate to the load
carried. The metal strips may be made of iron, steel, copper or any other suit-
able metal, but preferably aluminium bronze is selected on account of its light
weight. The portion of these strips which is in contact with the ground is flat,
but where tyres of large diameter are employed, the width of tread may be
diminished by giving the metallic piece a domed or polygonal transverse section,
and also giving the support piece a corresponding section. The metallic strips
have a domed or convex form. They are thicker in the part which is in con-
tact with the ground because it is there that the most considerable wear takes
place, and they are of less thickness at the edges and at the bent over part in
order to engage projections or heel pieces of the support piece, because as these
parts are not subjected to as much wear they need not be so strong. The piece
which serves as a support has also a convex form in order to fit properly against
the strip.
The piece which serves as a support for these metallic strips is a band or strap
of leather, india-rubber, cotton or other suitable material, and in order that the
band or strap may always remain in contact with the tyre, a material is prefer-
ably selected which only permanently lengthens to a small extent. The metallic

page_text: strips form in cross section a sort of open flat ring threaded on the strap or band,
and fixed thereon by means of rivets, the open part of the ring allowing a free
passage to other rivets which serve for attaching the band on the tyre.
The tyre is fixed by rivets last named, which pass through the outer cover and
are located therein in order not to strain the air tube. The head of the rivet
engaged in the band is countersunk and touches the external face of the band,
the other head of the rivet is in contact with the air tube and rests if necessary
on a washer. The band provided with the plate instead of being fixed directly
on the outer cover is riveted on a crescent shaped piece, the external part of.
which presents a plane surface in order to present a greater contact to the band.
The said crescent is solutioned or attached to the cover by any of the ordinary
methods at present employed. This arrangement has the advantage of not
allowing the wall of the air tube to come in contact with the head of the
rivet.
In certain cases it may be of advantage to mount the protector on the tyre
in such a way as to be easily removable. For this purpose, flexible and inex-
pansible bands are suitably distributed on the protector, said bands being fixed
by their centre to the band of the protector by means of rivets. At their ends
they are connected by rivets or other suitable means to metallic hooks which
engage over the beaded or bent over edges of the rim.
In another arrangement. the band is dispensed with.'as well as the rivets. The
crescent piece is provided with two projections or heel pieces of a T shape
which replace the band and are cast in one piece with the crescent. The metallic
strips are fixed on the heel pieces by means of rivets.
In another modification the hand is replaced by two heel pieces cast in one
piece with the cover and the bent strips are fixed on these heel pieces by means
of rivets. In this arrangement the strips are of convex form instead of being
flat, which in certain cases may be deemed preferable for diminishing the width
of tread.
In another modification the cover may be moulded in two parts, either sym-
metrically or preferably divided on a given line. A pneumatic tyre cover is
thus obtained with double heels of which some engage in the ordinary manner
in the rim. whilst the others engage in the bent over strips of the protector,
which has thus, so to speak, the form of a divided and reversed rim.
The pressure of the air tube which serves to maintain the heel pieces in the
rim will also serve to maintain the other heel pieces in the strips of the protector.
It is evident that the metallic strins may also be fixed to the pneumatic heel
nieces by means of rivets as was explained in the preceding examples. Finally
it must also be understood that the invention is not limited to the special sec-
tion indicated for enabling the metallic strips to be fixed directly either on the
crescent or the cover of the air tube, but that various modifications may be
introduced into the sections without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Dated this 18th day of November 1899.
סע.
A communication by JEAN PAUL LEGRAND, of S, Rue du Sentier, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer.
I. WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, G, Lord Street, Liverpool, and G, Bank Street, Manchester, both in

page_text: the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 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 follow-
ing statement:
This invention relates to metallic protectors for resilient tyres and the means
for fixing said protectors on the tyres.
It consists essentially in forming the said protectors of narrow metal strips
independent one of another. The said strips are fixed on a suitable support by
their ends being bent to engage over the edges of the support whether the sup-
port be formed of a strip fixed on the tyre, or whether the support forms an
integral part of the tyre itself. This system of protector has the advantage of
being adapted to follow closely the form of the tyre in the deformations due to
its elasticity and of being attached thereto in a very solid manner, and that it
resists in a very efficacious manner wear, punctures, and side slips which are
produced when rubber slides over a greasy road.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which-
Figure 1 is a transverse section of the cover of a resilient tyre provided with
the band or rib according to my invention protected by narrow strips of metal.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the centre of the tyre.
Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the protected band which encircles
the tyre.
Figure 4 is a section on a different scale showing the protected band fixed to
the tyre by rivets.
Figure 5 is a section showing the protected band fixed by rivets to a crescent.
Figure 6 is a section showing the (metallic) strips fixed upon a claw-shaped
rib which forms an integral part of the tvre.'
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that:-
1 represents the canvas of the cover arranged in a circle as in the pneumatic
tyres with ribs ordinarily employed; 2 renresents a band with the canvas
arranged flat and independent of that of the cover itself: 3 is a coating of pure
rubber adapted, according to the means in use, to cover the canvas 1, and which
unites the band 2 to the cover of the pneumatic tyre; 4 are the narrow metallic
strips (about 20 millimetres) bent at the edges to grip the band 2 and held upon
this band by means of pins 5 passing through the middle of the band, each of
which metallic strips is held separately upon the band by a distinct pin.
To manufacture the cover with its rib protected by metallic strips, the cover
is constructed in the ordinary way by rolling (spreading) the layers of canvas 1
over a core or mould with the interposition of layers of rubber and then facing
the outside with a layer of rubber 3: the canvas of the rib 2 is then arranged
as is customary in making rubber bands or belts, and the band 2 is fixed by
vulcanisation to the exterior surface of the cover. By this method of manu-
facture the canvas of the band 2 is kept quite separate from that of the cover,
which leaves to the latter all its suppleness and proper elasticity, but it is never-
theless very solidly fixed upon the rolling surface, the pure rubber interposed
between the canvas of the band and the canvas of the cover being rendered quite
untearable by means of vulcanisation.
The rib 2 is afterwards furnished with the metallic strips 4, of which the edges
are bent un the sides of the band, and the latter is pierced for each strip by a
separate pin 5. These pins have their extremities burred over or riveted upon
the bent edges of the strips, for which they serve as pivots.
By this means the band preserves more elasticity without being impeded by
the strips. In consequence of the protection given to the band by the canvas of
which it consists, the strips are sustained on a resisting surface and do not cut
the band as would take place if this band were of pure rubber, and on the other

page_text: hand this band does not in any way interfere with the resilience of the cover to
which it is united by a layer of very elastic rubber.
Care is taken that the bent up edges of the strips are held at a few milli-
metres from the inner edge of the band, in such a way that the cover in expand-
ing under the weight of the vehicle cannot possibly rub and become worn
against the bent up edges of the strips.
The metallic strips may be made of any suitable metal by preference of hard-
ened aluminium for light weights and having in this case a more or less rounded
profile, grooved, or beaded.
This latter is the form which is by preference adopted after numerous experi-
ences and practical trials, but it is desired also to retain the right to use the
following shapes which may be adopted in certain cases, to be employed for light
weights for example.
In Figure 4 it will be seen that the band 6 on which are mounted the strips 7
is no longer fixed' by sticking or vulcanisation to the rubber of the cover, but
that it is applied to the latter by means of rivets 8 conveniently distributed round
the circumference of the tyre.
The end of the rivet 8 which engages in the band 6 terminates in a head
turned over level upon the external surface of the band, and the other end car-
ries a head adapted so as not to deteriorate the air chamber. Between the
rounded head of the rivet and the cover 9 is interposed a washer 10, but this
washer is not indispensable.
The metallic strips 7 are fixed upon the band 6 by their edges being bent over
upon, the internal surface of the band, and they are held. on the band in an
invariable manner by the rivets 11. This arrangement permits of the employ-
ment as a support for the strips of a band of leather or any other suitable sub-
stance which could not be attached by means of vulcanisation to the tyre.
Figure 5 shows the band provided with these strips fixed in the same way on
a crescent 12, in place of their being directly attached to the cover 9 as in
Figure 4.
Figure 6 shows another arrangement in which the cover is protected by a
band formed in one with it, and having a projecting rib 13, which leaves a
groove adapted to retain the inwardly curved-over edges of the metallic strips.
This arrangement gives very good results when it is applied to light weight
vehicles, but when the weight is greater the inwardly turned over edges of the
strips exhibit the objection of nipping the rubber of the tyre, and wearing and
cutting it. In this case (heavy weights) my correspondent prefers to adopt the
arrangement shown in Figure 1.
It will be readily understood that this system of metallic protectors and ribs
is capable of being applied to tyres of all kinds, pneumatic with ribs, fastening
wires, or simple tubes, and even to tyres of solid rubber, or partly hollowed to
reduce the wear and prevent side-slip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A protector for resilient tyres for wheels consisting of a band furnished on
its external surface with narrow metallic strips placed close together, the said
band being attached to the tyre by suitable means substantially as described.
2. A protector for resilient tyres for wheels comprising in combination a series
of lavers of canvas, (1) arranged in a circular form round the interior surface of
the cover in the usual manner, a protected band (2) attached by vulcanisation to
the exterior of the tyre the said band being flat and having its layers of canvas
disposed tangentially to the cross section of the tyre but independent of the canvas
of the cover, and having its external surface protected by metallic strips arranged
close together of which the edges are bent up against the side faces, but do not
reach to the internal edge, of the band, and transverse pins (5) for fixing sepa-

page_text: rately each of the strips (4) upon the band which at the same time form a rigid
support for the strips, and supple in its relation to the cover, substantially as
described and shown with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
3. A protector for resilient tyres for wheels comprising metallic strips (7)
independent of one another and distributed over the whole exterior circumfer-
ence of the tyre, the said strips having their edges bent over to embrace the
edges of the supporting band (6), in combination with a supporting band (6)
surrounding the tyre, rivets (8) for attaching the band (G) to the cover (9) and
rivets (11) for fixing the strips upon the band (6) of the elastic tyre substantially
as described and shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.
4. A protector for resilient tyres for wheels comprising the metallic strips (7)
independent of one another and distributed over the whole exterior circumference
of the tyre, the said strips having their edges bend over to engage the projec-
tions (13) of the supporting band, in combination with the protective cover of
the tyre, the said cover carrying on its exterior face a projecting rib furnished
with two projections (13) and rivets (11) for fixing the strips onto the projections,
substantially as described and shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing.
Dated this 17th day of August 1900.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.