Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I, WALTER GRIMES, of Silverlands, St. Margarets, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres and may be described as a cross between
the ordinary compound variety having a separate air tube and cover and what is
commonly known as the tubeless variety which consists of the cover or tyre alone
without the air tube.
In carrying out this invention I employ a suitable rim having a channel into
which the edges of the tyre can be fitted; the channel may have undercut edges
or other means of engagement between the edges of the tyre and the rim, the edges
being held in engagement with the rim in a manner which will be presently
explained. The edges of the rim may be extended so as to support the tyre in any
desired manner.
Inside the tyre is a partition or diaphragm which may be made of rubber and is
preferably connected in an air-tight manner with the interior of the tyre at the
tread surface and extends to the other side of the tyre inside it--and terminates
in a tube or enlargement which lies between the edges of the tyre. When a tube
is employed it is provided with any suitable means of inflation by which the tube
presses tightly against both the enlarged edges of the tyre making an air tight
joint therewith and also locking the edges in the tyre so that they cannot escape.
As above described the tyre when inflated which may be done by valves or equiva-
lent one to the compartment upon each side of the diaphragm is ready for riding
and should the compartment upon one side of the diaphragm be punctured and the
air escape from that side the diaphragm will be blown over to that side, and by
further inflating the other side the diaphragm will lie snugly against the inside of
the tyre which will be immediately ready for riding. The puncture may afterwards
be repaired at leisure and the diaphragm restored to its usual position.
Should both compartments be punctured at the same time only one of them need
be repaired as the diaphragm will render the tyre complete and rideable without
repairing the other.
If desired the locking tube may be replaced by a solid or non-inflated enlarge-
ment upon the diaphragm which will operate by being pulled by the diaphragm
when one side was inflated so as to make a tight joint and lock the tyre as before
described.
Any two or all of the tyres to be inflated may be inflated by a single pump
nozzle and a suitably divided connected nozzle or the branches may be entirely
017

page_text: separate and inflated separately; in order to maintain the central position of the
diaphragm for ordinary purposes it is preferable that the two compartments should
be inflated simultaneously and with the same operation of the pump so that the
process may be equal on both sides of the diaphragm. The inflation nozzles, valves
or other devices may pass through the rim at any desired part. The locking tube
when in use lies inside and is protected by the rim.
The diaphragm may form an integral portion of the tyre or be separate and con-
nected to it at one edge according to preference. The tyre may be made without
enlarged edges if suitable means of securing it to the rim be provided.
Dated this 10th day of Mov 1807
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I, WALTER GRIMES, of Silverlands, St. Margarets, Twickenham, in the County of
Middlesex, Commercial Traveller, 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:
1
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres of the variety commonly known as
the "tubeless," which consists of the cover or tyre alone without the air tube.
In carrying out this invention I employ a suitable rim having a channel into
which the edges of the tyre can be fitted'; the channel may have undercut edges or
other means of engagement between the edges of the tyre and the rim, the edges
being held in engagement with the rim in a manner which will be presently explained.
The edges of the rim may be extended so as to support the tyre in any desired
manner.
Inside the tyre is a partition or diaphragm which may be made of rubber an
is preferably connected in an air-tight manner with the interior of the tyre at the
tread surface and extends to the other side of the tyre-inside it-and terminates
in a tube or enlargement which lies between the edges of the tyre. When a tube
is employed it is provided with any suitable means of inflation by which the tube
presses tightly against both the enlarged edges of the tyre making an air-tight joint
therewith and also locking the edges in the rim so that they cannot escape.
As above described the tyre when inflated which may be done by valves or equiva-
lent one to the compartment upon each side of the diaphragm, is ready for riding
and should the compartment upon one side of the diaphragm be punctured and the
air escape from that side the diaphragm will be blown over to that side, and by
further inflating the other side the diaphragm will lie snugly against the-inside of
the tyre which will be immediately ready for riding. The puncture may after-
wards be repaired at leisure and the diaphragm restored to its usual position.
Should both compartments be punctured at the same time only one of them need
be repaired as the diaphragm will render the tyre complete and rideable without
repairing the other.
If desired the locking tube may be replaced by a solid or non-inflated enlarge-
ment upon the diaphragm which will operate by being pulled by the diaphragm
when one side is inflated so as to make a tight joint and lock the tyre as before
described.

page_text: Any two or all of the tyres to be inflated may be inflated by a single pump
nozzle and a suitably divided connecting nozzle or the branches may be entirely
separate and inflated separately; in order to maintain the central position of the
diaphragm for ordinary purposes it is preferable that the two compartments should
be inflated simultaneously and with the same operation of the pump so that the
pressure may be equal on both sides of the diaphragm. The inflation nozzles,
valves, or other devices may pass through the rim at any desired part. The locking
tube when in use lies inside and is protected by the rim.
The diaphragm may form an integral portion of the tyre or be separate and con-
nected to it at one edge according to preference. The tyre may be made without
enlarged edges if suitable means of securing it to the rim be provided.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a cross section of the improved tyre when in position on the rim.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the tyre removed from the rim.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A tyre A. is provided with thickened edges B which may be shaped so as to
engage with undercut or other grooves in the rim C or otherwise as desired. About
the centre line on the side of the tyre A is attached a partition or diaphragm D,
whose edge D¹ is enlarged and may or may not be formed hollow. The thickened
or beaded edges B of the tyre A are so shaped that the edge D' of the diaphragm
may lie between them and form an air-tight joint.
The tyre is provided with two halves through which the spaces on either side
of the diaphragm D may be inflated either simultaneously or separately as desired.
In the event of puncture of one side of the tyre the diaphragm D, which is made
of a width sufficient for this purpose, will lie against the punctured wall when the
opposite side of the tyre is fully inflated.
When the enlarged edge D1 of the diaphragm is formed hollow it may be inflated
either through a separate valve or by a branch from one of the main valves or
otherwise so as to lock the edges B of the cover in the rim.
The rim C is conveniently formed with two lateral channels in which the edges B
of the cover may lie and a central depression for the reception of the edge D¹ of
the diaphragm. The edges of the rim may be extended as at C¹ so as to support
the sides of the tyre.
The tyre A may be formed of canvas and rubber or other suitable material or
materials, as also the diaphragm D), the latter however being conveniently made
of rubber only.
It must be understood that the edges B of the tyre may be arranged otherwise
than as shown in the accompanying drawings the tube 1 or enlarged edge of the
diaphragm being arranged to lie more on the top of the edges of the cover than as
shown. The tube D' may be constructed of rubber only or have canvas incorporated
with the rubber. In this case the canvas may conveniently be out on the bias so
as to cause the tube when inflated to contract on the edges of the tyre and so form a
good joint.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a "tubeless" pneumatic tyre the employment of a diaphragm.
2. The combination with a "tubeless" pneumatic tyre of a diaphragm such as
D, D substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination with a "tubeless" pneumatic tyre of a diaphragm such
as D, D¹ dividing the tyre into two separately inflatable parts substantially as
described.
4. The combination with a "tubeless" pneumatic tyre of a diaphragm such as ])
having an enlarged edge inflatable or not adapted to lie between the edges of the
tyre and form an air-tight joint substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The complete "tubeless" pneumatic tyre substantially as described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.