Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic Tyres for Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic
Tyres for Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
.
1, GEORGES LESOURD, of 36 Rue du Cherche Midi, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for inflating pneumatic tyres for wheels of
velocipedes and other vehicles by means of carbonic acid or other liquefied gas.
It is well known that nearly all wheels of velocipedes are now provided with
pneumatic tyres forming an air chamber into which air is introduced at a pressure
which varies according to the diameter of the tyre and the weight of the cyclist.
On this pressure depends the proper operation of the apparatus.
The air chambers of these pneumatic tyres of various constructions have a nozzle
containing a valve which opens inwardly.
When the pneumatic tyre is to be inflated this nozzle is put in communication
with a small pump which is in most cases a hand pump. Whether this pump be
absolutely free or be fixed to a rigid part of the machine or whether one of these
rigid parts forms the body of the pump, its operation is always delicate and difficult
especially when the pressure in the interior of the pneumatic tyre has attained a
certain degree.
It is moreover liable to get out of order and, preventing the inflation, altogether
render the machine unserviceable.
Some cyclists often ride under disadvantageous conditions with two slack or soft
pneumatic tyres, because they try to use their pumps as little as possible.
In order to remedy these inconveniences I employ small reservoirs of variable
capacity and with sufficiently strong walls for containing liquid carbonic acid or
any other liquefied gas at a very high pressure.
Liquefied gas has amongst other advantages that of always giving an invarying
pressure as long as liquid is in the presence of gas.
This reservoir is provided with a cock suitably arranged and screwed or other-
wise fixed either directly or by means of a small tube of copper or india rubber
upon the nozzle of the pneumatic tyre.
gas to
may thus introduce into the pneumatic tyre the desired quantity of
obtain the proper degree of resistance which the cyclist is able to determine by
hand.
It will be understood that my reservoirs may be of any desired form and capacity,
and particularly of spheric formn by reason of the high resistance it offers; and that
they may be made of any desired material especially of aluminium for diminishing
their weight as much as possible. For closing such reservoirs I may use any
system of cock, valve or the like which may be deemed suitable.
Besides the closing devices hereinafter mentioned by way of example I may
particularly employ what is known as Stern's closing device.
I will now proceed to describe certain special arrangements.
In order that the cyclist may not inflate the pneumatic tyre too much and cause
its rupture I may make reservoirs containing only the gas necessary for a single
charge.
In this case these very small reservoirs may be arranged in a box in rows of six,
twelve or any desired number.
For each inflation the cyclist completely deflates the pneumatic tyre, fixes the
reservoir upon the nozzle and may let all the gas pass into the interior of the tyre.
I may also place a certain number of these reservoirs upon a collector and use

page_text: successively each reservoir by putting the collector in communication with the
pneumatic tyre.
In the case of reservoirs containing several charges I may use for example an
arrangement comprising a reservoir for liquefied gas, a valve having a very long
screw spindle furnished with a point which can lift a ball from its seat a counter
nut being provided for making a tight joint.
The gas escaping through a channel passes into the pneumatic tyre to which the
apparatus is connected either directly or by means of a tube with two nuts.
may also employ amongst others a simple spindle cock or valve, or plug cock
or valve.
To avoid the possibility of rupture of the pneumatic tyre in these kinds of
apparatus I may employ a ball valve opening outwards and branching from a
channel, the said ball being held by a spring under suitable tension which can be
regulated by a nut.
This valve rises as soon as the pressure attains the desired limit in the pneumatic
tyre, which is noticed by the escape of gas through one of the channels.
In lieu of this valve or in combination with it I may employ a pressure gauge,
but such complications are not well adapted for practical purposes.
I sometimes provide upon the pneuinatic tyre a second adjutage with a safety
valve opening outwards and held by a spring the tension of which may be regulated
by a nut. This valve is hermetically closed at ordinary times by a plug which is
removed only when the inflation is to be effected.
Reservoirs of greater capacity and with a regulated outflow have the advantage
of enabling the cyclist to always keep the pneumatic tyre in the desired state of
hardness. In case it is deemed suitable I fix these reservoirs to a part of the
velocipede or use one of these rigid parts as a reservoir.
In the case of reservoirs of large capacity which are used especially by merchants
and manufacturers of velocipedes who have to effect many inflations and who use
at present large pumps. may place upon these reservoirs a safety valve which
opens in case the pressure of the gas in the reservoirs should under special
circumstances become too great.
I may also apply to these reservoirs any suitable device for preventing the
passage of the gas into the pnematic tyre after a given pressure is exceeded.
It is not needful to describe the mode of charging my reservoirs as this is done
by the ordinary methods.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Inflating Pneumatic
Tyres for Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, GEORGES LESOURD, of 36 Rue du Cherche Midi, Paris, in the Republic
of France, 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 :-
My invention relates to apparatus for inflating pneumatic tyres for wheels of
velocipedes and other vehicles by means of carbonic acid or other liquefied gas.
It is well known that nearly all wheels of velocipedes are now provided with
pneumatic tyres forming an air chamber into which air is introduced at a pressure
which varies according to the diameter of the tyre and the weight of the cyclist.
On this pressure depends the proper operation of the apparatus.
The air chambers of these pneumatic tyres of various constructions have a
nozzle containing a valve which opens inwardly.

page_text: When the pneumatic tyre is to be inflated this nozzle is put in communication
with a small pump which is in most cases a hand pump. Whether this pump be
absolutely free or be fixed to a rigid part of the machine or whether one of these
rigid parts forms the body of the pump, its operation is always delicate and difficult
especially when the pressure in the interior of the pneumatic tyre has attained a
certain degree.
It is moreover liable to get out of order and, preventing the inflation, altogether
render the machine unserviceable.
Some cyclists often ride under disadvantageous conditions with too slack or soft
pneumatic tyres, because they try to use their pumps as little as possible.
In order to remedy these inconveniences I employ small reservoirs of variable
capacity and with sufficiently strong walls for containing liquid carbonic acid or
any other gas liquefied or at a very high pressure.
gas.
Liquefied gas has amongst other advantages that of always giving the same
pressure as long as liquid is in the
presence of
This reservoir is provided with a cock suitably arranged and screwed or otherwise
fixed either directly or by means of a small tube of copper or indiarubber upon
the nozzle of the pneumatic tyre.
I may thus introduce into the pneumatic tyre the desired quantity of gas to
obtain the proper degree of resistance which the cyclist is able to determine by hand.
It will be understood that my reservoirs may be of any desired form and capacity,
and particularly of spherical form by reason of the high resistance it offers; and that
they may be made of any desired material especially of aluminium so as to diminish
the weight of the same as much as possible. For closing such reservoirs I may use
any system of cock, valve or the like which may be deemed suitable. Besides the
closing devices hereinafter mentioned by way of example I may particularly employ
what is known as Stern's closing device which forms the subject of Letters Patent
dated the 15th November 1889, No. 18273.
I will now proceed to describe certain special arrangements.
In order that the cyclist may not inflate the pneumatic tyre too much and cause
its rupture I sometimes make reservoirs containing only as much gas as is necessary
for a single charge.
In this case these very small reservoirs may be arranged in a box in rows of six,.
twelve or any desired number.
For each inflation the cyclist completely deflates the pneumatic tyre, fixes the
reservoir upon the nozzle and allows the whole of the gas to pass into the interior
of the tyre.
I may also place a certain number of these reservoirs upon a collector and use
each reservoir in succession by putting the collector in communication with the
pneumatic tyre.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a sectional view shewing one form of reservoir fitted to a pneumatic
tyre.
Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of modified forms of reservoir and the valve
therefor.
Figures 4 to 7 are sectional views shewing details of construction hereinafter
described.
Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring now to Figure 1, A is the reservoir for liquefied gas, R a valve
having a very long screwed spindle furnished with a point which can lift a ball B
from its seat i, a nut E being provided for making a tight joint.
The gas escaping through a channel o o passes into the pneumatic tyre to which
the apparatus is connected either directly or by means of a tube t furnished with
two screwed caps C, C. Or the tube t may be permanently secured in the orifice o
as shewn in Figure 7.
The gas is led into the air tube of the tyre through a nozzle P.

page_text: Instead of the ball valve shewn in Figure 1 I may employ a simple spindle cock
or valve R as shewn in Figure 2 or a plug cock as shewn at R" in Figure 3.
To avoid the possibility of rupture of the pneumatic tyre in these kinds of
apparatus I sometimes provide a safety valve as shewn at S Figure 4 where B' is
a ball adapted to open the entrance to a channel K leading outwards and branching
from the channel o, o. The said ball is held by a spring under suitable tension
which can be regulated by a nut e¹.
This valve rises as soon as the pressure attains the desired limit in the pneumatic
tyre, which is noticed by the escape of gas through the channels K.
In lieu of this valve or in combination with it I may employ a pressure gauge,
secured for example at m Figure 5, although I am of opinion that such complicated
devices are not very well adapted for practical purposes.
I sometimes provide upon the pneumatic tyre a second nozzle P¹ with a safety
valve S (Figure 6) opening outwards and held by a spring the tension of which
may be regulated by a nut e. This valve is hermetically closed at ordinary times
by a plug H which is removed only when the tyre is to be inflated.
Reservoirs of greater capacity and with a regulated outflow have the advantage
of enabling the cyclist to always keep the pneumatic tyre in the desired state of
hardness. In case it is deemed suitable I fix these reservoirs to a part of the
velocipede or use one of these rigid parts as a reservoir.
In the case of reservoirs of large capacity which are used especially by merchants
and manufacturers of velocipedes who have to effect many inflations and who use
at present large pumps I may place upon these reservoirs a safety valve which
opens in case the pressure of the gas in the reservoirs should under special circum-
stances become too great.
I may also apply to these reservoirs any suitable device for preventing the passage
of the gas into the pneumatic tyre after a given pressure is exceeded.
This device consists of a regulator of any kind composed of two cylinders of
different diameters, in which work the pistons a and c connected by a common rod.
Upon this rod is a valve b. The space above the piston a and the space below the
piston c communicate with the atmosphere. T is the pipe for the gas and T' is the
pipe leading to the pneumatic tyre to be inflated.
The comparative size of a and c are such that when the pressure in the pneumatic
tyre reaches a given limit the pistons and rod will be lowered and the valve b
closed again. The gas at high pressure no longer communicates with the pneumatic
tyre.
The reservoirs which I use are charged in the ordinary manner.
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 :-
First. The employment of reservoirs for entirely or partially inflating pneumatic
tyres for wheels of velocipedes or other vehicles, said reservoirs being of variable
dimensions, and filled with carbonic acid or any other gas either liquefied or at a
very high pressure.
Second. The employment of reservoirs for inflating pneumatic tyres each of such
reservoirs containing enough gas to properly inflate a pneumatic tyre once after
said tyre has been completely deflated, substantially as described.
Third. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a suitable number of separate
reservoirs each of such reservoirs containing enough gas to properly inflate a
pneumatic tyre once after such tyre has been completely deflated, all the said
reservoirs being connected to the tyre by the same channel, substantially as
described.
Fourth. The combination with a reservoir containing several charges, of a safety
valve with or without a pressure gauge, substantially as, and for the purpose,

page_text: Fifth. The employment of a safety valve placed on the pneumatic tyre itself, for
the purpose specified.
Sixth. Securing the reservoir to a part of the machine or the employment of part
of the machine itself as a reservoir, substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination with a reservoir of a device so constructed that when
the pressure in the pneumatic tyre reaches a certain fixed limit the further delivery
of gas from the reservoir is prevented, substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Eighth. The various modes of constructing the reservoirs and devices connected
therewith, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Ninth. The employment of means substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawing for the inflation of pneumatic tyres applied to the wheels
of any light carriages.
Dated this 22nd da of Santambor 1902
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.