Improvements in Shields for Protecting the Rubber Tires of Oycles and the like from Injury.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1893—Accepted, 18th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shields for Protecting the Rubber Tires of Oycles
and the like from Injury.
I, PIERCE OCKENDEN, of 119 and 120, London Wall, in the City of London,
Mercantile Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The rubber tires of cycles more particularly pneumatic tires frequently suffer
damage from the sharp edges of pieces of stone or other sharp edges, or points, they
may encounter. Many attempts have been made to protect the tires from such
injury, but the safety of the tyre has generally been obtained at the expense of its
resilience.
Now my invention is intended to thoroughly protect the tire without materially
lessening its resilience.
The most important feature of novelty in my invention is that the shield instead
of being formed of one continuous piece is composed of a number of pieces preferably
overlapping each other like fishes' scales, or scale armour, so that any stiffness of
the material of which the shield is made does not interfere with the movements due
to the elasticity of the rubber tire.
The scales or pieces forming the shield are conveniently attached to the iron
felloe either by means of studs thereon, or holes therein, or like means of attachment
and either on the side thereof, next the rubber tire, or on the other side.
The individual pieces or scales forming the shield are of such size as to con-
veniently cover the face of the tire and reach as far over or on to the felloe as may
be convenient for the purpose of attachment and are of suitable corresponding
width. I find that vulcanized india rubber answers well for this purpose, especially
when combined or lined with canvas or other textile fabric either wholly or in part,
the latter is preferred as thereby the elasticity of the rubber and its power of
adjusting itself nicely to the shape of the parts it covers is less interfered with
than when the canvas is continuous.
The rubber may advantageously be made thinner towards its edges so that each
scale may fit closely on to the one below and without any very noticeable ridge or
step at the edge.
It is contemplated in actual use, and with pneumatic tires for which my invention
is more particularly intended, that the tire will be partly emptied and allowed to
collapse before the shield is applied. The pieces, or scales, will then he put on one
after another till the whole tire is covered and then air may be pumped into the
tire distending it and causing it to fill out and stretch the scales forming the shield
very tightly over the tire.
It will be obvious that other material than rubber and canvas may be used for
the construction of my shields, leather for instance answers well or they may be
made of canvas only or other like material, but I know of nothing else which
answers so well as vulcanized rubber partly lined or faced with stout canvas.
One form of scale I make entirely of vulcanized rubber except only small canvas
facings to strengthen the points of attachment and I attach thereto a piece of stout
canvas at about its centre and so as to lie evenly and flatly thereon but not attached
thereto other than near its centre.
Dated A-1 14 1000
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Shields for Protecting the Rubber Tires of Cycles
and the like from Injury.
1, PIERCE OCKENDEN, of 119 and 120 London Wall, in the City of London,
Mercantile Clerk, 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 :-
The rubber tires of cycles more particularly pneumatic tires frequently suffer
damage for the sharp edge of pieces of stone or other sharp edges, or points, they
may encounter. Many attempts have been made to protect the tires from such
injury, but the safety of the tire has generally been obtained at the expense of its
resilience.
Now my invention is intended to thoroughly protect the tire without materially
lessening its resilience.
The most important feature of novelty in my invention is that the shield instead
of being formed of one continuous piece is composed of a number of pieces
preferably overlapping each other like fishes scales, or scale armour, so that any
stiffness of the material of which the shield is made does not interfere with the
movements due to the elasticity of the rubber tire.
The scales or pieces forming the shield are conveniently attached to the iron
felloe either by means of studs thereon, or holes therein, or like means of attachment
and either on the side thereof, next the rubber tire or on the other side.
"
The individual pieces or scales forming the shield are of such size as to con-
veniently cover the face of the tire and reach as far over or on to the felloe as may
be convenient for the purpose of attachment and are of suitable corresponding
width. I find that vulcanized india rubber answers well for this purpose, especially
when combined or lined either wholly or in part with canvas or other textile fabric
cut on the cross as thereby the elasticity of the rubber and its power of adjusting
itself nicely to the shape of the parts it covers is less interfered with than when the
canvas is continuous and cut straight with the threads.
The rubber may advantageously be made thinner towards its edges so that each
scale may fit closely on to the one below and without any very noticeable ridge or
step at the edge.
It is contemplated in actual use, that the tire will be partly emptied of air and
allowed to collapse before the shield is applied. The pieces, or scales will then
be put on one after another till the whole tyre is covered and then air may be
pumped into the tire distending it and causing it to fill out and stretch the scales
forming the shield very tightly over the tire.
It will be obvious that other material than rubber and canvas may be used for
the construction of my shields, leather for instance answers well or they may be
made of canvas only or other like material but I know of nothing else which
answers so well as vulcanized rubber partly lined or faced with canvas or entirely
faced with canvas cut obliquely in regard to the threads of which it is composed
(i.e. on the cross) so as to have considerable elasticity in the direction of the length
of each scale.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1. is a plan and Fig. 2. a section, of the actual size of one scale of the shield.
Fig. 3. is an elevation partly in section, on a smaller scale, of part of the felloe and
tire of wheel covered with my said shield. Fig. 4. is a transverse section, actual
size, of the same.
The scale represented in the drawings and indicated by the letter A, is that
which I prefer for general purposes. It is faced throughout on one, the inner,
side, with canvas adhering closely and firmly to the vulcanized rubber. The canvas
being so disposed that the threads lie obliquely to the line through the extreme

page_text: "
length of the shield. This disposition of the canvas,
GE on the cross as it is
usually called, gives it a certain amount of elasticity in the direction of the length
of the scale, which enables the elasticity of the rubber to come into play when the
shield is being stretched by the gradual distension of the pneumatic tire D, as air
is being pumped in; and I find this the preferable arrangement of the materials
of the shield although other materials or combinations such as are herein before
mentioned may be better suited for some cases.
One method of attaching the scales to the felloe B is shewn in the drawings and
is to have the scales pierced at each end, and the holes a a being either eyeleted
as shewn in Fig. 1, or not eyeleted, and to have studs or hooks c on the felloe,
either a single row along the centre as represented in the drawings, or two rows
one on each side, over which the eyelets or holes in the shield may be passed.
If a single row along the centre line is used as is represented in Figs. 3 & 4 I
make the free ends bend over to one side as shewn in the drawings, and first pass
over it that end of the scale towards which the tip of the stud or hook inclines,
and after that, the hole at the other end of the shield as shewn in Fig. 4; the
end last put on thus preventing the disengagement of the first end. When two
rows of studs are used they are bent over slightly towards the central line and
obviously only one end of the scale goes over each stud. When all the scales are
on, air is to be pumped into the tire which being thereby distended fills out and
stretches the scales and fixes them securely.
.
Another method of attaching the shield to the felloe B, is by having the latter
pierced by a series of holes preferably with a short slot to each towards the edge
of the felloe, and providing each scale of the shield, at each end of the scale, with
a projecting stud, instead of the eyelet shewn in Fig. 1, larger at its top than
at its base, so that its head may readily pass through the hole, and the neck of
the stud pass into the slot. In this case the pneumatic tire, preferably in its
canvas case, is to be laid in the hollow of the felloe and the scales forming the
shield are then one by one laid over the tire and their ends brought between the
tire and the felloe, and the studs passed through the holes, until they are all on,
and then air is pumped into the tire causing it to completely fill the shield, and by
drawing the studs outwards towards the ends of the slots making the whole
perfectly fast and secure.
A similar arrangement may be adopted placing the scales over or on the outside
of the felloe with studs passing through the felloe from the outside, the studs
obviously being in this case on the opposite side of the scale to that on which they
are fixed when the shield passes between the tire and the felloe.
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 :-
:-
.
1. Protecting the pneumatic tires of cycles and other vehicles from injury, by a
shield or covering composed of detached pieces of protecting material stretched
across the face of the tire, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
2. Constructing shields for the tires of cycles and the like of a series of pieces
or scales overlapping each other substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described and set forth.
3. A shield for the pneumatic tires of wheels of cycles and other vehicles com-
posed of a series of pieces of vulcanized rubber, canvas, leather, or other like or
suitable material or a combination of some of them, such pieces or scales being
each fastened at each end to the felloe of the wheel and being tightly filled by the
expansion of the tire consequent on its inflation substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated the 14th do
1000