Improvements in Valves for Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Pneumatic Tyres.
I, WILLIAM HAYES, of 922 Broad Street, in the City of Newark, Essex
County, State of New Jersey, United States of America, Manufacturing Jeweller,
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 valves, and more particularly to that class which is
adapted for use in connection with pneumatic tires for bicycles or other vehicles.
In valves of this class, as is well understood, the valve proper usually consists of a
plunger which is movably held in a normal closed position in contact with its seat
in the valve casing, by means of a spring; the said plunger and spring being held
within the valve casing from the inner end of the latter, by means of a perforated
screw-plug or cap. This style of valve, in practice, has been found to be
objectionable, among other things, in that the pressure of the spring upon the
plunger not always being central or equally distributed, sometimes has a tendency,
particularly after the parts have become more or less worn, to cause the plunger
to become improperly or unevenly seated in the valve seat and so allow more or
less leakage through the same. Further, the opening of the valve casing at its
inner end being somewhat obstructed with the parts located therein and the screw-
plug at the end thereof, the free passage of the air when being forced through the
valve into the tire is interfered with, and consequently necessitates more time and
strength in forcing the air through the valve than it would if the valve casing was
not so obstructed. To avoid such objections, and provide a valve of few parts and
simple construction, in which the opening through the valve casing may be open
and unobstructed, except as to the valve proper, whereby the full volume of air as
allowed by the opening in the valve casing may be forced through the same, and
in which the valve proper may be retained and supported in proper position within
the valve casing relative to its seat, without the aid of springs or other similar
parts, has been the object of my invention. This object I secure by means of the
novel construction and arrangement of parts embodying my invention as hereinafter
set forth in detail and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, represents a short piece of pneumatic tire in section, with one of my
improved valves, in central vertical section, attached thereto.
Fig. 2, represents a valve casing in central vertical section, embodying a slightly
modified construction from that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a cross-section taken through line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking downward
as indicated by the arrow, and
Fig. 4, is a cross-section through line 4-4 of Figure 2.
To explain in detail,-a represents the valve casing which is of ordinary
cylindrical form having an opening extending therethrough, and provided with
the usual grooves a¹ in its outer surface for the connection therewith of the flexible
tire-sleeve or nipple b, the latter being adapted to be compressed into said grooves
by means of a wire wound tightly around the same as shown in Figure 1. This
casing a, adjacent to its upper end, is cut away on its inner side so as to form an
annular shoulder a², against or upon which latter a ring a³, formed of rubber or
other suitable yielding material, is adapted to be seated.

page_text: The lower end of this ring a³ forms a valve-seat, and its inner diameter is
smaller than the inner diameter of the valve casing, so that the valve, represented
at c, may be seated closely against the same to close the valve, as shown in Figure 1,
and be loose in the valve casing when moved back from the seat, as shown in
Figure 2 and in dotted lines in Figure 1, to allow for the passage of the air through
the valve in the usual manner.
The valve c, as herein shown, consists of a spherical body or ball which is loosely
supported within the valve casing independent of any other part, and is adapted to
be movably held in position against the valve seat by the pressure of air from the
tire. The valve c being round, so that it may be partially seated within the valve
seat and closely conform to the inner yielding edge of the latter as shown, is the
most preferable form for the valve, as it tends to insure a closer joint or union
between the parts and reduce the liability of leakage to a minimum, but I do not
wish to be understood as confining myself to any particular form for the said
valve, as the same may be more or less varied as may be found to be most convenient
and desirable in practice, without departure from the spirit of my invention..
The said valve c, when not held in contact with the valve seat by the pressure
of air against the same as described, is loosely held within the valve casing and
prevented from dropping or passing through the same at the inner end thereof,
by means of projections a formed on the inner wall of the valve casing as shown
in Figures 1 and 3, which extend into the space within the valve casing only a
sufficient distance to engage with the valve and prevent it falling through the same.
These projections a*, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, are formed by punching in the
wall of the valve casing from the outer side thereof, and thus forming a very cheap
and simple means for retaining the valve within the valve casing. Other means
may however be employed for such purpose without departure from my invention;
for instance, referring to Figures 2 and 4, I have employed a pin a which is
supported by the valve casing to extend transversely across the opening therein
and support the valve as shown. The means first described however and as shown
in Figures 1 and 3, I consider the most preferable for the reason that there is no
possibility of leakage at a point below the valve, and also as being the cheapest
and most simple construction.
The valve proper c, being thus loosely supported within the valve casing in
proper position to be automatically forced into engagement with the valve scat
after the air has been forced into the tire, independent of connection or engagement
with any operating part, is very important in that there are no parts, except the
valve seat, to become worn or out of order, and the opening in the valve casing is
left free and unobstructed so that the air may be freely and easily forced through
the same and the tire thus be enabled to be quickly filled or "pumped up."
The valve seat a³ being preferably formed of rubber or other yielding material,
is, in this construction, the only part liable to become worn, and this part can be
readily replaced at any time without removing the valve from the tire, and by any
inexperienced person, in a manner as will be described.
The upper end of the valve casing a is screw-threaded on its outer surface
as shown at a, for the detachable connection therewith of a tubular section d, which
latter is provided with an inwardly projecting flange or collar d' about central
therein which overhangs the upper end of the valve casing and the said valve seat
ring therein as clearly shown in Figure 1, and is adapted to bear upon the upper
edge of the said valve casing through the medium of an interposed packing ring or
washer d². This washer d being formed of leather, rubber, or similar yielding
material prevents any possibility of leakage at the point of union between the
part d and the valve casing.
The said tubular section d is also screw-threaded at its upper end on the outer
side thereof, for the detachable connection therewith of the ordinary dust-cap e,
which latter is of usual construction. When the tire with which the valve is
connected requires pumping up, the dust-cap e is removed and the pump applied to
the section d in the usual manner. In case the valve seat becomes worn or requires

page_text: other attention, the section d may then be removed from the end of the valve casing
and the flexible ring or tubing as forming the valve seat will then be exposed
so that it may be readily removed or replaced.
It will be understood that the valve casing a with the valve and valve seat
supported therein as illustrated and described, a complete and operative valve
without the additional section d and dust-cap e, the latter parts being employed in
connection with the valve casing as a protection to the valve and valve seat
therein.
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. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a valve casing
having an opening extending therethrough, an annular valve seat, formed of a
yielding material, removably supported in said valve casing, a valve proper loosely
supported within the valve casing at a point below the valve seat, independent of
connection or engagement with any operating part, and means supported within the
valve casing for retaining the valve proper in a loose position therein, substantially
as described and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a valve casing
having an opening extending therethrough, an annular valve seat removably
supported in said valve casing, a valve proper loosely supported within the valve
casing at a point below the valve seat and being adapted for engagement with the
latter to close the valve, and a projection on the inner wall of said valve casing for
retaining the valve proper in a loose position therein, substantially as described and
for the purpose set forth.
3. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a valve casing
having an opening extending therethrough, an annular valve seat removably
supported in said valve casing, a valve proper, consisting of a spherical body,
loosely supported within the valve casing at a point below the valve seat and being
adapted for engagement with the latter to close the valve, and means for retaining
the valve proper in a loose position within the valve casing, substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a hollow cylindrical
valve casing provided with an annular shoulder therein adjacent to its outer end,
an annular ring of yielding material removably seated within the valve casing
against the said shoulder therein, and forming a valve seat, a valve proper,
consisting of a ball or spherical body, loosely supported within the valve casing at
a point below the valve seat and being adapted for engagement with the latter to
close the valve, a projection on the inner wall of the valve casing for retaining the
valve proper in a loose position within the valve casing, and means for detachable
connection with the outer end of the latter to close the same, substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a hollow cylindrical
valve casing provided with an annular shoulder therein adjacent to its outer end, an
annular ring of yielding material removably seated within the valve casing against
the said shoulder therein, and forming a valve seat, the inner diameter of the said
ring being less than the inner diameter of the vaive casing at a point below the
same, a ball or spherical body, forming the valve proper, loosely supported within
the valve casing at a point below the valve seat, and being of greater diameter than
the opening of the valve seat and less diameter than the opening of the valve
casing, and means located in the valve casing for retaining the valve proper in a
loose position therein, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a valve casing
having an opening extending therethrough, and provided with an annular shoulder
therein adjacent to its outer end, a ring of yielding material removably supported
or seated within the valve casing against the said shoulder therein, with its inner
45.

page_text: end forming a valve seat, a valve of greater diameter than the opening of the valve
seat and less diameter than the opening of the valve casing, loosely supported
within the latter at a point below the valve seat, means for retaining the valve
proper in a loose position within the valve casing, a cylindrical section having a
detachable connection with the upper end of the valve casing and provided with an
annular flange or shoulder on its inner wall overhanging the upper end of the valve
casing and the said valve seat ring which is seated therein, a packing washer
located between the upper end of the valve casing and the overhanging flange of
the said detachable section as shown in Figure 1, and a dust-cap having a
detachable connection with the outer end of the said section, substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 20th 1...
L 1000
WILLIAM HAYES.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.