Improvements in Pneumatic Tires for Vehicle Wheels.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tires for Vehicle Wheels.
1, JACOB REEPMAKER, of Rotterdam, Netherlands, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement; -
My invention relates to pneumatic tires for vehicle-wheels and more particu-
larly to that class in which the inner air-tube or tubes is protected by an outer
sheath or covering which forms the tread, and the object of the invention is to
provide a simple, effective and durable sheath of this class.
To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination and
arrangement of the device as will be hereinafter more fully described and par-
ticularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, the same reference characters indicate the
same parts of the invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of a sheath embodying my inven-
tion.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the sheath laced.
Figure 3 is a similar view, partly in section, of the same, showing some of
the parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of those parts
lying beneath.
Figure 4 is a transverse section.
Figure 5 shows the manner of securing the ends of the lacing on the tires of
vehicles.
Figure 6 shows a method of fastening the ends of the lacing cords separately.
Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of a clamping lever.
1 represents the flexible rubber envelope, and 2 the canvas backing which is
first "quilted" by longitudinal and transverse rows of stitching, as shown, to
give additional strength and durability to the same without affecting its flexi-
bility. The rubber is narrower than the canvas, leaving a marginal edge of
canvas on each edge of the rubber, and a binding strip of tape 3 is laid along
both edges of the rubber and the same firmly secured to the canvas by parallel
rows of stitching, as shown, and the edges of the canvas are further protected
by whip-stitching.
One of the marginal edges of the canvas is re-inforced by a strip of leather 4
and a series of eyelets 5, 5, are worked through the leather and canvas.
The opposite marginal edge of the canvas is provided with a corresponding
series of flexible loops 6, 6, and the inner face of this marginal part is also re-
inforced by a leather strip 7, which also serves to protect the inner ends of the
loops 6, 6.
In applying the sheath to a wheel, the inner air-tube is deflated and the
sheath made to encompass it. The marginal edges of the canvas are then brought
together so as to overlap and the loops 6, 6, inserted through the aligned eyelets
in the overlapping edge. A lacing cord 8 is now inserted through the loops
and the ends brought together and tied in a knot, which is arranged to lie
between the laced face of the sheath and the contiguous face of the grooved rim,

page_text: the inner tube is now inflated, causing the sheath to snugly encompass and hug
the rim.
The above description applies to double-tube tires, while for single tube-
tires the sheath may be formed as above with the exception that the rubber
envelope may be dispensed with.
In its application to the tires of auto-cars, carriages and other heavy vehicles,
the material of course, will be proportionately heavier, and as the larger cord
required would make a cumbersome knot, I pass the meeting ends of the rope
inwardly through an orifice 9 in the rim and then under the shorter arm 10 of
a clamping lever 12 fulcrumed in the bracket 13, fixed to the inner face of the
rim. This clamping lever is also of novel construction, its longer arm 12 being
provided with an orifice 14, which is non-aligned with an orifice 15 in the
bracket and the orifice in the rim is aligned with the orifice in the bracket.
The rope or cord is first passed through the orifices 9 and 15 and then through
the orifice 14 in the lever, and the free ends then passed around and under the
shorter arm, so that when the lever 12 is pressed down the end of the cord si
rope will be clamped between the end of the shorter arm and the contiguous
face of the bracket and the strain imparted to the cord when the tire is in use,
tends to draw the longer arm down and thus effectually clamp the cord in place.
In Figure 6, I have shown two bracket clamps for independently securing
the ends of the lacing-cord, so that one end may be secured first and the second
drawn taut and then secured as in the first instance.
While I have described my invention and illustrated the same in the best
form now known to me, changes in the details may be made within the skill
of a mechanic practiced in the art, without departing from the spirit of my in-
vention, as set forth in the claims forming a part of this specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A sheath for pneumatic tires comprising an outer rubber envelope, an
inner quilted or reinforced canvas of greater width than the envelope and stitched
thereto to form overlapping flaps which project on each side of the envelope
and have their edges reinforced by whip stitches, the reinforcing strip 4 stitched
to the outer of one of the flaps and having one of its edges abutting against one
edge of the rubber envelope, the reinforcing strip 7 secured to the under side
of the other overlapping flap, a longitudinal row of eyelets formed through the
reinforcing strip 4 and the overlapping flap to which it is attached, a series of
loops secured to the opposite overlapping flap, said loops projecting through
said eyelets, and a lacing cord passed through the ends of the loops to secure
them in said eyelets, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the rim, of a wheel and the sheath of a pneumatic
tire, and the lacing cord for said sheath, said rim having orifices of the bracket 13
having an orifice, the lever 12 fulcrumed on said bracket and provided with an
orifice, and a short arm 10 adapted to clamp said lacing cord in said bracket,
the orifices in the bracket and the rim of the wheel registering, while the orifice
in the lever is at one side of the registering orifices, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of April 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.