Improvements in or in connection with the Wheels of Cycles or other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Icft 3rd Aug 1500
Accented Ath Nov
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with the Wheels of Cycles or other
Road Vehicles.
I, Chevalier ERNEST PASQUALE LEONE HARDY, of 51, South John Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Acting Consul General for Italy, and
Knight of the Italian Crown, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
•
This invention relates to the wheels of cycles or other road vehicles, and has
for its object to provide such wheels with an improved inflating valve for the
pneumatic tyres thereof, which shall be an improvement on what has gone before,
an arrangement for enabling pneumatic tyres to be used even when punctured,
and an improved arrangement of spokes.
In carrying the invention into effect the improved valve consists of a screwed
or outer metal tube fitted into a hole in the inflated tube or tyre. There is a
flange which is usually used in conjunction with a lock-nut for holding the tyre
firm in the air chamber and preventing leakage, the screwed tube being passed
through a tight fitting hole in the air chamber, which is temporarily expanded to
allow of the insertion of the flange of the tube. Also there is the usual nut for
screwing down on the rim. The outer tube aforesaid is closed by a screwed plug
or cylinder, one tubular end of which is screwed into the outer tube by means of
an internal screw in the latter, while the other tubular end is left projecting
therefrom, and is fitted with a screw cap. This tubular plug or cylinder which
is held tight in the outer tube by means of a washer located between the end of one
and a shoulder on the other, is closed however in the middle by a diaphragm or
partition, and thus the screwing of the cylinder into the outer tube prevents any
escape of air from the tyre except through a small air port in this diaphragm or
partition. This air port, which is placed eccentrically in the tube, is provided with
a valve seat with a non-return valve which enables air to pass through into the tyre
while preventing any return thereof. In the end of the tubular plug or cylinder
that is screwed into the outer tube, there is a hole used for deflation, so that by
unscrewing the tube sufficiently the hole becomes exposed and allows of deflation.
A sloping slot is provided in that part of the cylinder which extends outside the
outer tube, in which works a pin attached to a plug which is socketted into the
projecting end of the screwed cylinder. This plug has a screw thread upon it and
forms the nipple to which the pump is attached in the ordinary manner. It has a
concentric port and an eccentric one communicating therewith. This concentric
port and the eccentric air port in the cylinder, are so placed that by turning the
plug round in its socket, until the pin comes to the other end of the slot, these
two ports come opposite each other, while at the same time owing to the slight
obliquity of the slot, the bottom of the plug comes firm against the diaphragm
or partition, thus preventing any possible escape of air between the plug and the
cylinder in which it is socketted. Below the air port in the diaphragm is placed
as already mentioned a non-return valve to prevent any return of air, and a bar or

page_text: grid is provided for the purpose of preventing this non-return valve from falling
out into the air chamber.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The tube being fixed in the air chamber and passing through into the tyre,
and screwed down in the usual manner, the cylinder is firmly screwed down into
it as far as it will go, pressing the washer tight and thus making an air-tight joint.
The inflating pump is screwed on to the plug, and the latter rotated until the
two ports come opposite each other, then by operating the pump, air will be
forced into the tyre while the valve below the diaphragm prevents any return of
air. After inflation the non-return valve closes automatically, but the plug may
also be turned back half a turn as additional security so as to bring the two ports
not opposite each other, and the inflation is completed, the pump removed and
the cap screwed on in place. For the purpose of deflating the tyre, the cylinder
by means of a milled collar is unscrewed from the outer tube until the hole is
exposed.
In thus describing the invention it is obvious that the slot in the plug can be
horizontal, its main object being to form an abutment with the pin so as to insure
that the two passages come exactly opposite each other and that when the pin is
at the opposite end of the slot they shall be clear of each other, also to ensure
the bottom of the plug coming firm against the seat or bottom of the hole in which
it is socketted. It is an additional safeguard however having it sloping as by
this obliquity the plug can be tightened against the seat either when the two ports
are opposite each other, or at the other end of the movement as desired. It is also
obvious that the cap could be arranged to fit direct on to the plug instead of on
to the screwed end of the cylinder. Where however only the non-return valve
is used to stop the exit of air, the plug and cylinder can be formed in one and a
simple straight passage be used. The end of the cylinder inside the outer tube
may be expanded at the bottom. This is to prevent it from being screwed out
entirely and lost.
My arrangement for enabling pneumatic tyres to be used even when punctured
consists in providing an attachment for the wheel which will carry a supply of
air under pressure, and which will convey this air to the punctured tyre in such
a manner that the loss of air due to leakage at the puncture will be compensated
for. The attachment comprises a vessel capable of holding compressed air, means
for attaching this vessel to the wheel axle, a pipe for conveying air from the
vessel to the inflating valve of the tyre, in which pipe there may be a cock,
and a condensing pump or other contrivance for filling the vessel with air and
compressing it therein. Thus it will be seen that immediately a puncture takes
place, all that is necessary is to open the cock and air will be continuously
conveyed into the tyre to compensate for the loss due to leakage, and this will go
on continuing until such time as the rider arrives at a place where he can effect
the necessary repairs.
In regard to the spokes, my arrangement enables me to attach and detach the
end of the spokes from the outside of the nave of the wheel, and consists in
providing the spoke ends with an elongated button or catch pivoted to the spoke
ends, so that it may be turned either in line with the end of its spoke or at right
angles thereto. By placing the button or catch in line with the end of the spoke,
the spoke can be passed through the hole in the mave, after which the button or
catch is turned at right angles, and holds the spoke firmly in position in the nave
so that it cannot be removed.
1
8
1000

page_text: Improvements in or in connection with the Wheels of Cycles or other
Road Vehicles.
I, Chevalier ERNEST PASQUALE LEONE HARDY, of 51, South John Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Acting Consul General for Italy, and
Knight of the Italian Crown, 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:―
This invention relates to the wheels of cycles or other road vehicles, and has for
its object to provide such wheels with an improved inflating valve for the
pneumatic tyres thereof which shall be an improvement on what has gone
before.
The invention will be understod from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the valve on an enlarged scale;
Figure 2 the upper part of the same in elevation;
Figure 3 a view of cap.
The improved valve consists of a screwed or outer metal tube A fitted into a
hole in the inflated tube or tyre. B is a flange which is generally used in conjunc-
tion with a lock nut C for holding the tube firm in the air chamber and preventing
leakage, the tube A being passed through a tight-fitting hole in the air chamber
which is temporarily expanded to allow of the insertion of the flange of the
tube A. D is the usual nut for screwing down on to the rim. There is nothing
new in this part of the apparatus. The outer tube aforesaid is closed by a
screw plug or cylinder F, one tubular end of which is screwed into the outer
tube A by means of an internal screw on the latter, while the other tubular end
is left projecting therefrom, and is fitted with a screw cap. This screwed plug
or cylinder F is held tight on tube A by means of a washer G located between the
end of one and a shoulder on the other. The plug F is also closed in the middle
by a diaphragm or partition H provided however with a valve seat H¹ through
which an eccentric hole I is passed, and thus the screwing of the plug F into the
outer tube A prevents any escape of air from the tyre except through the small
air port. K is a ball filling the mouth of the port I, which while enabling air to
pass through into the tyre prevents any return thereof. In the tube F is a
hole used for deflation. By unscrewing the tube F sufficiently the hole J
becomes exposed and allows of deflation. L is a sloping slot in tube Fin
which works a pin M attached to an interior plug or tube N, which is socketted
into the projecting end of the screwed plug F. This plug has a screw thread O
upon it and forms a nipple to which the pump is attached in the ordinary manner.
It has a concentric port P having an eccentric port Q communicating therewith.
This eccentric port Q and the eccentric port I are so placed that by turning the
plug N round until the pin M comes to the other end of the slot L these two
ports I and Q come opposite each other, while at the same time owing to the slight
obliquity of the slot L the bottom of the plug N comes firm against the
diaphragm H, thus preventing any possible escape of air between the plug N and
tube F. R is the usual cap. S is a bar in tube F for the purpose of preventing
the ball K from falling out into the air chamber.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The tube A being fixed in the air chamber and passing through the trye and
screwed down in the usual manner, tube F is firmly screwed down into it as far
as it will go pressing the washer G tight and thus making an air-tight joint.

page_text: Plug N is now turned until the ports I and Q come opposite each other. The
pump is now screwed on to plug N and the tyre inflated. The inflation being
made and the tyre being placed so that the valve shall be at its lowest point
the pump is unscrewed, the ball K is at once forced up against its seat and
closes the port I. The plug N is now turned round as additional security so as to
bring the two ports not opposite each other, and the inflation is completed. For
deflating, the tube F by means of the milled collar T is unscrewed from tube A
until the hole J is exposed.
In thus describing my invention it is obvious that the slot L can be horizontal,
its main object being to form an abutment with the pin M so as to insure that
the two passages I and Q come exactly opposite each other and that when the pin
is at the opposite end of the slot they shall be clear of each other. It is an
additional safeguard however having it sloping, as by this obliquity the plug can
be tightened against the valve seat H either when the two ports are opposite each
other or at the other end of the movement as desired. It is also obvious that the
cap R could be arranged on a similar size to fit direct on the nipple or tube N
instead of on the tube F. It is however preferable on tube F so as to still further
prevent the escape of air between the tubes N and F. Where however only the
ball K is used to stop the exit of air tubes N and F can be formed in one and a
simple straight passage be used. In the drawings tube F is expanded at the
bottom. This is to prevent it from being screwed out entirely and lost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I deciare that what
I claim is:
1. In an inflating valve for pneumatic tyres, the combination with a rigid tube
fixed airtight in the cushion or tyre, of another rigid tube screwed into the first
named in an airtight manner, this last named inner tube having at its middle a
valve seat with a restricted passage through it, the opening at the outer end of said
passage being controlled by a non-return valve, substantially as described.
2. In an inflating valve or pneumatic tyres, the combination of a valve tube F
having a narrow oblique or eccentric orifice in the same, a rotary plug or cylinder N
socketed into the said valve tube and having also an eccentric orifice therein, and
a stop device such as L M, said orifices being so placed that by turning the plug
round until stopped by the stop device, these two orifices come opposite each
other to enable the cushion or tyre to be inflated as required, substantially as
described.
3. In an inflating valve for pneumatic tyres, the combination of a valve tube F
having a valve seat H¹ provided with an oblique port I, of a rotary plug N having
an oblique port Q, and a pin M working in an oblique slot L, whereby at one
end of the stroke of pin M the two ports shall be brought to register, while at the
other end of the stroke the two ports are out of register and the plug N owing
to the slight obliquity of the slot comes down tight on to the valve seat H¹, thus
preventing any possible escape of air, substantially as described.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved inflating valve for pneumatic tyres substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.