Improvements in Elastic Tires for the Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Tires for the Wheels of Vehicles.
We, ALEXANDER MAXIMILUM JANOFSKY, of 46, Gault Court, JOHN ANTON
JOHNSON, of 85, West Huron Street, and HENRY CARSTENS, of 207 Townsend Street,
all in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Gentlemen, 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 present invention has for its object to provide a tire for vehicle wheels
that shall possess the advantages, first, of elasticity and resiliency incident to
pneumatic tires, and second, that shall have the further advantage over pneumatic
tires of being proof against puncture and of great durability. The invention while
more especially designed for the wheels of bicycles will be found applicable for
the wheels of other vehicles in which pneumatic or cushion tires are deemed
desirable. The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter
described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out
in the claims at the end of this specification.
Figure 1 is a view in central longitudinal section through a portion of a tire
embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a view in vertical cross-section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the inner segment plates.
Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of one of the outer segment plates.
In carrying out this invention there are employed outer segment plates A and a
series of inner segment plates B suitably connected together, and between these
segment plates are interposed a series of springs C, the segment plates and springs
being all enclosed within a tube or envelope D preferably of rubber, canvas or like
flexible material. The precise construction, the number and arrangement of the
segment plates and the construction, number and arrangement of the coil springs
and the character of the enclosing tube or envelope may be varied within wide
limits without departing from the spirit of the invention and while there is
described in this specification what is regarded as the preferred embodiment of the
invention it is not to be understood as restricted to the precise details of construction
shown or described.
The outer segment plates A will be formed of suitable length and number corres-
ponding to the size of the tire. In cross section these outer segment plates are
curved and at their ends the plates overlap as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the
drawings. Preferably each of the outer segment plates A has one of its end portions
depressed as at a; within this depressed portion is formed a hole a¹ and around
this hole a countersunk portion a². The opposite end of each of the segment
plates A is formed with a similar hole a³ and around this hole a countersunk
portion a'. When the segment plates are set together as shown in Fig. 1, the
end of one segment plate will overlap the depressed end a of the adjacent segment
plate, the countersunk portion a' of one segment plate setting within the corres-
pondingly countersunk part a³ that is formed within the depressed portion a
of the next segment plate. Through the holes a¹ and a³ which are thus brought

page_text: co-incident will be passed a retaining bolt E, the head of which will set within
the countersunk part at of one of the segment plates, and upon the bolt E is held
a coiled spring F that bears against the inner face of the countersunk part a² of
the segment plate and against the washer e on the inner end of the bolt. The
inner segment plates B are each formed as shown more particularly in Fig. 3
of the drawings, that is to say, each of these segment plates B has one end depressed
as at b, which depressed portion will be overlapped by the adjacent segment
plate B. In the depressed portion of the segment plate is formed a long slot
or hole 61 the metal about which is countersunk as at 2 and at the opposite end
of each segment plate B is formed a hole 63 the metal about which is counter-
sunk as at 6. The segment plates B are preferably formed of sheet-metal and
of curvilinear shape as clearly shown in the drawings. When the segment plates
are set together with their ends overlapping as shown in Fig. 1, the holes 63 of
one plate will come opposite the slots 61 of the adjoining plate and a bolt G will
be passed through the hole 63 and slot 61. The purpose in forming the slot 61
is to allow a slipping of the segment plates B upon each other in order to enable
the tire to be strung over the wheel rim as will presently more fully appear. Between
the inner and outer segment plates B and A are placed a number of springs, preferably.
coil springs, C, the outer coils of which rest against the segment plates while the free
ends of the springs are held by retaining plates a engaged by screws 65 that pass,
through holes formed in countersunk parts aº and 66 of the segment plates (see
Fig. 1). After the inner and outer segment plates have been placed together
as shown, with the coil springs between them, the tube or envelope D will be
drawn over them and the tire will then have its normal shape, as shown in Figs. 1
and 2 of the drawings. Inasmuch as there is a slip-joint connection between the
inner segment plates B the inner portion of the tire can be stretched in order
to enable the tire to be slipped over the rim of the wheel whereon it is to be
used. By forming the outer portion of the wheel of segment plates that overlap
each other and are yieldingly connected together it will be seen that as the segment
plates are successively brought to the lowest point of the wheel and thereby caused
to sustain the weight, such plates will yield under the weight imposed thereon,
the yielding action of the plates being resisted by the coil springs C. The bolts E
and springs F allow a flexure or yielding action of the segment plates A with
respect to each other so that the continuity of the tire is practically unbroken.
The invention presents many advantages over a pneumatic tire notably in the
respect that while the tire has great resiliency, elasticity and lightness, it is
practically invulnerable or proof against punctures which so soon destroy the
usefulness of pneumatic tires. Any suitable material may be employed in form-
ing the segment plates of this tire although it is preferable to use thin sheet-
metal for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A vehicle tire comprising inner and outer segment plates the ends of which
are yieldingly connected together, springs interposed between said inner and outer
plates and an enclosing tube or cover.
2. A vehicle tire comprising inner and outer segment plates, springs interposed
between said plates, the outer plates having overlapping ends and bolts and springs
for connecting said ends of the outer plates.
3. A vehicle tire comprising inner and outer segment plates and springs inter-
posed between said plates, the inner segment plates being connected by loose joints
to permit the inner portion of the tire to be stretched over the wheel rim.
4. A vehicle tire comprising inner and outer segment plates, the outer segment
plates having perforated and countersunk overlapping ends, and bolts for connect-
ing said ends of the segment plates, springs interposed between the inner and outer
segment plates and an enclosing tube.
5

page_text: 5. A vehicle tire comprising inner and outer segment plates, the inner segment
plates having slotted and countersunk ends whereby a slip joint is effected between
said plates, springs interposed between the inner and outer segment plates and an
enclosing tube.
HASELTINE. LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.