Improvements in or relating to Rims, Felloes, and Tyres of Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rims, Felloes, and Tyres of Wheels
of Vehicles.
I HENRY FORBES JULIAN of The Ness Shaldon, in the County of Devon, Consulting
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in wheels of vehicles, more particularly to
motor and horse vehicles, as used on ordinary roads, but it may also be applied to
velocipedes, tramcars and railway carriages.
Amongst its objects are, in vehicles as above specified, to reduce vibration caused
by uneveness of roads, to absorb or diminish noise produced by the tyre rolling
over a hard surface, to facilitate in reducing the force of traction, to lessen shocks in
starting and stopping, and to reduce the oscillating effect of motors when used for
propelling.
This invention may be said to mainly consist in employing a hollow felloe of
channel or trough shape in cross section having the hollow facing the nave of the
wheel, and in the hollow or channel is fitted a tube made of a flexible material
which is inflated with air or other gaseous fluid, and having a hollow or depression
on the side of the tube facing the nave of the wheel and into which fits the rim. It
also consists in employing a cover to protect the open side or exposed part of the
inflated tube, and in employing a rim inade of an elastic substance or of a flexible
tube inflated with air or other gaseous fluid, and also in the method of employing
the tyre as hereafter described.
In the following description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which
represent cross sections of the rim, felloe, and tyre of the wheel, and like parts are
marked with like letters of reference.
A is a cross section of the felloe, of metal or other suitable material, which is made
hollow or channel shape in any suitable form, and having the open or hollow part
facing or opposite to the nave, and in the hollow or channel is fitted a tube B of
flexible material capable of being inflated with air. C is the rim of the wheel or the
ring which connects or binds the spokes together at their outer extremities.
The exterior diameter of the rim is greater than the smallest diameter of the
inflated tube B, and thus forms a hollow or depression in the tube as a seating for the
rim C. This depression may be produced in the making of the tube, or may be
formed by inflating the tube when the rim is in its position.
The rim may be of metal, wood or other suitable material, and may be of any
suitable cross section, but I find it sometimes advantageous to employ a rim consisting
of a solid or hollow ring of rubber, or an inflated flexible tube D Fig. 5. of rubber or
other suitable material, attached to the ring E of metal wood or other suitable
material, which is connected to the spokes.
The channel shaped felloe A may be thickened on the tread, as shown in Fig. 1,
and thus forms the tyre of the wheel, but as this might necessitate replacing the
felloe when the tyre becomes worn I employ a felloe with a thin tread and protect
this with a separate ring or tyre F of steel, rubber or other suitable material,

page_text: When great resilience, or but little noise, is desired I place on the outer face or
tread of the felloe an elastic tyre of rubber or other like material which may be solid,
Fig. 3, cushion, Fig. 4, or pneumatic, Fig. 5, and this elastic tyre may be secured by
flanges G rolled solid with the felloe, Fig. 3, or may be made to form a separate
ring attached to the outer face of the felloe, Figs. 4 and 5. Thus forming with the
felloe a H section or an approximation to that section.
Again, in order to protect the exposed portion of the inflated tube from the action
of the weather or from accident, I sometimes cover it with a flexible band H of
rubber and canvas or other suitable material, which passes under the rim of the wheel
and is secured to the sides or flanges of the felloe either inside, Fig. 3, or
outside Fig. 4. The cover may be attached to the felloe on the inside simply by
pressure of the inflated tube B, Fig. 2, or may be secured on either side of the
flanges by cement. When a cover is employed fixed to the felloe and air tight the
inflated tube may be dispensed with. The cover and the felloe forming the tube
in themselves.
I sometimes use extensible edges to the covers, such as, rubber or rubber and
canvas, and sometimes I use inextensible rings of metal wire I, Figs 3 and 4. or other
sufficiently extensible material attached to the outside, or within the material of the
cover, for the purpose of securing the same to the flanges or sides of the felloe,
on the inside Fig. 3, or on the outside, Fig. 4. This inextensible material may
consist of endless metal rings having greater circumference than the smallest
circumference of the flanges of the felloe, or may be constructed with the ends
of the metal secured firmly so as to form rings of greater circumference than the
sinallest circumference of the flanges of the felloe.
The channel of the felloe may be rectangular, C shaped, crescent-shaped or any
other suitable cross section, and the edges of the flanges may be shaped in any
suitable manner for the purpose of attaching the cover or securing the tube.
In the channel may be fitted one or more inflated tubes which may be in one
continuous length, or may be divided into any number of chambers or parts, and
may be inflated by any of the well known methods.
The rim may be cemented to the inflated tube or cover, or may be simply held in
position by the air pressure in the inflated tube, or the cover and the rim may be
formed in one piece, or otherwise secured together.
When inflated the depression in the tube or cover may be of any suitable depth,
and will be greater on the portion of the wheel that is lowermost, owing to the weight
of the vehicle, while the upper portion may have little or no depression on its
surface.
In order to prevent the rim parting with the felloe, in case of accident, I find it
advantageous that the exterior circumference of the rim should be greater than the
smallest circumference of the flanges of the felloe. Lugs may be employed
projecting inwards from the flanges of the felloe for the same purpose.
I sometimes fill or partially fill the inflated tube with a light spongy material,
such as cork, in order to support the rim in case of puncture of the inflated
tube, and sometimes the cover is securely held by the flanges of the felloe for the
same purpose.
Dated this 20th day of October 1906
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Rims, Felloes, and Tyres of Wheels
of Vehicles.
I HENRY FORBES JULIAN of The Ness, Shaldon, in The County of Devon,
Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in wheels of vehicles more particularly to
motor and horse vehicles as used on ordinary roads, but it may also be applied to
velocipedes tramenrs and railway carriages.
Its objects are, in vehicles as above specified, to reduce vibration caused by
unevenness of roads, to absorb or diminish noise produced by the tyre rolling over a
hard surface, to facilitate in reducing the force of traction, to lessen shocks in
starting and stopping, to reduce the oscillating effect of motors when used for
propelling and to increase the durability.
This invention may be said to mainly consist in employing a hollow felloe of
channel or trough shape in cross-section having the channel facing the nave of the
wheel and in the said channel is fitted a tube made of flexible material which is
inflated with air or other like elastic fluid, and containing a hollow or depression on
the side of the tube facing the nave, to secure and support the rim of the wheel. It
further consists in employing a cover to protect the open side or exposed part of the
inflated tube, and in employing an elastic substance, or a flexible tube inflated with
air or other like elastic fluid, interposed between a rigid ring and the inflated felloe,
and also in the method of employing the tyre as hereafter described.
In the following description reference is made to the drawings left with the
Provisional Specification which represent cross-sections of the rim, felloe and tyre,
and similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
A is a cross-section of the felloe of metal or other suitable material which is made
hollow or channel shape in any suitable form and having the channel or hollow part
facing or opposite to the nave, and into the said channel is fitted a tube B of flexible
material capable of being inflated with air. C is the rim of the wheel, or the ring
which connects or binds the spokes together at their outer extremities.
The exterior or greatest diameter of the rim is greater than the smallest diameter
of the inflated tube B, and thus forms a hollow or depression in the said tube as a
seating for the rim C. The said depression may be formed in making the tube, or
may be produced by inflating the tube when the rim is in its position.
The rim may be of metal, wood or other suitable material and may be of any
suitable cross-section. I find it sometimes advantageous to employ a rim consisting
of a solid or hollow ring of rubber or other like elastic material, or an inflated flexible
tube D, Fig. 5, of rubber and canvas or other suitable material secured to the ring E
of metal, wood or other suitable material and having the said ring of rubber, or the
said inflated tube interposed between the ring E and the tube B.
In order to protect the exposed portion of the inflated tube B from the action of
the weather or from accident I sometimes cover it with a flexible band H of canvas
or other suitable fabric, or of rubber and canvas, or leather or other suitable material
which passes under the rim of the wheel and is secured to the sides or flanges of the
felloe. The said cover may be attached to the felloe inside the channel, Figs 2 and 3,
and may be held securely in position by the pressure of the inflated tube B, but as a
further security the felloe or cover may have projections on its edges or sides fitting
into corresponding hollows, and may also be secured by cement. The cover may be
secured to the felloe outside the channel by a suitable means, as shown in Fig. 4.
I sometimes make the edges of the cover of rubber or rubber and canvas, or of such
material as will readily expand and contract, but sometimes I find it advantageous to
make the edges of material that is only with great difficulty made to stretch or
contract, and for this purpose I attach to or within the flexible material of the cover
rings of metal wire I, Figs. 3 and 4, wood or other like material which firmly secure
the cover to the flanges or sides of the felloe.
When metal or like rings are employed at or near the edges of the cover they may
be made endless having greater diameters than the smallest diameter of the flanges
of the felloe, or may be constructed with ends firmly secured to form such rings.
Before the tube B is inflated it is put into its place within the channel of the

page_text: felloe and the edges of the cover are loosely held against the flanges by placing the
rings or projections into the hollows made to receive them. The rim of the wheel is
placed loosely into its position and the tube B is then inflated to a pressure of
10 to 60 lbs. per square inch, more or less, which tightens it against the circumference
of the rim forming a depression on the surface of the said tube and thereby secures.
the rim and tyre and prevents lateral displacement.
When the cover is secured to the flanges of the felloe, as shown in Fig. 4, and the
air tube or chamber becomes deflated the centre part of the wheel remains suspended
by the cover and the vehicle may be used without re-inflating the tube and thus save
delay.
When an inflated tube D, Fig. 5; is employed forming part of the rim, it admits
of allowing a deeper depression in the tube B and thereby makes the tyre and felloe
more secure. The rim E D when placed in its proper position is inflated to a
pressure of about 25 to 100 lbs. per square inch, and the tube B is next inflated to
the desired pressure. The inflation may be effected in the ordinary manner of
inflating tyres.
It is obvious that the inflated tube D may be made to form part of the tube B or
cover H.
The channel shaped felloe A may be thickened on its tread, as shown in Fig. 1,
and thus form the tyre of the wheel, but as this might necessitate replacing the
felloe as the tyre becomes worn I employ a felloe with a thin tread and protect it
with a separate ring or tyre F of steel rubber or other suitable material.
When great resilience or noiselessness is desired I place on the outer face or tread
of the felloe an elastic tyre of rubber or other suitable yielding material which may
be solid, Fig. 3, cushion, Fig. 4, or pneumatic, Fig. 5, and this elastic tyre may
be secured to the flanges & rolled solid with the felloe, Fig. 3, or may be made to
form a separate ring or rings attached to the outer face of the felloe, Figs. 4 and 5.
Thus forming with the felloe a H cross-section or an approximation to that section.
The felloe may be rectangular, crescent shaped or other suitable cross-section, and
the sides or edges of the flanges may be shaped in any suitable manner for the
purpose of attaching the cover or securing the tube.
In the channel the tube B may be in one continuous length or may be divided
into any number of parallel chambers or segmental parts, and may be inflated by
any of the well known methods.
The rim may be cemented to the inflated tube B or to the cover, or may be
simply held in position by the air pressure of the inflated tube, or the cover and
rim may be formed in one piece built up together, or may be otherwise secured.
It is obvious that when a cover is employed fixed to the felloe and air light the
inflated tube B may be dispensed with, as the cover and felloe together then form a
tube in themselves.
When inflated the depression in the tube or cover may be of any suitable depth
and will be greater on the portion of the wheel that is lowermost owing to the weight
of the vehicle while the upper portion may have little or no depression on its
surface.
This invention may be applied to the wheels of tramcars and railway carriages
by placing on the tread of the felloe a flanged tyre, to correspond with the rails, as
ordinarily employed on such vehicles.
The advantages are that the chamber of air and flexible tube absorb noise caused
by the tyre on the road, and also act as a spring in reducing vibration and shocks,
giving ease and comfort to the occupants of the vehicle and increasing its duribility.
In order to prevent the centre part of the wheel and rim parting with the felloe,
in case of accidents, I find it advantageous that the greatest diameter of the rim
should be greater than the smallest diameter of the flanges of the felloe, and lugs
may be employed projecting inwards from the flanges of the felloe towards the centre
of the wheel as an equivalent for the same purpose.
I sometimes fill or partly fill the inflated tube B with a light spongy material,
such as cork, fibre, hair and the like in order to support the rim in case of puncture

page_text: or deflation, and sometimes the cover is securely held by the flanges of the felloe for
the same purpose. The vehicle can then be used without the tube B being inflated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
depression on the inner circumference of a flexible inflated tube for securing the rim
while the outer parts of the said tube are protected by a channel shaped felloe,
substantially as described.
2. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
depression in a flexible cover that extends across the channel of the felloe and is
secure: to the sides or flanges of the said felloe, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
detachable or separate metal tyre attached to the tread of a channel shaped felloe,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in an
inflated tube having a depression on its surface, secured within the channel of the
felloe of Hcross-section, on the side nearest the nave while the channel on the side
most remote from the nave contains a tyre of elastic material, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
5. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in
employing a rim secured within a depression in an inflated tube and having the
greatest radius of the said rim greater than the smallest radius of the flanges of the
felloe, substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
ring of elastic material interposed between a non-contractable ring and a flexible tube
or cover of the felloe, substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. The improvements in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
inflated tubular ring of flexible material interposed between a non-contractable ring
and a flexible tube or cover of the felloe, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
8. The improvement in or relating to wheels of vehicles which consists in the
combination of an inflated tube filled or partly filled with a spongy material and
having a depression on its inner circumference for securing the rim of the wheel
while the outer part of the said tube is protected by a channel shaped felloe,
substantially as described.