Improvements in the Manufacture of India-rubber or other Elastic Tyres and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 28th May, 1898
[Communicated from abroad by CLINTON ST. COOPER, Mechanic, of 255, West
37th Street, in the City of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in the Manufacture of India-rubber or other Elastic
Tyres and in Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHN THOMAS KNOWLES, Trade Marks Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of india-rubber or other elastic tyres
and to apparatus therefor..
India-rubber tyres are now frequently secured to vehicle wheels by means of
retaining wires embedded in the rubber circumferentially throughout the tyre and,
by reason of the tyre being practically a solid mass of rubber, it has been found
difficult to properly and stoutly unite the ends of the wire without unduly increasing
the size of the joint. In this class of tyre the wires are commonly thrust through
holes formed in the rubber at the time of vulcanization. This rubber comes from
the rubber moulds in straight pieces, each piece being of sufficient length for one
complete tyre. It is laid out straight upon a bench, a straight wire or wires thrust
through the holes previously made in the rubber tyre and the ends of the rubber and
wire brought together. The ends of the wire are made into the form of a loop and
are securely fastened together, the ends of the rubber being cemented together.
The difficulty experienced in this method of fastening the ends of the wires has been
that the size of the metal is unduly increased at the point of splice as above
mentioned.
According to the present invention I am enabled to very efficiently secure the
ends of the wire together without unduly increasing the size of the metal at the
point of splice. For this purpose I proceed as follows, viz. :-
The straight wire above mentioned is cut a suitable amount say, ten or twelve
inches, longer than the circumference of the wheel so that the ends of the said wire
will have a lap of this distance when inserted in the rubber tyre, the rubber is then
compressed or forced back and held compressed by thumb screws fastened to the
wires or by other suitable devices so as to leave the ends of the said wires exposed
for a distance of one foot or more. I then employ a machine which consists
essentially of three vices of equal height set in line, the end vices being arranged
to firmly grip the wires at either end of the lap leaving two lapped wires running
straight between the two end vices. The middle vice is arranged with a split wheel
or the like to grip the centre of the lapped wires and is capable of being revolved
by means of a crank and cog wheels or other suitable gearing so as to simultaneously
twist the wires in both directions from the centre. This can only be done properly,
and a uniform, smooth twist made, when the wire is held at high tension during the
twisting process. This tension I provide by means of springs, weights, friction or
other common mechanical means which hold the end vices apart, thus bringing a
strain or tension upon the wires.

page_text: This result may be accomplished by very simple mechanical methods or by
elaborate machines, the important feature however being in all cases that the wire,
whilst being twisted, shall be held at a high strain or tension so as to prevent it from
twisting in a lumpy or crooked manner.
A twisted joint made in the manner above mentioned, being both a right and
left hand twist, is much stronger than simply a twisted joint of the ordinary
-kind.
a
The centre vice and split wheel may be dispensed with if desired and the wires
twisted by inserting a small lever between them or by gripping them with
hand vice or two levers. By these means a fair joint can be made when the
wires are held at the proper tension, but I prefer to have the wires firmly held
in position and turned by a wheel as above mentioned.
The splice may be made of any desired length; it does not weaken the wire
at all, and its diameter is not more than twice that of the wire, thus rendering
it possible to use a larger and stouter wire without a great outlay for expensive
tools and machinery necessary to make joints of other kinds which are objection-
able by reason of uncertainty.
After joining the wire or wires as above mentioned the ends of the rubber can
be brought together and cemented or united in any other suitable manner.
Dated the Lat do of T... 1007
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of India-rubber or other Elastic
Tyres and in Apparatus therefor.
I, JOHN THOMAS KNOWLES, Trade Marks Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 manufacture of india-rubber and other elastic tyres
and to apparatus therefor.
India-rubber tyres are now frequently secured to vehicle wheels by means of
retaining wires embedded in the rubber circumferentially throughout the tyre, and,
by reason of the tyre being practically a solid mass of rubber, it has been found
difficult to properly and firmly unite the ends of the wire without unduly increasing
the size of the joint.
In this class of tyre as hitherto constructed, the wires are commonly thrust through
holes formed in the rubber at the time of vulcanization. This rubber comes from the
rubber moulds in straight pieces, each piece being of sufficient length for one complete
tyre. It is laid out straight upon a bench, a straight wire or wires thrust through the
holes previously made in the rubber tyre and the ends of the rubber and wire brought
together; the ends of the wire are made into the form of a loop and are securely
fastened together, the ends of the rubber being cemented together. The difficulty
experienced in this method of fastening, the ends of the wires, has been that the size
of the metal at the joint or splice is unduly increased.
According to the present invention I am enabled to very efficiently secure the ends
of the wire together without unduly increasing the size of the metal at the joint or
splice. For this purpose I proceed as follows, viz. :-
I take a straight wire a suitable amount, say, ten or twelve inches, longer than the

page_text: circumference of the wheel so that the ends of the said wire will have a lap of this
length when inserted in the rubber tyre. After this wire has been thrust into the
rubber, the rubber is compressed or forced back and held compressed by thumb-
screws fastened to the wires or by other suitable devices so as to leave the ends of
the said wires exposed for a distance of one foot or more. I then employ a machine
which consists essentially of three vices or clamps of equal height set in line, the end
vices or clamps being arranged to firmly grip the wires at either end of the lap,
leaving two lapped wires running straight between the two end vices. The middle
vice or clamp is arranged with a split wheel or the like to grip the centre of the
lapped wires, and is capable of being revolved by means of a crank and cog wheels
or other suitable devices so as to simultaneously twist the wires in both directions
from the centre. This can only be done properly, and a uniform, smooth twist made,
when the wire is held at high tension during the twisting process. This tension I
provide by means of springs, weights, friction or other common mechanical means
for holding the end vices or clamps apart, thus bringing a stress or tension upon the
wires.
This result may be accomplished by very simple mechanical methods or by
elaborate machines, the important feature, however, being in all cases that the wire,
whilst being twisted, shall be held under a high tension so as to prevent it from
twisting in a lumpy or crooked manner.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing different forms of my apparatus for
making the twisted joint.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a form of hand-clamp for twisting the
wire.
Figure 4 is another perspective view, and
Figure 5 a sectional view of the said clamp.
Figure 6 shows the twisted joint complete, and
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of part of the completed tyre.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the india-rubber tyre; b, b indicate the overlapping ends of the wire in position
ready for twisting, and on which the rubber is held back by the screw-clamps c. D, D
are the movable end vices or clamps firmly gripping the wires 6, which are pivoted
at D' to a table or platform M.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, these clamps are held apart by the spring E
which tends to turn them in inverse directions about their pivots D¹. F is a fixed
standard supporting a disc G having a narrow slit or slot G¹ extending from its
periphery to its centre, of just sufficient width to admit the wire b, that is to say
the slot or slit G¹ is in width just equal to the diameter of the wire to be used, and.
no more. h, h are removable levers or bars, by which the disc G is revolved. On
revolving the said disc G several times about its axis, the twisted joint shown in
Figure 6 is made.
Without the spring E, or other device producing a suitable tension on the wire b,
while the twist is being made, the wire would twist up lumpy and uneven. With the
arrangement above described, however, the twisted joint will be uniform throughout,
its length and very strong and durable.
Figure 2 shows an arrangement in which the pivoted clamps D are in a horizontal
position, and a hand-clamp N is used, which is shown with the wires b in position
ready to be twisted. The stress or tension on the wires is obtained by the workman's
own weight or a portion thereof, he standing with one or both feet on the pedal
O which operates on the arms D2 of the clamps D and thus pulling the same
inward and forcing or tending to force the said clamps D away from each other.
By revolving. the clamp N by means of the sliding lever or rod r the twist is made
as shown in Figure 6.
The lever is made to slide freely through the clamp N, to facilitate twisting
up the second strand or wire, each tyre usually having two wires. S is a bolt

page_text: for holding the two parts of the clamp N together, when the wires are between
them.
The front of the clamp being cut or recessed back, the part that actually clamps
the wires is comparatively narrow, leaving but a small untwisted part in the centre
of the joint.
A twisted joint made in the manner above mentioned being both a right and left
hand twist, is much stronger than simply a twisted joint of the ordinary kind.
The joint or splice may be made of any desired length; it does not weaken the
wire at all, and increases the size of the metal at the joint or splice but 100 per cent.
thus rendering it possible to use a larger and stouter wire without a great outlay for
expensive tools and machinery necessary to make joints of other kinds which are
objectionable by reason of uncertainty.
After joining the wire or wires as above described the ends of the rubber can be
brought together and cemented or united in any other suitable manner.
It is evident, moreover, that the above described method of joining wires can be
used in cases where two wires are to be connected together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The joining of ends or pieces of wire by placing the same, or portions
thereof, approximately parallel to each other and revolving the centre of the parts
which are to form the joint relatively to their extremities, substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The joining of ends or pieces of wire by placing the same, or portions
thereof, approximately parallel to each other, clamping together at their extremities
the parts which are to form the joint, and then twisting them from the centre each
way while they are clamped together and kept under tension, substantially as
herein before described.
Third. A wire joint in which the parts or sections of the wire are 'united by right
and left hand twists, substantially as herein before described.
Fourth. An elastic tyre having the ends of its retaining wire or wires united by a
twisted joint or joints of the kind herein before described.
Fifth. A machine comprising means for securely holding or clamping ends or
pieces of wire together approximately parallel to each other and subjecting them to
tension, and means for twisting them together while thus held, so as form a joint of
the kind herein before described.
Sixth. The combination of vices or clamps acted upon by a spring or its equivalent
tending to move them away from each other, and a revolving clamp mounted in
bearings midway between the said vices or clamps, substantially as, and for the
purposes, above specified.
Seventh. The improved clamp provided with the adjusting bolt and with the lever
for revolving it to twist the wire, as above described with reference to Figures 3, 4
and 5 of the drawings.
pril 1898.
.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.