An Improvement in Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pneumatic Tyres.
1, THOMAS LEAKER 31 Guinea Street, Bristol, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is an improvement in pneumatic tyres consisting of a series of
tubes or balls inside, each having a small hole in the rear, which displaces the air
as each tube or ball comes under pressure when the wheel revolves thereby causing
a circulation of air which assists propulsion. This invention is applicable to
pneumatic tyres.
Dated this 16th dow of Jenver 1201
THOMAS LEAKER..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pneumatic Tyres.
I THOMAS LEAKER of No. 31 Guinea Street, Bristol in the County of
Gloucester Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention is an improvement in pneumatic tyres consisting of a series of
tubes or balls inside, each having a small hole in the rear which displaces the air
as each tube or ball comes under pressure when the wheel revolves thereby causing
a circulation of air which assists propulsion. This invention is applicable' to all
pneumatic tyres.
The object or purpose of my invention is to produce a circulation of the air
contained inside a pneumatic tyre of the description generally used in bicycles and
other road vehicles and to enable me to effect this purpose I attach to or form
integrally with the interior surface of a pneumatic tyre a number of tubes balls or
pockets which are normally distended with air at the same or approximately the
same pressure as that in the other part of the tyre. Each of these balls tubes or
pockets has a hole or holes pierced in one side preferably that side which is nearest
the rear of the vehicle when the pocket is nearest the ground and being compressed.
As each pocket tube or ball comes in turn with the tyre to the lowest point or that
part which is touching the ground it is compressed and the compression causes part
of the contained air to be forced out preferably in a rearward direction and thus
produces a current of air in the direction of rotation of the pneumatic tyre and
wheel.
.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I append a sheet of drawings
in which :-
Figure 1. is a longitudinal section of part of a pneumatic tyre according to my
invention.
Figure 2. is a transverse section of the same taken on line 1. 2. of Figure 1.
Figure 3. is a transverse section of the same taken on line 3. 4. of Figure 2.
In the drawings shewn, pockets are used, and these are formed, from an irregular
tube, of rubber or other suitable material, by interrupting its continuity as a tube
at intervals, the portions intervening between these interruptions forming the
pockets. A indicates the interior tube or bladder of a pneumatic tyre and pockets
B and B are formed inside this by the parts 6 and 6' being brought into air-tight
PDQ27

page_text: contact, and firmly attached to each other. The pockets B are thus air-tight with
the exception of the holes C in the rear side that is the side which is nearest the
rear of the vehicle when the pocket is compressed as the result of that part of
the tyre which contains it coming into contact with the ground. The part 6³ of the
pocket B is bulged out to meet a corresponding part of a similar pocket disposed
at an opposite point of the interior of the tube or bladder A and this similar pocket
has a similarly arranged hole or holes C for the passage of air.
The operation is as follows:-Upon that part of the tyre which is near one of
the pockets coming in the course of its rotation into contact with the ground the
tyre and with it the pair of pockets B and B' are by the superincumbent weight of
the machine and its rider partially compressed together and the resulting increase
of air pressure in the interior of both of the pockets forces a portion of the air out
of the holes C. C. causing an air jet or jets and consequently setting up a current
or circulation of air inside the bladder preferably in the direction of rotation of the
tyre and wheel. When the machine has moved a few inches, a second pair of
pockets are brought into action fresh jets of air are produced and by this means a
continuous circulation of air under pressure is produced and maintained. Upon
each pair of pockets passing on and being by their elasticity distended the air is
again drawn in through the holes C.
Instead of pairs of pockets being formed I sometimes use a single row or series
of such in which case the part b of each pocket extends far enough to meet the
opposite side of the interior of the tyre.
The pockets may be cylindrical spherical or of any convenient shape and they
may be made as shewn or may form an integral part of the tube or bladder of a
pneumatic tyre.
In some cases I pierce a hole in the front as well as the rear face of the pocket,
and cover each with a valve one of which admits air and the other permita
its escape.
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. A pneumatic tyre in which a circulation of air is produced and maintained by
a succession of air jets in the interior of the tyre such air jets being produced by
the compression of pockets tubes or balls substantially as described.
2. In a pneumatic tyre the combination of a tube or bladder with a series of
pockets tubes or balls having one or more holes in each such pocket tube or ball,
substantially as described.
3. The air circulating tyre, substantially as described and shewn.
DL: 10L 1
1001
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
106, Priory Park Road, Kilburn, N.W., Agent for the Applicant.