Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec.. 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycles and other
Vehicles.
We, EDWARD GREATBATCH WOOD, of 298 Upper Parliament Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and ENOCH ARMITAGE, of
37 Scholar Street, Smithdown Road, Liverpool, aforesaid, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to tyres for cycles.
and other vehicles, and it has for object to produce a strong light flexible tyre
having a core or inner support of improved construction.
In one construction of tyre according to this invention, the central core or inner
support is formed of blocks or sections (hereinafter called for distinction supporting
sections) of elastic material such as india rubber, or of semi-clastic material such
as cork, which are of circular form on the part of the pheriphery nearest the tread,
are shaped at the opposite part to fit into the wheel rim, and are retained at
Buitable distances apart by distance pieces of suitable light material such as cork,
rubber or wood, the several sections, being threaded in an alternate manner onto a
binding wire or wires the two ends of which, or each of which, are adapted to be
connected together in any suitable manner, such as by a screw threaded nut, and
the whole or a portion thereof being surrounded or enclosed in a suitable casing
or cover outside of which is secured the ordinary outer casing or cover.
supporting sections may be bound in a diametrical direction by a hoop or band
of suitable material such as canvas or sheet metal, to prevent them spreading out
sideways or being crushed when heavily weighted, and in or around the tread
portion thereof may be formed with a number of holes to give greater resilience
thereto.
The
In a modified construction a part of the circular portion of the supporting
sections is cut away to admit of an inflating tube being inserted between such
sections and their cover and the ordinary outer casing or cover; in a further
construction an inflatable air tube is used with supporting secti ns having circular
tread portions.
According to another construction the rim of the wheel is made convex on its
outer side, with its flanges projecting inward towards the centre of the wheel so
that the rim forms the core, the inflatable air tube being placed between the outer
cover and the wheel rim either direct on the latter or preferably upon a
circumferential strip of material such as thick canvas or felt to which is cemented
or otherwise secured at intervals cross strips of rubber canvas or the like between
which the air tube expands and which, when the tyre is heavily weighted or
punctured, will directly take the weight.
In each of the foregoing arrangements in which the core is built up of sections
cemented together and held in position on the wheel rim by a central wire or
wires, a strip of material such as canvas is drawn tightly over and cemented to the
outer peripheral portion of the supporting sections, after which another thicker
strip of canvas or prepared felt is drawn over and cemented to the first one which
forms a lining to it.
In a modified construction, the strip of canvas is replaced by a circular strip or
casing of india rubber of semi-circular or channel form in cross section and having

page_text: moulded in one piece therewith, on its inner side, a series of cross ribs between
each of which and the adjacent supporting sections are distance pieces, the whole
being held together by a wire passing through the several supporting sections,
distance pieces, and ribs. The said ribs may or may not be of such dimensions as
to rest against the periphery of the wheel rim to which the tyre is applied. When
they do not extend to the wheel rim, they may if desired be supported by pieces of
material such as cork or wood arranged between them and the wheel rim. In some
cases the circular strip or casing with its ribs may be moulded in one piece with
the supporting sections and distance pieces, a hole or holes being formed through
the core thus formed, for the reception of the central holding wire or wires.
In a further modified construction the said casing is made of tubular form in
short lengths so as to surround the supporting sections and distance pieces, the
cross rib in each section forming a diaphragm that divides each length of the
casing into two chambers. An outer casing or cover of the ordinary kind may be
used in conjunction with each of these constructions of tyre if desired.
It will be evident that a tyre according to this invention can be variously
modified, as for example, by making the core of alternate supporting sections of
india rubber and cork or other similar combination, so long as spaces are formed
between the supporting sections into which the portions of the tyre casings opposite
these can sink so that the remaining portions of the tyre can act to prevent slipping
when running on a greasy or slippery road.
Tyres constructed as described may be secured to wheel rims by encircling
wires, lacing or any of the other well-known means heretofore employed for this
purpose.
Improvements in and relating to Tyres for Cycles and other
Vehicles.
We, EDWARD GREATBATCH Wood, of Upper Parliament Street, Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and ENOCH ARMITAGE, of 37 Scholar
Street, Smithdown Road, Liverpool, aforesaid, Machinist, 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 has reference to improvements in and relating to tyres for cycles
and other vehicles and has for object to produce a strong light flexible tyre having
a core or inner support of improved construction. It relates especially to tyres of
the type described in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to us
dated 27th June 1893, No. 12537 but the steel hoops used therein are dispense.i
with and the construction otherwise simplified as hereinafter fully described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section (partly in elevation) and
Fig. 2 a cross section on the line 1. 2. showing one construction of tyre
according to this invention.
In this arrangement which is suitable for use as a light roadster or racing tyre,
the central core or inner support is formed of blocks or sections (hereinafter called
for distinction supporting sections) A. preferably of elastic material such as indi
rubber but if desired of some semi-elastic material such as cork. These are of
circular form or approximately so on the part of the periphery nearest the tread

page_text: and are shaped at the opposite part to correspond with the form of the wheel rim.
They are each moulded separately and are retained at suitable distances apart by
distance pieces B of suitable light material such as cork, rubber or wood, the
alternate
several sections A and distance pieces B being threaded in an
manner onto a binding cord or wire C the two ends of which are connected
together in any suitable manner, such as by a screw threaded nut as described in
the Specification of our afore-mentioned prior Patent; or by being tied or knotted
together. D is a strip of rubber or canvas and D' another strip of like material.
In forming such a tyre the strip D₁ is placed around a suitable mould or wheel
rim and upon it is arranged the ring of alternate supporting sections A, and distance
pieces B, the inner edges of the supporting sections being cemented to the strip D¹.
The strip of rubber or canvas D is then stretched over and cemented to the
tread portion of the supporting sections A. Finally the outer casing E which
is preferably of tapering section as shown and which may be of rubber, lined
with canvas or not, as preferred, is placed around the core formed as described
and is cemented to the edges of the sections A and to the strips D and D¹.
The inner edges of the cover E may be cemented either to the outer surface of
the strip D' or to the inner surface thereof as may be preferred.
In the modified construction shown in Figs. 3 & 4 which are cross sections
shown complete within a rim and without the edges cemented together, respectively.
Instead of cutting away the tread portion of the supporting sections A to receive
an inflating tube, we build up the supporting sections A, and distance pieces B,
as before described, with or without the outer strip D and encircle them by an
outer cover E (lined with canvas or calico E¹) of sufficient width to allow the two.
In this case when
edges to overlap and be cemented together into tubular form.
the tyre is intended to be inflated the outer cover is not cemented to the supporting
sections A, or to the strip D if such be employed, but only around the sides and
lower half of the supporting sections A. so that when inflated the tread portion
of the casing will be slightly expanded to some little distance away from the outer
or tread portion of the supporting sections A (see Fig. 3) but when weighted will
rest on such supporting sections. An ordinary air valve not shown is secured
between a pair of the supporting sections in the usual manner. The edges of the
outer cover do not neet in the central plan of the wheel but somewhat to one side
thereof (see Fig. 4). Should the outer casing become punctured or leaky it will
simply contract onto the supporting sections and the machine to which the tyre is
applied will still be ridable with little or no inconvenience to the rider, as owing to
the supporting sections the tyre will still be sufficiently resilient.
Moreover the casing is not liable to be cut by the wheel rim as is the case with
deflated pneumatic tyres having no inner supports.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section partly in elevation and Fig. 6 a cross section on
the line 4-5, Fig. 5 of a modified construction.
E is a circular strip or casing of semi-circular or channel form in cross section
in one piece with the supporting sections A. In this arrangement, which is
suitable for use as an ordinary roadster tyre, distance pieces B are not shown but
they may nevertheless be employed if desired. To obtain greater resilience a
small opening A¹ may be left on the tread portion of each supporting section and
the thin tapered edges of the strip or casing may be joined together by inserting a
strip of rubber (not shown) and cementing the overlapping edges thereto for the
This form of tyre may,
purpose of preventing moisture or grit entering the tyre.
if preferred, be built up and then vulcanized so as to join the various parts
together.
Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views to Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating a construction of
tyre in which the supporting sections A are moulded in one piece with or vulcanized
onto a thin covering G which is encircled by an outer casing E lined with
strengthening material E¹ such as canvas or calico. In this arrangement which is
suitable for carriage wheels the supporting sections are practically solid as shown
but for instance if the tyres are designed for the wheels of light vehicles, openings A¹

page_text: may be formed on the tread portions of the supporting sections as shown in
Figs. 5 and 6. Distance pieces of cork, wood or the like material may be inserted
between each of these sections when desired.
It is evident that with this class of tyre one or more cord or wire retaining rings
may be employed, also that the supporting sections may be varied in shape to suit the
class of wheel rim employed. The ends of the retaining rings whether made of
cord or wire after being measured are permanently secured together before the
inner overlapping strip is fixed. Thus to insert the tyre into a grooved wheel rim
one portion of its length is placed into the grooved rim and by rolling over the
other portion the cord or wire retaining ring passing through the distance pieces B
and supporting sections A compresses such of the latter sections as are supported
by the wheel rim sufficiently to allow the other portion of the tyre to be rolled
over the edge of the rim into the groove thereof. When the tyre has been thus
placed in position upon the wheel rim it may be permanently cemented thereto.
Figs. 9 and 10 are similar views to Figs. 7 and 8, illustrating a further modified
construction of a tyre according to our invention. It consists of a comparatively
thick circular strip or casing G of india rubber of approximately semi-circular or
channel form in cross section and having moulded in one piece therewith on its
inner side a series of transverse ribs or sections A that are arranged to bear
against the wheel rim F: the sides of the strips or casing G extend within the
grooved wheel rim to which they may be secured by cement or by a retaining ring
not shown but as before described.
Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 of a slightly modified
construction which is specially suitable for use as a track racing tyre. In this
arrangement the rubber supporting sections A are each formed with a central
aperture into which is inserted a cork bush A' through which the retaining ring C
passes, and which are kept in place by the distance pieces B. In other respects
this construction is similar to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 with the exception that
the cork bush A2 is lighter than would be the solid rubber.
By constructing tyres with supporting sections adapted to support the outer
casing or cover at intervals around its periphery a firm grip is obtained on the
road, side slip is prevented and friction and vibration considerably reduced.
Furthermore by the construction described the tyre when not inflated has no
tendency to cut, tear or chip as in the ordinary solid or cushioned tyres, the rubber
being free to yield by compression.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we do
not claim as part of our present invention a tyre supported at intervals only, but
that what we do claim is :-
1. A cycle or carriage tyre comprising a central core or inner support formed of
supporting sections of elastic or semi-elastic material, interposed distance pieces, a
binding wire on which the said supporting sections and distance pieces are threaded,
an encircling casing, cover or strip of material such as canvas or india rubber
arranged to surround or partly surround the supporting sections to which it is
directly cemented, and an outer casing or cover substantially as herein described.
2. In a cycle or carriage tyre, a circular strip or casing of india rubber of
semi-circular or chaunel form in cross section and having moulded in one piece
therewith, on its inner side, a series of cross ribs of india rubber spaced at short
distances apart and adapted to serve as supporting sections to the said circular
strip or casing substantially as herein before described, whether or not the said
cross ribs or supporting sections be perforated or cut away for the purpose of
placing the several spaces between the said ribs or sections in communication with
each other as set forth.
3. An inflatable tyre having an outer casing of tubular form and an inner
flexible supporting core consisting of transverse supporting sections of elastic
or semi-elastic material, the arrangement being such that when the tyre is deflated,

page_text: the flexible core will serve to support the said outer casing substantially as herein-
before described.
4. The improved tyres for cycles and other vehicles, constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the several examples
illustrated in the drawing annexed.
T
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لسم
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1004
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.