Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes and Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
Certain Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of
Velocipedes and Road Vehicles.
We, CHARLES LEE, of 52, Fentham Road, Birmingham, Commercial Traveller,
and ROBERT WILLIAM EDLIN, of 17, Weatheroak Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham
aforesaid, Cycle Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
i
This invention has reference to pneumatic tyres of that kind which consists
of an inner air tube enclosed by an outer covering usually made of canvas and
indiarubber and this invention consists of the herein described improved means
for connecting the two edges of the outer covering together round the wheel rim
so as to permit of the outer covering being readily opened for examination and
repair of the air tube and readily removed from and replaced on the wheel rim.
In one arrangement of carrying out this invention the two edges of the outer
covering are each provided with any convenient number of thin flexible metal
strips or bands preferably steel the ends of which overlap one another. The said
metal strips are secured to the edges of the outer covering in any convenient way
but preferably by fitting in pockets formed by folding over and securing the
edges of the canvas lining part of the outer covering. The strips on one side of
the outer covering are provided with projecting headed studs which are fixed to
the metal strips and project through the material of the outer covering and
engage in corresponding holes which are formed in the strips in the other side
of the outer covering so that when one edge of the outer covering overlaps the
other edge the said headed studs at one side of the outer covering will engage with
the holes in the strips in the other side of the outer covering and thus the two
edges will be effectually secured together. The said strips are by preference
made of such a width as to fit in the smaller part of the wheel rim and cover the
spoke nipples. The outer covering is made of the proper size for the wheel rim
with which it is used and when it is placed in position on the wheel rim and the
edges engage together as above described and the tyre is inflated the tyre will be
perfectly secure as the inflation of the air tube tends to make the edges of the
outer covering bind tightly round the wheel rim. After the tyre is deflated one
edge of the tyre can readily be disconnected from the other edge for examination
or removal of the air tube or for removing the tyre from the wheel rim.
In another arrangement of this invention instead of the strips at one edge of
the outer covering being made with studs to engage with corresponding holes
formed in the metal strips at the other side of the outer covering we dispense
with the studs and we make the holes in the strips at both sides of the outer
covering and these holes engage with studs which are fixed to and project from a
third metal strip or band which passes right round the wheel rim lying in the
trough of the same over the spoke nipples. The ends of this third strip are by
preference arranged to overlap where the valve of the air tube comes through the

page_text: hole in the rim and these overlapping ends are cut away or reduced to clear
the valve.
The said studs on the third strip with which the strips in the two edges of
the outer covering engage, may be either arranged in one row round the said
band so that both edges of the outer covering engage with the same row of studs
or the said studs may be arranged in two parallel rows side by side for the bands
in the two edges of the outer covering to engage with but in this case the bands
or strips in one edge of the outer covering will not overlap the metal bands or
strips in the other edge of the outer covering.
In another arrangement of this invention instead of the strips in the two edges
of the outer covering being made with holes to engage with studs on the third
strip which embraces the trough of the wheel rim, we arrange studs at certain
intervals apart on the metal strips at both sides of the outer covering and these
studs engage with corresponding holes formed in the third metal strip which
embraces the wheel rim.
Certain Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of
Velocipedes and Road Vehicles.
We, CILARLES LEE, of 62, Fentham Road, Birmingham, Commercial Traveller,
and ROBERT WILLIAM EDLIN, of 17, Weatheroak Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham
aforesaid, Cycle Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to pneumatic tyres of that kind which consists
of an inner air tube enclosed by an outer covering usually made of canvas and
indiarubber and this invention consists of the herein described improved means
for connecting the two edges of the outer covering together round the wheel rim
so as to permit of the outer covering being readily opened for examination and
repair of the air tube and readily removed from and replaced on the wheel rim.
We will describe this invention by referring to the accompanying drawing on
which Fig. 1 is a cross section of a pneumatic tyre outer covering with our
invention applied shewing the edges of the outer covering connected together as
when the tyre is inflated; the inner air tube is not shown; Fig. 2 shows the same
outer covering with the edges opened apart for the removal or inspection of the
air tube; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same outer covering; Fig. 4 shews the
metal strips or bands which are fixed in one edge of the outer covering; Fig. 5
shews the metal strips or bands which are fixed in the other edge of the outer
covering; Fig. 6 illustrates how the ends of the said strips are connected together
and Fig. 7 is a separate view of one of the metal clips which connect together the
ends of the said metal strips.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In carrying out this invention the two edges a¹ of the outer covering A are
cach provided with thin flexible metal (preferably steel) strips or bands preferably
four in number the ends of which overlap one another and are removably con-
nected together in such a way as to allow of the ends of the strips sliding over

page_text: each other. The said metal strips are secured to the edges a¹ a³ of the outer
covering in any convenient way but preferably by fitting in the ordinary pockets
in the edges of the outer covering formed by folding over and securing the edges
of the canvas lining part of the outer covering. The four strips belonging to
the edge al of the outer covering A are represented by Fig. 4 and marked respec-
tively B B B B. It will be understood that each of these strips is of the same length
and that the four strips when laid together with their edges overlapping are
long enough to extend all round the edge a¹ of the outer covering. The over-
lapping ends of the strips are secured together by a sliding connection which is
formed by the clip consisting of a strip of sheet metal which is folded round
the end 6 of one strip (see Fig. 6) leaving sufficient room for the reduced end b²
of the next strip to be inserted under the clip so that the clip F then binds the
two strips together. The clip F is prevented from moving on the strip (as B¹
Fig. 6) by the strip being notched in at each side at 63 (see Fig. 6) to receive
the clip F. The four metal strips belonging to the other side of the outer
covering A are shewn separately by Fig. 5 and are marked respectively CC³ C³ C4
Fixed to each of the strips B B B B are projecting headed studs D) preferably
three in each strip which project through the material of the outer covering A
and engage in corresponding holes E which are formed in the strips C C C C
which are fixed in the other side a of the outer covering. The holes in the outer
covering corresponding with the holes E in the strips C¹CCC are strengthened
by eyelets c which pass through the outer covering and through the strips.
When the edge a³ of the outer covering A is lapped over the other edge a¹ as
in Fig. 1 the headed studs D engage with the holes E and thus the two edges of
the outer covering A will be effectually secured together.
The strips B B B³ B and C¹ CC Care by preference made of such a width
as to fit in the smaller part of the wheel rini and cover the spoke nipples.
The outer covering A is made of the proper size to fit the wheel rim with
which it is to be used and when it is placed in position thereon and the
edges a¹ a engage together as above described and the tyre is inflated the tyre
will be perfectly secure as the inflation of the air tube tends to make the edges
of the outer covering contract and bind tightly round the wheel rim this con-
traction being allowed for by the ends of the strips sliding one over the other.
After the tyre is deflated it can readily he sprung off the wheel rim as the
ends of the strips sliding one over the other allow of the outer covering readily
expanding to pass over the larger part of the rim and when the tyre is thus
removed one edge of the outer covering can be readily disconnected from the other
for examination or removal of the inner air tube.
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
what we claim is:-
The combination with the outer covering of the air tube of a pneumatic tyre,
of the flexible metal strips B1 B2 B3 B4 secured in one edge of the outer covering
and the flexible metal strips C C C C secured in the other edge of the outer
covering the strips B B B B+ being provided with projecting headed studs
adapted to engage with corresponding holes E in the strips C C C C+ the ends of
the said strips being made to overlap and secured together by the clips Fall
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated th
e A 1000