Improvements in Wheel Rims and in Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1896
Complate Crosification Loft 14th Aud 1007 Accented
30th Oct
1807
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel Rims and in Pneumatic Tyres.
We, CHARLES WOOLLEY, of 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of
London, Secretary to a Public Company, and THOMAS DUNN of 83 Tierney Road,
Brixton Hill, aforesaid, Member of the Stock Exchange, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An object of this invention is to construct a rim which will enable a pneumatic
tyre having endless inextensible edges to be applied to and detached from it with
much greater facility than has heretofore been the case with such tyres.
For this purpose we prefer to adopt, as in every way the best, a plano convex
section of rim which may be either solid of wood or hollow of metal and form upon
or attach to it lateral flanges at least one of which or a portion of it is made angle
shaped in section and easily removable so that when such flange or portion of
flange is removed, the inextensible edges of the pneumatic tyre cover can be easily
and quickly passed over the rim and near to the other or fixed flange, after which
the removable flange or flange portion can be replaced upon the wheel rim and
upon inflation of the tyre, it will be held in place by one of the two inextensible
edges being forced laterally over the inwardly extending portion of the angle pro-
jections being formed on the under side of the angle which by entering holes
provided for them will secure it laterally in place.
Wheel rims of this kind can be constructed in various forms. In the case of a
wooden rim we fasten around the central portion of it a strip or band of metal or
other suitable material having at intervals perforations that may conveniently be
in the form of narrow slots, the strip or band being flush with the portions of the
periphery of the rim at each side of it. Upon this rim are placed two divided or
unjoined metal rings of angular cross section arranged side by side with their
adjacent edges abutting and provided on their inner edges with projections that
enter the slots in the band. One of the rings may be permanently fixed upon the
rim, as for example by nailing. The other ring may be made in two or more
portions and at least about a third of it is detachable.
In the case of a hollow metal rim the perforations into which the projections
on the movable angle rings take, may conveniently be formed in the outer portion
of the rim itself, the holes for the spoke nipples being preferably utilized for the
purpose and if desired other holes or slots being formed between these holes. In
applying this part of my invention to existing wooden rims having concavities
outwardly, such as those of the well known Dunlop tyre, the edges of the rim are
cut away so as to leave at the sides of the rim surfaces that are flat as seen in cross
section and of a circumference slightly less than that of the internal shoulders
originally formed upon the rim and ring of perforated sheet metal already described
is secured in the central grooved part so as to be flush with the flat side portions.
Then upon the rim thus prepared are placed the two angle shaped rings above
referred to

page_text: As will be obvious the projections on the under sides of the fixed and removable
rings may be arranged otherwise than at the inner edges thereof. Instead of
two rings there may be used a single ring of channel section, provided with a
removable flanged portion secured as hereinbefore described.
A modification of this construction may be employed for constructing a
pneumatic tyre so that it may be readily attached to and detached from an ordinary
vehicle wheel rim or felloe without requiring any alteration to it. For this purpose
instead of the flange rings of angular section flat inextensible rings are formed
to fit the wheel and the edges of the tyre cover are secured to their outer edges as
by riveting. Then when the felloe is of less breadth than the base of the tyre
the inner edges of these rings are provided with laterally extending lugs the points
of which are bent inwardly the lugs on the one ring fitting between the lugs on the
other ring. To apply the tyre to a wheel, it is placed round it as far as can con-
veniently be done and then the inwardly turned ends of the lugs on the side next
the wheel round the remaining portion of the tyre are pressed outwards so as to
clear the wheel when that portion of the tyre also can be passed on to the wheel.
Then on inflation of the tyre the two series of inwardly turned ends of the lugs
will be caused to powerfully grip the wheel rim or felloe between them and so
render the tyre very secure against lateral or circumferential movement.
In other cases the rings may together correspond approximately in breadth
to that of the felloe and may have inwardly turned projections or flanges on their
outer edges to bear against the sides of the wheel. The inner edge
of one of the rings is furnished with a collar or ridge projecting
radially outward and spring catches are provided at suitable intervals
on the other ring and designed to engage with the said collar or ridge
when the two rings are brought together on the wheel and to hold them securely
together the air pressure bearing on the top of the hooks or catches making them
additionally secure. To detach the tyre a loose ring is provided passing over the
flat ring having the collar or ridge on its inner edge and upon this loose ring being
pressed laterally by any convenient means towards the collar or ridge when the
tyre is deflated, it will pass under the sloping points of the spring catches and dis-
engage them from the collar or ridge so that the two flat rings can then be moved
apart and the tyre easily detached from the wheel. The loose ring above described
may be combined with another loose ring passed over the spring catches, the two
loose rings being connected together at intervals so that they will move laterally
together. On this double ring being moved laterally in one direction it will leave
the spring catches free to engage with the collar or ridge on one of the flat rings
and one portion of the double ring will bear on the free ends of the spring catches
so that they will be locked in engagement with the collar or ridge whereby the tyre
will be rendered secure even on deflation. On the double ring being moved
laterally in the opposite direction the spring catches will be simultaneously un-
locked and caused to become disengaged from the collar or ridge with which they
are designed to engage.
In some cases particularly those of large wheels as by this construction the tyre
has no grip upon the felloe it may be desirable to provide means in addition to
the action in this way of the air valve, to prevent circumferential movement of the
tyre upon the felloe.
As will be obvious the constructions hereinbefore described can be variously
modified.

page_text: Improvements in Wheel Rims and in Pneumatic Tyres.
We, CHARLES WOOLLEY, of 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of
London, Secretary to a Public Company, and THOMAS DUNN of 83 Tierney Road,
Prixton Hill, aforesaid, Memeber of the Stock Exchange, 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:-
An object of this invention is to construct a wheel rim which will enable a
pneumatic tyre having endless inextensible edges to be applied to and detached
from it with much greater facility than has heretofore been the case with such
tyres.
ch
For this purpose we prefer to adopt, as in every way the best, a plano convex
section of rim which may be either solid of wood, or hollow of metal, and form
upon or attach to it lateral flanges at least one of which, or a portion of it, is made
angle shaped in section and easily removable and replacable so that when
flange or portion of flange is removed, the inextensible edges of the pneumatic
tyre cover can be easily and quickly passed over the rim and moved near to the
other or fixed flange, after which the removable flange or flange portion can be
replaced upon the wheel rim and, upon inflation of the tyre, be held in place by
one of the two inextensible edges being forced laterally over the inwardly extend-
ing portion of the removable Hange or angle piece, which is formed on its under
side with projections, which, by entering holes provided for them in the rim,
will secure the said flange or angle piece laterally in place.
Wheel rims of this kind can be constructed in various forms.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows in cross section, one construction of
wheel rim according to this invention with a pneumatic tyre applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a developed plan view of part of the wheel rim with the removable part
thereof displaced to one side. Fig. 3 shows to a smaller scale than Figs. 1 and 2,
the wheel rim and tyre in side elevation.
In this example the rim 1 which is of wood, has fastened around the central
portion thereof, it may be by means of nails, a strip or band 2 of suitable material,
for example thin sheet metal, having at intervals perforations 3 that may con-
veniently be in the form of narrow slots as shown, the outer surface of the strip
or band being flush with the portions 1" of the periphery of the rim at each side of
it. Upon this rim are placed two divided or discontinuous metal rings 4 and 5
of angular cross section, arranged side by side with their adjacent inner edges
abutting and each provided with a series of projections 6 that enter the slots 3 in
the band 2. One of the rings say 4, is or may be permanently fixed upon the
rim, as for example by nailing. The other ring 5 may be made in two or more
portions and at least about a third of it is detachable. In the example shown,
it is made in two parts, of which the part 5", equal to about one third of the whole
circumference, is the detachable portion. With this construction it will be seen
that upon removing the part 5* of the ring 5, the inextensible wired edges 7", 7b of
a pneumatic tyre cover 7 with tyre can be easily and quickly passed over the wheel
rim so as to lie between the outwardly extending flanges 4, 5* of the two rings 4
and 5 and be pressed near to the outwardly extending flange 4° of the ring 4. The
detachable portion 5 of the ring 5 can then be placed in position with its projec-
tions 6 entering the perforations 3 in the band 2, after which the tyre can be
inflated whereby the inextensible edge 7 of the tyre cover will be caused to move
laterally over the inwardly extending part of the ring 5, including that of its
detachable portion 5, into the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the said detachable

page_text: portion will be securely fixed in place, its outwardly extending flange 5*
preventing further outward movement of the said edge of the tyre cover.
In applying this part of the invention to existing wooden rims having con-
cavities outwardly, such as those for the well known Dunlop Tyre, the edges of the
rim are cut away, as on the line of Fig. 3 which shows such a rim, so as to
leave at the sides of the rim, surfaces 1" that are flat as seen in cross section and of
a diameter slightly less than that of the internal shoulders 1b originally formed
upon the rim, that is to say, less in diameter by an amount equal to twice the
thickness of the material of which the rings 4 and 5 to be used therewith, are
made, and a ring or band 2 of sheet metal with perforations 3 is secured in the
central grooved part 1° of the rim so that its outer surface will be flush with the flat
side portions 1. Then upon the rim thus prepared, are placed the two angle
shaped rings 4 and 5 above referred to.
In the case of a hollow metal rim the perforations into which the projections 6
on the movable angle rings 4 and 5 take, may, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which
are similar views to Figs. I and 2 respectively, conveniently be formed in the
outer portion of the rim itself, the holes 8 for the spoke nipples 9 being preferably
utilized for the purpose, and, if desired, other holes or slots 3" being formed
between these holes. When the projections 6 are of flat metal as shown, the
comparatively large holes & may be fitted with plugs 10 of wood in each of which
a recess 3 is cut to receive the corresponding pair of projections G on the two
rings 4 and 5. The projections 6 may however be each made of a semi-circular
shapo to fit the circular hole 8 into which they are to be inserted. In other
respects the construction and arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are similar to
that hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
As will be obvious, the projections on the under sides of the fixed and removable
rings may be arranged otherwise than at the inner edges thereof. Instead of
two rings, there may be used, as shown in cruss section and plan in Figs. 6 and 7
respectively, a single ring 5 of channel section, provided with a removable flanged
portion 5" secured as herein before described.
As a modification of this construction, the edges of the tyre cover 7 instead of
being provided with wires as in Figs. 1, 4 and 6, may, as shown in cross section
in Fig. 8, be secured as by riveting to the outer edges of the rings 4 and 5 each of
which should be made of a continuous strip of material bent into ring shape but
unjoined at its ends, the ends of both rings meeting at about the same place near
to which the air valve of the tyre is preferably arranged. To admit of the tyre
thus constructed being passed on to the rim, the cover is not fixed to the rings
for a space of two or three inches at one or both of their ends, the edges of this
free portion of the cover being stiffened by having strips of steel inserted in
pockets provided for them so that the tyre will not bulge at this part through the
action of the internal air pressure. Then by virtue of the elasticity of the free
portion of the tyre cover, the rings can be readily expanded in circumference
sufficiently to enable them to be passed on or off the wheel and their inward pro-
jections 6 engaged with or disengaged from the holes 3. The base of the air valve
may be so arranged that when the nut on the valve stem is tightened up before,
inflation of the tyre, it will clamp the stiffening pieces preferably at the centre of
their length, and also the ends of the rings 4 and 5, firmly in place on the rim.
Figs. 9 and 10 are cross sections of a wheel rim and tyre taken in different planes
and Fig. 11 a part plan showing a further modification in which the two rings 4
and 5 to which the edges of the tyre are secured, are made endless and are at
intervals slit transversely for part of their width from their inner edges so that the
projections 6 and the parts 6 of the rings carrying them can be sprung outward.
To apply the tyre in this case to the wheel, it is placed round it as far as can be
conveniently done, the rings being applied from opposite sides of the wheel and
the projections 6 inserted in the holes 3, and then the spring parts of the rings
carrying the projections 6 round the remaining portion of each ring are pressed
outward so as to admit of their being passed sufficiently over the wheel rim to

page_text: bring the said projections over the holes 3 into which they will then spring and
hold the base of the tyre laterally in place. To admit of removal of the tyre the
ends of the spring parts 6 formed by transversely slitting each ring may be
connected by a strip 6b of flexible material such as canvas secured thereto, as by
cement, and the stein A of the air valve of the tyre may be provided with a nut or
collar A adapted, by pressing the stem inward, to act against the adjacent spring
parts and lift their projections 6 out of the holes 3, the upward movement of the
said spring parts causing the adjacent spring parts to be also lifted through the
flexible strips 6. By then pressing the two rings, at their raised portions,
towards each other and continuing this action around the tyre, the whole of the
projections 6 can be removed from their holes 3 and the tyre be pressed laterally
off the wheel rim.
Figs. 12 and 13 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, showing an
arrangement whereby a pneumatic tyre can be readily attached to and detached
from an ordinary vehicle wheel rim or felloe 11 af less breadth than the base of the
lyre, without requiring any alteration to such rim or felloe. For this purpose flat
inextensible rings 12 and 13 are formed to fit the circumference of the wheel and
the edges 7, 7 of the tyre cover 7 are secured to their edges 12 13 respectively,
as by riveting. The other edges of these rings are provided with laterally extend-
ing lugs 12, 13, the ends 12, 13 respectively of which are bent inwardly, the
lugs on the one ring fitting between the lugs on the other ring. To apply the tyre
to a wheel, the ring 12 is slipped over the wheel rim into the position shown in
Fig. 14 and also the ring 13 as far as can conveniently be done, and then the
inwardly turned ends 13 of the lugs 13" on the side next the wheel, round the
remaining-portion of the ring 13, are pressed outwards as indicated in Fig. 14, so
as to clear the wheel, when that portion of the ring with tyre can, also be
passed on to the wheel. Then, on inflation, the tyre will be caused to assume the
position shown in Fig. 12 and the two series of inwardly turned ends 12, 13% of
the lugs 12", 13 will be caused to powerfully grip the wheel rim or felloe 11
between them and so render the tyre very secure against lateral or circumferential
movement. To admit of the lugs 13" being thus sprung outward, the band 13
should be made of spring metal such as tempered steel. The band 12 may be of a
less elastic metal such as Bessemer steel.
Figs. 15 and 16 show a somewhat similar arrangement to that represented in
Figs. 12 and 13 respectively but the two rings 12 and 13 are arranged one within
the other and the outer one 13 is slit at intervals to form elastic or spring lugs 13"
that are provided with inwardly turned ends 13b which, with the lugs carrying
them, can be pressed outward and into the tyre against the elasticity of the lugs to
facilitate the placing of the tyre upon the wheel rim or felloe 11 in the manner
hereinbefore explained with reference to Figs. 12, 13 and 14. In this case the
inner ring 12 instead of being formed with lugs, extends its full width across the
base of the tyre and is formed with slots at 12 for the passage of the inwardly
turned ends 13 of the lugs 13 on the ring 13.
To obviate the necessity of making the ring 13 of good quality spring metal or
steel in order that the lugs 13 may have sufficient elasticity to admit of their
being pressed outward and again recover their normal positions, the spring lugs 13"
with inwardly turned ends 13 may be made separate from the band 13, which can
then be of Bessemer steel, and be secured to such band and to the corresponding
edge of the tyre as shown in cross section in Fig. 17.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is 'to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. Securing a pneumatic tyre to a wheel rim by divided or discontinuous rings
that fit the wheel rim and hold the base of the tyre in place thereon, and one or
each of which or part of it is easily removable from and replaceable upon the rim
and is provided on its underside with inwardly extending projections adapted to

page_text: enter perforations in the rim and prevent lateral movement of the ring and tyre
upon the said rim, substantially as described.
2. A wheel rim having formed upon or attached thereto lateral flanges one at
least of which, or a portion of it is made of angle shape in section with inwardly
extending projections adapteu to enter perforations in the wheel rim and is easily
removable and replaceable, the arrangement being such that when such flange or
portion of flange is removed the inextensible edges of a pneumatic tyre cover can
be easily and quickly passed over the rim and moved near to the other or fixed
flange and upon the removable flange or flange portion being replaced, it will upon
inflation of the tyre be held firmly in place on the wheel rim both in a radial and
lateral direction, substantially as described.
3. Wheel rims with pneumatic tyres and attaching devices constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described. with reference
respectively to and shown in Figs. 1 2 and 3; in Figs. 4 and 5; in Figs. 6 and 7,
in Fig. 8 and in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 of the drawings annexed.
4. A pneumatic tyre having the edges of its cover attached to inextensible rings
of flat strip material formed to fit an ordinary wheel rim or felloe and provided
with laterally extending lugs the free ends of which are bent in a radial inward
direction, the arrangement being such that the tyre with rings can be placed upon
a wheel rim or felloe of less breadth than the base of the tyre and that upon inflat-
ing the tyre, the inwardly turned ends of the two rings will tightly grip the wheel
rim or felloe between them, substantially as described and shown for the purpose
herein described.
5. Pneumatic tyres provided with inextensible rings and inwardly extending
radial projections, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14;
in Figs. 15 and 16, or modified according to Fig. 17 of the accompanying drawings
for the purposes specified.
Dated this 11th dowe of droust 1807
For the Applicants,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.