New or Improved Means for Ascertaining or Locating the Position of a Puncture in Pneumatic Tyres and other Objects Charged with Air or Gas under Pressure.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
New or Improved Means for Ascertaining or Locating the Position
of a Puncture in Pneumatic Tyres and other Objects Charged
with Air or Gas under Pressure.
I, JOSEPH BOARDMAN, of Suffolk House, Laurance Pountney Hill, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive
device or contrivance for enabling the smallest or finest puncture of the air tube of a
pneumatic tyre or like object to be readily found or located, and without recourse
to the usual water test or other inconvenient and tedious methods at present in
vogue.
By my invention the puncture can be found almost instantly and the device is
such that it can be carried in the waistcoat pocket, and he always handy and ready
for use.
In accordance with my invention, which I will describe as applied to a cycle tyre,
I take a piece of fine gauze (by preference) about one inch wide, and one and a half
inches long, or of such a length as will correspond to the circumference of the
upper part or tread of a pneumatic tyre.
This piece of gauze,-which may be made of fine wire, or of muslin or other
material of a fine sieve-like nature,-I fix in a frame or holder of thin metal, xylonite
or other suitable material, supple or rigid, and I make such holder in a curved form,
or of a material or form which allows it to take a curved form in correspondence to
the curvature of the tyre.
In using the device place it upon the air tube, and in consequence of the
surrounding frame the gauze stands 1/32nd of an inch or so from the surface of the
tuhe. Before, or after, so placing the device I dust or rub the face of the gauze, by
preference, on the side furtherest from the tube, with French chalk or similar
substance, rubbing it down into the interstices of the gauze, and causing the gauze
to be fairly well coated, or covered. I then traverse the device along the punctured
tube (previously inflated) or draw such tube beneath it, and carefully watch the
As soon as the puncture comes beneath the device the powdered chalk is
immediately blown off the gauze, and as the device or tube is further moved a line of
interstices is cleared of chalk, and in such way the exact locality or position of a
puncture is determined.
gauze.
If the gauze is made of wire or similar material I may dispense with the
surrounding frame or holder and roll, fold or bead the edges of the gauze, but I prefer
to use a holder, and one that lends itself to fitting into a flat case and of being
carried in a waistcoat pocket.
If desired I may make the device sufficiently large to extend all round the tube, or
for both its ends to meet or nearly meet.
The said device may be adapted for combination with other cycle accessories and
may be covered with gelatine or similar transparent material to protect the chalk dust
in inclement weather

page_text: For use in tyre manufactories I may employ a large piece of gauze and so fix it in
a suitable support, or so mount it, that a considerable length of the tyre (or a series
of tyres) may be examined at one operation, and on both sides.
By reason of the chalk or dust being on the upperinost side of the gauze, the
latter may be in direct contact with the air tube or tyre, and thus afford the finest
test possible, but I prefer to let it lie clear of the tube, and for that purpose and for
convenience in handling to fix it in a frame.
Lastly, the improved device may be of finely punched or perforated material, and
may be used for testing hat press dishes, gas appliances, and other objects with which
it is desired to discover a leakage, or escape.
JOSEPH
BOARDMAN.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.
New or Improved Means for Ascertaining or Locating the Position
of a Puncture in Pneumatic Tyres and other Objects Charged
with Air or Gas under Pressure.
I, JOSEPH BOARDMAN, late of Suffolk House, Laurance Pountney Hill, London, and
now of The Fold, Gee Cross, Cheshire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be partien-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive device
or contrivance for enabling the smallest or finest puncture of the air tube of a
pneumatic tyre or like object to be readily found or located, without recourse to the
usual water and other inconvenient tests and tedious methods at present in vogue.
By my invention the puncture can be found almost instantly, and the device is such
that it can be carried in the waistcoat pocket, and be always handy and ready
for use.
In accordance with my invention which I will describe as applied to a pneumatic
tyre, I take a piece of fine gauze (by preference) about one inch wide, and one and a
half inches long, or of such a length or size as will correspond to about half the
transverse circumference of the air tube of said tyre. This piece of gauze, which
may be of fine woven wire, muslin or other material or fabric of a fine sieve-like
nature, I fix in a frame or holder of thin metal, xylonite, rubber or other suitable
material, supple or rigid, and I make such holder in a curved form, or of a material
or form which allows it to take a curved form in correspondence with the transverse
and longitudinal curvature of the tyre.
In using the device 1 place it upon the air tube, previously or simultaneously
inflated as much as possible, and in consequence of the surrounding frame the gauze
stands 1/32nd of an inch, or so, from the surface of the tube. Before, or after, so
placing the device I dust or rub the face of the gauze, by preference, on the side
furthermost from the tube, with powdered French chalk, flour or similar substance,
rubbing or smoothing it down into the interstices of the gauze, and causing the gauze
to be fairly well coated, or covered. I then traverse the device along the punctured
tube or draw such tube beneath it, and carefully watch the gauze. As soon as the
puncture comes beneath the device the powdered chalk is immediately blown off the
gauze, and as the device or tube is further moved a line of interstices is cleared of
chalk, and according to the point at which the line ends the exact locality or position
of a puncture is determined.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and will now
proceed to describe the same with the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
Figs. 1, 2 and
illustrate my improved puncture locator in the forms (and order)
I most prefer it. Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-section. Fig. 5 illustrates the mode of
applying the locator. Fig. 6 illustrates a modification, and Figs. 7 and 8 represent
accessories used with the locator.
(A) designates the gauze or sieve-like material, of (by preference) very fine mesh,
and of metal (fine brass wire), muslin or other material which is capable of presenting
a large number of small openings in a small space. This sieve-like object is
surrounded with an edging to facilitate its handling, which may if of metal, either
take the form of a "beaded" or folded edge (B) as shewn in Fig. 6, or (by preference)
of an india-rubber or like flexible or rigid frame (C), as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
If the gauze is of muslin or like material the frame may be of rigid or semi-rigid
material, and the gauze secured by stitching or other suitable means.
This india-rubber edging or frame (C) is of the cross-section shewn in Fig. 4, being
moulded in continuous ring form, and with a slit upon its inner circumference to
receive the edge of the gauze. Such frame is also slightly smaller than the gauze in
order to retain itself thereon by contraction.
In using the improved locator the object to be tested is first pumped up or inflated
to an extent which will cause air to issue through the puncture under pressure, as
shewn in Fig. 5. The gauze is then dusted with French chalk, flour or like matter
on one side only, which is gently rubbed down and evenly spread over the gauze.
The device is then laid on the tube to be tested with the chalked side uppermost
and owing to the flexible or curved character of the frame (B), or (C), the device
adapts itself to, and follows the curvature of the tube as shewn in Fig. 5. The tube
is then traversed beneath the locator, or the locator traverse: along the tube, and
immediately it comes above the puncture in the tube, one or more of the interstices of
the gauze is cleared of the chalk, and if the locator continues to be moved, a row or
series of such interstices is cleared, thus indicating the exact position, or whereabouts
of the puncture.
In such way I provide a simple, cheap and efficient locator, and one that can be
used at all times, and does not depend on geographical conditions, as is often the
case with the water test, which very often cannot be applied when a rider is on tour,
and removed from any place where water is available.
Whilst I prefer the gauze to have the edging (C), or (B), in order to hold it away
from the air tube, I may allow it to be in actual contact with the tube, since the
chalk is on the uppermost face, but for all practical purposes I prefer the edging.
Instead of the device being of the form and size shewn on the accompanying
drawing, I may make it larger, and capable of covering an extended surface, but I
prefer it to be as shewn, since it lies in small compass, and can very well be included
in a small metal case along with other cycle accessories, such as cement and patching
material, and with a small dusting box for holding the chalk.
In Figs. 7 and 8 I shew convenient forms of dusting boxes for holding the chalk,
and of round or flat section with perforations on one side of the neck (D) and similar
perforations, or a corresponding perforation in one side of the lid (E) (see Fig. 8),
which when opposite allow of the chalk to be dusted on the gauze, and when the lid
is reversed are covered up or with perforations or openings in tip or inner cap (F)
(see Fig. 7) and with screwed outer cap (G). For the purpose of screening the
device after chalking, and whilst searching for the puncture in windy weather 1 may
provide a celluloid, gelatine or like transparent cover to lie over the upper side of
the device.
Whilst chiefly intended for cyclists use I may employ the device for cycle
manufactory purposes for testing air tubes before being sent out, and for that purpose
arrange the gauze in supports or make it of a sufficient size to encircle the tube, or
in such other manner that will enable the air tubes to be readily.and rapidly tested

page_text: Lastly, the improved device may be utilised for testing gas appliances and other
objects with which it is desired to discover a leakage or escape.
Having thus 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 and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1-In means for locating the position of a puncture or leakage, in the air tube of
a pneumatic tyre or like object, the use of a device composed of fine gauze or finely
reticulated material with, or without, surrounding frame and used in conjunction
with powdered chalk or like substance, as set forth.
2: A piece of gauze (A) with edging (B), or india-rubber or like edging (C), or
rigid or semi-rigid, curved or straight edging, as and for the purposes set forth.
3-A length or piece of woven wire, or like gauze, inuslin or other open material,
supported or held in a convenient manner, and beneath, or behind, which the object
to be tested can be passed and examined, as set forth.
JOSEPH BOARDMAN,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.
JOSEPH
BOARDMAN,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.