Improvements in Tires for Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1895-Accepted, 1st June 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tires for Wheels of Vehicles.
We HOWARD MALCOLM DU BOIS and WILLIAM HENRY GRAY Manufacturers
both of 14 Holborn Viaduct London E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists of a new method of constructing tires for vehicle wheels
by a combination of steel or iron and rubber.
Our plan is to place upon the periphery of the wheel, a band or strip of rubber
of suitable width; passing over this a metal tire provided with one straight flange,
and one flange bent outwardly, to facilitate in putting it over the wheel and rubber;
the whole process being completed by rolling the outwardly bent flange down; thus
forcing the rubber under compression and locking the tire in place on each side of
the felloe or rim.
Dated this 21st day of March 1895.
HOWARD MALCOLM DU BOIS.
WILLIAM HENRY GRAY.
We HOWARD MALCOLM DU BOIS and WILLIAM HENRY GRAY, Manufacturers,
both of 14 Holborn Viaduct London E.C. 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:-
Our invention relates to cushioned tyres, method of reinforcing their elasticity,
and apparatus for applying said tyres, whereby noislessness, and absence of rattling
shall be secured, together with a largely increased durability, strength and economy
in the manufacture and use of the wheel.
It is our
It is our purpose to provide a novel method of increasing, as well as reinforcing,
an elastic cushion interposed between the rim and a metal tyre of a vehicle wheel,
and a method of applying an elastic cushion and an outer metallic tyre to a wheel,
in such manner as to secure the compression of the cushion in two directions,
together with novel apparatus for applying said tyres to the wheels.
purpose, also, to provide a tyre for wheels, having an elastic cushion interposed
between the rim and metal, and compressed by the latter in two directions, or from
its margins toward the center, and at right angles thereto, whereby permanent
elasticity is secured, all danger of the wheel becoming "rim bound" is avoided, and
the necessity of re-setting the tyre does not arise.
It is our purpose also, to provide a construction of tyre, for use in combination
with an elastic cushion interposed between the tyre and rim, whereby the tyre may
at any time he tightened, and the elasticity of the cushion restored or increased,
without removing the tyre from the wheel. Our invention also comprises an
improved construction of the metallic tyre whereby its durability is increased, and
the cost of construction diminished, provision being made for compensating the

page_text: unequal wear of metal in the tyre, at the point where the greatest wear occurs, and
vice versa.
The invention consists in the several features of construction, and in the
parts and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and then particularly
pointed out and defined in the claims following this Specification.
To enable others to fully understand and to make and use the said invention, we
will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had for the purpose, to
the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel in which our invention is embodied,
a portion being broken away to show the construction of the tyre.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the rim of the wheel shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a detail view showing the rim, the elastic cushion and the metallic tyre
in their proper relative positions, but separated slightly to show the normal
expansion of the elastic cushion, and the form of the tyre before it is
operated upon.
Fig. 4, is a view of a form of construction which may be adapted under favorable
circumstances.
Fig. 5. is a view showing a form of mechanism adapted for the practice of the
method described herein.
The reference numeral 1, in said drawing indicates the rim of a vehicle wheel of
ordinary construction.
It has been customary heretofore to apply the tyres to wheels by various
methods, that most commonly practiced, being to heat the tyre, and when
expanded, place it upon the rim and shrink it thereon, after which, bolts or rivets
are inserted in the tyre and rim to retain it firmly in place.
In all those cases in which the tyre is thus applied, the contraction of the tyre
causes the wheel to become "dished" the amount of this concavity being regulated
by the degree of shrinkage allowed in the tyre. Wheels so tyred settle at the
periphery and become "rim bound" as it is technically termed, and, when this
condition is reached, the tire must be cut and re-set or the wheel is worthless. It
is also found in practice, the rims of wheels usually allow the shoulders upon the
spokes to become imbedded into the rims, to an extent allowing the protrusion of
the ends of the spoke tenons, until they rest upon the tyre resulting in loosening
them from the hubs; this difficulty also renders it necessary to remove the tyre
and trim off the ends of the tenons, to prevent the spokes from crooking laterally.
Upon the surface or "tread" of the rim of the wheel, we place a cushion 2 of
rubber or other suitable elastic material; its width in excess of the "tread" or
width of the rim of the wheel as shown in Fig. 3.
The metal tyre consists in our invention of a flat strip 3. of suitable thickness,
provided upon its parallel edges with flanges 4 & 5. which taper or diminish from
the point where they unite with the strip 3 to their edges.
We prefer to make the flanges as shown in Fig. 2 one being heavier in
proportion than the other, the heavier being invariably placed toward the face or
outward portion of the wheel. The metal from which the tyre is constructed, is
rolled with the flange 5, bent outwardly to such an extent, see Fig. 3-that when
expanded, it may be placed upon the rim of the wheel over the elastic cushion 2 ;
the tyre constructed as described is welded with sufficient allowance, whereby it
will shrink upon the rubber or elastic cushion when cooled, from a degree of heat
not great enough to destroy its elasticity. The elastic cushion which is of greater
width than the space between the diverging faces of the flanges 4 and 5, is by the
shrinkage of the tyre forced down tightly and compressed to a certain degree, the
full degree of compression being reached by bending or pressing the flange 5 down
upon the lateral face of the rim of the wheel. This operation may be performed in
different ways, the most convenient way is to roll the flange down, though we do
not limit our present invention to any specific means for this purpose.
The inner flange of the tyre 5. when pressed into place as shown in Fig. 2. the
elastic cushion is compressed from its margin or edges towards its center, and being
reduced thereby to the width of the channel in the tyre, its elastic tension is

page_text: largely increased, and such pressure is exerted upon the tyre, that it is held with all
necessary firmness, and requires no rivets, bolts or other additional fastuings, which
weaken the rim at every point where they are applied.
The expansive pressure of the cushion also imparts the required concavity to the
wheel, and, as the latter is used, although it may be somewhat loosened, is still held
tight by the expansion of the elastic cushion; in case the tension of the latter
should become inadequate, it may be increased by merely pressing the flanges 4
and 5 in somewhat, thereby compressing the cushion in width, and adding to its
expansive force. Should the ends of the tenons of the spokes project by their
shoulders becoming imbedded in the rim, they will merely compress the elastic
cushion too, and thereby increase its expansive force; so that this result which has
heretofore been a serious objection, is converted by our invention into a positive
benefit.
Instead of heating the tyre as described, it may be rolled down upon the elastic
cushion while cold, by following processes which are well known in the art. The
flange 5 of the tyre which is bent outward when the tyre is placed on the rim and
cushion preferably by the use of rolls 6 and 7 shown in Fig. 5.
These rolls are
carried by the shafts 8. 8. supported in suitable boxes, a universal joint 9, on the
upper shaft 8, is raised or lowered by a screw 10, connected to roll shaft by box
and link connection 11. Power being applied through the pulley 13 rigidly
connected with the upper shaft 8. motion is transmitted to the lower shaft and
lower roll 7. by suitable gearing 12.
Now when the rim of the wheel is placed between the rolls 6 and 7. sufficient
power being applied, the wheel rim revolves, and the upper roll 6 being pressed
down with sufficient force by the screw 10, the flange 5 is compressed down upon
the lateral face of the rim and the operation is completed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1. A metallic tyre for vehicle wheels, having flanges upon its margin of unequal
width; that upon the side of the greater wear being the wider, substantially as
described.
2. The combination with a vehicle wheel of an elastic cushion having a width
greater than that of the face or tread of the wheel, and a tyre having flanges upon
its sides, one of which is bent outward to enable the tire to be applied, and then
pressed upon the rim, thereby compressing the cushion in the direction of its width,
substantially as described.
3. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a metallic tyre having flanges upon
its edges, one of which is bent or curved outward, and an elastic cushion of a width
greater than the space between the flanges; said outwardly bent flange being
pressed against the lateral face of the rim of the wheel, to compress the cushion in
width substantially as described.
4. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a metallic tyre having flanges upon
its edges, that upon the inner edge of the wheel, being less in width and thickness
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a vehicle wheel of an elastic cushion of greater width
than the rim of the wheel, and a tyre having flanges upon its edges, between which
the said cushion is compressed in width, said tyre being also compressed upon the
cushion, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a vehicle wheel, of an elastic cushion of greater width
than the rim of the wheel with which it is in direct contact, and a tyre having
flanges upon its edges, the inner diverging faces of which, are pressed against the
lateral faces of the rim of the wheel, thereby compressing the cushion in width
substantially as described.
7. The method herein described of applying an elastic cushion and metallic tyre
to vehicle wheels, which consists in welding the tyre with due allowance for

page_text: contraction, compressing an elastic cushion between marginal flanges on said tyre,
forcing both upon the wheel, compressing the flanges of the tyre against the rim,
and contracting said tyre by cooling substantially as described.
8. The method of increasing or reinforcing the elasticity of a rubber cushion
interposed between a wheel and metallic tire, having marginal flanges, said
method consisting in compressing said cushion in two directions, substantially as
described.
9. The method of reinforcing the elasticity of a rubber cushion for vehicle
wheels, said method consisting in compressing marginal flanges on the outer
metallic tyre, between which the cushion lies, thereby decreasing its width, and
applying compression in two directions substantially as described.
10. The apparatus as described for rolling down the flanges of the tyre, the same
consisting of two rolls; the upper being supplied with a universal joint, allowing
the one roll to be raised or lowered, motion between both rolls being continuous
and simultaneous substantially as described.
Dated the First day of April 1895.
HOWARD MALCOLM DU BOIS.
WILLIAM HENRY GRAY.