An Improvement in Pneumatic Tyres or Tubes for Cycles or Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: I JAMES ALOYSIUS POWER Draper 13 and 14 Broad Street Waterford do bereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For the improvement in Pneumatic Tyres or Tubes by means of dividing same
into air-tight compartments (to be inflated separately) so as to nullify the effects of
puncture.
The improvement consists of three parts.
1. A device for localizing the deflation consequent on puncture by dividing the air
tube into compartments two inches in length or thereabouts by means of transverse
webs of rubber or other suitable material.
2. A device for inflating the several compartments above mentioned by means of a
longitudinal web of rubber or other suitable material forming a separate continuous
chamber or tube within the main air tube or otherwise in connection with said main
air-tube and communicating with a valve through which the air can be pumped,
apertures being pierced through this dividing web (of rubber or other suitable
inaterial) to admit the air into the aforesaid two inch compartments in main air
tube.
3. A device for closing the said apertures by means of a second longitudinal web
of rubber or other suitable material (with or without projections thereon to fit into
aforesaid apertures) within the second chamber, thus forming another tube
cominunicating with a second valve by which air is pumped into this chamber or
tube at a greater pressure than in the first or air-supply tube.
October 17th 1896.
JAMES ALOYSIUS POWER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pneumatic Tyres or Tubes for Cycles or Vehicles.
I, JAMES ALOYSIUS POWER, of 13 Broad Street, Waterford, Draper 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 refers to pneumatic tyres for cycles, motor cars, and other vehicles,
the primary object of my invention being to obtain an improved construction of the
inner tube of a tyre, or of the tyre itself, the said tyre or inner tube being
composed of a number of compartments, my invention comprising improved
constructions and arrangements of parts, whereby all the compartments of the tube
27

page_text: or tyre are simultaneously inflated and deflated when desired, while in the event of
the tyre becoming punctured, the air escapes only from the compartment in which
the puncture takes place, whereby the tyre is not rendered useless, all as hereafter.
described.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I have illustrated same in
the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of
an inner tube, constructed according to my invention."
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the inner tube or tyre taken about the line X Y of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of the inner tube in position upon a rim with an outer cover
fitted thereto.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating a modification of my
invention. Fig. 5 is a cross section of an air tube shewing an alternative construction
of the means for simultaneous inflation or deflation.
According to my invention I employ a flexible tube consisting of an outer
cylindrical part A, divided internally into or formed with, two circumferential
chambers B and C, by a dividing part or partition D.
The circumferential chamber B, next the tread of the tyre, is subdivided by a
number of partitions E, thus forming a series of closed segmental compartments
extending around the circumference of the tyre. Each segmental compartment is
formed with an aperture 1, in the flexible partition or tube D, which divides the
segmental compartments in the tubular part B from the circumferential tubular
part C.
Within the circumferential tubular part C I attach a flexible circumferential
diaphragm G, which divides the circumferential tubular part C into two parts, an
inner and an outer part relatively to the centre of the wheel. A tube H is connected
to the diaphragın G, the tube H being fitted with a suitable valve II; by this
arrangement I am enabled to pump air into that outer circumferential part of C,
which is in connection, by the apertures F, with the compartments within the
part B.
A valve K of ordinary construction is secured to the inner part of C, whereby air
may be pumped into this tubular part.
Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 I have shewn my invention in position upon
a rim M, within an outer cover P; in some cases the outer cover could be dispensed
with, and the tube made of sufficient strength and thickness, so as to be used without
an outer cover, thus forming a complete tyre.
After having placed the inner tube upon the rim air is pumped through the
valve H and flexible tube H; which air passes into each of the compartments within
the tubular part B, by way of the apertures F, during which operation the diaphragm G
assumes a position away from the partition D, say as shewn at Fig. 3. When
the segmental compartments are sufficiently inflated, air is pumped through the
valve K which inflates the inner circumferential part of the tube C, and forces the
diaphragm G, when the air pressure is sufficient, against the partition or dividing
part D, thereby covering the apertures F, and thus closing all the segmental
compartments within the tubular part B. The pressure of air in the inner
circumferential part of the tube C is greater than in the segmental compartments,
and this pressure maintains the diaphragm G firmly in contact with the base or
dividing partition D of the air chamber, and mainly by reason of the diaphragm G
and partition D being flexible the whole structure will yield together and no air
will escape by reason of contact with the road.
In order to deflate the tyre, air is allowed to escape through the valve K, the
diaphragm G comes or falls away from the tube partition D and a free passage by
the tube H and valve H' is thus formed from which air can escape. Instead of
employing two valves K and H1 I may employ a valve having two ways, of any known
or convenient construction.
In the event of a puncture, air would escape only from that segmental compartment
which has become punctured, since each compartment is independent, and herinetically
As a matter of ready and convenient construction I may, as shewn at Fig. 5,

page_text: form the inner circumferential chamber C, with its dividing diaphragm G, by
providing additional circumferential strips, fixed to or vulcanized on to the inner
circumferential surface of the main tube.
In practice I find it desirable to inflate to a certain extent, the inner tubular part
of C, in order to prevent the diaphragm G from being forced too far down when
inflating the compartments.
Tyres constructed according to my invention as described may be applied to any
ordinary or suitable rims, the latter not necessarily requiring special construction,
and the tyre with its compartments, its annular air channel, and circumferentially
dividing diaphragm, is what may be called, self contained, and entirely composed of
flexible material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware that it
has heretofore been broadly proposed to employ inflated tyres divided transversely into
a number of separate compartments, and it has been proposed to inflate such
compartments simultaneously, I therefore do not broadly claim such a construction,
but what I claim as any improvements in pneumatic tyres or tubes for cycles or
vehicles, is as follows:-
1. A flexible tube divided internally into two circumferential chambers, the outer
chamber next the tread of the tyre being sub-divided transversely into a number of
segmental compartments, each independently communicating with the inner flexible
chamber by an aperture; in combination with a movable flexible diaphragm or
membrane within the inner chamber, extending transversely across and dividing
same, the said diaphragm being adapted to be forced up and retained by pneumatic
pressure to close the communicating passages to the outer segmental compartments,
and whereby the compartments are inflated or deflated through the said inner
chamber substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. A flexible air tube divided internally into two circumferential chambers the
outer chamber next the tread of the tyre being sub-divided transversely into a number
of segmental compartments, each of the latter communicating with the inner
flexible circumferential chamber, in combination with a flexible circumferential
diaphragm or membrane within and dividing the inner chamber, and a valved tube
fixed to and extending through the diaphragm by which to inflate the segmental
compartments together with a valved tube communicating with the inner chamber
below the diaphragm, and whereby the compartments are inflated or deflated through
the said inner chamber, all arranged and acting substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. The construction and arrangement of pneumatic tyre or tube, substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing my improvements
in tyres all constructed and acting substantially as and for the purposes described
and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 90th des
Dated this 904L
day of June 1807.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.