Improvements in connection with Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipede and other Wheels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipede
and other Wheels.
I, REGINALD HENRY KENDALL of 37 Forberg Road, Upper Clapton,
London, E., Bullion Assayer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The improvements constituting my invention relate to a new or improved fabric
or material, which I intend to employ as an outer cover or envelope, or as a lining
or inner surface for the outer cover or envelope, of the gas or air bag of such tyres,
in place of the canvas or other woven fabric usually employed for that purpose, the
object of my said invention being, to provide a greater amount of elasticity in the
tyre longitudinally or circumferentially, without lessening the lateral rigidity of
the same, and thus effect a material reduction in the vibration experienced by the
rider when travelling upon undulatory or uneven paths, and at the same time to
effect a firmer grip upon the road or path, and so lessen the back or side slip, as
compared with the method of constructing or lining such covers or envelopes as at
present or bitherto adopted.
I prepare the said material or fabric by the employment of a narrow strip of
rubber, preferably pure, and of a width approximating to that of the tread of the
wheel, and upon each side or flat surface of this and for the whole of its length I
place cords or threads of flax, hemp, cotton, silk or other material of a like nature,
or I may find it convenient to use fine copper or other flexible wires in place of the
said cords or threads, but whichever of these I may use, I place them in such a.
manner, that while all the threads cords or the like at either side of the rubber
strip are parallel with each other, the cords or the like upon the one side are at an
angle of, preferably but not imperatively, about 60° with those upon the other,
and the whole I then coat upon both surfaces with a suitable elastic cement,
preferably rubber solution, so that the whole may become incorporated as one mass,
which I may or may not submit to suitable pressure flatwise, such as that afforded
by passing the fabric between parallel rollers. .
The total width of the fabric thus prepared would be such as to coincide with
that of the outer cover or envelope with which it is to be employed, or thereabouts,
and a suitable length of this I fasten upon the inner surface of the cover or envelope,
(prepared from rubber or rubber composition in the usual way), by the aid of
rubber solution or other elastic cement, and place the cover upon the wheel,
surrounding the gas bag, by any of the approved means in general use, and if this
be by the employment of wires usually placed within or upon the edges of said
cover, I may arrange that the said wires be enclosed within the edges of the said
elastic fabric or material.
Or I may arrange that the said fabric or material may itself form the outer cover
or envelope, in which case, a thicker coating of rubber solution, or other elastic
cement employed, upon that surface intended to be the outer, may be necessary.
By reason of the angle at which the cords threads or their equivalents cross the
fabric or material laterally, the tension of these form a perfect support against the
possibility of bursting the gas or air bag by over inflation, should this not be
provided with the usual canvas pocket or casing, and at the same time act as a
support to the lateral rigidity of the tyre, and yet readily permit a certain and

page_text: graceful longitudinal elasticity of the interposed rubber strip, and consequently a
corresponding elasticity circumferentially of the tyre, and so carry into effect the
object my invention is designed and intended to attain.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1893.
...
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipede
and other Wheels.
I, REGINALD HENRY KENDALL of 37 Forberg Road, Upper Clapton,
London E., Bullion Assayer, 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 :-
The improvements in connection with pneumatic tyres constituting my invention,
relate to a new or improved fabric or one way elastic material, which I intend to
employ as an outer cover or envelope, or as a lining or inner surface for the outer
covers or envelopes of the gas or air bags or tubes of such tyres, in place of the
canvas or other woven fabric usually employed for that purpose, the objects of my
said invention being, not to protect the said gas or air bag against abrasion or
puncture, but to provide a greater amount of elasticity in the tread of the tyre
longitudinally or circumferentially of the wheel, without lessening, but rather to
promote, the lateral rigidity of the same, and thus effect a material reduction in the
vibration hitherto experienced by the rider or riders when the machine is travelling
upon undulatory or uneven paths or passing over a stone or other obstructions
lying within its track, and at the same time to effect a firmer grip upon wet or slippery
paths and so obviate or lessen the back or side slip of the wheels, as compared with
the methods of constructing or lining such covers or envelopes as hitherto
adopted.
For the purposes of my invention I prepare the said material or fabric by the
employment of a strip of rubber, of any desired length, and of a width corresponding
to that of the tread of the wheel, or thereabouts, and upon each face or flat surface
of said rubber strip, and for the whole of its length, I place cords or threads of
flax, hemp, silk, cotton or other fibrous or unstretchable material, or copper or other
flexible wires, in such a manner, that while all the cords, threads, wires or the like,
at either side of the rubber strip, are parallel to, and equidistant from each other,
those upon one side are at an angle of (preferably, but not imperatively) about 60°
with those upon the other, and the whole I then coat with a suitable elastic cement,
preferably rubber solution, so that all the parts of the said strip may become
incorporated, which may or may not be then subjected to pressure flatwise, such as
that afforded by passing the fabric between parallel rollers.
In order that the general construction of the said material and the manner in
which 1 employ the same to attain the objects of my invention, may be fully
understood, reference may be made to the accompanying two sheets of drawings.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a plan view of a portion of the finished fabric, substantially
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a view illustrating a system I may employ in the initial production of
the said material, while Fig. 3 is a plan view of the material so produced.
Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the manner in which I prefer to fold the
material Fig. 3, by which I produce a one way elastic material substantially the
same as Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of the material Fig. 4 in cross
section.

page_text: Fig. 6, Sheet 2 18 a plan view of a like material, ilustrating the first or initial
stage of its construction, according to an alternative method of producing the
same.
Fig. 7 is a view shewing the formation of Fig. 6 in its second stage of
construction.
Fig. 8 is a plan view (drawn to an enlarged scale) of Fig. 7, when folded
centrally of its width, thereby again producing a material substantially the same as
Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of Fig. 8 in cross section.
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view illustrating the manner in which I may employ
the said material, so that this may itself form an outer cover or envelope.
Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view of an outer cover and air tube, illustrating the
manner in which I employ the said material or fabric as a lining for the former.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same or like parts in all the
views.
I wish it to be distinctly understood, that, whichever of the methods hereinafter
described I may employ in the construction of the said one way elastic fabric, that
in all these the finished material consists of two plies of non-elastic threads or the
like, running across the width of the material, with those of one ply at an angle
with those of the other ply, and, that between these is placed a strip of rubber
running lengthwise of the material, and centrally of its width.
I do not confine myself to the use of any particular appliance or apparatus by
which to construct the said material or fabric, my invention being for the fabric
or material itself, and the use and application of same for the purposes hereinafter
stated; I may, therefore, find it convenient to employ one or the other. of the
following methods and means, or any other most adaptable for the purposes.
Referring to Fig. 1, Sheet 1, I may carry my invention into effect by the
employment of a board, or other flat surface of suitable length and width, into
which may be driven two rows of pins or pegs equidistant from each other, the
distance between the said rows representing the width of the fabric when finished,
and in order that the solution or other cement employed, as hereinafter described,
may not adhere to the said board or other flat surface, I cover this with a sheet of
any very thin material sufficient for the purpose, such for instance as a sheet of
zinc or rubber or gutta percha foil, which may be drawn smooth and flat by passing
its edges over the said pins or pegs. Starting from the end peg or pin of either
row, a cord or thread of either of the materials hereinbefore named, may be led
across at any desired angle to a pin in the opposite row and passing over this and
its neighbour be led back again to the next pin in the first row, and passing over
this and the next unoccupied pin, be again led across to, and passed over the next
two unoccupied pins in the second row, and so on, until the whole or any desired
distance of the length of said board or the like is covered, such length approximating
to the circumferential measurement of the cycle wheel upon which it is intended to
be used. By this means I produce the first row or ply of threads shewn by A. in
Fig. 1, and upon these would then be laid, centrally, a strip of rubber B, length-
wise of the board, and over this the same or other cord or the like C, would be led
across and across in like manner, preferably but not imperatively at an angle
of 60° or thereabouts with those in the first ply A. The whole would then be
coated with rubber solution or other suitable cement filling up all the interstices
between A and C until the whole became incorporated, and when this had thoroughly
set, the whole could be easily slipped from the said pegs or pins producing a
finished fabric as at Fig. 1, which I may or may not then subject to suitable pressure
flatwise, such as that afforded by a pair of parallel rollers, and it will be understood,
that such material, while perfectly elastic in the direction of the arrows bb, would
be non elastic in the direction of the arrows a a by reason of the tension of the
threads or the like A and C.
As an alternative method of producing a like material, I may employ a suitable
mandrel D (Fig. 2) and having wound around this a sheet of the said rubber or

page_text: gutta percha foil or its equivalent E for the same purpose, I may by rotating the
mandrel, wind thereon a cord, thread, wire or the like A in spiral form, at any
desired angle, and this may then be coated with solution or other cement, filling up
all the spaces between and enclosing the spiral thread A, and when such solution
or other cement is set, the mass may be removed from the mandrel by cutting it
spirally in the direction of the line E¹, thereby producing one or more strips
substantially as shewn by the full lines at Fig. 3. If two of such strips be now
placed one upon the other face to face so that the top one C overhangs one side of
the lower one A as shewn by the dotted outline in Fig. 3, a rubber strip B may be
placed between these, and all be firmly solutioned together, when the overhanging
edge of A may be folded upon and solutioned to C, and the overhanging edge of C be
folded upon and solutioned to A, thereby producing the finished fabric shewn in
plan by Fig. 4, and in section by Fig. 5, which is substantially the same as Fig. 1,
and may or may not be treated in the same manner as regards passing between
rollers.
Or I may employ only one such strip A. Fig. 3, of such a width, that when the
rubber strip B is placed centrally thereon, the edges of A. may be folded upon the
centre of B, and overlapping each other, thus providing an extra thickness of
material at the centre, or such part, as, when in use, would form or be near the
tread of the wheel.
A further modification of the method and means of constructing the said material
is illustrated by Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 Sheet 2. In this method I first produce from
cotton, silk, hemp, or other such fibrous material, a fabric woven as at Fig. 6, in
which the weft or cross threads F are not in touch with each other, but are apart a
distance similar to A or C in the previous methods, while the warp threads occur at
the sides and centre only, those upon the one edge G, being about half the
width of those upon the opposite edge G¹ and the centre G". This material would
then be laid upon some flat surface, and the warp G held stationary by any
convenient means, so that when a pull was exerted upon the warps G and G¹ in the
direction of the arrows Fig. 7, the threads F would be placed at the angle desired.
A strip of rubber B would then be laid upon F between G" and G' and the
material Fig. 7 be folded upon the line X X, when the edge G would fall upon the
centre of Gat or about the dotted line shewn thereon, and enclosing the said
rubber strip B, when the whole may be solutioned together, with the surplus width
of G' folded upon the edge G, thereby producing a fabric as shewn by the enlarged
view Fig. 8, and in section by Fig. 9, which is substantially the same as Fig. 1, and
may be treated in like manner.
The overlapping of A and C shewn by Figs. 4 and 5, and the folding of G" and
the overlapping of G' upon G as shewn by Fig. 8, are intended to provide greater
strength in the edges of the material, but in the case of Fig. 1 I may attain the
same ends by a binding of canvas H, solutioned thereon as shewn in Fig. 1, and I
may find it beneficial to employ like pieces H in connection with the arrangements
Figs. 4 and 8 as shewn by the dotted outlines in Figs. 4 and 9.
Whichever of the foregoing or other methods of constructing the said one way
elastic material I may adopt, the finished material I employ either as an outer
cover or envelope, or as a lining for the outer covers or envelopes for the gas tubes
of pneumatic tyres. In the former case, for the purposes of my invention, I cover
one side of the fabric with repeated coatings of rubber solution until a thickness is
attained suitable to form the tread of the wheel. This arrangement is illustrated
by Fig. 10 in which the said fabric is shewn by A and B, while the tread of the
wheel is shewn in dotted lines by J. The thickened or canvas bound edges H may
be employed for receiving any of the well known appliances by which the cover or
envelope may be fixed upon the wheel rim, and if this be by that of wires K
(endless or otherwise,) a passage or opening for these would be provided in H as
shewn by Figs. 4, 8, 9 and 10.
When employing the said one way elastic fabric as a lining for outer covers or
envelopes this would be solutioned to the cover L as shewn at Fig. 11, in which the

page_text: said fabric is denoted by A and B, and the air tube by M, the position of B in all
cases being at the centre of the width of L, and immediately facing that portion
forming the tread of the wheel.
From the foregoing it will be understood that by reason of the angle at which
the non-elastic cords, threads or their equivalents cross the said fabric, and
consequently the outer cover or envelope, that the tension of these form a perfect
protection against the bursting of the air bag through over inflation, and at the
same time act as a support to the lateral rigidity of the tyre, and yet, by reason of
the resiliency of the interposed rubber strip, readily permit a certain and graceful
elasticity longitudinally, or in the direction of the circumference of the wheel, and
so carry into effect the objects my invention is designed to attain.
The said one way elastic material constructed in either of the manners herein
set forth, would be equally applicable for use in like manner in connection with the
pneumatic tyres of road vehicles, as bicycles, tricycles and like manumotive
machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that, I am
aware that one way elastic materials have hitherto been employed in connection
with pneumatic tyres, but these have either been used in the construction of single
tube tyres, or if in connection with the outer cover or envelope of detachable tyres,
the said material has been so constructed as to be useful as a preventative against
the abrasion or puncture of the air tube, and I am not aware that a one way clastic
material has hitherto been constructed consisting of two plies of non elastic threads,
or fibres, placed at an angle with each other, and enclosing a strip of rubber placed
centrally of their lengths, and employed as an outer cover, or as a lining for the
outer covers or envelopes of detachable tyres, as and for the purposes herein
described by me, therefore what I claim is :—
1st. The construction and use of a one way elastic material composed of two plies
of parallel threads, cords or wires, placed together in such a manner, that the
threads, cords or the like of the one ply, are at an angle with those in the other,
and enclosing between them a strip of rubber, the whole being solutioned or other-
wise cemented so as to form one mass, and the employment of the material thus
formed as an outer cover, or as a lining for the outer covers or envelopes of
detachable pneumatic tyres for the wheels of bicycles and other velocipedes and
road vehicles, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by
the accompanying drawings.
2nd. A one way elastic material consisting of the combination of a ply or layer
of non-elastic parallel threads, cords or wires A, and a ply or layer of non-elastic
parallel threads, cords or wires C, placed together flatwise in such a manner, that
the threads cords or wires of A, are at an angle with those in.C, and together
enclosing a strip of rubber B, the whole being incorporated by the application of
rubber solution or other cement, and the employment of the material thus formed
as an outer cover or as a lining for the outer covers or envelopes of pneumatic
tyres, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn, especially
by Fig. 1.
3rd. A one way elastic material consisting of the combination of two plies A
and C as set forth in the preceding claims, placed together flatwise, so that the edge
of one overhangs the other as at Fig. 3, enclosing between them a strip of rubber B,
the whole being solutioned or cemented together so that the edge of A folds upon C,
while the edge of C folds upon A as at Figs. 4 and 5, and the employment of the
material thus formed as an outer cover, or as a liuing for the outer covers or
envelopes of pneumatic tyres, substantially as herein described and shewn.
4th. A one way elastic material consisting of the combination of two plies
obtained by folding longitudinally the one ply A Fig. 3, in such a manner that the
outer edges thereof overlap each other when brought together upon and inclosing
the rubber strip B, the whole being solutioned or cemented together so as to

page_text: become incorporated, and the employment of the material thus formed as an outer
cover, or as a lining for the outer covers or envelopes of pneumatic tyres
substantially as herein described.
5th. A one way elastic material consisting of a woven fabric, the weft F and
warps G G¹ and G¹ of which are arranged as at Fig. 6, and the manner of distorting
the same so as to place the wefts at an angle with the warps as at Fig. 7, the manner of
folding the same upon the line X X so as to enclose a strip of rubber B with the
edge G¹ folded upon the edge G, as at Figs. 8 and 9, the whole being solutioned or
otherwise cemented together to form one mass, and the employment of the material
thus formed as an outer cover or as a lining for the outer covers or envelopes of
pneumatic tyres, connected thereto and combined and operating in conjunction
therewith, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1894.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.