Improved Construction of Wheels with Caoutchouc Tyre Coverings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1889
Complete Specification Loft, 25th Foh 1800 Accented 24th Mar
1800
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Wheels with Caoutchouc Tyre Coverings.
I, JULES MICHEL MARIE TRUFFAULT, of 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris,
France, Constructor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The tyres of wheels such as those used for bicycles, tricycles, perambulators and
other vehicles have frequently been covered with bands or rings caoutchouc in order
to impart to the wheel a certain elasticity, affording an easy motion. But these
coverings are very apt to be cut through and in separating from the tyre, become
unserviceable in a very short time. According to my present invention I obviate
this defect by covering the tyres with adhesive caoutchouc, and in order to prevent
this effectually from separating from the metal tyre I form the caoutchouc band with
a groove into which the metal tyre fits, or with flanges or lips that project over the
sides of the tyre. Thus, according to one arrangement, I make the caoutchouc band
with a dove-tail groove corresponding in configuration to the dovetail metal tyre of
the wheel, which, before being introduced into the groove is by preference coated
with a thin layer of hardened caoutchouc, to which the caoutchouc band is made
to adhere.
In some cases the dovetail, trapezoidal, or other shaped metal tyre, which is by
preference hollow or tubular, may be entirely embedded in the caoutchouc
ring or covering, the spokes being screwed into the tyre through holes in the
caoutchouc.
According to another arrangement the metal tyre is made of a T section, being
either flat, concave or convex at top, and the caoutchouc ring or band is made with a
shallow groove into which the T head, previously provided with an adhesive coating
of hard rubber, fits.
When the caoutchouc band is worn away the metal tyre is separated from the
spokes and is provided with a fresh caoutchouc covering. For enabling the metal
tyres to be removed readily, the spokes are either screwed directly into threaded holes
therein, or, when the spokes are of wire, they have fitted loose thereon a sleeve, the
outer end of which is cylindrical and threaded while the inner end is of square or
polygonal section, and which butts against a countersunk head on the outer end of
the spoke. The tyre, when of a T section, has threaded sockets formed at the
required intervals on its inner periphery, into which the threaded ends of the sleeves
are screwed, so that on unscrewing them the tyre can be easily withdrawn.
Dated this 28th day of May 1889
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Wheels with Caoutchouc Tyre Covering“.
I, JULES MICHEL MARIE TRUFFAULT, of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, France,
Constructor 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 tyres of wheels such asthose used for bicycles, tricycles,perambulators and other
vehicles have frequently been covered with bands or rings of caoutchouc in order to
impart to the wheel a certain elasticity, affording an easy motion. But these
coverings are very apt to be cut through and in separating from the tyre, become
unserviceable in a very short time. According to my present invention I obviate this

page_text: "
defect by covering the tyres with adhesive caoutchouc, and in order to prevent this
effectually from separating from the metal tyre I form the caoutchouc band with a
groove into which the metal tyre fits, or with flanges or with lips that project over
the sides of the tyre.
As shown, on the accompanying drawing the tyre A of metal, preferably steel, has
fixed to it a thin adherent coating of hardened coutchouc a and upon this is fixed a
tyre b of soft adherent caoutchouc; this tyre has flanges c c which descend on
each side of the metal tyre and prevent any separation of the caoutchouc from
the metal.
The combined tyre may be of any desired form; the form which I prefer to
employ is that shewn at Figs. 1 and 2; the metal tyre A is hollow and of trapezoidal
form.
In the arrangement at Fig. 1 the caoutchouc only descends along the sides; in the
arrangement at Fig. 2 the caoutchouc also surrounds the inner side of the metal tyre,
so that this is entirely embedded.
The tyre A may be of T shape, either with flat outer surface as at Figs. 3, 4 and 5
or concave or convex as at Figs. 6 and 7.
As shewn at Fig. 8, the caoutchouc might also be merely fixed on the outer surface
of the metal tyre, whether this be flat, concave or convex, the hard caoutchouc a being
fixed to the metal, and the soft caoutchouc 6 being fixed to the hard caoutchouc.: The
soft caoutchouc may be of irregular shape, as indicated by dotted lines, when it is
fixed on, and be subsequently shaped to any desired configuration such as that shewn,
by subjecting the tyre to the action of an emery wheel.
When the soft tyre is worn out, the entire tyre is removed and is replaced by another
with new caoutchouc. In order to facilitate this removal, I employ either of the
following arrangements. The metal tyre A Figs. 1 and 2 has threaded holes o,
into which the spokes g are screwed. When the metal tyre has a T section
the arrangement shewn at Fig. 9, and in the enlarged section at Fig. 10 is used.
The tyre has bosses d d formed as screwed sockets for receiving the partly screwed
bush e having a square part at f. This bush is fitted over the spoke g the. head of
which is countersunk therein so that by screwing the bush e into the socket d, the
spoke is securely fixed to the tyre, and it can be readily removed by unscrewing the
bush and sliding it down on the spoke as shown at Fig. 9.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. Constructing the tyres of wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles of a metal
tyre to which is fixed an adhering tyre of soft caoutchouc, which may either extend
over the outer surface of the metal tyre, or extend down the sides thereof or entirely
surround the same.
2. In combined metal and adhering caoutchouc tyres such as are referred to in the
preceding claim, constructing the metal tyre of a trapezoidal or T shaped section,
substantially as described.
3. Securing the spokes to the metal tyre by screwing or by screwed bushes
screwing into socket on the tyre, substantially as herein described with reference to
the drawings.
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