Improved Means for Attaching Pneumatic Tyres upon the Rims of Wheels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1899-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Attaching Pneumatic Tyres upon the Rims of
Wheels.
I, UZZIEL PUTNAM SMITH, 3126, Rhodes Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, Lawyer, 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:―
My invention relates to means for detachably securing pneumatic tires upon
the rims of wheels.
My invention has reference to that class of tires known as clincher tires, and
has for its object to provide an improved tire sheath wherein the opposite free
edges are thickened and in connection therewith to provide a retaining or clamp-
ing ring connected to the tire and so located and arranged relative thereto that
when the edges of the sheath are overlapped and placed in position on the rim
said retaining or clamping ring will operate to prevent the separation of said
thickened edges under the pressure of inflation, and when inflated the tire will
be securely held in proper position upon the rim without the use of cement or
any other means whatsoever.
I have herein illustrated and described different ways of carrying out the
broad principle of my invention, as well as certain modifications in construction,
all of which will more clearly appear in the detailed description hereinafter given.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a sectional view through the outer casing of a tire showing my
invention, in one form, applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a similar view through a tire and rim, showing the edges of the
outer casing of Figure 1 overlapped and secured on the rim by the inflation of
the inner tube.
:
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating modifications of the above con-
struction.
Figure 5 is a sectional view through a tire and rim, illustrating a different form
of our invention.
Figures 6 and 7 are views in elevation of an extensible and adjustable ring,
respectively, and
Figure 8 is a sectional view illustrating the manner of adjusting the size of
the adjustable ring after the tire has been placed upon the rim.
Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 4, the reference numeral 1 indicates the
tire-sheath preferably made of canvas, or other fabric, and rubber, in the ordinary
manner. In this sheath I prefer to insert an inner inflatable tube 2. The
numeral 3 indicates the rim of the wheel. According to this form of my inven-
tion I slit the sheath at its inner surface and thicken the opposite free edges
thereof preferably by securing wires in the edge of the fabric, as indicated at 4, 5,
to form beads or ridges, but this thickening of the edges may be done by doubling
or rolling the fabric upon itself, or by employing cords instead of wires, or in
any other suitable manner. I prefer, however, as stated, to employ wire rings
which are extensible in their nature and arrangement, i.e. cut transversely, so

page_text: that as the beaded edges are brought nearer to the centre of the wheel rim,
they may become smaller in diameter and thus keep the sheath closer to the wheel
rim.
The numeral 6 indicates a continuous, non-extensible ring, formed preferably
of wire. This ring 6 is preferably secured in a loop 7 of canvas to permit the
necessary lateral movement in order that the wire may adjust itself in proper
position under inflation of the tire, as will appear later on.. Said ring 6 may,
however, be secured in the fabric of the sheath, if dsired, but it should be in-
dependent in its movement from the beads or wires 4, 5, and so located with
relation to the sheath that when the edges thereof are over-lapped it will lie
between the said beads or wires.
After the beads 4, 5, and ring 6 are secured in place, as described,, the inner
tube 2 may be inserted, the beaded edges of the casing over-lapped and the tire
be sprung on the rim, such position of the parts being indicated in Figure 2.
In this position, the ring is interposed between the beads or wires 4 and 5
and bears on the sheath so that when the tire is inflated, as indicated in this
figure, it will be impossible for the beaded edges to pass each other beneath the
ring. In over-lapping the edges of the sheath the side to which the ring is
attached is lapped over or within the side having the thickened edge or bead 4.
In the construction shown in Figure 2, the concave of the rim is shown with
a raised portion 8 to afford a close seat for the sheath, though the raised portion
may be dispensed with and one side of the sheath thickened as at 14 in Figure 4.
In order to permit the beads 4 and 5 and ring 6 to be sprung over the edge of
the rim, they are made with a slightly greater circumference than that of the
rim measured at the center of its concave groove, but with a less circumference
than that of the rim measured at its outer edge. In placing the tire on the
rim, a portion of the overlapped portion of the sheath is placed well within the
concave of the rim, when the remaining portion may be sprung over the edge, as
will be understood. In the construction shown in Figure 3, I employ a ring 9,
sewn in the fabric of the casing, and adapted to lie on the opposite side of the rim
from that of the lapped edges of the casing, in order to hold the side of the tire
firmly on the rim."
In order to remove the tire for any reason, it is only necessary to deflate it,
when the sheath can be readily removed. It will thus be seen that my con-
struction permits ready access to the inner tube for the purpose of repairing
punctures thereof, and that the tire can be quickly removed from the rim and be
replaced again without the necessity of employing any tools for the purpose, it
only being necessary to have an air-pump to inflate the tire after it has been
placed in position on the rim.
In the construction shown in Figures 5 to 8, I provide an extensible wire ring
along one edge of the fabric or sheath, or otherwise thicken said edge in the
manner previously described, and in lieu of a continuous non-extensible ring, I
secure an adjustable non-extensible ring along the opposite edge of the sheath,
whereby the size of the latter ring may be increased to permit it to pass over
the edge of the rim, and the thickened edge of the sheath being passed beneath
it, then reduced to cause it to embrace the rim snugly at the center of its con-
cave, thus preventing the edges of the sheath from passing each other and
operating to hold the tire securely upon the rim. In this form of the invention,
I preferably form the thickened edge 4 by securing along the edge of the fabric
a wire 10, which is formed into an extensible ring as shown in Figure 6 by pro-
viding one end of the wire with a socket 11, which loosely receives the opposite
end, as indicated. The adjustable ring 12 is made by providing a wire at opposite
ends with right and left screw-threads, and then bending said wire into circular
form and securing its ends in correspondingly screw-threaded apertures provided
in opposite ends of a coupling 13. Said coupling is of hexagonal or other non-
circular form in cross-section as shown in Figure 8, whereby a wrench 14° may
be employed to turn it. Instead of employing a wrench such as shown, I may

page_text: provide the faces of this coupling 13 with aperture 15, as indicated in Figure 7,
whereby a small nail, or the like, 'may be inserted in said apertures to turn the
coupling.
The operation is as follows;
The tube 2, in a deflated condition being inserted in the sheath, the edges of
the latter are overlapped, the thickened edge 4 being passed under the adjustable
ring 12, or in other words, so that the ring 12 will lie upon the fabric having
the thickened edge 4. The coupling 13 is now turned to increase the size of
the ring 12 to such an extent that it may be readily passed over the edge of the
rim. When the tire has been placed on the rim, it is pressed to one side, as
indicated in Figure 8, to expose the coupling 13, and by means of a suitable
implement this coupling is now turned to reduce the diameter of ring 12 until the
fabric near the thickened edge 4 is clamped firmly between the ring 12 and the
bottom on the concave in the rim 3. The air tube 2 may now be inflated, when
the parts will assume the position shown in Figure 5. It will thus be seen that
the ring 12 operates to hold the tire firmly upon the rim, and that in the position
of the parts shown in Figure 5 it will be impossible for the thickened edge 4 to
pass under said ring. To remove the tire it is first deflated and then pressed
aside as shown in Figure 8, when the coupling 13 is turned to increase the size
of ring 12 sufficiently to permit it to pass readily over the edge of the rim.
Further, it will be seen that in this form of the invention it is only necessary
to employ two wires, viz.; rings 10 and 12, or one wire, viz.; ring 12 and the
thickened edge 4. As to this latter feature, I wish it understood that I do not wish
to limit my invention to the use of the extensible wire ring 10, as I may form said
thickened edge by doubling the fabric, as préviously explained. I may also, but
without limiting my invention thereto, eniploy an additional extensible wire or
cord 16, secured in the fabric adjacent to the thickened edge 4, so that the ring 12
will lie between the two, as shown in Figure 8, this latter wire or cord serving to
better balance the position of the tire upon the rim and also tending to prevent
the entrance of dust between the rim and tire.
66
By the use of the term non-extensible" as applied to the ring 12, I desire to
be understood as referring to the condition of this ring after it has been adjusted
by its coupling to a given size or circumference.
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 what
I claim is:
-
1. In a pneumatic tire, in combination with a rim having a tire seat, a sheath
having a thickened circumferential edge resting in said seat and a wire ring
carried by the opposite edge of the sheath and passed over said thickened edge
in a manner to over-lap the same whereby the tire, when inflated, will be held
securely on the rim and said overlapped edges will be prevented from passing each
other under the pressure of inflation, substantially as described.
2. In a pneumatic clincher tire, the combination of a tire sheath slitted cir-
cumferentially and provided with a bead, ridge or lug at or near each lateral edge,
and a continuous nonextensible ring adapted to lie between such beads and on
the sheath when such beads are over-lapped and lock them in such position and
hold the wire on a rim when it is inflated, substantially as described.
3. In a pneumatic clincher tire, the combination of a tire sheath slitted cir-
cumferentially at its inner surface and provided with extensible or collapsible
beads, ridges or lugs at or near each lateral edge thereof, an independent con-
tinuous ring adapted to lie between such beads when they are over-lapped and
on the tire sheath and lock the parts in position and hold the tire on a wheel
rim when it is inflated, substantially as described.
4. A pneumatic tire employing an inner inflatable tube and an outer separable
casing therefor, said casing having thickened edges designed to over-lap and
a wire ring connected to the casing and in such relation thereto as to lie between

page_text: said thickened edges when the same are overlapped, whereby when the tire is placed
on the rim and inflated said thickened edges will be prevented from passing each
other, and the tire to be held securely on the rim, substantially as described.
5. In a pneumatic tire employing an inner inflatable tube and an outer separable
casing therefor, means for detachably securing said casing upon the rim of a
wheel comprising wires secured along the respective edges of said casing, a con-
tinuous non-extensible wire ring, 6, secured along said casing adjacent to one
of said wired edges, said edges being designed to be overlapped in a manner to
bring the wire 6 between the wires of said edges, whereby when the tire is placed
upon the rim and inflated said wired edges will be prevented from passing
each other, substantially as described.
G. In a pneumatic tire employing an inner inflatable tube and an outer separable
casing therefor, means for detachably securing said casing upon the rim of a
wheel comprising extensible wires secured along the respective edges of said
casing, a continuous non-extensible wire ring, 6, secured along said casing
adjacent to one of said wired edges, a wire ring, 9, secured along the fabric at a
distance from the wire 6, said edges being designed to be over-lapped in a man-
ner to bring the wire 6 between the wires of said edges, whereby when the tire is
placed upon the rim and inflated said wired edges will be prevented from passing
each other, and with the wire 6 will operate to securely hold the wire on the
rim toward one side of the latter while the wire 9 will operate to hold the tire at
the other side of the rim, substantially as described.
7. In a pneumatic tire, in combination with a rim having a tire seat, a sheath
having a thickened circumferential edge resting in said seat, an adjustable, non-
extensible ring secured in the opposite edge of the sheath and passed over and
lying upon the fabric of said thickened edge, and means for reducing the size of
said ring to cause it to clamp the fabric adjacent to the thickened edge firmly
against the seat of the rim, substantially as described.
8. In a pneumatic tire, the combination with a rim having a concaved
periphery, a sheath having inner circumferential edges designed to be over-
lapped and having one of said edges thickened and extensible, an adjustable, non-
extensible ring secured in the opposite edge, and means whereby the size of said
ring may first be enlarged to permit it to pass over the edge of the rim and then
reduced to cause it to clamp the fabric adjacent to said thickened edge and seat
firmly at the center of the concave of the rim, substantially as described.
9. In a pneumatic tire, in combination with a rim having a tire seat, a sheath
slitted circumferentially and having an extensible wire ring secured in one of its
edges and resting in said seat, an adjustable, non-extensible ring secured in the
opposite edge of the sheath and passed over and lying upon the fabric of said
thickened edge, and means for reducing the size of said latter ring to cause it to
clamp the fabric adjacent to the thickened edge firmly against the seat of the
rim. substantially as described.
10. Ir a pneumatic tire, in combination with a rim having a tire seat, a sheath
having a thickened circumferential edge and adjacent to said edge provided
with a circumferential bead or ridge, said thickened edge and the bead or ridge
resting in said seat, an adjustable, non-extensible ring secured in the opposite
edge of the sheath and passed over and lying upon the fabric between the
thickened edge and said bead or ridge, and means for reducing the size of said
ring to cause it to clamp the fabric firmly against the seat of the rim, substantially
as described.
3211
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.