Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyre Air-tubes and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyre Air-tubes
and the like.
I, ALFRED MALLABONE LINNEY, of Bedworth, Warwickshire, Ironmonger, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to airtubes and the like adapted to be enclosed in hollow
rings, such as those constituted by the covers, or covers and rims, of pneumatic
tyred wheels.
At present such air tubes are commonly constructed in the form
of a continuous hollow ring, which necessitates the detachment of the wheel, if
carried in a fork or the like, before the air tube can be completely removed from
the wheel for repairs etc. To overcome this difficulty air tubes have been made
butt-ended, that is in a length with the ends closed; but this has not met with
success principally owing to the said ends bursting. The object of my invention
is to obtain the advantages of a butt-ended air tube without its disadvantages, and
I attain it by means of a continuous-chambered tube with one or more detachable
joints.
According to one method of carrying out my invention I first construct the tube
in a straight length in the ordinary way, but instead of cementing the ends
together to form an annular tube, I form in or on, or attach to, or place within,
one end of the tube a flexible ring. This ring is more or less nearly incompressible
in circumference and may be made of stout indiarubber, metal link-work or the
like; and it is preferably made with one or more circumferential grooves. The
other end of the air tube may be left plain but it is preferably made of somewhat
reduced transverse circumference and is preferably provided with one or more
strengthening ribs or bands at or near the ends.
In use, the end of the tube carrying the ring is over lapped by the other, the
rib or ribs (if any) on the latter engaging with or lying just beyond the groove
or grooves (if any) in the ring. The overlapping part of the tube is contracted
on to the ring either by the elasticity of the former alone, or by means of elastic
or inelastic bands or cords or the like. To assist in sealing the joint the contacting
surfaces may be smeared with birdlime, treacle soft-soap or other suitable prepara-
tion which will not materially interfere with the separation of the overlapping
parts when it is desired to sever the continuity of the tube. There may be more
than one of such joints in the tube, so that if one section of the tube became
damaged it may be readily replaced by another.
A further part of my invention relates to the repair of airtubes.. For this pur-
pose rings of patching rubber may be threaded on to the tube when severed.
These rings have the advantage that they can be efficiently secured in position
much more readily than ordinary patches and are much less liable to be displaced

page_text: accidentally. They may be threaded on to ordinary air tubes before the latter
are made up into their annular form.
I do not confine myself strictly to the above description as my invention may be
modified without exceeding the fair limits thereof.
Dated this 14th day of June 1898.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
75, Chancery Lane, London, W.Č., and
Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyre Air-tubes
and the like.
I, ALFRED MALLA BONE LINNEY, of Bedworth, Warwickshire, Ironmonger, 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 air-tubes and other elastic tubes adapted to be enclosed
in hollow rings, such as those constituted by the covers, or covers and rims, of
pneumatic tyred wheels. At present such air-tubes are commonly constructed in
the form of a continuous hollow ring, which necessitates the detachment of the
wheel, if carried in a fork or the like, before the air-tube can be completely
removed from the wheel for repairs etc. To overcome this difficulty airtubes have
been made butt-ended, that is in a length with the ends closed; but this has not
met with success principally owing to the said ends bursting. One of the objects of
my invention is to obtain the advantages of a butt-ended air-tube without its dis-
advantages, and I attain it by means of a continuous chambered tube with one or
more detachable joints. Another object of my invention is to facilitate and
render more secure the patching system of repairing air-tubes.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I will describe the
same by way of illustration with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure I shows the two ends of an air tube separated, and a repairing patch, in
elevation.
Figure II is a longitudinal section of the completed joint.
Figure III is an elevation of the joint showing some modifications.
Like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures.
Referring to the first part of my invention, I prefer to carry out the same as
shown in Figs. I and II. In this case I first construct the tube in a straight
length in the ordinary way, but instead of cementing the ends 2, 3 together to
form an annular tube, I mould or otherwise form on the end 2 a flexible ring 4.
This ring is made of stout indiarubber and is more or less nearly incompressible
in circumference; it is preferably made with a circumferential groove 5. The
end 3 of the air-tube may be left plain, but is preferably made of somewhat reduced
transverse circumference, as shown in Fig. I.
In use the end 2 carrying the ring 4 is overlapped by the other end 3, which
is contracted directly or indirectly on to the ring 4, either by the elasticity of the
said end 3 alone, or by means of elastic bands or cords or the like 6 tied or other-
wise fastened around the joint. The band or the like must not be tied so tight
as to buckle the ring 4. To assist in sealing the joint, the contacting surfaces

page_text: may be smeared with bird-lime, or some other suitable adhesive, which will not
materially interfere with the separation of the overlapping parts when it is desired
to sever the continuity of the tube. I find treacle very suitable for this purpose.
There may be more than one of such joints in the tube, so that if one section of the
tube, become damaged it may be readily replaced by another.
Instead of forming the ring 4 in one piece with the end of the air-tube, it might
be made separately therefrom and attached thereto in any convenient manner; or
the ring might be constructed as, and remain, a separate or separable article from
the air tube and be merely placed within the end of the tube that is to be over-
lapped by the other; and in these cases, the ring might be made of other suitable
material than indiarubber, provided it (the ring) is sufficiently incompressible,
flexible and continuous. A ring of metal linkwork might be made for this pur-
pose, the joints being so constructed that no part of the ring could collapse below
or within a straight line, such a ring would preferably be covered with a band of
leather or other stout substance so as to present a continuous surface, but I do not
prefer this construction. There may be more than one circumferential groove in
the ring 4, and the end 3 of the air-tube may be provided with one or more
strengthening ribs or bands 8 at or near the extremity, as shown in Figure III.
If only one rib be employed it may either engage in or lie just beyond the
groove 5 if there be two or more ribs, one or more of them may engage in the
groove or grooves, and the other or others may lie beyond the groove or grooves,
or otherwise. Or the end 3 of the tube may be provided with contracted portions
or corrugations adapted to engage with the grooved ring.
For the purpose of the part of my invention relating to the repair of air-tubes I
make rings, 7 of patching rubber and thread them on to the airtube when severed.
The said rings are preferably of the same or somewhat less circumference than the
cross section of the airtube on to which they are fitted.
"
In repairing an airtube fitted with these rings, the injured part of the tube is
cleaned and treated with solution as usual; the outer surface of one of the
rings is similarly dealt with, and when the solution is sufficiently dry the ring is
turned inside out and on to the said injured part of the tube so that the solutioned
surfaces are brought into contact: the parts are then pressed together to complete
the repair. Or the inner surface of the ring may be solutioned if such ring is
previously inverted. These rings do not curl up when solution is applied to them,
they can be efficiently secured in position much more readily than ordinary
patches, and are much less liable to be displaced accidentally. They may be
threaded on to ordinary air-tubes before the latter are made up into their annular
form.
I do not confine myself strictly to the above description as my invention may
be modified without exceeding the fair limits thereof.
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 what I
claim is:-
1
1. A pneumatic tyre air-tube or the like having a continuous chamber and one
or more detachable joints.
2. A continuous chambered pneumatic tyre air-tube or the like consisting of two
or more sections connected by detachable joints.
3. A detachable joint, for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre airtube or
the like, consisting of a flexible and sufficiently incompressible ring at one end of
the tube, overlapped by the other end of the tube.
4. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, a flexible and sufficiently incompressible ring formed on one end of
the tube or the like.
5. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-
tube or the like, a flexible and sufficiently incompressible ring attached to one end
of the tube or the like.

page_text: 6. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, a flexible and sufficiently incompressible ring placed within and
separable from one end of the tube or the like.
7. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like comprising a ring of the kind herein referred to, forming such ring with
one or more circumferential grooves.
8. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, forming the overlapping end of reduced transverse circumference.
9. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, providing the overlapping end with one or more strengthening ribs
or 'bands.
10. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, providing the overlapping end with one or more contracted portions
or corrugations.
11. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, contracting the overlapping end on to the ring by the elasticity of such
overlapping end.
12. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, contracting the overlapping end on to the ring by means of elastic
bands or or cords or the like.
13. In a detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, smearing the contacting surfaces with treacle or a like adhesive.
14. A detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube or
the like, constructed substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. I
and II of the accompanying drawings.
15. A detachable joint for a continuous chambered, pneumatic tyre air-tube
or the like, constructed with the modifications substantially as herein described
with reference to Fig. III of the accompanying drawings.
16. A ring of patching rubber threaded on to an air-tube.
17. Repairing an air-tube by means of a ring of patching rubber threaded on
such air-tube, substantially as set forth.