Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipedes.
I, JAMES WILLIAM SMALLMAN, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates, first, to pneumatic tyres for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes, and, secondly, to rims for use with such tyres; its objects being to
firmly secure the tyre to the rim without cement, to render the tyre easily attachable
and detachable, to lessen the weight and to simplify the construction.
A tyre formed according to my invention comprises an air-tube made of caoutchouc
and cloth and a cover also made of caoutchouc and cloth and adapted to engage
with the sides of the rim. The air-tube lies within the cover and is provided with
a valve for effecting inflation and releasing the air when desired. The cover serves
to protect the air-tube by taking the wear and preventing punctures. The caoutchouc
in the cover is preferably thickest in the centre and gradually decreases in thickness
toward the sides; the latter being comparatively thin. The edges are also thickened
in order to enable them to engage firmly and securely with the rim. The thickening
of the edges may be effected by forming suitable selvages in the cloth, by coiling
the edges, by stitching to each edge a piece of cord, by applying to each edge a
thickening strip of caoutchouc, or in any other suitable manner.
The rim is provided on each side with a groove or recess for the reception of the
selvages or thickened edges of the cover. Each groove may be curvilinear in cross
section or of any other convenient shape. The grooves may be made by bending
the edges of the rim over to the desired extent.
When the air-tube is inflated, the cover is held securely to the rim owing to its
thickened edges being forced by the expansion of the tube into the grooves or
recesses above mentioned.
If preferred, caoutchouc studs (three being a convenient number) may be
cemented to the under side of the air-tube; these studs passing through holes made
in the rim to receive them, and effectually preventing the shifting of the air-tube,
even when the same is not fully inflated. The valve may be secured to the air-
tube through one of these studs.
Dated 11
1001
JAMES W. SMALLMAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres for Velocipedes.
I, JAMES WILLIAM SMALLMAN, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, 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 relates, first, to pneumatic tyres for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes, and, secondly, to rims for use with such tyres; its objects being to
firmly secure the tyre to the rim without cement, to render the tyre easily attach-
able and detachable, to lessen the weight and to simplify the construction.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a section shewing any improved pneumatic tyre and rim.
Fig. 2 is a similar view representing the tyre fixed in a rim of different shape.

page_text: с
A tyre formed according to my invention comprises an air-tube a made of
caoutchouc and cloth and a cover bb112636 also made of caoutchouc and cloth
and adapted to engage with the sides e and c¹ of the rim c c c. The air-tube lies
within the cover, and is provided with a valve for effecting inflation and releasing
the air when desired. The cover bb1 12 13 serves to protect the air-tube a by
taking the wear and preventing punctures. The caoutchouc in the cover is prefer-
ably thickest in the centre band gradually decreases in thickness toward the
sides and ; the latter being comparatively thin. The edges and are also
thickened in order to enable them to engage firmly and securely with the rim.
The thickening of the edges may be effected by forming suitable selvages in the
cloth, by coiling the edges, by stitching to each edge a piece of cord, by moulding
on each edge a thickening head of caoutchouc, or in any other suitable manner.
The rim e e e is provided on each side with a groove or recess c³ or ; these
grooves or recesses being for the reception of the selvages or thickened edges b
and of the cover. Each groove or may be curvilinear in cross section, as
shewn in the drawings, or of any other convenient shape. In Fig. 1, the air-
tube a is in contact with the bottom of the rim between the grooves or recesses <
and e.
In Fig. 2, the grooves or recesses are close together; the air-tube a not
being in contact with the bottom of the rim. The grooves, when near the edges of
the rim, may be made by bending the edges over to the desired extent.
case, the thickened parts would not be at the extreme edges of the cover.
In this
This improved rim is light and strong, and does not interfere with the resilience
of the tyre.
The air-tube a, while being inflated, expands. The internal diameter of the
ring formed by the endless air-tube a consequently becomes smaller pressure in
an inward direction-that is, toward the centre of the wheel-resulting. This
action of the air-tube causes the comparatively thin sides 1 and 2 of the cover to
engage with the sides c and e' of the rim; the friction between the surfaces in con-
The cover,
tact being sufficient to fix the tyre firmly in the rim without cement.
when the tyre is fixed, is held securely in position owing to its thickened edges
being forced by the expansion of the air-tube into the grooves or recesses above
mentioned. These thickened edges, by serving as guides while the air-tube is
being inflated, considerably facilitate the fixing of the tyre in the rim. As no
cement is used, the tyre can be readily detached.
If preferred, caoutchouc studs (three being a convenient number) may be
cemented to the under side of the air-tube; these studs passing through holes made
in the rim to receive them, and effectually preventing the shifting of the air-tube,
even when the same is not fully inflated. The valve may be secured to the air-
tube through one of these studs.
I am aware that a tyre has been constructed by bending an endless flat band to
an arched form in cross section and arranging the edges thereof in a dovetail groove
after inserting an air-tight tube, which when inflated supports the crown of the
arched tyre; but, in constructing tyres according to my improved method, flat
endless bands, such as above referred to, are inapplicable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :--
1. The herein-described pneumatic tyre, consisting of an inflated tube and a
cover having thickened parts at or near its edges, each thickened part engaging in
a groove formed in the rim and being there retained by the inward pressure of the
tube when inflated; the thickened parts of the cover in conjunction with the
grooves in the rim serving, not only to secure the cover accurately in position, but
to guide the same into place during the inflation of the tube.
2. In applying a pneumatic tyre consisting of an endless tube and an endless
cover the edges of which do not meet, securing both the tube and the cover in the

page_text: grooved rim of the wheel by inflating the tube and thereby reducing the internal
diameter of the ring formed by the tube the sides of the cover becoming gripped
between the tube and the sides of the grooved rim.
Dated the 18th day of January 1892.
JAMES W. SMALLMAN.