Improvements in Tyres for the Wheels of Bicycles or other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1996
Complete Specification Left, 1th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for the Wheels of Bicycles or other
Vehicles.
I, ROBERT WILSON of Hillside, Aspley Road, Wandsworth in the County of
London, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention has reference to tyres for the wheels of bicycles or other vehicles
and its object is to provide an efficient substitute for pneumatic tyres which are not
only expensive but are liable to cause great inconvenience and trouble to riders by
getting punctured or bursting.
My improved tyres combine the advantages of lightness, resiliency, and non-
liability to injury from puncture.
According to my invention I employ a tube of india rubber or other suitable
flexible material and fill the same with cork preferably in lengths each curved so as
to constitute sectors of the circle or circumference of the wheel. These lengths or
pieces of cork correspond in section with the india rubber tube so as to fit within
the same. The said tube is filled with the lengths of cork and then joined up into
the form of a tyre or ring. The lengths of cork may be connected together by
means of a wire threaded through them or otherwise. The tyre or ring may be
secured to the ordinary metal rim of the wheel and its bearing surface or tread
may be protected by any suitable covering or outer ring, but preferably the tube
itself is made of sufficient thickness at the tread to withstand ordinary wear.
Should the tube get punctured no harm is done because it is filled not with
compressed air but with the cork.
Although I have mentioned cork as the material with which I fill the tube and
consider it the best material for the purpose I may use instead thereof any other
suitable material possessing the requisite lightness and elasticity or resiliency, such
for example as sponge.
Dated this 12th day of M 1906
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for the Wheels of Bicycles or other
Vehicles.
I, ROBERT WILSON of Hillside, Aspley Road, Wandsworth in the County of
London, Commercial Traveller, 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 has reference to tyres for the wheels of bicycles or other vehicles

page_text: and its object is to provide an efficient substitute for pneumatic tyres which are not
only expensive but are liable to cause great inconvenience and trouble to riders by
getting punctured or bursting.
My improved tyres combine the advantages of lightness, resiliency, and non-
liability to injury from puncture.
According to my invention I employ a covering of india rubber or other suitable
flexible material and fill the same with cork preferably in lengths each curved so as
to constitute sectors of the circle or circumference of the wheel. These lengths or
pieces of cork correspond in section with the india rubber or other covering so as
to fit within the same. The said covering is filled with the lengths of cork and
then joined up into the form of a tyre or ring. The lengths of cork may be
connected together by means of a wire (spiral or otherwise) or by means of an
inner tube of comparatively hard rubber threaded through them or in any other
manner. The tyre or ring may be secured to the ordinary metal rim of the wheel
and its bearing surface or tread may be protected by any suitable covering or outer
ring, but preferably the covering itself is made of sufficient thickness at the tread
to withstand ordinary wear. Should the covering get punctured no harm is done
because it is filled not with compressed air but with the cork.
Although I have mentioned cork as the material with which I fill the covering
and consider it the best material for the purpose I may use instead thereof any
other suitable material possessing the requisite lightness and elasticity or resilience,
such for example as sponge.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention :-Figure 1
is a side elevation partly in vertical section of one arrangement of tyre constructed
in accordance with this invention, the wheel rim being also shown. Figure 2 is a
cross section on a larger scale on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a similar
cross section on a larger scale of a modification.
In these figures, a is a covering or tube of india-rubber or other suitable flexible.
material filled with pieces b of cork of any suitable length each curved so as to
constitute sectors of the circumference of the wheel. These lengths or pieces b of
cork correspond in section with the india-rubber tube or covering so as to fit snugly
within the same. The tube or covering a is filled with the lengths of cork 6 and is
then joined up into the form of a tyre or ring. The lengths of cork may be
connected together in any suitable manuer such as by means of a wire c threaded
through them (Figures 1 and 2). This wire may be of spiral or other form; a
wire c of plain circular form is shown in Figures 1 and 2.
In the modification shown in Figure 3, the lengths 6 of cork are connected
together by being threaded on an inner hollow tube d of comparatively hard
rubber.
.
e is the rim of the wheel which may be of any usual shape.
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. A tyre consisting of an outer covering of flexible material filled with sector
shaped lengths of cork through which a wire of plain, spiral or other circular form
is threaded to hold the said lengths together, substantially as described and shown
in Figures 1 and 2.
2. A tyre consisting of an outer covering of flexible material filled with sector-
shaped lengths of cork threaded or strung on an inner hollow tube of comparatively
hard rubber, substantially as described and shown in Figure 3.
Dated thin 19th d
1007
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.