Improvements in and in connection with Elastic Tyres.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 21st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in and in connection with Elastic Tyres.
1, FREDERICK RICHARD CHURCH JOYCE of Park View, Farnborough in the
County of Hampshire Coach-builder do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
My invention relates to improvenients in the construction of elastic tyres solid
or pneumatic adaptable for use upon the wheels of carriages, cabs and other road
vehicles, or bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, and has for its object, to
provide a quick and easy means of fixation, and removal for repairs, the former of
which operations in so far as relates to road vehicles, may be effected without the
need of removing the usual metallic tyre necessary for binding the felloes together,
or the need of a specially constructed metallic tyre for receiving and holding the
said elastic tyre.
In constructing my said elastic solid tyre for use upon road vehicles having a
metallic tyre rectangular in cross section, I prefer, that that portion of my elastic
tyre intended to be the inner sui face, shall be also rectangular in cross section, so
as to present a flat surface to be seated upon the flat surface of the metallic tyre,
but when the said metallic tyre is rotund laterally or convex upon its outer surface,
the inner surface of the clastic tyre may be concave to correspond therewith
and vice-versa. The outer or wearing surface of the said elastic tyre I prefer shall
be convex or rotund laterally in cross section, but I may arrange this rectangular
or otherwise and with or without longitudinal transverse or diagonal grooves or
channels formed therein or thereon to prevent side or back slip.
For the purposes of my invention I prefer to form my said elastic tyre with the
outer or wearing surface of rubber, or rubber composition, or either of these having
leather or other material intermixed therewith, while the inner surface (or that to
be seated upon the metallic tyre) may be of vulcanite, celluloid, xylonite or other
material of a like density, and the junction of the said inner and outer surfaces may
be at any part of the thickness of the tyre, but preferably in such a position that
the said inner surface is less in thickness than the outer, and the said junction may
be effected by the use of suitable cement, or by intimately connecting the one with
the other before vulcanization, or by other suitable means.
Upon the inner surface of the said compound elastic tyre, according to one
method of construction, I form a longitudinal groove or channel, of any desired
shape or configuration in cross section, but preferably T shaped, or approximating
thereto, and which may extend for any desired distance into the substance of the
Eaid inner or harder portion of the elastic tyre, and within the said groove or
channel I place the heads of any number of suitable screw bolts, rivets, screws, or
pins, the said heads being preferably of such shape as to correspond with that of
the cross sectional formation of the groove or channel, and of any size permitting
them to be slid along to any part of the same.
To fix my said elastic tyre upon the wheel I remove from the latter the usual
bolts, rivets or pins employed for holding the metallic tyre upon the felloes, and
through these same holes I pass the shanks of the pins, or rivets or the threaded
portion of the bolts or screws, the heads of which are within the groove or channel
of the elastic tyre, the said bolts, screws rivets or pins being long enough to pass
inwardly into or through the felloes of the wheel and receive nuts or other devices

page_text: for holding them in position, and by this means I place and fix my elastic tyre
upon the metallic tyre (with or without the additional use of suitable cement) and
connect and fix together the two ends of the former by cement or other suitable
means.
In order to prevent rattle, or possible rupture of the said groove or channel
through overtightening of the bolts or otherwise, I may find it convenient to line
the said groove or channel with canvas, cloth, leather, or other resilient material,
solutioned or otherwise cemented thereto, so as to form a cushion between the said
channel or groove and the heads of the bolts, screws, pins or rivets and to prevent
possible lateral distortion of the said elastic tyre when tightening the said bolts or
the like I may so form the heads of the latter, and a portion of the said groove or
channel, that the tightening of the bolts or the like may tend to narrow the said
groove or channel, or I may attain the same ends by providing fixed or movable
blocks or partitions in the said groove or channel occurring between the heads of
the bolts or the like and through the said blocks or partitions, and the sides of the
elastic tyre, I may pass transverse bolts, pins, screws, or their equivalents.
According to an alternative or second method of construction, I may provide at
certain intervals in either side of the inner or denser portion of the said elastic
tyre, recesses or apertures corresponding in size and shape with that of the said
groove or channel in the tyre, so that the elastic tyre may be first slid upon the
metallic tyre by the heads of the said bolts, pins, screws or rivits first passing
through the said recesses or apertures in the side of the tyre, when the tyre may
be then moved circumferentially of the wheel until the said heads were away from,
alternating with and between the said recesses or apertures, when the said bolts or
pins may be tightened into position upon the felloes as before stated.
Or I may find it convenient to form upon the inner surface of the elastic tyre,
rectangular or other shaped recesses communicating with the groove or channel
therein, such recesses or apertures being of such size as to permit the heads of the
bolts, screws pins or rivets to pass therethrough when placing the elastic tyre
along the metallic tyre, when the elastic tyre may be moved circumferentially of
the wheel until the said heads were within the said groove or channel in such a
position as to alternate with the said recesses or apertures.
Or according to a third method of construction I may dispense entirely with the
said longitudinal groove or channel in the elastic tyre, and form in either or both
sides of the denser portion thereof, and extending about halfway thereinto, recesses
or apertures corresponding to the shape of, and at the same distance apart as, the
heads of the bolts, screws, rivets or pins, which arrangement permits that the said
elastic tyre may be endless, and be sprung upon the metallic tyre, so that the
heads of the said bolts, pins, screws or rivets engage with the said recesses, the
tightening up of the former serving to hold the elastic tyre in position upon
the wheel, with or without the use of suitable cement.
In adapting my said elastic tyre to the wheels of bicycles and similar vehicles,
the inner surface of the elastic tyre would be formed rotund or convex laterally to
correspond with the concavity of the rim of the wheel, and I may fix the said tyre
in position by the use of suitable cement, or I may so form the spoke beads (when
these extend through the rim) that these may fit the groove or channel in the tyre,
or form the said channel or groove to fit the spoke heads, and place the said
spoke heads in the groove in the same manner as the bolts or the like heads before
described, so that when the said spokes were tightened up and drawn towards the
hub, the heads of these may draw the tyre into the hollow of the rim and so
hold the tyre in position thereon, with or without the additional use of suitable
cement.
For the purposes of my invention in connection with pneumatic tyres for road
vehicles, I employ the denser portion only of the said compound tyre, and this
I may arrange for fixation upon the metallic tyre of the wheel in any of the
ways previously described, and the outer surface of said denser portion I form
concave, or substantially so, in cross section, in such a way as to constitute an

page_text: equivalent for the outer rim of a bicycle wheel, and in this I place the air
bag of the pneumatic tyre previous to inflation, the outer cover or envelope
being fixed in position by any suitable means, and a suitable valve provided by
which the said air bag may be inflated.
Dated this 21st day of November 1894.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in and in connection with Elastic Tyres.
I, FREDERICK RICHARD CHURCH JOYCE of Park View, Farnborough, in
the County of Hampshire, Coach Builder, 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 improvements in the construction of elastic tyres both
Bolid and pneumatic, and in means for attaching the same to, and for use upon the
wheels of road vehicles generally, and bicycles, tricycles and other manually or
mechanically propelled vehicles, and has for its object to provide a quick and easy
means for fixing such tyres upon such wheels, and removing them therefrom for
the purposes of repairs or renewal, the said fixation, (in so far as relates to road
vehicles having metallic tyres for binding the felloes together) being effected
without the need of removing the said metallic tyre, or the need of a specially
constructed metallic tyre for receiving and holding the said elastic tyre.
In order that my invention and the manner of its application may be fully
understood reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings, of which
Figs. 1 and 2 are cross sectional views of my improved elastic solid tyre, and
the felloe and tyre of an ordinary road vehicle wheel respectively.
Fig. 3 is a view illustrating one method of fixing Fig. 1 upon Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but partly in section to illustrate an alternative
arrangement hereinafter explained.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevation, under plan and cross section respectively of
such an elastic tyre illustrating an alternative method of fixing this upon the wheel
rim Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating another method of fixing the
elastic tyre upon Fig. 2.
Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating another method of fixing the
said elastic tyre upon a wheel rim such as Fig. 2, while Fig. 10 is a section
further illustrating the method shewn by Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a section of a solid elastic tyre (which may if desired be a cushion
tyre) adapted for fixation upon the rim of a velocipede wheel or road vehicle
having wheels of similar construction.
Fig. 12 is a sectional view illustrating the application of my invention in the
fixation of pneumatic tyres upon the wheels of road vehicles.
In so far as relates to solid or cushion tyres, for the purposes of my invention
I provide the outer surface A of rubber composition or other equally elastic
material, the outer or wearing surface of which I prefer sball be more or less
rotund or convex in cross section, as shewn in Fig. 1, and which may be either
sinooth or provided with longitudinal, transverse or diagonal grooves formed
therein or thereon for the prevention of back or side slip.
The inner surface B
of the said tyre (or that to be seated upon the wheel rim) I prefer to provide of
vulcanite, celluloid, xylonite, pegamoid or other semi-elastic material of a greater
density than A, and preferably about half the thickness of same, the cross sectional

page_text: formation of which may be rectangular as shewn, or concave or convex as
suggested by dotted line in Fig. 1, in order to fit a rim or tyre of like shape as
shewn by full, and suggested by dotted line in Fig. 2. I may effect the junction
of A and B by the use of any suitable cement, or by intimately connecting the one
with the other before vulcanization, or by any other suitable means.
According to the method of carrying my invention into effect illustrated by
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, I form in the substance B a longitudinal groove or channel C,
preferably shaped, or approximately so, in cross section, as shewn at Fig. 1.
To fix the said elastic tyre A B upon the wheels of road vehicles having felloes E,
and metallic tyre D, the latter being rectangular in cross section as at Fig. 2,
I remove from such a wheel the usual pins or rivets by means of which D is held
in position upon E, and in each of the holes F left vacant by the removal of these,
I place a bolt, screw, pin or rivet G, (preferably the former as shewn) having
heads H corresponding in shape and size with that of the groove or channel C in B,
so as to slide freely and easily therein. The elastic tyre A B having been cut to
the desired length, one end of the groove or channel C would be caused to engage
with the head H of one of the bolts G, when by pushing the said elastic tyre in
the direction of the arrow Fig. 3, the said groove may receive the next and
following heads H in succession until all are within the said channel or groove and
the tyre A B is around the wheel E. D, when by the means of nuts screwed upon
the threaded ends of the first and following bolts in the same order, the said
elastic tyre may be firmly fixed upon the tyre D, which may, if necessary, be more
fully secured by the use of any suitable cement interposed between B and D, the
same or like cement being also employed for connecting together the initial and
final ends of the elastic tyre A B. This method of fixation will be understood by
reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
In order to prevent possible rupture or lateral distortion of the groove C through
overtightening of the bolts, screws, rivets or the like G, I may line the whole or
any portion of the said groove with canvas, cloth, leather or other resilient
material, solutioned or otherwise connected thereto, so as to form a cushion
between the heads H and the said channel, and in order to further guard against
outward expansion of B by the said tightening of G, I prefer to form the said
groove with raised edges ab, and corresponding recesses in the under surface of
the heads H, so that the tightening of the said bolts and the consequent downward
pressure of the said heads upon the edges a b would tend to narrow rather than
extend the width of the said groove. In order to prevent possible rattle should
the bolts, or any one of them become loose, I may interpose between each bolt
head H and the next in the groove C, blocks J of wood, vulcanite or other hard
material, and through these and the sides of B I may pass screws, pins or transverse
bolts or their equivalents K as shewn at Fig. 4,
According to a second method of constructing and fixing the said elastic tyre,
I may provide at certain intervals in the under surface of B rectangular recesses L
(Fig. 6) extending to the depth of the groove C, one side of each of which said
recesses may open out through either side of the portion B by a mouth L (Fig. 5)
of lesser depth than L, so that the tyre may be first slid upon the heads H as at
Fig. 5 until such heads are all within the recesses L, as at Fig. 7, when the elastic
tyre may be moved circumferentially of the wheel until the said heads are within
the groove C midway between the recesses L as at Fig. 6, when the tightening
of the bolts or the like G as previously described would secure the elastic tyre
upon the metallic tyre D.
Or I may provide such recesses L of a size corresponding to that of the heads H,
so that such recesses may be first placed over the said heads and the elastic then
be moved circumferentially of the wheel until the said heads are within the groove
or channel C midway between the recesses L as at Fig. 8.
By a third or alternative method of constructing and fixing the said elastic tyre,
I may entirely dispense with the groove or channel C, and form in either side of
the portion B apertures or recesses M, corresponding to the shape and size of, and

page_text: at the same distance apart as, the heads H of the bolts screws, pins, or rivets
employed, such recesses extending for such a distance into B as will permit the
shanks of the bolts or the like to be central when the heads H are in the said
recesses. This arrangement permits that the said elastic tyre may be endless, and
he sprung upon the metallic tyre D so that the heads H may be slid into all the
recesses M as at Fig. 10, when the tightening up of the said bolts, rivets or the
like G by burring over the inner ends of these, or by screwing a nut on each as in
the previous methods, the said elastic tyre may be firmly held in position upon D,
with or without the use of suitable cement, and with or without moving the elastic
tyre circumferentially of the wheel.
In adapting my said elastic tyre for the wheels of bicycles and similar vehicles
I prefer to form the portion A of circular formation or thereabouts in cross
section, while the under or inner surface of B may be rotund or convex laterally
so as to correspond in shape with, and fit into the concave rim of the wheel as at
Fig. 11, and I may fix the portion B upon the said rim by the use of suitable
cement, or I may (when the spoke heads extend through the said rim) form a
groove or channel N in the portion B of a shape and size in cross section corre-
sponding to that of the said spoke heads, so that these may engage with the said
groove in the same manner as do the bolt heads H with the groove C in Fig. 3,
and the tyre be held in position upon the rim by the tightening of the spokes by
their engagement with the hub of the wheel, and with or without the further use
of suitable cement interposed between B and the rim of the wheel.
In adapting my invention for the fixation of pneumatic tyres upon road vehicle
wheels such as ED, I employ the portion B only, the under surface of which may
be rectangular or convex in cross section as shewn by full and dotted lines in
Fig. 12, the former so as to be seated upon a metallic tyre such as D, the latter so
as to fit in the rim of a spider wheel. may arrange for the fixation of
upon
the wheel by either of the means hereinbefore described, which may be by forming
a groove C in B for receiving bolt heads such as H, or a groove such as N for
receiving the heads of the spokes of a spider wheel. The outer surface of B may
be recessed or concave in any desired inanner capable of receiving an air bag or
tube such as O, and outer cover such as P in manner similar to a bicycle wheel
rim, suitable means being provided for the reception and fixation of a valve for
the inflation of O, and for retaining the cover P in position upon B by the inflation
of O.
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.
1st. In combination with an elastic tyre such as A B, the herein described
method and means of fixing such tyre upon a road-carriage, velocipede or other
wheel substantially as herein set forth and shewn.
2nd. In an elastic tyre for road vehicles consisting of two substances A B of
different densities, the combination with such a tyre of a groove or channel such
as C, for receiving the heads H of bolts, screws, rivets or pins such as G, and the
means for fixing such elastic tyre upon a wheel rim and tyre such as E, D, by
causing such bolts or the like G to occupy the usual bolt or rivet holes F, with
means for tightening such bolts or the like substantially as herein described and
shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. The combination of an elastic tyre such as A B, the latter having a groove C
and recesses such as L, with or without openings such as L', for receiving the
heads H of bolts, screws rivets or the like G, with means for fixing such elastic
tyre upon a wheel rim such as ED, by causing such bolts or the like to occupy
the usual rivet holes F, and the heads H the recesses L and groove C, with means
for tightening such bolts or the like substantially as herein described and shewn
by Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. The combination of an elastic tyre such as A B, the latter having recesses

page_text: such as M for receiving the heads H of bolts, screws, rivets or the like G, with
means for fixing such elastic tyre upon a wheel rim such as E, D, by causing the
said bolts or the like to occupy the usual rivet holes F, with means for tightening
such bolts or the like substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 9
and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
5th. In an elastic tyre for velocipedes, the combination of an elastic tyre such
as A B, the latter having a groove or channel N for receiving the heads of the
spokes of the wheel, the tightening of the said spokes serving to fix in position the
said elastic tyre substantially as herein described and shewn by Fig. 11 of
the accompanying drawings.
6th. In the fixation of pneumatic tyres upon the wheels of road vehicles, the
combination of a false rim such as B, constructed to be seated upon the tyre or
rim of a road vehicle, and having a groove or channel such as C for receiving the
heads H of bolts or the like such as G, or a groove such as N for receiving the
heads of the spokes of spider wheels, the said false rim B being formed to receive
an air tube O, and outer cover P, and a suitable valve for charging the said tube
with compressed air substantially as herein described and shewn by Fig. 12 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of Auœust 1896
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.