Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: ate of Application, 9th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Wheels for Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, PAUL LUCAS, of Rue Laitière Bayeux Calvados, in the Republic of France,
Mechanical 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in wheels for velocipedes and other
vehicles.
The object of my said invention is to facilitate the mounting and repairing of
such wheels, to render the motion easier and less fatiguing, and to obviate the
risk of deterioration. It comprises in the first place an improved arrangement
of the elastic tyre of the wheel, and a rim for the reception of the same, and in
the second place a special mode of fixing the spokes, which enables them to be
readily replaced when they break.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the arrangements devised in accordance
with my said invention.
Figure 1 is a transverse section of the tyre and rim.
Figure 2 is a plan of the steel band interposed between the outer envelope and
the inner air tube or chamber of the tyre, as hereinafter set forth.
Figure 3 represents a portion of the air chamber provided with the steel band.
Figure 4 is a front view of a portion of the wheel provided with its tyre.
Figure 5 is a detail view to a large scale of a spoke and its nut.
My improved tyre presents at the same time, as will hereinafter be seen, the
advantages of solid tyres and of pneumatic tyres, namely slight stretching com-
bined with strength on the one hand and suppression of the jars and shocks on
the other hand.
As shown in Figure 1 it is composed of two distinct parts, the pneumatic tube
proper or air chamber E, and the protecting envelope F which serves as a
rolling surface and as a connecting piece with the metallic rim G.
The exterior envelope F is made of a band of indiarubber of suitable hardness
and composition having a solid longitudinal rib f which has the form shown in
the drawing and which serves as the rolling surface.
This band is also furnished with lateral shoulders f¹f which fit into corre-
sponding recesses in the metallic rim G. It will be seen that for fixing the tyre
it is sufficient to put upon the rim the hollow ring or air chamber E and its
envelope F, then inflate the air chamber; the shoulders fl will then become
irmly applied to their cavity and securely fix the tyre to the rim. For removing
the tyre it suffices to let the air from the pneumatic tube E.
The rib by reason of its thickness, efficaciously protects the pneumatic tube E
and as it cannot be crushed the rolling surface is also small and consequently
he stretching slight at the same time slipping and lateral sliding are rendered
mpossible.
In order to provide against any cutting of the pneumatic tube I prefer to
rrange between this tube and its envelope a band H of thin steel (Figure 2)
which I apply to the tube E in the manner represented in Figure 3. For this
purpose I cut this band laterally so as to form a series of oblique strips e e
which gives the band the necessary flexibility so that it can be closely applied
o the tube E (Figure 3) without interfering with its elasticity.
On being applied to the pneumatic tube the strips overlap each other a little
s shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, which effectually prevents pointed articles
rom penetrating between them and injuring the tube.
гр.

page_text: For fixing the steel band upon the tube I employ bands I of strong cloth which I
cement upon the edge of the strips and upon the tube (see Figure 3). Or I pierce
small holes in the end of the strips and sew thereto a border of cloth which is
turned over above and below the edge. This cloth is then cemented to the
tube E.
The thin band of steel may be tinned, galvanized or protected against rust by any
appropriate coating.
It is well to employ this metallic sheath when the tyre is subjected to great strain
for example at a time when roads are being mended, nothing is simpler than to
remove it when it is found that it is no longer useful and that the thickness of the
rib constitutes a sufficient protection for the pneumatic tube.
.
As shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing I construct the wheel itself in a
particular manner which is designed to render it very light and to facilitate the
mounting and repairing of the same.
The rim G is of thin steel and very light, it is furnished with suitable recesses for
receiving shoulders of the exterior envelope for protecting the tyre as hereinbefore
stated. The nave of the wheel is joined to the said rim by spokes which are con-
structed and mounted so that when necessary they may be easily replaced by new
ones without removing the tyre.
For this purpose each of the said spokes is formed, as represented in Figure 5, of
a rod screw threaded at one extremity and bent at the other extremity D where it is
thickened to form the head.
The screw threaded extremity engages with a nut the conical head A. of which is
sunk into the metal of the rim ; the body B of this nut which protrudes from the
rim is square to receive a key.
The method of mounting is very simple. The extremity D of the rod being
placed in engagement with the nave it suffices to introduce the nut into the
cavity in the rim and to screw it upon the rod by means of a screw driver which is
caused to engage with the slit formed for this purpose in.its conical head.
For changing a broken spoke without removing the tyre which is then on the
wheel (Figure 4) it is sufficient to turn the nut in its cavity by means of a key put
upon its square so as to unscrew the broken spoke, this spoke is replaced by another
which is fixed in its position by turning the nut in the proper direction until the
spoke is stretched.
It is evident that my arrangement of a protecting envelope with a longitudinal
rib may serve for protecting hollow elastic rings of any kind, containing compressed
air or not, and that my improved system of mounting the spokes may be applied in
all cases.
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 :-
In wheels for velocipedes and other similar vehicles.
an
First. A pneumatic tyre composed of an interior elastic tube serving as
air chamber, and of an exterior protecting envelope having a solid longitudinal rib
of suitable section which serves as a rolling surface, and which is furnished with
lateral shoulders which serve to fix the tyre to the rim, substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented by way of example in the drawing.
Second. A pneumatic tyre comprising an interior tube serving as an air chamber,
a sheath of thin sheet steel cut laterally into oblique strips and applied upon the
pneumatic tube with the object of protecting it, and an exterior envelope provided
with a solid longitudinal rib and lateral shoulders, substantially as described, and
shown by way of example in the drawing.
Third. A protecting envelope for hollow indiarubber tubes or elastic rings fitted
upon the metallic rin, which has a solid longitudinal rib forming a rolling surface,
substantially as and for the purpose shown and represented,

page_text: Fourth. A rim of thin steel, in which are formed circular grooves designed to
receive the shoulders of the tyre with the object of fixing it to the wheel, substan-
tially as described and shown by way of example in the drawing.
Fifth. The spokes which are bent at a right angle and provided with a head at
that extremity to be fixed to the nave and which are screw threaded at the other
extremity so as to engage with nuts the conical heads of which are located in the
rim and whose exterior surfaces have the form of a square for receiving the key,
substantially as described and represented and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 9th day of January 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.