Improved Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improved Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres.
I, HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL, of 27, Vondelstraat, Amsterdam, in
the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Medical Student, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a small instrument for repairing punctures and slits
in pneumatic tyres, which instrument is preferably called by the name of "rapid
tyre-repairer."
Every cyclist knows how inconvenient it is when, from any cause, the
pneumatic tyre becomes leaky and the air escapes therefrom during a journey.
An occurrence of this kind can be provided against by a cyclist and means for
repairing the tyre can be carried, but not only is the method in which a repair
of this kind is effected with the means heretofore usually employed, extremely
slow and laborious, but it is moreover uncertain in the highest degree and one
has the prospect on reinflating the tyre of discovering that the repair was not
successful.
Also only a few cyclists have the necessary skill to carry out a repair of this kind
successfully, and most of them, in such cases, have to seek help from others.
In many cases this help is not to be had in the immediate neighbourhood, and
therefore one is consequently obliged to cover the intervening distance on foot
and to wheel one's cycle to the place where the services of a skilled workman can
be obtained.
The object of the present invention is to produce an instrument which can
be conveniently carried and easily manipulated by any cyclist and by the aid of
which one can make a leaky tyre again serviceable in a short time.
The new rapid tyre-repairer is a pair of nippers or tweezers formed by bending
thin sheet metal, and the extended and grooved end surfaces of which can be
pressed together by means of a slide.
Over
The front part of the pair of nippers is made somewhat broader than the stem
or body thereof, and is provided on the inner side with shallow grooves.
the stem or body, a flat ring can be pushed from the back right up to the jaws.
When the instrument is ready for use, the jaws are separated to a short distance
from each other.
The operation of the instrument is as follows:-
After the outer india-rubber sheath or cover is removed, the puncture or the
otherwise torn or damaged part has to be located on the air-tube. When the
place has been found. the air-tube is grasped at this place between the thumb
and the first finger of the left hand, and the nippers are pushed over it by the
right hand in such a manner that the india-rubber is held foldedi or doubled
between the extended ends of the nippers and can be clamped securely together
by pushing the flat ring towards the ends of the nippers. Since the hole then

page_text: lies between the jaws of the ninners, a perfect closure of the hole is effected
by the instrument. The instrument is then turned down and the outer sheath
or cover can be replaced.
The instrument is applied according to the position of the leaky part, or
according to the longitudinal direction of the slit, and then the nippers, which can
be easily bent, are given a curvature corresponding to that of the tyre, or corre
sponding to the circumference of the transverse section of the tyre, or the nippers
are left quite straight, if desired.
The air tube, when the instrument is turned down, allows itself to easily
bend round the said instrument and, on inflation of the tyre, adheres quite close
to the instrument, so that the latter is enclosed between the two tyres.
It can remain there during the remainder of the journey without the least
inconvenience, and the tyre can be repaired properly on returning home.
The jaws are made sufficiently wide to enable not only punctures but also slits
to be closed by the instrument. If the slit is of considerable width, two instru-
ments are employed close up against each other in order to make the tyre air-
tight again.
The ring is pushed up so tight that displacement thereof in a rearward direc-
tion by itself, or opening of the nippers and the release of the fold in the tyre,
can never take place.
The advantages of this rapid tyre-repairer compared with the methods hereto-
fore usually employed are:
rag,.
1. The great number of articles, such as benzenc, woollen india-rubber
solution, patches, emery or glass paper, etc., which have been required hereto-
fore by a cyclist for repairing a tyre, can now be dispensed with and instead
of them a few of the above described small instruments carried, which instruments
can be conveniently kept in the waistcoat pocket.
2. A repair by the method heretofore generally employed takes at least one
hour; with the new instrument forming the subject of my said invention, the
puncture can be closed in a few minutes.
3. The methods heretofore usual, require great skill and only a few cyclists
are in the position to carry out a repair successfully in this way; on the other
hand, the rapid tyre-repairer can be used easily by anybody.
4. A repair made by the old method is very unreliable and it frequently
happens, on re-inflating the tyre, that the labour of repairing it is found to have
been wasted.
The new instrument on the other hand never fails, the closure is perfect and
the leaking of the tyre at this place is out of the question.
LT
51
T
1800
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres.
HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL, Medical Student, a subject of the Queen 4
of the Netherlands, residing at 27, Vondelstraat, Amsterdam, in the Kingdom
of the Netherlands, 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 to a small instrument for repairing punctures and slits 5

page_text: in pneumatic tyres, which instrument is preferably called by the name of "rapid
tyre repairer."
Every cyclist knows how inconvenient it is when from any cause the
pneumatic tyre becomes leaky and the air escapes therefrom during a journey.
An occurrence of this kind can be provided against by a cyclist and means for
repairing the tyre can be carried but not only is the method in which a repair
of this kind is effected with the means heretofore usually employed extremely
slow and laborious, but it is moreover uncertain in the highest degree and one
has the prospect on reinflating the tyre of discovering that the repair was not
successful.
Also only a few cyclists have the necessary skill to carry out a repair of this kind
successfully. and most of them in such cases have to seek help from others.
In many cases this help is not to be had in the immediate neighborhood, and
therefore one is consequently obliged to cover the intervening distance on foot
and to wheel one's cycle to the place where the services of a skilled workman can
be obtained.
The object of the present invention is to produce an instrument which can
be conveniently carried and easily manipulated by any cyclist and by the aid of
which one can make a leaky tyre again serviceable in a short time.
The new rapid tyre-repairer is a pair of nippers or tweezers formed by bending
thin pliable sheet metal, and the extended and grooved end surfaces of which
can be pressed together by means of a slide. The front part a (Fig. 1) of the
accompanying drawing, of the pair of nippers is made somewhat broader than
the stem or body thereof and is provided on the inner side with shallow grooves.
Over the stem or body b, a flat ringe can be pushed from the back right up to the
jaws a (Fig. 1).
:
Fig. 2 shows the position of the instrument when ready for use, the jaws. a,
of pliable metal easily bent or folded, being separated to a short distance from
each other.
The operation of the instrument is as follows:
After the outer india-rubber sheath or cover is removed, the puncture or the
otherwise. torn or damaged part has to be located on the air tube. When the
place has been found, the air tube is grasped at this place between the thumb
and the first finger of the left hand, and the nippers are pushed over it by the
right hand in such a manner that the india-rubber is held folded or doubled
between the extended ends of the nippers and can be clamped securely together
by pushing the flat ring c toward the ends of the nippers. Since the hole then
lies between the jaws of the nippers, a perfect closure of the hole is effected
by the instrument. The instrument is then folded or turned down and the
outer sheath or cover can be replaced, the folding or turning of the instrument
being rendered possible and easy by constructing the parts of pliable metal which
can be readily folded and will retain the form into which bent or folded.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the position of the instrument is shown, when the repaired
tire is again inflated. is the outér india rubber sheath or cover, e the pneu-
matic tyre or air-tube, f the wheel tyre or rim, and the spokes of a velocipede.
The instrument is applied according to the position of the leaky part or
according to the longitudinal direction of the slit, and then the nippers being
of pliable and foldable metal, can be easily bent and given a curvature corre-
sponding to that of the tyre, Fig. 3, or corresponding to the circumference of the
transverse section, of the tyre. Fig. 4, or the nippers are left quite straight if
desired as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
It will be seen that the air-tube, when the instrument is turned down allows
itself to easily bend around the said instrument, and on inflation of the tyre,
adheres quite close to the instrument, so that the latter is inclosed between the
two tyres. It can remain there during the remainder of the journey without the
least inconvenience, and the tyre can be repaired properly on returning home.

page_text: The jaws a are made sufficiently wide to enable not only punctures but
also slits, to be closed by the instrument. If the slit is of considerable width a
special form of instrument (Fig. 5) is employed. This instrument comprises
jaws a of suitable width having two or more stems 6 each provided with a clamp-
ing ring c.
This instrument is applied in a similar manner to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
or if desired two instruments of either form can be arranged close up against
each other. The ring is pushed up so tight that displacement thereof in a rear-
ward direction by itself, or opening of the nippers and the release of the fold in
the tyre can never take place. A spring catch or detent i is, however also pro-
vided on one of the limbs of the said nippers or tweezers, this catch being
adapted to engaged with the slide ring c, when near the jaws a, and prevent
it from slipping back, during the motion of the wheel and allowing the said jaws
to separate and release the part of the air tube lying between them. If desired the
jaws a can be covered with india rubber or other yielding material to prevent
risk of damage being done to the air tube by the said jaws.
The advantages of this rapid tyre-repairer compared with the methods hereto-
fore usually employed are:
First: The great number of articles, such as benzene, woolen rag. india-rubber,
solution, patches, emery or glass paper etc. which have been required hereto-
fore by a cyclist for repairing a tyre can now be dispensed with and instead
of them a few of the above described small instruments.carried, which instruments
can be conveniently kept in the waistcoat pocket.
Second. A repair by the method heretofore generally employed takes at least
an hour. With the new instrument forming the subject of my said invention
the puncture can be closed in a few minutes.
Third. The methods heretofore usual require great skill and only a few cyclists
are in the position to carry out a repair succesfully in this way. On the other
hand the rapid tyre repairer can be used easily by any body.
Fourth. A repair made by the old method is very unreliable, and it frequently
happens on reinflating the tyre, that the labor of repairing it is found to have
been wasted. The new instrument, on the other hand, never fails. The closure
is perfect and the leaking of the tyre at this place is out of the question
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:-
ひ
1. An instrument for repairing punctures and slits in pneumatic tyres con-
sisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers made of pliable and foldable sheet metal-
with extended inelastic, pliable jaws grooved on the inner sides, and a flat ring
adapted to slide on the stem or body of the said nippers or tweezers said pliable
jaws susceptible of being folded or turned down, substantially as, and for the
purposes hereinbefore described.
2. An instrument for repairing punctures and slits in pneumatic tyres, con-
sisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers of flat flexible sheet metal with extended
jaws grooved on the inner sides, a flat ring adapted to slide on the stem or body
of the said nippers or tweezers, and a detent mounted on said nippers and
adapted to engage with said ring when in its locking position, substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described.
3. An instrument for repairing punctures and slits in pneumatic tyres, con-
sisting of a pair of nippers or tweezers made of flat flexible sheet metal with
extended jaws, a flat ring sliding on the stem or body of said nippers or tweezers,
and a spring catch for engaging said ring, substantially as, and for the pur-
poses, specified.
4. An instrument for repairing slits and punctures in pneumatic tyres, com-
prising a pair of pliable and foldable inelastic jaws, connected by pliable and

page_text: foldable inelastic tweezers stems or bodies and flat rings sliding on the said
pliable stems or bodies substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of April One thousand nine hundred (1900).
HERMAN SALOMON VAN DER STEMPEL.