Improvements in Resilient Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1897
. Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec.,
1897
Improvements in Resilient Tyres.
CILARLES HICKLING of 28 Hampden Street Nottingham Cashier do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to improvements in tyres applicable to cycles and
other vehicles has for its object the production of a tyre having a resiliance similar
to a pneumatic tyre but without the disadvantages of the same.
According to this invention the wheel rim is provided with a number of flat
springs, and one end of each spring is fixed to the rim while the free end of the
same spring overlaps the fixed end of the next adjacent spring. Between the free
end of the above springs and the outer side of the rim there are other springs
which are preferably of coiled wire suitably hardened and tempered. The flat
springs may be connected to the rim by rivets bolts or other fastenings and such
micans may be arranged to act as guides for the coiled spring or these latter may
be provided with separate guides.
The free ends of the flat springs may be bent longitudinally and the whole of
the springs may be enclosed in a suitable cover.
100-
CHARLES HICKLING of 28 Hampden Street Nottingham Cashier 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 which relates to tyres for cycles and other light vehicles, has for
its object the construction of a spring tyre which shall have the resiliency of a
pneumatic tyre without the corresponding disadvantages, and which shall be light
in weight and cheap to manufacture.
According to this invention the wheel rim is fitted with a combination of flat
and coiled springs, so arranged that the flat springs practically form a continuous
band or outer rim, the free end of one spring overlapping the fixed end of the
next adjacent spring. Between the free end of the flat spring and the wheel rim
there is a coiled spring which is suitably fixed or guided, and on the outer surface
of the flat springs a rubber tyre or cover may be placed and be fastened to the
wheel by any convenient means.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings Fig 1 is the side elevation of part of a wheel
constructed according to this invention and
Fig 2 is a section of a wheel showing means for compressing the springs to
allow of the rubber tyre or cover being fixed thereto.
The rim a may be flat or of other convenient shape and is connected to the hub
by spokes 6 which project through the rim and are fitted with nipples c. These
nipples are also used as one of the fastenings for the flat springs d which are prac-
tically of the shape shown and are so arranged that the free end d¹ of each spring
overlaps the fixed end of the next adjacent spring. The free ends of the
springs d also form practically an outer rim, the space between the extreme end
of one spring and the curve of the next being provided to allow of the springs
moving under pressure.
Under each flat spring there is a coiled spring e which may be fixed at one end
to the spring d and at the other to the rim a and spring d, or it may be loose at
both ends and be guided by a pin.
In Fig 1 the upper ends of the springs e are shown rivetted to the springs d and
their lower ends fastened to the rim a by bolts and nuts f, or, by bending the end
of the spring to form a bolt and fitting it with a nut as shown at 7. Other means
of fastening the coiled springs may be used, but by preference the lower fastening
passes through the rim a to form a second fastening for the springs d.
In Fig 2 the relative positions of the rim a and springs d and e are shown in
Fig 1.
The spring e however is not fixed at either end but is bent at the top and
bottom to form a hole for the guide pin g which passes througli the rim and is
used as a means for compressing the springs to allow of the rubber tyre or cover
being placed in position or removed. When the tyre or cover is in position the
nut h may be removed or means may be added for preventing it accidentally leaving
the pin g.
When the springs e are fixed at both ends, the springs d and e may
be compressed for dealing with the tyre or cover by hook bolts, the rim a and
springs being suitably slotted to allow of the insertion and withdrawal of the
hook bolts.
The rubber tyre k may be of any suitable section and be fastened to the springs d
by cement or other known means, or it may form part of a cover, or be fastened
to the springs by a cover which may itself be fastened to the rim a by any con-
venient means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A resilient tyre for cycles and other light vehicles comprising a rim with flat
and coiled springs constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein
shown and described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of November 1897
W. H. POTTER
Patent Agent Nottingham.