Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
I, GEORGE LAMB, of S1, Somerville Drive, Mount Florida, in the City of
Glasgow, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres for the wheels of cycles or other
vehicles, and it has for its object to provide a non-slipping tyre which may be
inflated with or without the use of an inner air tube, and which is secured to the
rim without recourse to the usual holding wires, whilst being adapted for easy
removal.
In carrying out my invention under one modification 1 form the cover for the
air tube of an endless band of canvas or other fabric, of such a width as to allow
of its being lapped round the tube to form a two-fold thickness. A central
strip, and the outer edges of this band are made of smaller perimeter or circum-
ferential length than the intervening portions, these contracted strips being
adapted to fit and lie in the bottom part of the rim, whilst the unshrunk parts
fit over the air tubes when inflated and form the part of the tyre exposed out-
with the rim. This contraction of the mid and side strips may be effected by
thickening or building them up by means of strands of unspun hemp or other
material solutioned thereon, or woven into the band, or the contraction may be
obtained by sewing or shrinking the edge and mid strips. The central strip of
the band may be provided with a pocket within which an elastic band is situated,
which acts when the cover is opened up, to keep the strip on the rim.
In fixing the tyre on the rim, the cover, formed as described, is drawn over the
rim so that the central shrunk strip lies in the bottom of the rim channel, and
the air tube is placed upon the central portion of the open cover. One edge of
said cover is folded over the air tube to enclose it, being brought under the rubber
tube so as to lie over its own central portion. The other edge of the cover is
then brought over the already enclosed air tube until it lies upon the bottom
of the rim channel, i.e. the cover being lapped over from right to left and left
to right or vice versa. The tyre is then inflated and the air pressure acts to
expand the unshrunk portions of the cover into tubular form, and to force the
air tube, and with it the edges of the cover, down into the channel of the wheel
rim so as to secure said cover thereon.
In
Instead of providing a cover capable of being wrapped twice round the air
tube, I may make the endless band of approximately half the width necessary in
the above described modification, and form the edges in the same manner.
this case one edge of the band is placed in the channel of the wheel rim, the air
tube is placed thereon, and the other portion of the cover is wrapped round said

page_text: air tube until its edge is brought to lie upon the inner surface of the edge which is
bearing against the bottom of the rim channel. The air pressure acts in pre-
cisely the same manner as previously described to keep the tyre upon the rim.
In a modification of the invention I may dispense with the air tube, in which
case I form a rubber facing upon a portion of the outside of one thickened edge
of the canvas band, forming the cover, and a like facing upon a portion of the
inside of the other edge, or the entire inside and outside of the band may be so
faced, the edges, which are overlapped as before described, being smeared on their
adjacent surfaces with black soap or other moist substance: the black soap acting
in conjunction with the pressure of the edges of the cover against the rim channel
to prevent the escape of air.
As a means for preventing side slip I form on the tread of the tyre a series of
V shaped or other open shaped ridges arranged in pairs with the open end of
one Vin proximity to the open end of another. The open ends of the V's abut
when the weight of the rider is upon the machine and so form cells, and when in
the course of the revolution of the wheel the cells are in turn released from
pressure these cells regain their normal conditions and so release any mud that
may have been lifted instead of carrying it with them.
L
L
1801
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.
1, GEORGE LAMB, of S1, Somerville Drive, Mount Florida, in the City of
Glasgow, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres for the wheels of cycles or other
vehicles and it has for its object to provide a non-slipping tyre which may be
inflated with or without the use of an inner air tube and which is secured to the
rim without recourse to the usual holding wires whilst being adapted for easy
removal.
The invention is illustrated by Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the accompanying
drawings wheh shew, in transverse section of the tyre, several modification in
the manner of forming and applying the cover to the wheel rim. Fig. 4 is a
plan of part of the tyre shewing the method of forming the non-slipping surface
of the tyre.
In carrying out my invention under one modification illustrated at Fig. 1, I
form the cover A for the air tube of an endless band of canvas or other fabric
of such a width as to allow of its being lapped round the tube B to form a two-
fold thickness. A central strip A and the outer edges A of this band are made
of smaller perimeter or circumferential length than the intervening portions,
these contracted strips A', A2, being adapted to fit and lie in the bottom part of
the rim C whilst the unshrunk parts fit over the air tube B when inflated and.
form the part of the tyre exposed outside the rim C. This contraction of the
mid and side strips may be effected by thickening or building them up by

page_text: means of strands of unspun hemp or other material solutioned thereon, or woven
into the band A, or the contraction may be obtained by sewing or shrinking the
edges A and mid strip A'. The central strip A' of the band A may be provided
with a pocket within which an elastic band A³ is situated which acts when the
cover is opened up to keep the strip A' on the rim C.
In fixing the tyre on the rim, the cover A formed as described is drawn over the
rim C so that the central shrunk strip A lies in the bottom of the rim channel C,
and the air tube B is placed upon the central portion A' of the open cover A.
One edge A² of said cover is folded over the air tube B to enclose it, being brought
under the rubber tube B so as to lie over its own central portion A. The other
edge A3 of the cover A is then brought over the already enclosed air tube B until
it lies upon the bottom of the rim channel C, ie. the cover A being lapped over
from right to left, and left to right, or vice versa. The tyre is then inflated and
the air pressure acts to expand the unshrunk portions of the cover into tubular
form and to force the air tube B and with it the edges A of the cover A down
into the channel of the wheel rim C so as to secure said cover A thereon.
Instead of providing a cover capable of being wrapped twice round the air tube,
I may, as illustrated at Fig. 2, make the endless band A of approximately half the
width necessary in the above described modification, and form the edges A in
the same manner. In this case one edge A of the band A is placed in the
channel of the wheel rim C, the air tube B is placed thereon, and the other
portion of the cover is wrapped round said air tube B until its edge A is brought
to lie upon the inner surface of the edge A which is bearing against the bottom
of the rim channel C. The air pressure acts in precisely the same manner as
previously described to keep the tyre upon the rim C.
In the modification of the invention illustrated at Fig. 3, I dispense with the
air tube, in which case I form a rubber facing A' upon a portion of the outside
of one thickened edge A2 of the canvas band, forming the cover A, and a like
facing upon a portion of the inside of the other edge A or the entire inside and
outside of the band may be so faced, the edges A2, which are overlapped in the
manner described with reference to Fig. 1, being smeared on their adjacent
surfaces with black soap or other moist substance; the black soap acting in con-
junction with the pressure of the edges A2 of the cover against the rim channel (
to prevent the escape of air.
As a means for preventing side slip I form on the tread of the tyre as shewn
at Fig. 4, a series of V-shaped or other open shaped ridges A arranged in pairs
with the open end of one V in proximity to the open end of another. The open
ends of the V's abut when the weight of the rider is upon the machine and so
form cells As, and when in the course of the revolution of the wheel the cells A*
are in turn released from pressure these cells regain their normal conditions and
so release any mud that may have been lifted instead of carrying it with them.
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. In a pneumatic tyre a cover for the air tube formed of an endless band of
fabric adapted to be lapped round the air tube to form a two-fold thickness and
having its outer edges and a central strip contracted as described to fit and rest
on the bottom part of the wheel rim.
2. In a pneumatic tyre a cover for the air tube formed by an endless band of
fabric adapted to enclose the air tube having its edges contracted as described and
adapted to overlap or rest one on the other in the bottom part of the wheel rim.
3. A pneumatic tyre formed by an endless band of fabric having a central strip
and its edges, or its edges alone, contracted as described and faced with rubber
the said contracted edges being adapted to overlap where they rest on the bottom
part of the wheel rim so that they are pressed together upon inflation of the tube
so formed and a separate air tube is dispensed with.

page_text: 4. A tyre cover formed with V-shaped or other open shaped ridges arranged in
pairs with the open end of each V-like ridge in proximity to the open end of
that adjoining substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of July 1808
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Oruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agent for the Applicant.