Improvements in Elastic Wheel Tyres, and Rims therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Wheel Tyres, and Rims therefor.
We, CHARLES JOHNSTON REEVES, Machinist, of 186 Norwich Avenue,
WILLIAM LESLIE MACKAY, Merchant, of 97 Light Street and WILLIAM
THOMAS MCMULLEN, Barrister-at-Law, of 118 Vansittart Avenue all of the
Town of Woodstock, in the County of Oxford, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,
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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in bicycle and other wheel tyres and the
object of the invention is to design a simple form of tyre, which will have as much
resiliency as a pneumatic tyre with none of its disadvantages and it consists
essentially in applying to the rim of the wheel a supplemental rim on its exterior
periphery and connecting to each side of the supplemental rim throughout the
circumference of the wheel the ends of a series of collapsible substantially circular
flat spring sections adjacent to each other and in providing a covering or envelope
of rubber for the same, which has its inner edges secured at the inner ends of the
springs adjacent to the edges of the supplemental rim, the parts being constructed
and arranged as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of portion of a wheel tyre and rim showing the tyre
intermediately broken away to exhibit the peculiar construction.
Fig. 2, is a cross section through the rim and tyre.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation showing the means of placing the sections.
Fig. 4, is a detail of one section.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A is the rim of the wheel, which may be made of wood metal or any other
suitable material. B is a supplemental rim, which is passed around the exterior
periphery of the rim A preferably in the circumferential groove a formed on the
periphery. The supplemental rim B is preferably made of metal in concavo-convex
form so that the outer edges of the supplemental rim are removed or at a slight
distance from the rim proper.
B' are lugs formed at or near the ends of the supplemental rim B. The lugs B'
have threaded holes made in them. 6 is a screw bolt having a right and left hand
thread cut on each end which passes through the holes in the lugs B¹ and designed
to draw the supplemental rim B so that it may be securely fastened upon the
rim A.
C are a series of substantially circular flat spring sections in the form of an arc.
The spring sections C have substantially S-shaped inner ends c the lower ends of
the S-shaped end being designed to be fitted over the edges of the supplemental
rim B.; the tails c of the inner ends fitting underneath the rim B as indicated in
Figs. 1 and 2. When the rim B is drawn tight upon the rim A by means of the
bolt 6 the ends c' are held down tight against the rim A.
D is an envelope or covering, which is made of rubber or any other suitable
material, which is preferably arranged so as to cover the entire tyre formed of the
adjacent flat spring sections. The inner edges of the envelope D have beads d
formed on them as shown.
EE are spring wires, which are designed to be passed around within the beads d

page_text: and the upper portion of the S-shaped ends c of the spring sections C. The ends
of the wires EE at each side have offsets the ends of which are threaded and
extend into turn buckles or nuts el e with right and left hand threads, the turn
buckles being of any usual form used for such a purpose that is to say to draw
the ends of the wires É E together.
It will be seen that the wires when drawn tight will securely bind the edges of
the envelope D in position, the beads d serving to prevent the edges from
becoming loose or escaping from the binding wires E E.
Although we show and describe in this specification an envelope D it will of
course be understood that this might be dispensed with but we prefer using it as
the parts are kept clean and there is no danger of rust or throwing the dust or dirt
as might be the case if the spring sections were left uncovered in which event the
dirt might get in between the sections. By the use of the envelope, however, the
rim is rendered more complete and all danger from the above causes is entirely
obviated. The sections are also held better together and all wear upon them is
absolutely prevented. As the sections are substantially circular it will of course
be understood that the natural tendency upon pressure on the peripheral surface of
the sections is to throw the hooked lower ends c' of the S-shaped ends c inwardly
and therefore it will be understood that such ends will always be securely held in
position.
It will be seen that should the section become broken it may be readily replaced
as the retaining wires E may be loosened and removed outside the bead and the
envelope removed also with great facility.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In a wheel tyre, in combination a rim and a plurality of adjacent substantially
circular spring sections arc-shaped with free ends and means for fastening such free
ends to the rim as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a wheel tyre, in combination, a rim, a supplemental rim connected thereto
and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections having free ends
and means for fastening them to the supplemental rim as and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a wheel tyre, in combination a rim, a supplemental rim connected thereto
and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections having reverse
S-shaped ends, the lower hook of the S extending beneath the edges of the
supplemental rim as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a wheel tyre, in combination a rim, a supplemental divided rim connected
thereto and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections and lugs
formed on the ends of the divided rim having threaded holes in them and the right
and left hand threaded bolt designed to extend through the holes as and for the
purpose specified.
5. In a wheel tyre, in combination a rim, a supplemental rim connected thereto
and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections having reverse
S-shaped ends, the lower hook of the S extending beneath the edges of the
supplemental rim and an envelope extending entirely around the periphery of the
tyre formed by the sections and means for securing the inner edges of the envelope
within the upper hook of the S-shaped free ends of the sections as and for the
purpose specified.
6. In a wheel tyre, in combination, a rim, a supplemental rim connected thereto,
and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections having reverse
S-shaped ends, the lower book of the S extending beneath the edges of the
supplemental rim, an envelope extending entirely around the periphery of the tyre
formed by the sections and beads formed to the edges of the envelope and wires
extending within the edges of the bead and means for adjustably fastening the ends
of the wires together as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 7. In a wheel tyre, in combination, a rim, a supplemental rim connected thereto
and a plurality of adjacent substantially circular spring sections having reverse
S-shaped ends, the lower hook of the S extending beneath the edges of the
supplemental rim, an envelope extending entirely around the periphery of the tyre
formed by the sections, beads formed on the edges of the envelope and wires
extending within the edges of the bead and offset ends to the wires with right
and left hand threads and a turn buckle with corresponding threads designed to
fit on such ends as and for the purpose specified.
Dated the 6th day of November 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.