Improvements in and relating to Inflators for Pneumatic Tyres and Means of Carrying the Same.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Inflators for Pneumatic Tyres and
Means of Carrying the Same.
I, WILLIAM HANLON, M.A., of the Rectory, Innishannon, Co. Cork, Ireland, Clerk
in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My object is to provide a form of inflator for pneumatic tyres, which can be con-
veniently used by the hand & foot of the operator, or by both hands, & which has
no loose parts & when not in use is all contained in one tube; and also to provide a
means whereby this & other forms of inflators for pneumatic tyres can be securely &
expeditiously attached to any convenient member of the frame of the machine.
The inflator consists of a barrel, piston, & hollow piston-rod. Over the outer end of
the last is fastened a short externally screw threaded ferule with a collar working on
it. This latter has notches in its inner edge fitted to engage with corresponding
projections on the outer face of the plug in the barrel through which the piston-rod
works. This plug is not at the end of the barrel, but a short distance up it & is
preferably secured by side screws.
Running down from the ferule aforesaid are two parallel legs which end in a disc of
such a size as to enter the barrel & having a flange with milled edge larger than the
diameter of the barrel, & forming a stop & affording a means of grasping & rotating
the piston-rod & its attachments. Between these legs & near the disc is pivotted a
lever, which when turned at right angles to the legs, affords a means of holding the
inflator on the ground by the foot of the operator; when not in use this lever is
turned up & lies between the legs aforesaid, which are wide enough apart to admit it,
& then it & they are pushed into the barrel until the milled flange arrests their
further progress.
The flexible connecting tube slides up & down within the hollow piston-rod,
attached thereto by a cupped leather piston, & when required for use protrudes between
the legs aforesaid. When in use a projection on the lever prevents the barrel pinching
the flexible tube.
The top of the barrel is closed by a piece having a depression on its outer surface
& the milled flange has a corresponding depression.
To carry the inflator I attach by any suitable means to a convenient tube of the
machine a pair of stationary studs adapted to engage with the depressions in
the ends of the inflator; these face each other & are somewhat further apart than the
length of the inflator when closed. When the inflator is closed the notches on the
collar aforesaid engage with the corresponding projections on the plug & when
the piston rod & its attachments are rotated by means of this milled flange, the inflator
is caused to expand longitudinally, &, being placed between the studs, to bring the
depressions in its ends into contact with the two studs & so to secure itself to thein.
By rotating in an opposite direction it is released. Or I may place a spring between
the two parts of the inflator in order to obtain this longitudinal expansion.
When the form of inflator to be dealt with is that with a telescopic handle, the
ferule & collar are placed either round the piston-rod in the handle or between the
piston & other end of the barrel; or inflators, which have not telescopic handles,
Di Q77

page_text: but finger grips, may have this power of being expanded longitudinally given them
by providing an externally screw threaded cylinder, with a milled rim for the fingers
to grasp, working in the plug which closes the end of the barrel. The piston rod
passes through this cylinder freely at all times, but when the cylinder is screwed up
or down it causes the piston-rod to protrude or retreat, thus increasing or diminishing
the length of the inflator.
Or once again, I may internally screw-thread the outer end of the piston rod of
any inflator & provide an externally screw threaded cylinder, with a milled flange, to
work therein, the outer end of which cylinder is fitted to engage with one of the
studs. The flexible tube inay be attached to the inner end of this cylinder, utilizing
it as one of its fittings, or may pass through it into the piston-rod. I may use a cup
instead of a stud to take the end of the inflator.
Dated this 19th day of September 1898.
Improvements in and relating to Inflators for Pneumatic Tyres and
Means of Carrying the Same.
I, WILLIAM HANLON, of The Rectory, Innishannon, Co. Cork, Ireland, 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 means whereby inflators for pneumatic tyres can be
secured and expeditiously attached for carrying, to any convenient member of the
frames of the cycles, and it consists of an ordinary inflating pump provided with
means for increasing or decreasing the length of the pump or inflator by rotating one
part of it with respect to the other, and of a pair of brackets adapted to be fixed to
the frame of the cycle and carrying studs or sockets with which the ends of the pump
or inflator engage.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates-by way of example—some
methods of carrying my invention into practice :-
Figure 1 is a view in elevation-partly in section-showing my invention applied
to an inflator having the delivery nozzle attached to the barrel or cylinder and in
which the piston rod is the part actuated, which type is now generally fitted with a
telescopic handle, as shown.
Figure 2 is a view in transverse section on line xx, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view in elevation-partly in section-of a modification of the con-
struction illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.
Figure is a view in transverse section on line x, x, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a broken view in elevation-partly in section--of another modification
of the construction shown by Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 is a broken view in elevation showing my invention applied to an inflator
having the delivery nozzle attached to the piston and in which the barrel or cylinder
is the part actuated, and
Figure 7 is a broken view in elevation showing a further modification.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
According to my invention, I attach to any convenient member of the frame of
the cycle two brackets W, W, each adapted to engage or receive the end of the pump
or inflator either directly or indirectly as shown by means of a stud wor a cup or

page_text: socket w. The distance apart of these two brackets is such as will permit of the
introduction of the pump or inflator between them when it is closed up.
The length of the pump or inflator when closed up is increased by means of a
screw connection acting between the two parts of the pump or inflator i.e. between
the piston rod and the cylinder. This screw connection may be either concealed
within the pump or inflator as shown by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 in which case it
is operated by rotating one part with respect to the other, the screw connection being
a temporary one or exterior to it as shown by Figure 6. A convenient method of
carrying the former construction into practice is that illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.
The back end of the cylinder or barrel X of the pump or inflator is closed by a
plug A or its equivalent through which the piston Y slides. This plug is securely
fixed in the end of the cylinder X and carries one or more projections P which are
adapted to engage with corresponding recesses formed in a sleeve B threaded on to
the end of the piston Y carrying the telescopic handle 7, the arrangement being
such that when the telescopic handle is pushed home i.e. when the pump is closed up,
the projections P, P, engage the recesses in the sleeve B. Consequently when the
one part of the pump or inflator-say the piston rod-is rotated with respect to the
other part say the cylinder-the length of the pump is increased or diminished,
thus enabling it to be fixed between the studs or sockets w¹ carried by the
brackets W, W, fixed to the frame of the machine.
Instead of threading the sleeve B on the piston Y it may be threaded in the end
of the cylinder X as shown by Figure 3, in which case the bush A is dispensed with,
the sleeve B engaging the end of the telescopic handle or a shoulder on the end of
the piston by means of suitably arranged projections and recesses.
Figure 5 shows a further modification in which the sleeve B is placed between the
piston Y and the other end of the cylinder X. In this construction I prefer to
thread the sleeve B on an extension y of the piston rod Y providing the said sleeve
with recesses to engage projections l' carried by the plate x¹ closing the front end of
the cylinder X.
Figure 7 shows a further modification in which the piston Y¹ is threaded on to the
piston rod Y in such a manner as to allow it a limited amount of movement thereon,
the piston being adapted-when the parts of the pump or inflator are closed up-to
engage by means of projections and recesses or their equivalents with the end
plate al of the cylinder X.
It will be obvious that in all the aforesaid constructions the positions of the projec-
tions P and the recesses to receive the same may be reversed, as convenience in
manufacture or use dictates, and that other forms of interlocking parts may be
employed. Further, frictional engaging devices may be employed instead of positive
engaging devices.
When the screw connection is not concealed within the pump or inflator as in that
type in which the inflating nozzle is attached to the piston as shown by Figure 6, the
sleeve B is threaded in the end of the barrel or cylinder X and is provided with a
milled flange whereby it can be rotated. This sleeve bears against the boss z on
the piston carrying the finger grips or their equivalents, and thus increases or
diminishes the length of the pump or inflator according to the direction in which it
is turned.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction herein specified, but hold myself at liberty to make such
changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of iny invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) A pump or inflator for pneumatic tyres the length of which-when closed up-
is capable of being increased by means of a screw connection acting between its two
overative parts, as and for the burbose set forth.

page_text: (2) In combination, a pair of brackets adapted to be mounted on the frame of a
cycle carrying studs or sockets in an axial line with each other, and a pump as
specified in the preceding claim.
Dated this 20th day of July 1800
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.