Improved Method of or Means for Securing Pneumatic Tires to Wheels.
Year: 1895

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stals after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as required by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 15th day of February 1897.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of or Means for Securing Pneumatic Tires
to Wheels.
I, ALFRED HENRY CULLEY of 139 Brayard Road, Peckham, County of
London, Cycle Tire Fitter do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
The object of my invention is a method of or means for securing pneumatic tires
to wheels of cycles and other vehicles, by the aid of flexible chain bands attached
to the edges of the outer envelope or cover which encloses the air tube, whereby
the tire can be readily placed and fixed on the rim, or easily removed either at any
particular portion only, or entirely all round if desired.
For the purpose of my invention I make a chain of flat formation composed of
special links. These are of thin strips of flexible metal, preferably steel, so as to
take the desired curve of the rim when the chain is on its flat side; the chain can
also assume the circular contour when on its edge, the links being hinged to each
other through their flat faces for this purpose.
The hinges are not placed along the centre line of the links, but near one edge
of such links, in such manner that the chain of links has a much smaller diameter
at the inside edge than on the outside edge when formed into a circle than would
be the case if the links were hinged along a central line.
The chain thus formed is inserted and fixed into the edges of the outer envelope
or cover of a pneumatic tire.
The effect of the above described construction is that the edge of the outer
cover containing the chain, can be easily slipped over the side of the rim by laying
the chain edge flat, which causes the links to straighten out to their full length on
their flat sides and increase the diameter or the circumference of the chain in
proportion to the number of links straightened out.
When the tire is in place and inflated the chain will turn over on its edge and
the hinges will come into play to cause the chain to contract automatically around
its inner edge and grip the rim at every part of its periphery without kinks or
bulges, each link taking its seating on the rim and so bearing uniformly all round.
The removal of the tire from the rim at any part, or all round, is effected in the
same easy manner viz.: by turning over the chain edge onto its flexible flat side to
straighten out the links to their full length and so increase the diameter to permit
the edge to pass over the side of the rim as before explained.
With this system of tire fastening it is not necessary to have a curved hollow
groove in the rim as in some systems of fastening, but I am enabled to employ a

page_text: rim with a flat surface for the air tube to bear upon, which ensures greater
resiliency or "life" to the inflated tire, a feature of great advantage for fast and
easy running of the wheel.
The facility I obtain for partial displacement of the tire at any desired spot
overcomes the inconvenience of removing a wheel bodily from the frame (in the
case of a cycle), as with tire fastenings of a continuous rigid kind such as a wire
hoop which does not permit of partial removal from the rim at any particular
place, but only a complete or entire removal for repair of the air tube or other
purpose..
Dated 3rd Disambo 1905
Improved Method of or Means for Securing Pneumatic Tires
to Wheels.
I, ALFRED HENRY CULLEY, of 139 Brayard Road, Peckham, County of
London, Cycle Tyre Fitter, 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:—
The object of my invention is a method of or means for securing pneumatic tyres
to wheels of cycles and other vehicles by the aid of flexible links, a series of
which when pivoted end to end form a rigid band or a flexible band according to
whether said band be set with the links vertical or horizontal, one of said bands
being attached to each edge of the outer envelope or cover which encloses the air
tube, whereby the tyre can be readily placed and fixed on the rim or easily
removed either at any particular portion only or entirely all round if desired.
For the purpose of my invention, I prepare thin strips of flexible metal,
preferably steel, and connect any desired number of these end to end to form an
endless band, the pivot holes being near the outer edges or out of the longitudinal
central line, so that when set with the links vertically and the pivots next the
larger circumference or outer periphery a rigid endless band is produced but such
band if laid on its flat side causes the former inner periphery to be enlarged and
the former outer periphery reduced, the enlargement of the inner periphery being
the greater of the two.
The band in this flat condition from the character of its material becomes
flexible at all parts of its circumference, so that if one part of the band be pulled,
the remainder or other part can be drawn close in to the body of the rim and the
pulled portion lifted over for removal. The band during the lift action by an
attendant assumes the outline shape of an egg, viz.: a broad lower part and a
narrowed upper part or apex.
When the links of the band are in a vertical position or on edge and the inner
tube be inflated, the band possesses a gripping power to resist outward thrust due
to expansion of the inflated tube.
The band thus formed is inserted and fixed into the edges of the outer envelope
or cover of a pneumatic tyre.
When the tube and cover are in place and the tube is being inflated, the band
turns from a horizontal to a vertical condition or on its edge and is pressed out-
wardly towards the rim and grips the rim at every part of its periphery without
kinks or bulges, the links also taking their seating on the rim and bearing uniformly
all round.
With this system of tyre fastening, it is not necessary to have a curved hollow

page_text: or
"life
groove in the rim as in some systems of fastening, as I am enabled to employ a.
rim with a flat surface for the air tube to bear upon which ensures greater resiliency
to the inflated tyre, a feature of great advantage for fast and easy
running of the wheel.
The facility I obtain for partial displacement of the tyre at any desired spot.
overcomes the inconvenience of removing a wheel bodily from the frame.
My invention is clearly represented in the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 face, and Figure 2 edge view of a few flexible links of the kind
I purpose using.
Figure 3 a transverse section of a pneumatic wheel tyre with my flat flexible.
band shown in section within the edges of the cover and in position when pressed
outwardly and vertically against the vertical walls of a flat based rim by the
inflation of the pneumatic tube.
Figure 4 a partial side elevation of a cycle tyre with a portion of the rim in.
section and a part of pneumatic tube cover cut open to show the position my-
flexible chain occupies therein when vertical.
Figure 5 represents a portion of the cover lifted from the rim and the edge of
a portion of my flexible band exposed, the band being turned over on the flat.
which facilitates this lift.
Figure 6 is a diagram elevation showing one half of the band in a vertical
condition and the other half in a turned down or horizontal condition, the dotted
line and the full lines on the right hand of the figure showing the differences of
the diameters for fixing and for removal purposes.
A, A, are flat flexible steel strips connected by joint pins B, B, near one edge
i.e. the outer of the band when the strips are vertical. C, the cover, within the
edges of which or secured to them the strips in band form are held.
D, the pneumatic tube.
E, the rim, the base F of which is preferably flat, as shown, but the base may
he of other shape, and preferably with straight side walls G, G, the outward.
pressure of the pneumatic tube combined with the circumferential grip of the band
forming the bond to keep the tyre in place.
In cases of puncture or other cause of deflation of the tube D, the side edges of
the cover C with the hand A can be laid flat, which increases the diameter of the
band and enables the edge of the cover to be lifted out of the rim at any desired
part and gradually all round if the cover has to be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I am aware of the
Specification of Patent No. 12812 of 1894 granted to John George Aulsebrook
Kitchen and I do not claim anything described and claimed therein, but I declare
that what I claim is :-
1. As an improved method or means for securing pneumatic tyres to wheels, the
employment of short strips of flexible metal articulated into band form by joint
pins out of the longitudinal central line of such strips, as and in the manner
described.
2. In combination with a cover of a pneumatic tyre short strips of flexible.
metal articulated in the manner set forth.