An Improved Elastic Tyre for the Wheels of Vehicles and Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Elastic Tyre for the Wheels of Vehicles and
Velocipedes.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from Paul Benoit Carante. Mechanic, of 98 Rue Tronchet,
and Joannes Bocuze, Metal Drawer, of 22-24 Rue de Crillon, both of Lyons, in
the Republic of France,) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The invention is applicable generally to all classes of wheels of vehicles, and
has for its object to give to the running surface a large amount of elasticity by
means of metallic springs which support it in places sufficiently near to each other.
The accompanying drawings represent the new tyre applied to a velocipede
wheel.
Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of the rim or felloe with the tyre attached.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-4 of one of the springs.
Fig. 4 is a view of part of the complete wheel.
The felloe A, properly so called, is a steel ribbon, flat and strengthened by a
central rib which serves as point of attachment for the spokes B of the wheel.
The running surface is carried by a crown C formed of a steel ribbon without a
rib, the radius of which is so much larger than that of the felloe by the distance
necessary to accommodate the circular springs D D.
These latter are formed of steel blades rolled into ring form and placed between
the felloe and the crown C, so as to fill the entire circumference of the wheel.
Each of the rings D is held by two small bolts EE which pass through the
crown C, the spring D across its diameter, and the felloe, below which they are
secured by nuts.
The rings D are simply rolled and their extremities which overlap each other
are traversed by the bolts E E, which is sufficient to prevent them from opening
out, but they can close up to a certain extent consequent on the long slots or
openings e e, Fig. 3, formed in the two ends of the blade, and through which the
bolts E pass.
It results from this arrangement that when pressure is exerted on the crown C,
the ring D which receives this pressure, being incapable of lateral extension
consequent on its being in contact with adjoining rings, is coiled up closer by
allowing its two extremities to slide upon each other, and regains its normal position
without being able to exceed it as soon as the pressure ceases. The crown C
remains therefore perfectly circular at all parts to which pressure is not applied.
The crown C is covered with a tyre F of leather or india-rubber held in position
by small bolts or other known means; further the springs D should be protected
from dust, &c., by a covering of cloth, india-rubber, or other suitable material,
which can enclose the felloe A and be gripped between the crown C and the
external tyre F.
The details of construction will be varied according to the application of the
invention, as also the strength and dimensions of the springs and of the crown C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim, is :-
1. An elastic tyre for the wheels of carriages and velocinedes. consisting of a

page_text: flexible crown concentric with the felloe, and of springs in the form of rings placed
between this crown and the felloe and completely occupying the space between
them, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The peculiar construction of elastic tyre for the wheels of carriages and
velocipedes, substantially as herein shown and described.
D
101
L 1:1 1004
VITES
B. J. B. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.