Improvements in Tires for Wheels or Cycles of all descriptions.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tires for Wheels or Cycles of all descriptions.
We; EDWARD ELIJAH HORTON, residing at 13 Rose Avenue in the City of
Toronto in the County of York and Province of Ontario Stenographer, and
GEORGE DUNSTAN, residing at 82 Homewood Avenue, in the said City of
Toronto, Gentleman, 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 certain new and useful improvements in tires for all
classes of wheels used either for cycles or other vehicle conveyance, and relates
more particularly to a tire which will not depend for its efficiency or resiliency
upon the pressure within it, and the objects of the invention are: to produce a
tire which easily yields to the inequalities of the surface over which it is travelling
and which will sharply return to its normal state after the inequalities are traversed,
and also to so construct a tire and secure it in place that the side roll or movement
of the tire will be substantially completely obviated; and the invention consists
essentially of a tire comprised of a series of detached independent coils of flat
spring steel connected to the rim of the wheel at regular intervals, and a tread
band connected to the outer side of each coil of the series and located diametrically
opposite the rim, and an impervious covering enclosing the tread band and all of
the series of coils, to prevent moisture, stones, dirt or other obstacles entering the
tire: the whole device being arranged as hereinafter more fully set forth and more
particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a section of the rim and tire.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spring coils and a section of the tread
band.
Fig. is a modification of Fig. 2.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the Specification and
drawings.
Arranged around the rim are a series of detached independent coils A of Hat
spring steel. Each of the coils A might consist of one thickness of spring metal
of sufficient strength to answer the purpose, but we prefer to use instead of one
thickness of metal several thicknesses or leaves a arranged in the form of a coil,
as we find the thinner the metal is the further it will bend without breaking or
setting, and that by using several thicknesses of thin spring metal the required
flexibility and resiliency is obtained together with the required strength. Another
advantage in using a coil comprised of a series of thicknesses or leaves is in the
event of one or more thicknesses or leaves of the coil breaking the injured thick-
nesses or leaves may be removed and replaced by others of the same dimensions.
It will be noticed that the outer thickness or leaf a¹ and the inner thickness or
leaf al of each of the coils A at a point diametrically opposite the rim are
provided respectively with flanges b-b' which extend outwardly from the sides of
the said thicknesses or leaves. Passing through the flanges b-b at one side of
each of the coils is a rivet C which bears against the adjacent side of the inter-
mediate thicknesses or leaves a, and passing through the flanges 6-6 on the
opposite sides of each of the coils is a similar rivet D which bears against the
adjacent side of the intermediate thicknesses or leaves a. By means
the rivets C-D passing through the flanges 6-6 the several thicknesses or
of

page_text: leaves are held laterally together at the tread of the coils. It might here be
stated that each of the coils A diametrically opposite the middle of the tread are
preferably formed with a space intervening between the ends of the coil and
that each end of each of the coils A is mounted on a pedestal E fastened to
the rim F, and that the pedestals are located one on each side of the middle
of the rim. Passing through the rim F and each pedestal E and the respective
end d of the coil A is a rivet G which rigidly fastens the respective end of
the coil A to the respective pedestal E and at the same time fastens the
pedestal to the rim. By means of the rivets G and the rivets C-D the
several thicknesses of the coil are secured concentrically together and the coil is
secured to the rim. Secured to the outer side of each of the coils A at a point
diametrically opposite the rim F is the tread band H which is fastened to each of the
coils A. To avoid using any more material than we find it absolutely necessary we
find it advisable to continue the rivets C-D through the tread band H. By
placing the coils A on pedestals E the coils A will not come in contact with the
rim at any period under any ordinary compression, and thus each of the coils A
will be permitted to have an independent side compression and the tire will have
all the buoyancy and flexibility and resiliency attributed to a highly inflated
pneumatic tire. In Fig. 3 we have shown a modification of the coil. In this
instance the coil consists of a series of thicknesses or leaves of spring steel which
are connected together by a rivet C passing through the middle of each and all of
the thicknesses or leaves at the outer extremity of the diameter of the coil. In
order to compensate for the weakness resulting from the rivets passing through the
various thicknesses or leaves of the coil we find it advisable to increase the width
of each of the thicknesses or leaves at that part where the rivet passes through so that
the coil will have sufficient strength to resist any breaking tendency at that point.
Where only one rivet is employed to secure together the several leaves the tendency
of the coil will be to turn from side to side on the rivet C which would act as a
pivot, and to counteract that tendency the ends of the outer leaves are overlappe 1
and the rivets G pass through the rim, pedestals, and overlapped ends. Enclosing
the series of coils A is a rubber cover J which is thickened at the tread for ease of
running. Cemented or otherwise fastened to the tread band H at regular intervals
are a series of pieces of cloth or rubber K, and cemented to the cloth or rubber
pieces K is the inner side of the outer cover J. One advantage of using the
pedestal is that sufficient space is left between the coils and the rim to allow of the
edges of the outer cover J, which are thickened, being crowded in between
the coils A. and the rim F, which space they completely fill up around the rim. If
it is deemed necessary the edges of the outer cover may also be cemented to the
rim so that the outer cover may be securely fastened to the tire and to the rim of
the wheel to further prevent the entrance of moisture or foreign obstacles to the
tire. This outer cover J is of sufficient dimensions to snugly fit the parts which it
is intended to cover. Instead of securing the cover in the manner just described
its edges may be brought round the inside of the rim and cemented together.
object of securing the tread band to the outer side of the coils is to hold each and
all of the coils in proper position laterally, to unite the several coils so that the
compression on one or more of the coils will be distributed over the remaining
coils, and also to prevent the displacement of one or more of the coils. A tire
constructed on this principle can be easily and cheaply manufactured. By con-
structing each coil of a series of leaves the number of leaves may be varied
according to the load intended to be carried by the wheel.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, we hereby declare that what we claim is:
1. The tire for cycles hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of
the drawings.
2. The tire for cycles hereinbefore described and illustrated in Fig. 3 of the
drawings.

page_text: 3. A tire for wheels consisting of a series of annular metallic springs, a pedestal..
for each spring of the series located between the spring and the rim of the wheel,
substantially as specified.
4. A tyre for a wheel consisting of a series of annular metallic springs, a pedestal
for each spring of the series located between the spring and the rim of the wheel,
and a tread band connecting together all of the series of springs, substantially as
specified.
5. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a tire for the wheel consisting of a.
series of detached independent annular springs, a pedestal for each of the springs
located between its respective spring and the rim of the wheel, a tread band
connected to each spring of the series, and an impervious covering for the tire,
substantially as specified.
6. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a series of detached independent
annular springs arranged at regular intervals around the rim, the ends of each
spring separated from each other, each end of each spring mounted on a pedestal
located between the spring and the rim, substantially as specified.
7. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a series of detached independent
aunular springs arranged at regular intervals around the rim, the ends of each
spring separated from each other, each end of each spring mounted on a pedestal
located between the spring and the rim, and a tread band connected to each of the
series of springs, substantially as specified.
8. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a series of detached independent
annular springs arranged at regular intervals around the rim, the ends of each
spring separated from each other, each end of each spring mounted on a pedestal
located between the spring and the rim, a tread band connected to each of the
series of springs, and an impervious covering for the tire, substantially as
specified.
9. A tire for a wheel consisting of a series of detached independent annular
springs, each spring comprised of a series of leaves the innermost leaf and the
outermost leaf having enlargements or flanges at the sides of the spring, rivets
passing through the flanges of the said leaves on each side of the spring and bearing
against the intermediate leaves, and a pedestal in which each spring is mounted,
substantially as specified.
10. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a tire comprised of a series of
detached independent annular springs, each spring consisting of a series of
independent leaves the ends of which are separated, each end of each spring
mounted on and riveted to a pedestal fastened to the rim, and a rivet passing
through each spring substantially diametrically opposite the pedestal, substantially
as specified.
11. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a tire comprised of a series of
detached independent annular springs, each spring consisting of a series of
independent leaves the ends of which are separated, each end of each spring
mounted on and riveted to a pedestal fastened to the rim, a rivet passing through
each spring substantially diametrically opposite the pedestal, and an impervious
covering for the tire substantially as specified.
12. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a tire consisting of a series of
detached independent annular springs each spring consisting of a series of leaves
the inner leaf and the outer leaf provided with a flange extending beyond each side
of the coil, rivets passing through the said flanges on each side of the spring and
bearing against the intermediate leaves, each end of each spring riveted to a
pedestal fastened to the rim, and au impervious covering enclosing the tire,
substantially as specified.
13. A tire for a wheel consisting of a series of detached independent annular
springs, each spring comprised of a series of leaves the innermost leaf and the
outermost leaf having enlargements or flanges at the sides of the spring, rivets
passing through the flanges of the said leaves on each side of the spring and bearing

page_text: against the intermediate leaves, a pedestal in which each spring is mounted, and a
tread band connected to each spring of the series, substantially as specified.
14. In a wheel the combination of the rim, a tire comprised of a series of
detached independent annular springs, each spring consisting of a series of
independent leaves the ends of which are separated, each end of each spring
mounted on and riveted to a pedestal fastened to the rim, a rivet passing through
each spring substantially diametrically opposite the pedestal, and a tread band
connected to each spring of the series, substantially as specified.
Dated this 20th day of February A.D. 1895.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents.