Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14 July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14 Apr., 1897-Accepted, 10 July, 1897
Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, LEON VALLET of 49, Everton Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Bottle Stopper Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and
in what manner the same, is to be performed :-
According to this Invention, a wheel for velocipedes and other vehicles there is
employed an outer tyre or ring of rubber, reinforced with an internal metallic
spring of flat or spiral form. Within this tyre there is a spoke wheel, with a rim
at its edge, to which the outer tyre is connected by pins or rods, as hereafter
described.
The tyre is of solid or of hollow form, and of india-rubber or other suitable
material; and within it there is provided a series of ferrules of sockets fixed to or
on the internal spring by rivets, screws, or the like. The spring with these sockets
or ferrules upon it, is then enclosed with India-rubber by moulding it therein; and
then, when so formed, and of the required shape, it is vulcanized in a suitable mould
by the usual process known in India-rubber vulcanization.
To these ferrules or sockets, the connecting rods or bars above referred to are
secured, say screwed, at their upper ends. The support at the opposite end consists
of a tube or cylinder fastened to the rim of the spoke wheel, and extending inwards
towards the hub, and having at its lower end a collar or nut through which the
inner end of the fastening rod are secured, they being provided on such end outside
the collar with a pin and washer, or any suitable fastening. Inside the tubes or
cylinders, a spring is provided, one end of which bears on the lower end of the
tube, and the other on a collar or other projection on the connecting rod.
A number of these fastenings are arranged all round the wheel, at certain and
suitable distances apart. The action is that, the outer bearing tyre of the wheel is
suspended from the inner by the spring, and these springs give elasticity to the
whole wheel, or to the central part thereof, when the weight is applied, and
elasticity therefore which exists in the wheels, is due, both to the outer tyre proper
and to the spring connection, described, the result being that a smooth motion is
produced, when wheels constructed as described, are run along the surface of roads
or surfaces, whether regular or irregular. in their nature.
Dated this 12th don of Jul. 1806
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
35 Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Velocipedes and other Vehicles
I, LEON VALLET of 49 Everton Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Bottle Stopper Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and
Price 8d.1

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
According to this Invention, in a wheel for velocipedes and other vehicles, there
is employed an outer tyre or ring of rubber, reinforced with an internal metallic
spring of flat or spiral form. Within this tyre there is a spoke wheel, with a rim
at its edge, to which the outer tyre is connected by pins or rods, as hereafter
described.
The tyre is of solid or of hollow form, and of india-rubber or other suitable
material, and within it there is provided a series of sockets fixed to or on the
internal spring. The spring, with these sockets upon it, is then enclosed with
India-rubber by moulding it therein; and then, when so formed, and of the
required shape, it is vulcanized in a suitable mould by the usual process known in
India-rubber vulcanization.
To these sockets, the connecting rods or bars, above referred to, are secured, say
screwed, at their upper ends. The support at the opposite end consists of a tube
or cylinder fastened to the rim of the spoke wheel, and extending inwards towards
the hub, and having at its lower end a collar or nut through which the inner end
of the fastening rods are secured, they being provided on such end outside the
collar with a pin and washer, or any suitable fastening. Inside the tubes or
cylinders, a spring is provided, one end of which bears on the lower end of the
tube, and the other on a collar or other projection on the connecting rod.
A number of these fastenings are arranged all round the wheel, at certain and
suitable distances apart. The action is, that the outer bearing tyre of the wheel is
suspended from the inner by the springs, and these springs give elasticity to the
whole wheel, or to the general part thereof, when the weight is applied; and the
elasticity, therefore, which exists in the wheels, is due, both to the outer tyre proper,
and to the spring connection described; the result being that a smooth motion is
produced, when wheels constructed as described, are run along the surface of roads
or surfaces, whether regular or irregular in their nature.
A wheel tyre and wheel constructed according to this invention, is illustrated in
the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shews a side elevation of the wheel;
Figure 2 shews a part of the tyre in side elevation, to a larger scale, and Figure 3
is a cross section at A A Figure 2. Figures 4 and 5 are details shewing
modifications of parts of the tyre.
Referring now to the drawing, a represents the tyre proper, that is the part of
the tyre which comes in contact with the road; is the inner rim to which the
spokes of the wheel are attached in the ordinary way; and c are the pins or rods
which connect the parts a and b together. The tyre part a is of rubber, having
within it a flat metal spring d, such as steel, and this spring is connected with the pins
or rods c by socket pieces e, which screw on to the ends of c, and through the ends
of which the spring d passes. The spring d, and the socket pieces e are enclosed
in the rubber tyre a by mounting them in it, and then vulcanizing the tyre in the
well known way.
Each of the pins c is supported in the rim b, by a tube f, which is suitably fixed
in the rim by an external thread screwed into a thumb in the rim, or by other
suitable means; and the support at the outer end being afforded by the ferrule g,
and at the lower end by the cap f¹: between these two parts the spiral spring his
provided. This spiral spring is under compression within the tube or case f, and
it is supported at its inner end by the cap, and acts outwardly upon the tyre by
bearing upon the inner end of the ferrule g, which fits loosely upon the rod c, and
bears on the lower end of the socket piece e. The inner end of the rods or pins c
are provided with a head c¹, which normally bears on the end of the cap fl.
As an additional support to the tyre a, washers i are used on the under side of it;
and further, to protect the parts from dust, rubber tubes j are placed outside the
parts as shewn in Figure 3. If these parts are thick they lend additional support
.to the tyre.

page_text: In Figures 4 and 5, there is illustrated modifications of sockets e and springs d
In the first case the modification consists in the use of two round wires of spring
metal d, passed through the socket pieces e, while in the latter case, only a single
round wire spring d is used.
In lieu of the rods c and sockets e being in separate parts, they may be formed
in one; in which case the rim is split circumferentially to get the tubes f and
other parts in place in it.
In action, the outer tyre a will be kept out by, and has a normal outward
pressure tending to keep it in this position, due to the springs h; which are of the
required size and strength, to give the desired amount of resistance, and also
elasticity, desired. When, say in the case of a bicycle, the wheel is weighted and
travelling over a road, as the weight comes upon the part in contact with the road,
one two, or more of the spring supports come into play, and they are pressed in
against the action of the springs h, part of the weight, however, being borne by
the circumferential spring d; and as the tyre is raised off the road, in the forward
progress of the wheel, the springs h exercise their resilient power and press out the
tyre to its original circular form. Thus, it will be seen, that while the tyre is freely
elastic in the required direction, it is at the same time also sufficiently rigid and
strong against pressures and strains in all directions, that is, either against pressures
tending to bend or move the tyre laterally out of the true plane of the wheel, or
give it circular movement circumferentially about the rim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a velocipede or other wheel tyre, an outer elastic part a, and an inner rigid
rim b supported by spokes, the part a being connected with and supported from the
rimb in the manner and by means, substantially as described.
2. In a velocipede or other wheel tyre, an outer rubber tyre a, an inner rigid rim b,
a spring metal ring d in a, and rods c supported by the rim b, and normally pressed
outwards and pressing on the outer tyre; substantially as set forth.
3. In a velocipede or other wheel tyre, the combination of the outer rubber
part a, inner rim b supported by spokes, tubes f, pins c, and springs h; arranged
and operating substantially as set forth with reference to the drawings.
4. În a velocipede or other wheel tyre of the kind herein described, the rubber
tyre a, spring d, and socket pieces e; arranged and adapted to operate as and for
the purposes set forth.
5. The wheel tyre having its parts arranged, constructed, and adapted to operate,
particularly as shewn in aud set forth with reference to the drawings.
11 1012
SA11007
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.