Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Tyres and Rims for Wheels of Motor Vehicles, Velocipedes, and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required by the
decision of the Chief Examiner of the 6th day of December, 1897.
Date of Application, 22nd July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
ISIONAL
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Tyres and
Rims for Wheels of Motor Vehicles, Velocipedes, and other
Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK RICHARD SIMMS of 12 Norfolk Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Wheels of velocipedes and other vehicles having pneumatic tyres suffer from the
puncturing of the tyres, by nails, flints, and other sharp pointed things met with on
the road. To overcome this trouble of punctured tyres I construct the improved
wheel with a compound tyre, the outer portion of which is formed of metal, or
solid rubber, or a combination of india rubber and metal, and attach it to two
moulded india rubber hollow rings that are strengthened with canvas; the edges of
the two hollow rings nearest to the centre of the wheel are rivetted or bolted into
a circular metal casing which is so shaped that it can receive the ends of the
ordinary wire spokes of "suspension" wheels, such as are commonly used with
pneumatic tyres, when applied to velocipedes and other vehicles. The hollow india
rubber rings, when in place, are distended by forcing air between them in a manner
and by means of devices, similar to those used with the ordinary pneumatic tyre.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 show different sections of the compound tyre of the
improved wheel, the other part of the wheel being of the ordinary well-known
character. In Figure 1 («) is the outer portion, which is constructed of thin metal
and may be in one piece, as shown in full lines, or in two, as shown by dotted lines;
(b, b) are the hollow india rubber rings; and (c) is a circular metal casing to which
is fastened the spokes of the wheel. In Figure 2 (a) is the outer portion; (b, b) the
hollow india rubber rings; (c) a circular metal casing. (a) in this variation of my
invention is of solid india rubber, and it and the hollow rings (b, b) are stiffened by
curved hollow dises (d, d), one of which is placed on each side of the compound
tyre. Figure shows my improved form of compound tyre constructed for vehicles
carrying heavy weights. (a) is of metal, and is constructed in a manner similar to
Fig. 2. but the spokes of the wheel are prolonged into the space between the hollow
rings, (b, b), and terminate in holes (e) formed in balls (f) which are free to move
in recesses in the flange (g) of the outer portion (), or in lieu of the balls and
recesses, holes may be formed in the flange (7) to take the ends of the spokes, space
being left between the ends of the spokes and the bottom of the holes to allow of
"play. The object of prolonging the spokes as just described is to give lateral
stiffness to the wheel when it is used for heavy vehicles. Figure 4 is similar to
Figure 3, but instead of the rings (d, d) being constructed as there shown, they

page_text: are iron shaped in section and are rivetted to (a) for the purpose of stiffening the
compound tyre.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1806
E. H. G. BREWSTER,
Agent for Applicant.
COURT DEL DI ECIFICATION
(AMENDED).
Improvements in or relating to the Construction of Tyres and
Rims for Wheels of Motor Vehicles, Velocipedes, and other
Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK RICHARD SIMMS, of 12, Norfolk Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, 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 improvements in or relating to the tyres and rims of
vehicle wheels and has for its object to provide a tyre which shall not be so easily
punctured as ordinary pneumatic tyres and which shall support heavier loads than
such tyres.
In carrying out my invention I construct my tyre of two rings of india-rubber or
other suitable elastic material the said rings being moulded or otherwise formed
approximately semi-circular in cross section. The inner edges of the two rings are
secured to an inner casing of metal or other suitable material forming the rim to
which the spokes of the vehicle wheel are secured and the outer edges of the two
rings are secured to an outer casing of steel, leather or other suitable material
which outer casing may be in one or more parts and may itself form the tread of
the wheel or may have a suitable tread attached to it. The annular space formed
between the two moulded rings may be inflated with air or may be provided with a
tube adapted to be inflated with air in the ordinary manner.
In cases where extra strength is required the spokes of the wheel are extended
into the space between the two rings and their inner ends enter holes, recesses or
grooves in the tread portion of the wheel or in balls or rollers mounted in cups in
the said tread portion.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is a cross section of a wheel tyre and rim constructed according to my
invention:
Figure 2 is a similar section of a modified form of wheel rim and tyre:
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the same; and,
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and S are sections similar to Figure 1 of different forms of my
improved wheel tyres and rims.
a, a are the two india-rubber rings strengthened with canvas and moulded or
formed to a semi-circular shape in cross section, b is the inner casing or rim to
which the inner ends or flanges a', a of the rings a are attached as hereinafter
described and to which the spokes of the wheel are secured in the ordinary manner
and e is the outer casing to which the outer edges or flanges aa of theindia-rubber
rings a are secured and which may also support an interchangeable tread or rim, as
shewn in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and S.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing the outer casing
itself forms the tread of the wheel. In this case the flanges a¹. a, a, a, of the
two rings a, a are secured to the inner and outer casings b and c respectively by
bolts, rivets or the like passing through the said casings and flanges.

page_text: In Figure 2 the outer casing c is formed in halves and secures the outer
edges a, a of the india-rubber rings a to a rubber tread d by means of bolts, rivets
or by other suitable means. The two rings a, a are in this modification formed
with lateral flanges a³, a³ which enter lateral recesses or grooves b', b formed in
the inner casing or rim b and are secured therein by bolts, rivets or by other
suitable means.
The arrangement shewn in Figure 4 is similar to that shewn in Figure 2 with
the exception that the outer casing c, c is formed of strips of leather held in position
by wires c', c running round their edges. The tread din this arrangement is also
of rubber and is formed with two recesses into which the outer edges a², a2 of the
india-rubber rings a, a are inserted and held in position as in the above described
modification, by bolts, rivets or the like passing through the casings c, e the
tread d and the flanges a², u of the india-rubber rings a, a. In this modification
a separate inner air tube c is shewn which tube is provided with the ordinary valve
for inflation.
Figure 5 illustrates a form of my rim and tyre similar to that shewn in Figure +
with the exception that the tread d is of steel and of different section and that the
two half casings c, e are of steel.
Figure 6 shews my tyre applied to the wooden wheel of an ordinary road vehicle.
The inner casing is in this case formed in two parts which are secured to the
outer ends of the wheel spokes f. The tread d is of rubber and an inner tube e is
provided.
In Figure I have shewn the arrangement wherein the spokes f of the wheel
project through the inner casing bor rim of the wheel into the space forming the
tyre. g are the balls into holes or recesses in which the inner ends of the said
spokes extend the said balls being mounted in cups h, h formed upon the inner
end of the central rib d of the steel rim or tread of the wheel. The spokes f
are made of such a length that they are allowed play in the balls g, gas shewn.
In this case no inner tube e is shewn. This arrangement affords great lateral
stiffness and is designed for use with heavy vehicles.
Figure 8 shews a section of a wheel adapted to run on rails. In this case the
rubber rings a are formed with lateral lugs a, a, in addition to the lugs a³,³ the
said lugs a being designed to enter recesses or grooves on the outer casings, c
and be secured in position in the ordinary manner by bolts or the like, thus
providing additional means for securing and strengthening the tyre. Rods f. fare
screwed into the body of the wheel and project into the wheel tyre so that their
free ends extend into holes or recesses or into a groove running round the inner
periphery in the flange d' of the rim d in which they are allowed play as described
with reference to the previous modification. In this case two inner tubes c, e are
employed the said tubes being internally connected if necessary.
It will be obvious that with tyres formed as above described puncture is rendered
practically impossible and in the case of tyres of the construction shewn in
Figures 2 to 8 the tread or rim is interchangeable and can be removed and replaced
with great facility.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that it has been previously proposed to use in wheel tyres a flexible
casing attached to the rim, and permanently secured to the outer ring or tread, and
I do not claim such construction generally, but I declare that what I claim is:
1. Improvements in the construction of tyres and rims for vehicle wheels such
improvements consisting in forming the tyre of two rings of elastic material
preferably moulded to a semi-circular shape in cross section and secured at their
inner and outer edges respectively to inner and outer casings, and in inflating the
tyre thus formed, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
2. A pneumatic tyre for the wheels of vehicles consisting of two rings of india-
rubber or the like secured to an inner casing forming the rim of the wheel and at

page_text: their outer edges to a suitable tread for the wheel, the said outer portion being
stiffened by lateral casings, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before
described.
3. The combination with tyres of the kind described in Claims 1 and 2 of an
inner inflatable air tube, substantially as described.
4. In vehicle wheels forming the tyre of a pair of elastic rings secured to an
inner casing forming the rim of the wheel and to an outer tread or rim by means
of lateral casings and extending the spokes of the wheel or rods securel to the
wheel through the tyre into holes or recesses or into a groove in the tread portion
of the wheel or into holes or recesses in balls supported in the said tread portion
the tyre being inflated with air or provided with a separate inflatable tube
or with separate inflatable tubes, substantially as described and illustrated.
5. The manufacture and use of the improved tyres and rims, for the wheels of
vehicles, hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 16th day of March 1897.
G. F. REDFERN & Co..
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.