An Improved Method of and Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES DE LOS RICE, of 78, Seymour Street,
Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanical Draughtsman.]
An Improved Method of and Means for Repairing Pneumatic Tyres
for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates more particularly to the class of inflated tires that are
used on the wheels of vehicles and more especially on velocipedes, aud that are.
known by the general name of pneumatic tires. Such tires are sometimes made of
several successive layers of india rubber and of a textile-fabric, in some cases the
layers being separate from each other and in other forms the layers being more
or less intimately united.
In the use of such tires one of the most serious objections is the liability to
puncture that enables the air to escape and which renders the tire comparatively
useless; and the object of my invention is to provide a method for and means of
repairing such a punctured tire in a simple and durable manner, my invention being
applicable more particularly for repairing tires in which the several layers of
rubber and textile fabric are closely incorporated and my invention consists in such
method and means for repairing tires as hereinafter more fully set forth.
Referring to the drawings ;-
Figure 1 is a detail view on enlarged scale in cross section of a pneumatic tire,
showing at several points the several steps in the method of repair.
Figure 2 is a detail view in lengthwise central section of a tubular cutter.
Figure 3 is a detail side view of a plug and expander.
Figure 4 is a detail view in central section of the plug and expander shown .in
place in a tire.
In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a tubular tire made up of a
series of layers of india rubber, or like elastic material and a textile fabric, as thin
canvas, the latter being preferably more or less intimately united to the rubber
within the mass of the wall of the tube. In case such a tire is punctured as some
times occurs when the tire is expanded and in use on a wheel the air escapes with
greater or less rapidity depending on the size of the hole, but in most cases the
slightest opening through the wall of the tire is sufficient to allow the air to escape
so as to prevent the tire from being filled to a degree of hardness needed to put it.
in condition for proper use to obtain the advantages that reside in a properly
constructed and filled pneumatic tire.
In the practice of my invention a circular piece of the substance of the tire,
including the punctured part, is cut out, as by means of a tubular cutter b, and as
shown by the dotted lines at x in Fig. 1. By this means a tapered hole c is made
in the wall, about as shown at in Fig. 1, and a sufficient quantity of liquid
rubber (or other suitable) cement is smeared on the walls of the hole c, and
particularly about the inner edge of the hole, as indicated at c².
To fill this hole I make use of an elastic plug d, made preferably of india rubber
and tapered, as shown in Fig. 3, the plug being of proper size to fit snugly into
the hole made by the cutter when the outer end projects beyond the surface of the
tread.
There is a hole d' lengthwise through the center of the plug and through this a
string e extends, an expander being secured to the inner end of the string. The
hole through the plug is made in moulding the latter to shape, and it is quite small

page_text: in size. The expander is small at the upper end and is preferably tapered from a
somewhat wide body part to a point small enough to enable the end to enter the
hole in the plug somewhat easily.
After the plug has been inserted in the hole, the expander is pulled up into
the body of the plug a sufficient distance to expand it until the hole is very snugly
filled and a bulged formed within the hollow tire and close to the inside surface.
The cement that has been smeared within the hole and on the plug fills the joint
at the inner side of the tire about the plug and securely packs and closes it against
any leakage of air, the surface of the plug within the hole also being securely
cemented to the wall of the hole that is plugged by it.
The inner end of the plug closes upon and behind the expander so that it is
held in place by this contraction of the elastic plug as well as by the cement that
glues the string in the hole d'. This retention of the expander in place may also
be aided, if desired, by providing it with engaging points to anchor into the walls
of the hole d¹.
The projecting outer end of the plug is cut off flush with the surface of the
tread, and as soon as the adhesive material used in the repairing has dried (which
should be effected within a few hours) the tire may be inflated and used as the
plug will be so securely held in the wall of the tire as to form practically an integral
part thereof.
I have found by experiment that it is desirable to provide means for locating
the expander within the plug at a certain distance, and this is conveniently done
by making a knot in the string that shall serve as a gauge knot, the expander
being inserted until this knot is flush with the outer end of the plug. The best
position for the expander in any given size of plug or for use with any given
thickness of tire may be determined by experiments and then such gauge knot
may be held at a constant distance for that size and kind of a tire.
My invention is not limited to the use of an elastic plug of india rubber, although
that material is preferred nor to the use of any particular form of expander, nor
means of introducing it, although the form and means shown and described are
preferred as having worked well in practical tests made of the invention. Nor is
it essential to the embodiment of my invention that the opening in the plug should
extend completely therethrough as a good result can be obtained by making an
expander socket within the substance of the plug and forcing the expander in from
either end, and I do not limit myself to the particular construction of the expander
socket that is herein illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. The method of repairing pneumatic tires that consists, first, in forming a plúg
socket through the wall of the tire and embracing a punctured part; second,
inserting in said hole a plug having an expander socket, and third, forcing an
expander into the body of the plug and securing the plug in place by means of an
adhesive material, as cement, all substantially as described.
2. The method of repairing pneumatic tires for bicycles that consists, first, in
cutting a tapered hole through the wall of the tire and embracing a punctured
part; second, smearing the walls of the hole with adhesive material, as rubber
cement; third, placing a tapered perforated plug in the plug socket in the tire ;
fourth, drawing an expander from within the tire into the substance of the plug by
means of a string extending therethrough, and, fifth, trimming off the projecting
end of the plug, all substantially as described.
3. The improved pneumatic tire repairing means consisting of an elastic plug
having an expander socket and an expander adapted to be forced into said socket,
all substantially as described.
"
4. In combination with a tapered elastic plug having an opening therethrough, ♬
an expander having a pointed end and widened body part, and a string or like

page_text: flexible connection extending from the expander through the hole in the plug, all
substantially as described.
5. In combination with a pneumatic tire having a plug socket through the wall
thereof, an expansible elastic plug fitted into the socket and held therein in part
by means of an expander held within the body of the plug, all substantially as
described.
6. In combination with a pneumatic tire, a repairing means comprising a tapered
elastic plug having an opening therethrough located in an opening cut through
the wall of the tire, an expander held within the body of the plug, and adhesive
material, as cement, whereby the leaking of air through the plug socket is
prevented, all substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of February 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.