Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres and Rims for the Wheels of Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15.h May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres and Rims for the
Wheels of Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON, of Albert Works, Mansfield, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in and relating to pneumatic tyres
and rims for the wheels of cycles and other road vehicles whereby the tyres can be
very readily dismounted from the wheel when required for inspection or repair and
can be as readily replaced on the wheel and whereby the tyre when in place on the
wheel will be very firmly secured thereon.
My improvements are applicable to what are known as single tube pneumatic tyres
as well as to tyres having an inner inflatable tube.
According to my invention I provide at each edge of the tyre in the case of a
single tube tyre or at each edge of the cover in the case of a double tube tyre an elastic
bead or the like whose normal diameter when unstretched is less than that of the outer
edge of the rim and whose elasticity is such that it can be readily stretched over the
edge of the rim. I also provide at each side of the tyre or cover as the case may be
a large number of resilient strips of metal or resilient bristles or fibres extending
from the edges of the tyre or cover along the sides of the same towards the tread
surface for any suitable distance and covered if necessary or desirable with canvas
or the like to prevent injury to the tyre. When applying my improved tyre to a
metal rim I sometimes make the rim with two circumferential grooves in its outer
periphery adapted to receive the elastic beads at the edges of the tyre or cover. The
inner walls or faces of the said grooves are slightly undercut to form seats for the
elastic beads which are pressed against the said undercut faces by the action of
the resilient strips or fibres that bear upon the edges of the rim as fulcra.
When applying my improved tyre to a wooden rim I prefer to make one central
circumferential groove or recess in the periphery of the rim to receive the elastic
beads of the tyre or cover and I provide a light metal or other endless ring having
undercut sides arranged in said groove or recess to retain the elastic beads in place
after they have been introduced. The said ring is of such a width that the edges of
the tyre or cover can be introduced between it and the sides of the groove or recess
one at a time but not both at the same time. The tendency of the resilient strips or
fibres in the sides of the tyre or cover is to keep the ring central or in case the tyre
is pressed over to one side the tendency of the resilient strips is to force the ring to
the other side and so prevent the disconnection of the tyre.
I may adopt this method of securing the tyre in metal rims as well as in wooden
rims.
In the case of a single tube tyre I prefer to cover the retaining ring with a suitable
substance adapted to make a good joint with the edges of the tyre so as to prevent
the escape of air.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres and Rims for the
Wheels of Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON, of Albert Works, Mansfield, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performned, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:--
This invention has for its object improvements in and relating to pneumatic tyres
and rims for the wheels of cycles and other road vehicles, whereby the tyre can be
very readily dismounted from the wheel when required, for inspection or repair and
can be as readily replaced on the wheel, and whereby the tyre when in place on the
wheel will be very firmly secured thereon.
My improvements are applicable to what are known as single tube pneumatic tyres
as well as to tyres having an inner inflatable tube.
According to my invention I provide at each edge of the tyre in the case of a
single tube tyre or at each edge of the cover in the case of a double tube tyre, an
elastic bead or the like whose normal diameter when unstretched is less than that of
the outer edge of the wheel-rim and whose elasticity is such that it can be readily
stretched to pass over the edge of the rim. I also provide at each side of the tyre or
cover, as the case may be, a large number of short resilient strips or pieces of metal,
or bristles or fibres, sufficiently stiff to act upon the beads after the manner of levers
when the tyre is inflated and to hold the said beads in place in grooves or undercut
recesses provided to receive them in the wheel-rim. In some cases an endless band
or ring having recessed edges may be employed on the wheel-rim as hereinafter
explained for the purpose of assisting in retaining the tyre on the said rim.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same fully by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a transverse section, and
Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of a tyre and metal wheel-rim arranged
according to this invention, the tyre having an inner air tube.
Figure 3 is a transverse section showing a single tube tyro and a wooden rim
arranged according to the said invention, and
Figure 4 is a corresponding view to Figure 3 showing the foregoing arrangement
applied to a tyre having an air tube and cover.
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a is the metal wheel rim, and
b, bare two circumferential grooves therein, whose inner walls or faces are slightly
undercut as shown at b¹. c is the air tube and d is the cover of the tyre, the edges
of which cover are formed with elastic beads e adapted to enter and fit in the
circumferential grooves b. ff are the strips of metal or the like with which the edges
of the cover are provided and which may either be inserted in the said edges or
applied to the exterior thereof. These strips are arranged very close together all
around the tyre and serve to stiffen the edges thereof. The said strips bear upon the;
edges of the wheel-rim as fulcra in proximity to the bead, so that their longer ends
receive the pressure due either to the elasticity or the inflation of the tyre, while their
shorter ends transmit such pressure in an increased ratio to the beaded edges, the
arrangement being such that the latter are forced firmly into engagement with the
undercut portion of the grooves b forming an airtight joint therewith, even before
the inflation of the tyre.
Consequently the inflation of the tyre serves through the medium of the aforesaid
lever-like strips, to firmly lock the beaded edges.in the circumferential grooves and

page_text: the greater the degree of pressure in the tyre the more effectual and hermetic the
engagement of the beaded edges in the grooves will be.
In applying my invention to a wooden rim as shown in Figure 3, I provide the
said rim a with a single central circumferential groove or recess b to receive the
elastic beaded edges e, this groove or recess being undercut at each side as at b¹. As
in the previous case fare strips or the like adapted to act on the beaded edges e after
the manner of levers. In order to retain the said edges in place I also provide in the
groove ba light metal or other band g whose ends are secured together after it has
been placed in position, so forming an endless ring having undercut sides g'. The
said band or ring is of such a width that the edges of the tyre or cover can only be
introduced between it and the sides of the groove or recess one at a time, the mouths
of the spaces on each side of the said band or ring being narrower than the beaded
edges so as to prevent their being drawn out of the spaces. Each undercut side g¹
of the band or ring g has a facing piece or strip g² of indiarubber against which the
beaded edges e are forced firmly by the lever-like action of the strips f so as to form
an air tight joint all around each edge of the tyre. These strips normally tend to keep
the band or ring central, while, in case the tyre is pressed over to one side during the
travelling of the vehicle, the tendency of the strips is to force the band or ring towards
the opposite side and so more firmly lock the beaded edges in place.
In Figure 4 the tyre comprises an air tube c and a cover d, an endless locking
band or ring g being situated between the beaded edges e of the cover. Obviously
however as a separate air tube is employed there is no need for an air tight connection
between the said, ring d and the edges e and consequently no facing strip such as g²
is required on the band or ring g. In other respects this arrangement is analogous
to that last described.
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. A pneumatic tyre provided with resilient strips, bristles, fibres, or the like,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. A wheel-rim provided with undercut recesses or having arranged within it a
band or ring provided with recessed edges substantially as and for the purposes sot
forth.
3. My improved pneumatic tyres and wheel rims combined and operating sub-
stantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or to Figure 3 or Figure 4
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of March 1897.
. HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.