IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TYRES FOR WHEELS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Mountford Holmes, of Derby, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TYRES FOR WHEELS."
Sealed the 12th June 1855, and dated the 5th April 1855,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Mountford Holmes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1855.
I, HERBERT MOUNTFORD HOLMES, of Derby, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TYRES FOR WHEELS
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of the
tyres for wheels, in order to suit the wheels to run at different times on hard
land and soft, as circumstances may require. For this purpose the tyre for the
wheel is rolled on its exterior surface with a projecting longitudinal rib, which
may be square or rounding, so that when the wheel is on a hard road or
surface the tyre will run on its longitudinal rib, but when on soft land or surface
the rib will penetrate, and the whole breadth of the tyre will rest on the land
or surface.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Herbert Mountford Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, IIERBERT
MOUNTFORD HOLMES, of Derby, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Ier reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Herbert Mountford Holmes, Her special licence that I, the said Herbert
Mountford Holmes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Herbert Mountford Holmes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time aud
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TYRES FOR WHEELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that J, the said Herbert Mountford Holmes, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Mountford Holmes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of the
tyres for wheels, in order to suit the wheels to run at different times on hard
land and soft, as circumstances may require. For this purpose the tyre for
the wheel is rolled on its exterior surface with a projecting longitudinal rib,
which may be square or rounding, so that when the wheel is on a hard road
or surface the tyre will run on its longitudinal rib, but when on soft land or
surface the rib will penetrate, and the whole breadth of the tyre will rest
on the land or surface.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the best manner I am acquainted with for performing the
same.

page_text: The various forms of tyre, according to my Invention, are made by grooved
rollers employing wrought iron or steel, or wrought iron and steel combined, or
any other metal.
The object of the improvements is to construct such forms of tyre as will
when on wheels, and the wheels are passing over hard ground, touch the ground
with only a very small quantity of the surfaces, and consequently offer the least
friction to the draught; but when the wheels are passing over softer ground,
the tyre will offer a broader bearing surface peculiarly suited for running on
soft land. The section of tyres preferred are those shown respectively at
No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6. These are all similar in prin-
ciple of construction, and they have each a central rib a, in combination with
flat surfaces b, b, on either side. I would, however, remark, that although I
have shown the ridge in each case in the middle of the width of the tyre, this
may be varied, and the ridge be formed more towards one side than the other,
or at the side only. When a tyre of either of these forms is moving on hard
land, the tyre will be in contact with the land simply by the rib a; but when
the rib a is on softer land, and sinks into the land, the wheel will be sustained
by the broader surfaces offered by b, b, in addition to the rib a.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise forms shewn; but what I claim is, the manufacture herein
described of tyres for wheels with ridges thereon, in order for rendering them
more suitable for common roads, and for running on land not made into roads.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Mountford Holmes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
HERBERT MOUNTFORD HOLMES. (L.S.)