Improvements in and connected with Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Pneumatic Tyres.
1, ABRAM LENT SMITH, of 334 Madison Street, Brooklyn in the County of
Kings and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 appliances or devices for the prevention of punctures in
pneumatic tyres by tacks, nails, thorns, pieces of glass and the like, with which
the tyre is likely to come into contact in use.
The object of my invention is the construction of a defensive appliance or
armour, and its arrangement in or upon the tyre, in such a manner that the
sensitiveness or "resiliency" of the tyre will not be impaired, and so also that its
weight will not be greatly increased nor its efficiency reduced. I may arrange it
either between the air tube and the cover, or outside the cover, and attach it to
either of them or leave it unattached if between the cover and the air tube.
My defensive appliance or armour consists of a strip or band of flexible metal
or suitable material, and of four rows of lateral wings or extensions, two on each
side, or it may be a greater number of rows, all constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In these drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a short length of my defensive armour of which
a cross section is illustrated by Figure 2.
Figure 3 represents a cross section of a pneumatic tyre having the armour
therein.
The central part of the armour consists of a longitudinal strip of flexible metal
or other suitable material b, which may be contained between the two strips of
cloth a a', sewn together along their edges so as to form an elongated pocket or
envelope. Instead of a single longitudinal strip b, a plurality of shorter strips
may be employed.
As shewn by the drawings, four rows of wings or lateral extensions are supposed
to be employed, this being the more generally convenient number. Two of
these, c c', are arranged along one side of the central part b, and the other two, d d',
on the opposite side, all of them being eventually secured upon that side of the
part b which will be nearer to the centre of the air tube in use. The wings c rest
by their inner edges upon the part b. The wings c' break pitch with the wings c,
and overlap them as shewn. The wings d and d' are similarly arranged.. These
wings may consist of small sheets of metal or other suitable imperforable material
enclosed in pockets, preferably in the following manner:-Four strips of cloth are
cut out so that each has a longitudinal central part, and on each side, rectangular
projecting parts c c and d, d. Two of these pieces are then sewn together along
the lines ef, forming a longitudinal pocket with lateral pockets. The other two
pieces are also sewn together in a similar manner. The two parts are then laid
one over the other so that the central pockets coincide, and so also that the lateral
pockets break pitch and overlap as shewn by Figure 1. All are then stitched
together along the lines ff. I then place in each of the lateral pockets a
rectangular piece of thin sheet metal or other suitably and similarly imperforable

page_text: material, and push it in until it is stopped by the stitching. The outer ends of the
pockets may then be closed up if desired.
It will be observed that the lines of stitching f, are well within the edges of
the part b, so that the strips of metal forming the wings will overlap that part.
The method of stitching produces a hinge at the inner end of each wing upon
which it can move freely.
The complete defensive appliance may be arranged in the tyre, between the
tube and the cover, as shewn by Figure 3, or it may be secured in any suitable
manner upon the tread of the tyre cover. The total width of the appliance
should be such that the outer semi-diameter of the air tube may be protected
thereby.
The preservation of the resiliency of the tyre to which my defensive armour is
applied would appear to arise from the fact that the wings can be moved inde-
pendently of each other, particularly wings upon opposite sides.
I do not confine myself to any particular puncture proof, or imperforable material
for the wings and centre, as the essential features of my invention are the con-
struction and arrangement of the armour, but I prefer to use sheet aluminium for
the wings, although other substances, such as celluloid, may be employed. Neither
do I limit myself to any particular method of forming or attaching the wings,
provided that the hinge like action be preserved. It is possible to construct the
central part and the wings of bare metal or other material, in which case I may
cement them together by the aid of strips of canvas, parchment, or the like
material which will act as hinges between the connected parts.
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. Defensive armour for pneumatic tyres, consisting of a central part of flexible
imperforable material having two or more rows of overlapping wings of imper-
forable material along each side, constructed and arranged substantially as herein-
before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. Defensive armour for pneumatic tyres, constructed and arranged substantially
as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
AD 1902
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.