Improvements in Tyres for Cycles or other Vehicles, and Means for Securing same on the Wheel.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for Cycles or other Vehicles, and Means for
Securing same on the Wheel.
ERNEST GUSTAV HOFFMANN, Engineer, of No. 5, Clarendon Villas, Beacons-
field Road, New Southgate, Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The purpose of my invention is to effectively absorb all vibration, which forms so
great a drawback to cycling, and to absorb it at the very place of its origin, namely
the point of contact of the wheel with the ground.
This result I obtain by employing a rubber-tyre of a somewhat oblong section,
with two or more holes running through its entire length. The hole or holes
running close to the outer periphery of the tyre give a great amount of elasticity to
the rubber, and enable the latter to fill out the inequalities of the road-surface to a
great extent. The consequence thereof is, that the continued shocks caused by the
wheels coming in contact with the ground are not transmitted to the machine nor
rider, both being entirely insulated from the irregularities of the road.
In fixing the tyre to the rim of the wheel I use the hole nearest the inner
periphery, from where I make a small opening leading into said hole for the purpose
of running a steel-wire right through the tyre, both ends of which project out of the
opening. For uniting these wire-ends I employ several methods, according to
the size of the tyre.
One is to simply turn this part of the tyre, where the opening is situated, upper-
most; then I proceed to twist the wire-ends, until sufficient tension has been
obtained.
After that I cut off all superfluous wire, and turn the tyre back into its place.
Another method is to drill a hole through the rim of the wheel and to do the
twisting of the wire from outside the rim, thereby avoiding the turning of the tyre.
Yet another method is to pass a kind of a stud through a hole in the rim, said stud
When these ends
itself carrying a small hole radially to receive the wire-ends.
have been inserted into the hole of the stud, the latter is turned round until the
tyre is tight. A lock-nut on the shank of the stud prevents its turning back.
It is evident that I can use this tyre filled with compressed air to obtain more
elasticity still, in which case I intend to partition off a small portion of the tyre,
which when fitted with valves will be converted into a little pump, serving for
producing and maintaining a certain pressure automatically, that is to say, air will
be pumped into the tyre as soon as the wheel rolls on the ground.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres for Cycles or other Vehicles, and Means for
Securing same on the Wheel.
I, ERNEST GUSTAV HOFFMANN, Engineer, of No. 5, Clarendon Villas, Beacons-
field Road, New Southgate, 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 to improvements in rubber tyres for cycles and other
vehicles and to means for securing same on the wheel.

page_text: To clearly explain the nature of my invention I will describe it with reference to
the accompanying drawing in which:-
1
Figure 1. is a longitudinal section of a cycle tyre showing my method of fastening
same.
Figure 2. is an elevation of same, a portion of the wheel rim being broken away.
Figure 3. is a cross section on line X X. Figure 1.
Figure 4. is a cross section of a modified form of tyre.
Figure 5. is a sectional elevation of the tool I employ in securing the wire.
Figure 6. is an elevation of same and
Figure 7. is a plan view.
I will first describe the part of my invention which relates to the securing of
rubber tyres, by reference to Figures 1. 2. and 3. where it is shown in its simplest
form. In these figures the rubber tyre a is endless and is formed with a single
hole b. through the centre an opening c. being left at one point in same as shown in
Figure 2. said opening being on its under side so that when the tyre is in place it
will be covered by the rim of the wheel. Through this opening and through the
centre hole of the tyre I thread a strong wire until its other end comes round when
I bring it through the opening c. The tyre is then placed on the rim of the wheel
and is turned slightly so as to bring the opening c. upward and into view when the
two ends of the wire d. are securely twisted together so as to tighten the tyre and
bind it firmly on the wheel. The twisted portion is then pushed into the tyre
through the opening and the tyre is turned back into place. If desired a little india
rubber solution may be placed between the tyre and rim to further hold the former
in place.
In Figure 4. is shown my improved tyre having a cushioning hole e through same
in addition to the hole b. for the wire. In order to get the two holes throughout its
length the tyre instead of being round is of elongated section and preferably has
flattened sides with or without grooves in same as shown.
I have found in twisting the ends of the wire d. together that they will frequently
break owing to one end twisting around the other instead of the two twisting equally.
To obviate this I employ the tool or device represented in Figures 5. 6. and 7. and
which is the subject matter of another Application for a Patent made by me on the
11th day of September 1890 No. 14,316. This consists of a shank f having
handles g. g. at one end and a boss h. at the other. This boss h. has two holes
therein as shown through which the two ends of the wire d. are passed as they
project from the opening c. of the tyre, while to temporarily secure them they are
passed through two holes in the handles g. g. and tightly twisted together beyond
same as shown in Figure 7. The shank has a central hole through which a hard
steel rod i. is passed, the point of which may be slightly tapered, its end being
allowed to project a short distance through the boss . When the tool is twisted
the ends of the wire d. will be twisted regularly around the rod i. in even spirals or
turns and the wires at the same time drawn tight. When the wire is drawn up.
sufficiently tight to hold the tyre the rod i. is gradually withdrawn so as to clear
one or two of the spirals and a partial turn is given to the tool to close up or lock
tight the last spirals or coils at the point j Figure 6. The rod is then completely
withdrawn and the remaining coils closed up by a turn or two of the tool, after
which the ends of the wire may be nipped off and the tool removed.
It will be evident that I may adapt this method of fastening to tyres of almost
any section or construction.
The tyre I prefer to use should be an endless one and of about the same diameter
as the wheel so that it will be neither under tension nor compression and thus its
full elasticity will be secured. With such an endless tyre any creeping action
which may be set up in use will simply result in the tyre working round the wheel
in a harmless manner. For this reason I prefer the method of fastening the wires
by twisting the ends together as described in place of any of the others described
in my Provisional Specification which provide for the affixing of the wire to the
rim in some way the objection to these being that if the tyre commences to creep

page_text: round the wheel it will tend to pile up on one side of the fixed point and to be
drawn away from the other, this tendency being much increased if the tyre be not
an endless one.
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. The combination with a rubber tyre having a hole through its length, and an
opening communicating with same, of a wire threaded through said hole, the ends of
which are twisted together for the purpose of binding said tyre to the wheel rim,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with a rubber tyre having a hole through its length for
carrying a wire, and a second hole for absorbing vibrations, of a wire threaded
through the first hole, the ends of which are twisted together for the purpose of
binding said tyre to the wheel rim, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1891.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.