Improvements in or pertaining to the Wheels of Road Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or pertaining to the Wheels of Road Vehicles.
I PERCY ALBERT CRAVEN of 86 & 87 Strand in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
:-
The object of my invention is to apply to the ordinary wheels of road vehicles
it may be without any alteration of the same india rubber or other elastic tyres
in a simple and cheap and yet highly effective manner.
To carry out this object I make a tyre for the wheel of india rubber or other
suitable elastic material of any desired consistency and in any usual or other
manner of any shape in cross section but for ordinary carriage wheels the tyre
has a flat base and is preferably of a D section and along the whole length of this
tyre I create near the base thereof an aperture or a passage whereinto and
wherealong a bar or strip preferably of metal can be passed and placed. At
certain desired intervals apertures are made through the base of the tyre
communicating with the long passage therein and corresponding holes which have
female screw threads are made through the bar and corresponding again there-
with radial apertures are made through the felloe and the ordinary metal tyre if
any of the wheel and a bolt on the end whereof is a male screw thread can be
passed radially into the aperture in the felloe through the metal tyre if any and
through the aperture in the base of the elastic tyre and be screwed into the hole
in the bar to bind all the parts tightly together. When as is very common in
ordinary carriage wheels the felloe and the metal tyre are bolted together by
rivets or other appliances I can very conveniently utilize the apertures so made
and having removed these rivets or appliances pass the aforesaid screw bolts
therethrough into the elastic tyre and the bar the apertures and holes in the
elastic tyre and the bar being made and arranged accordingly. It is convenient
to place a washer round the bolt where it passes through the base of the elastic
tyre to preserve the material of which this tyre is made and if desired a suitable
locking washer or other appliance can be applied to the head of the bult to retain
its position.
When desired I may interpose between the metal tyre if any or the felloe of
the wheel a thin strip preferably of metal the lateral edges whereof are prolonged
outwardly from the centre or hub of the wheel on both sides of the elastic tyre
to protect the same and may also be prolonged inwardly to clasp the felloe of the
wheel.
The elastic tyre and the bar inside the same may be made to entirely surround
the wheel or they may be divided into sections or segments in which case the
abutting ends of the segments of the elastic tyre can be connected together by
dowels or other appliances and it would be very convenient so to make and arrange
the bar that the ends of the several segments into which it has been divided do
not coincide with the ends of the several segments of the elastic tyre but are at
some positions in their lengths.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1891. ·

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or pertaining to the Wheels of Road Vehicles.
I, PERCY ALBERT CRAVEN of 9 King Road, Wimbledon, in the County of
Surrey, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved method of and means for attaching to the
ordinary wheels of road vehicles generally, without any alteration being previously
made thereto, india rubber or other elastic or semi-elastic tyres, of any suitable
consistency, or any combination of consistencies, as may be best suited to the type
or size of wheel upon which said tyre is to be fixed.
I am aware that india rubber and other resilient substances have hitherto been
employed as a wearing surface for the wheels of carriages, cabs and other vehicles,
but this has always been carried into effect by the employment of a specially
constructed metallic tyre for the reception of the resilient substance employe:l,
such specially constructed tyre being generally made of channel iron of such dimen
sions and weight as to be capable of binding or holding the wheel together when
shrunk thereon. The adoption of this method of fixing elastic tyres upon existing
wheels would entail the removal and total abolition of the original or flat tyre, in
order to make room for the special tyre aforesaid, which would add materially to
the cost of the operation, hence the less general adoption or employment of elastic
tyres upon road vehicles. The object of my invention is to dispense with the need
of special metallic tyres, and the removal of the existing tyres, for the reception
of the elastic tyre, and I attain this by the cheap, simple and effective method
and means constituting my present invention.
In order that my invention and the manner adopted by me of carrying the same
into effect may be clearly understood I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings,
in which,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of part of the felloes and tyre of an ordinary
road vehicle wheel, to which an elastic wearing surface has been attached in the
manner forming the subject of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of Fig. 1 taken through either of the bolt holes
therein.
Figs. 3 and 4 are cross and longitudinal sections respectively, similar to Figs. 1
and 2, but illustrating the employment of an alternative detail to be hereinafter
explained.
Fig. 5 is an under surface view of the resilient wearing surface employed,
the object of which is to make clear the position of the metallic washers
or their equivalents, which form an important feature in carrying out my invention.
Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross sections similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating some
alternative designs or shapes which I may adopt amongst others of forming the
resilient wearing surface, and method of attaching the same to the vehicle
wheels.
In carrying my invention into effect I make the elastic tyre A of any suitable
resilient material, but preferably of vulcanized rubber, of any desired consistency
or consistencies, and of any shape or form in cross section, but unless the surrounding
circumstances necessitate some other shape, I prefer to use that shown by Fig. 2.
or thereabouts this being best suited for ordinary carriage or other wheels provided
with flat metallic tyres, as the said shape of elastic tyre would have a flat or even
base to correspond therewith, and capable of being seated firmly thereon, but the
under surface of A may assume any degree of concavity in cross section in order
that it may coincide with, and be seated upon, a metallic tyre the wearing surface
of which may be convex in cross section, or the under surface of A may be convex
if the tyre of the wheel be concave for the same reason.

page_text: Along the whole length of A and near to the base thereof, I create during the
process of manufacture, an aperture or passage, whereinto and wherealong I pass
a strip of metal B, preferably but not imperatively of brass, the sharp edges of
which may have been previously removed to prevent puncture of its surroundings.
The said strip B previous to its insertion within A is coated or surrounded with &
suitable thickness of resilient material C, of any degree of density greater than
that of A, the object of this being to assist in the maintenance of the rigidity
of A against lateral force, I may either mould C around B and pass B C through
the aperture in A, or mould A surrounding C and pass B through an aperture in C
as may be required.
At certain intervals apertures are made in the base of A, and the under
surface of C, and corresponding in position thereto I bore or otherwise form
circular holes in, and through or partly through the strip B, the latter being
provided with internal or female screw threads.
The said tyre composed of A, B, C, in either of the manners described, may
be made to wholly surround the metallic tyre of the wheel circumferentially, and
the ends of B connected by rivets, buttons, links, studs or other suitable means,
while that of A may be connected by dowels, and the joint completed by the aid
of solution or other cement usually employed for that purpose. Or A, B, C, may
be divided into sections or segments and the abutting ends connected in the same
manner, in which case I may prefer to arrange that the ends of the segments B C
when moulded together occur alternately with the ends of the segments A, or
the segments A Cwhen moulded together, to occur alternately with the segments B,
and I may when practicable omit to connect the ends of the segments B together,
but may leave a short space therebetween to accommodate the expansion and
contraction of the metal.
In order to attach the thus constructed elastic tyre A B C, to the metallic
tyre D of the coach, carriage, waggon, cab, cart or other vehicle, it will be necessary
that radial holes be made in D and the felloes E, corresponding to and coinciding
with the apertures in the bases of A and C and the internally threaded holes in B,
which could be easily performed if the wheel be new, by the means usually
employed for making the holes for the bolts or rivets for fastening D to E, but
in adapting A B C to the wheels of vehicles that have been in use, I should
simply remove the existing bolts or rivets that had been used as stated, and
make the holes in the base of AC and in B to coincide therewith, so that when
the elastic tyre (whether continuous or in segments) is placed surrounding D,
suitable headed screw bolts F may be passed radially through said rivet holes,
and the holes or apertures in the base of A C, and screwed into the holes in B,
and thus hold A B C firmly upon D.
In order that the screwing home of F into B may not unduly compress or
distort the base of A and C I enlarge the apertures in the under surface of A,
and place therein a metallic or other hard substance washer G, which may be of a
thickness equal to or slightly less than the base of A, or that of the combined
bases of A and C, so that G may be embedded in said aperture and be flush with
or slightly below the surface of the base of A, but not in the least above it, by
this means the screwing home of F into B until G presses closely upon D, would
impart a slight but not distorting pressure upon the base of A or A. and C.
In Fig. 5 I show the base or under surface of A, the aperture X of which is of
a depth embracing A and C, so that the strip B would be seen and the bolt hole
therein when the washer G is absent. The deep washer G is shown in position
in the views 3. 4 and 8. The aperture X' in Fig. 5 is of a depth embracing the
base of A only, so that the removal of G, would expose to view the base of C,
and the bolt hole therein. The shallow washer is shown in position in Figs. 1. 2.
6. 7 and 9. At X" Fig. 5 the washer G is shown in position within the aperture
flush with the base of Å, but this as before mentioned may be slightly embedded
below the surface for the purposes stated.
Or the washer G, of either of the thicknesses named may be connected to or

page_text: formed integrally with B, and a screw thread formed therein in lieu of, or in
addition to the thread in the hole in B, for the reception of F, or when C is
moulded around B, the strip B may be reduced in thickness between the bolt
holes, as may be needed, and I may employ the use of any suitable locking
nut or other device applied to the head of the bolts F to retain them in position.
Or
I may where desirable interpose between the base of A, and D, a thin strip H,
preferably of metal, the lateral edges whereof a a' may be prolonged in an upward
direction to protect A and prevent lateral motion occurring thereto. This method
will be understood by reference to Fig. 6. The internal edges of a al may be so
shaped as to be slightly embedded within the substance of A as at Fig. 9.
the strip H may be prolonged in a downward direction embracing D as at Figs. 7
and 8. Or H may be curved or bent in cruss section in any manner, so as to
conform to, and coincide with, the more or less rounded edges of the partly worn
tyre D, but I wish it understood that the said strip H, whether of metal or other
material would be only of a sufficient stoutness to protect A for the purposes
stated, and does not, and cannot, take the place of the tyre D of the wheel E,
and I may where necessary interpose between metal and metal wherever this
occurs, a strip of canvas or other suitable material to prevent rattle and accommo-
date vibration, such a strip J, is shewn between H and D in Figs. 8 and 9. I may
construct H in sections or strips to facilitate repairs.
By the method and means herein described and shown of constructing an elastic
tyre I am enabled to attach the same to the existing wheels of vehicles, without
the need of removing the metallic or. binding tyre therefrom, and possibly without
providing bolt hcles in the felloes and said metallic tyre for holding the said
elastic tyre in position, other than those previously in use for holding on the tyre
of the wheel, and by constructing the elastic tyre in sections or segments in the
manner described I am enabled to replace or repair any worn part, without
removing more of the tyre than the section or segment in which said excessive
wear has taken place, and although as previously mentioned I am aware that
methods have hitherto been adopted for providing an elastic wearing surface for
the wheels of road vehicles, I am not aware, and do not believe that, any method
has hitherto been invented for constructing an elastic tyre, capable of, or intended
to, be attached to the existing wheels of vehicles without the need of removing
the metallic tyre thereon, and replacing it by a specially constructed tyre for the
purpose.
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.
1st. The method and means herein described and shown of rigidly attaching an
elastic tyre to the existing wheels of road vehicles generally without removing the
metallic or binding tyre therefrom or the need of a specially constructed metallic tyre
in place thereof, substantially as herein described and shown by the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. In combination with the existing wheels of road vehicles, with or without
having been previously in use, the construction and use of an elastic tyre A, of
any suitable material, of any consistency or combination of consistencies, and of
any convenient shape in cross section, but preferably having a flat base, and
provided with a longitudinal aperture, in which is placed a metallic or other hard
substance strip B, surrounded by any suitable substance C, either moulded upon B,
or within A, or separate from both, the density of which is greater than that of A.
The manner of connecting A B C in one piece or in sections or segments, to the
metallic tyre D, by the means of screw bolts F, passing radially through suitable
holes in D, and the felloes E, (which may be the rivet holes previously used for
holding D upon E,) and through apertures or openings in the base of A and C,
and screwed into, through or partly through the metallic or other strip B. The
manner of interposing a metallic or other washer G, between C and D, or between B

page_text: and D, or formed upon B and surrounding the bolt F, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and shown by the appended drawings.
3rd. In combination with the elastic tyre and vehicle wheel as set forth in the
preceding claim, the employment of a thin metallic or other strip H preferably
slightly less in diameter than the tyre D, and interposed between D and A with
upward or downward extension a a¹ or both, for protecting A from lateral displace-
ment and wear, substantially as herein described and shown by the drawings
hereunto annexed.
Dated thin 4th d 1000
Address for service,
P. A. CRAVEN,
%. Mr. G. T. Hyde, 4, Moorfields, London, E.C.