Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1892
Como ete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I, SYDNEY LEE of 9 Furnival Street, in the City of London, Auctioneer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pneumatic tyres for various kinds of wheels, particularly
cycle wheels, and has reference to the construction of the tyre and the means for
fastening it on. The tyre is composed of an air tube which may be of pure rubber
with the addition of canvas if desired; this is contained in a covering which may
be constructed as follows:- -The tread portion 1 prefer to inake of a strip or sheet
of canvas or rubber and canvas, or the like provided with wires, cords selvedges or
other non-stretchable devices at the edges; this would constitute substantially one-
half of the cover of the air tube. The other half or portion of the cover may
consist of canvas or other suitable flexible material provided as before with wires or
other similar devices at its edges. A section of the tyre would thus consist of the
air tube with the two part-covers entirely surrounding it and preferably so arranged
as to join, meet or overlap, and fit as closely as may be at their edges. The whole
of this tyre is secured to the rim, which may be of any suitable construction say for
example a simple shallow channel, solely by the inflation of the air tube, any
may be
suitable means for accomplishing this preferably through the rim
employed.
If desired other means besides the inflation may be employed to secure one or
both of the part-covers and therefore the whole tyre to the rim; for example the
part-cover nearest the rim may be partly or entirely solutioned thereto.
As it is desirable to protect as much as possible the air tube I have mentioned
that the two part-covers should effect as close a union at their junction as possible
but I wish it understood that I can if I like construct the tyre so that these parts
do not join and I may provide the air tube with ribs or equivalent either to fill up
any space between the two part-covers, to strengthen the air tube, to secure either
of the part-covers, or to make or assist in making a close joint between them.
The tread portion or outer part-cover may be made of one or more sheets of
canvas as previously described with or without the addition of rubber and with or
without a tread of leather or other equivalent material which if desired may be
moulded to the shape of the tyre, some of the advantages of this arrangement being
the non-liability to slip and a protection against puncturing.
I have described the cover as being made in two parts but I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to two parts only and that I may make the joint or joints
at any part of the tyre, and in any required manner. For example one part-cover say
the inner one may be provided with the wires or equivalent at the edges as before
and the other with hooks clips or the like so arranged as to engage securely with
the other portion. Instead of making the cover in two distinct parts as previously
described it may be in the form of a complete tube divided on one line the opering

page_text: being closed in any desired manner and the cover secured to the rim by solution or
otherwise if required.
Dated this 13th day of December 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I, SYDNEY LEE, of 9 Furnival Street, in the City of London, Auctioneer, 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 pneumatic tyres for various kinds of wheels, particularly
cycle wheels, and has reference to the construction of the tyre and the means for
fastening it on. The tyre is composed of an air tube which may be of pure rubber
with the addition of canvas if desired; this is contained in a covering which may be
constructed as follows,-The tread portion I prefer to make of a strip or sheet of
canvas or rubber and canvas, or the like provided with wires, cords, selvedges or
other non-stretchable devices at the edges; this would constitute substantially one-
half of the cover of the air tube. The other half or portion of the cover may
consist of canvas or other suitable flexible material provided as before with wires or
other similar devices at its edges. A section of the tyre would thus consist of the
air tube with the two part-covers entirely surrounding it and preferably so arranged
as to join, meet or overlap, and fit as closely as may be at their edges. The whole
of this tyre is secured to the rim, which may be of any suitable construction say for
example a simple shallow channel, solely by the inflation of the air-tube, any
suitable means for accomplishing which preferably through the rim may be
employed.
If desired other means besides the inflation may be employed to secure one or
both of the part-covers and therefore the whole tyre to the rim; for example the
part-cover nearest the rim may be partly or entirely solutioned thereto.
As it is desirable to protect as much as possible the air-tube I have mentioned
that the two part-covers should effect as close a union at their junction as possible
but I wish it understood that I can if I like construct the tyre so that these parts
do not join and I may provide the air-tube with ribs or equivalent either to fill up
any space between the two part-covers, to strengthen the air-tube, to secure either
of the part-covers, or to make or assist in making a close joint between them.
The tread portion or outer part-cover may be made of one or more sheets of
canvas as previously described with or without the addition of rubber and with or
without a tread of leather or other equivalent material which if desired may be
moulded to the shape of the tyre, some of the advantages of this arrangement being
the non-liability to slip and a protection against puncturing.
I have described the cover as being made in two parts but I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to two parts only and that I may make the joint or
joints at any part of the tyre, and in any required manner. For example one part-
cover say the inner one may be provided with the wires or equivalent at the edges
as before and the other with hooks clips or the like so arranged as to engage
securely with the other portion. Instead of making the cover in two distinct parts
as previously described it may be in the form of a complete tube divided on one
line the opening being closed as described and the cover secured to the rim by
solution or otherwise if required.
In the accompanying drawings, each of which is a section through the complete
tyre and rim showing the construction and method of fastening, like letters represent
like parts in all the figures.
Referring first to Figure 1, A represents an air-tube of any ordinary construction

page_text: preferably of pure rubber without any canvas or the like although canvas can be
used in it if desired. Outside the air-tube A is a cover B formed of canvas, silk or
other suitable material with or without rubber. This cover B is a flat strip of the
material, say canvas, having at each edge a wire, cord, selvedge, or other suitable
thickening device C. C I prefer to make of wire and it may be secured to the
cover B in any suitable manner as by turning over the edge of the canvas to form
a pipe in which the wire is carried or the cover B may be woven as a complete tube
flattened out so as to present two thicknesses and carrying the wires at the edges as
clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The wires, cords or other devices C are formed
into circles or hoops and the ends of the strip of canvas B are brought together and
joined up so that that also forms a circle adapted to the size of the wheel, the
cover B thus consisting of the canvas forming à circle and the two hoops C also
forming circles, the cross sectional view when the tyre is inflated being as
represented in Fig. 1.
D represents another cover substantially the same as though usually B would
have a covering of rubber of some thickness upon the tread of the wheel, whereas D
would not always require such a covering. Usually I find it desirable to ensure
that the exposed portions of D shall be properly waterproof and may cover or
impregnate parts or the whole of D with thin rubber or other suitable material for
that purpose.
E represents the rim of the wheel and may be of any ordinary construction and
carry the spokes in any suitable manner.
In fitting to a wheel a tyre constructed in the manner shown in Figure 1 the
inner cover D is placed into the rim E, the air tube A is then placed in or upon the
cover D and the cover B is then placed over the air-tube and upon the cover D,
the wire hoops of the cover B being preferably of smaller diameter than the wire
hoops of the inner cover D so that these wire hoops of D will prevent the wire
hoops of B from being drawn past them when the tyre is inflated. In practice I
find there is little risk of this as the non-stretchability of the hoop prevents any
slipping, so that the hoops need not necessarily be drawn past one another. The
drawing, Fig. 1, represents the tyre when inflated and it will be seen that the
inflation of the tyre A makes a secure lock between the two hoops C upon each side
thereof, while the canvas or similar material B D being inelastic there is no danger
of the whole tyre coming out of the rim, so that these covers while forming a
protection to the air-tube also form an absolute fastening of the whole tyre on to
the wheel rim E without any means of directly securing the tyre to the rim,
although if desired means such as solution or the like may be employed to connect
the inner cover D with the rim. In practice I do not find any such connection
between the inner cover D and the rim E to be necessary but it is sometimes a
convenience to have the cover D fixed to the rim as then D will always be in its
proper position. The same would apply in the case of the inner part of the single
cover illustrated in Figures 3 to 5.
To remove the air-tube for repairs or other reason all that is necessary is to
deflate it when the cover B is instantly entirely free (except where held to the rim
by the air-valve) and both cover and air-tube may be removed as also can the
cover D should that not be secured to the rim. Upon inflating the tyre A, the
covers having been placed as previously described, immediately lock themselves
and the whole tyre securely in position.
As in case of puncture, the cover 13, and, if not secured to the rim, the inner
cover D also, would be entirely free and the whole tyre might thus escape from the
rim and cause an accident, I may employ any suitable means to prevent this, a
convenient device consisting of the flaps or bands F shown in Fig. 3 (but applicable to
the other forms) which pass around the rim and are connected together by a button G
and buttonhole, hook and eye or other suitable device. These flaps or bands are not
intended to hold the tyre on under ordinary circumstances, but merely to prevent
it from coming off in case of accident; they may be dispensed with, but I prefer to
have them or some equivalent device...

page_text: In Figure 2 the device illustrated is substantially the same as in Fig. 1 but a
shallower rim is shown and the top cover B is carried further round while the inner
cover D is made narrower so that the wire-hoops join near the edges of the rim E;
otherwise the tyre is the same as that described with reference to Fig. 1.
In Fig. 3 the same idea embodied but instead of employing two separate covers
I employ a single cover B of greater breadth than either of the covers B previously
described and adapted to entirely envelop the air-tube A; this cover has two wire
or other hoops C only, one preferably of larger diameter than the other the hoops
and covers overlapping in the manner previously described. In the drawings I
have shown the wire hoops or hoop C appertaining to the outer cover B or to the
outer portion of the cover as being of smaller diameter than the wire hoops or
hoop of the inner cover D or portion of the cover and the corresponding cover
or portion of the cover overlapping, but it will be understood that this arrange-
ment may be reversed. I also wish to make it clear that although I prefer to make
the hoops C of different diameters as there is no difficulty in forcing the larger
hoop through the smaller one on account of the wires readily accommodating them-
selves to such a proceeding, yet in practice the hoops may be made very nearly if
not absolutely of the same size.
The forms shown in Figures 4 and 5 are merely an extension of Figure 3, the
inner portion of the cover being carried round over the air tube A to the opposite
side, so that the cover is double at the tread portion of the tyre as shown in Fig. 4
and the wires C are at opposite sides of the tyre instead of close together as in
Fig. 3.
The wire at the left hand side of Fig. 4 is between the cover B and the
air tube A, while the wire upon the right hand side of that figure lies outside that
portion of the cover B which is in contact with the air tube. Any of these covers
or parts thereof may be thickened at the tread portion; thus in Fig. 1 I have
shown the whole of cover B thickened; in Fig. 2 nearly the whole; in Fig. 3 about
one-half and in Figs. 4 and 5 only about one-third. In some cases particularly for
racing purposes no thickening is required, but the cover may be impregnated or
covered with rubber.
Fig. 6 embodies the same idea as Fig. 4 but one wire only is employed and the
double part of the canvas is between the air tube and the rim instead of being at
the tread of the tyre. In this arrangement one edge of the cover has no wire and
is placed in the rim and solutioned wired or in any convenient manner secured
thereto; the cover is then wound round the air tube, the other edge with its wire
hoop C being carried so far round as to be gripped between the air tube and the
first or outer fold of the cover. This arrangement is clearly shown in Fig. 6 and
is found to hold the tyre firmly upon the rim. The edge of this cover may be
carried round to the under side of the rim if desired and divided so as to pass the
spokes if necessary.
Each pair of hoops instead of practically touching as indicated in the drawings,
may be a somewhat considerable distance apart leaving the air tube exposed, or it
may be specially protected and strengthened to prevent bulging; I have success-
fully used them as much as half an inch apart the pressure in the tyre preventing
them from slipping. The wires may be placed at any part of the tyre, say for
instance at the very centre of the tread and more than two covers may be used and
also more wires, though I consider two covers and four wires sufficient.
I find that of each contiguous pair of hoops, the inner one need not be non-
expansible as the outer hoop will keep the inner one from spreading as it is merely
squeezed between the air tube and the outer wire; it is therefore possible to make
the inner hoop a mere bead or thickening of the edge of the cover and it will
still be sufficient to prevent the cover slipping past the other cover. However
I prefer to use wires in both cases.
It will therefore be seen that by the arrangements above set forth I have pro-
duced a tyre cover and a tyre fastening in one which entirely dispenses with the
necessity for any special fastening between the cover or tyre and the rim of the
wheel.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,.
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
1. Securing an inflatable tyre to the rim of the wheel by means of two non-.
expansible covers substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. Securing an inflatable tyre to the rim of the wheel by means of a non-expan--
sible cover entirely surrounding the air-tube substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. Securing an inflatable tyre to the rim of the wheel by means of a non-expan--
sible cover entirely surrounding the air tube and overlapping so as to present a
double surface at one part and to open out and expose the air tube substan-.
tially as described and illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In an inflatable tyre securing one cover to another by means of four hoops.
rings or equivalent the outer one of each pair being non-expansible one at each
edge of each cover the said hoops or covers overlapping and being prevented from
disengagement by the inflation of the tyre substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
5. In an inflatable tyre securing one edge of a cover to the other edge by means
of two hoops rings or equivalent one secured to each of the said edges the edges of
the cover overlapping and being retained in position solely by the pressure
in the tyre substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
6. In an inflatable tyre the combination with an air tube of a cover such as B.
having a hoop ring or equivalent such as C at each edge and a second cover such
as D also having a hoop at each edge substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
7. In an inflatable tyre the combination with the rim of the wheel of an air-
tube A two covers such as B D and four hoops or rings such as C substantially as.
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8. In an inflatable tyre the combination with an air-tube of a cover secured to
the rim at one edge or part and having a non expansible hoop or ring at the other
edge the cover entirely surrounding the air tube and overlapping substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
0. A-complete-pneumatic tyre consisting of a pure rubber air tube and a cover or
eovers of canvas-only.
Dated this 20th day of January 1809
SYDNEY LEE.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant..