Improved Means for Automatically Inflating Pneumatic Tyres of Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Automatically Inflating Pneumatic Tyres of
Velocipedes.
FREDERICK O'REILLY 100 Main Street Bray County Wicklow Ireland Shop
Assistant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A thin metal tube placed in the same manner as a spoke extending from the air
valve in rim to the hub or centre of wheel, to the side of this tube and connecte I
therwith an air pump is fixed the piston rod of which points towards and is kept by
a spring pressed against an eccentric which is attached to the axle of the wheel so
that as the wheel revolves the piston rod travels round the eccentric and so forces
the air out of the pump through the tube into the tyre. The supply of air is
regulated in the following manner. A rod let into a piece of indian rubber projecting
from the air tube through the rim of the wheel this rod has at its other end a hook
or catch which holds the pump rod off the eccentric until the tyre becomes flat from
want of air when it presses this piece of rubber pushing the regulating rod slightly
forward thereby releasing the pump rod. This occurs every revolution of the wheel
until the tyre is sufficiently pumped to prevent its pressing the rubber. An ajusting
screw is also attached to the piece of rubber in rim of wheel by which the hardness
of the tyre can be regulated.
Dated this 18th day of Mar 1892
FREDERICK O'REILLY.
No text detected.

page_text: whereupon the piston rod being thus released will be operated by the eccentric disc
before mentioned and will pump air into the tyre.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood I will now proceed
to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying drawing which is a side view
of a portion of a wheel fitted with my invention.
A is the fork, to the inner side of which the eccentric disc B is secured in a
position eccentric to the wheel axis. C is the pump barrel, and C¹ is the delivery
pipe thereof which is connected with the air-valve D of the tyre E. C* is the
piston rod of the pump, and C³ is a spiral spring which presses said piston rod
towards the eccentric disc B. To the outer end of the said piston rod is pivoted a
curved piece or shoe C which is adapted to engage with the eccentric disc B.
F is a rod which can slide radially in guides Fo. Said rod is provided with a hook
or catch F at the inner end thereof which is adapted to engage with a projection C³
on the piston rod as hereinafter described. The other end of the rod F passes
through an opening in the felloe of the wheel, and is connected with a rubber foot
piece F2 in the air-tube. Opposite to the said foot piece is a rubber pad G fixed
within the said air-tube as shown. The upper end of the rod F is curved or
inclined at F and engages with a projection C on the air-tube, being maintained in
contact with said projection by a spring F.
The operation of my improved device is as follows:-When the tyre is fully.
inflated, the catch F' at the inner end of the rod F holds the piston rod back so that
the shoe C of said piston rod cannot engage with the eccentric disc B. In this
position of the rod the pump is not worked when the wheel is rotated. When
the air-tube becomes partially deflated, and consequently collapses slightly, the
pad G thereof is forced into contact with the foot piece F2 of the rod F, when the
parts of the tyre adjacent thereto come in contact with the ground. The rod F is
thereby forced inwards or towards the hub of the wheel and by the projection C*
is moved laterally so as to release the piston rod C' which latter under the influence
of the spring C³ re-engages with the eccentric disc and so puts the pump in action
whereupon more. air is forced into the tyre. When however the tyre is fully
inflated, the part G no longer presses upon the foot piece F* and consequently the
pump is not operated.
Immediately the part of the tyre adjacent to the pad G is by the rotation of the
wheel raised from the ground, the circular form is restored and consequently the
rod F is free to move out again into the position wherein it can engage with
and lock the piston rod when the latter has completed its inward stroke. The end,
of the projection C is made oblique so that it can press back the hook F¹ and
re-engage therewith. If the tyre is still insufficiently inflated the pad G will again
operate to release the piston rod of the pump at the next revolution of the wheel
and the action will be repeated, one stroke of the pump being made at each
revolution of the wheel.
My invention enables cyclists to dispense with the air-pump which is usually
carried, as the wheel constantly re-inflates itself when the machine is ridden. In the
case of inflation being required after repair of the tyre for instance the pump may
be worked by spinning the wheel round.
My improved pump attachment is easily fitted to wheels and is moreover
inexpensive to manufacture.
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. A velocipede wheel having a tyre inflating pump attached thereto in com-
bination with automatic means whereby the pump is worked when and only when
the tyre becomes partially deflated, for the purpose specified.
2. The devices substantially as herein described for locking and unlocking the
piston rod of the air-pump, for the purpose specified.

page_text: 3. The automatic inflating mechanism constructed substantially as described with
reference to the drawing, and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 18th day of March 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.