Improvements in Valves for Pneumatic Tires and like Articles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 13:h May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Valves for Pneumatic Tires and like Articles.
We, FRANKLIN EUGENE RICKMAN, residing at No. 4, Hancock Place, in the
Borough of Manhattan, in the City and State of New York, Engineer, and
CARRIE AUGUSTA HAWTHORN, residing at No. 193, Hawthorne Street, Flatbush,
in the Borough of Brooklyn, in the City and State of New York, aforesaid,
Matron, 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:-
:-
.The improvement relates to the valve and adjacent parts through which air is
forced into the tire in the act of inflating. The invention is intended mainly
for bicycles, and we will describe it as thus applied.
It can be embodied in other articles, as pneumatic saddles, for example, as well
as in pneumatic tires, the valve occupying a relation to the air bag or pneumatic
cushion in these other articles like that which it occupies in the corresponding part
of the pneumatic tire. The embodiment in a pneumatic tire being considered
the practical application of the invention, this will be set forth in the following
description and claims in terms of such tire, it being left to the reader to make
such changes of expression or verbiage as shall adapt the same to other pneumatic
articles.
The ordinary valve and adjacent parts involve a branch composed of a soft
rubber tube of small diameter, connecting with the interior of the tire and extend-
ing through a hole in the wheel rim in the direction inward toward the center of
the wheel. The inflating the tire and the securing the aperture after the connee-
tion to the pump is removed, is effected through the branch extending through
on the inner side of the wheel rim. It is a serious objection to the extending
of the branch through the rim, that if, as frequently happens with bicycles, the
cement or other fastening of the tire to the rim is insufficient, and the tire creeps
around on the rim, it strains and is liable to tear the branch. We have devised
a new construction of the valve. It is advantageous to arrange the valve on some
portion of the tire which is not likely to be pressed on the ground; in other words,
it must not be on the tread."
66
We locate the valve at the side of the tire at a point just beyond the edge of
the rim, and dispense with the branch, making such a change in the construction
aud giving such dimensions and proportions to the parts that the whole can be
contained in a little more than the usual thickness of the tire. The slight increase
above the usual thickness of the tire at this point, is mainly on the inside of the
tire. so that the outside will present a practically continuous smooth surface. A

page_text: wheel with such tire may run close to another portion of the machine without
touching, or if it does touch, sliding smoothly past without involving any
difficulty.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent
what we consider the best means of carrying out the invention.
Fig. is a cross section showing a portion of the tire adjacent to the valve.
Fig. 2 is a section through the valve showing a portion on a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a corresponding section showing a portion on a still larger scale, and
Fig. 4 is a section corresponding to Fig. 3, but with the flexible portion
deformed by the strong pressure of the air tending to force it inward.
Fig. 5 is a corresponding cross section of certain portions showing a modifica-
tion, and
Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section on a smaller scale, showing another
modification.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures
where they appear.
A is the bicycle rim, represented as one of the modern continuous wood rims,
of sufficient thickness, and properly shaped. B B are the ordinary slightly
inclined spokes. It will be understood that there may be any suitable form of
hub or center of the wheel, and any suitable mode of construction of the nearly
radial wires which we will term the spokes.
Dis the tire. E is the shank of a hollow plug of brass or other suitable metal,
which extends radially through a close fitting hole in the tire, clear of the rim A,
and which performs important functions. E is a smooth round head presented
on the inside. E are screw threads on the exterior of the shank. G is a serew-
threaded collar or thin circular nut, engaged on the screw threads 3. It i
swelled on its outer face and provided with holes g, as indicated in in Fig. 2, by
which it may be strongly turned. The pressure should he sufficient to sink it
into the shallow recess previously formed in the exterior of the tire, so that il-
rounded outer surface shall stand flush with, or but slightly projecting beyond the
outer surface of the tire. We introduce a thin metal washer Funder this nut
in the bottom of the shallow recess in the outer face of the tire, and introduce a
thin rubber washer H, under the head E' on the inner face of the tire.
A screw-threaded hole e in the axis of this plug, having a contraction at the
inner end and an enlargement at the outer end but screw-threaded the main
portion of its length, serves as a socket for receiving the ordinary coupling, not
shown, through which to force in the air in the act of charging, and for receiving
the solid and tightly fitting closing plug for the final and absolutely safe closure
of the orifice after the pipe is disconnected. These parts and also the peculiarly
constructed self-acting valve which allows the air to enter with freedom and
forbids its escape, while the plug is removed during the periods of inflation, are
all made of such dimensions and so arranged that they are contained in the
slight length of the shank of the screw plug Ê E', a little more than the thickness
of the material of the tire.
I is a tight stopping plug, screw-threaded and equipped with a packing ring
of soft rubber J. partially sunk in a circular groove produced on the conical under
face of the head 1. The valve is formed of two parts M and 0. The part 0
is a screw-threaded piece of metal having an axial orifice extending through it.
and small head 0%, connected with a smaller neck on the end which is pre-
sented toward the interior of the tire. M is a hollow conical cap, of soft rubber
equipped with an internal flange or lip M', which can be strained over the
head and engaged around the neck 0. The apex of the cone is slit, as
indlieated by m.
When the plug II' is removed, au ordinary coupling, not shown, can be screwed
into the hole in the interior of the shank E, and on working the pump, not
shown, air is forced into the tire, moving through the hollow interior of the metal
portion . which may he termed the bed of the valve, and continuing its movement

page_text: head 3, and the smaller neck O'. Fig. 5 shows such a construction. With this
form of the invention the cap M without the internal lip M, is inserted dexterously
in its place, being forced inward through the screw-threaded interior of the main
plug E, by the aid of a wire or other simple pusher, not shown, and after it has
been carefully set in place with its slitted point protruding a little beyond the
face of the head E the pusher by which it is inserted is withdrawn, the hard
bed is introduced and turned until it bears properly against the plain lip or
rim of the soft rubber cap, holding it simply by concussion induced between itself
and the interior of the contraction e'. This will serve usefully, but we prefer the
construction first described.
The length of the taper of the conical cap M may be varied. It may vary con-
siderably from a strictly conical form.
In the modification shown on Fig. 6, the hard bed O, with its neck and head
corresponding to the neck and head O in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is fitted into the
ordinary barrel W, which may extend as usual through the wheel rim, not shown.
The hard portion is screwed down into the interior of the barrel, and the rubber
cone M, with its slit m performs in a similar manner to that in the other forms of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The hollow screw plug E approximating in length the thickness of the tire,
and set in the same, said plug having the inner head, outer externally threaded
portion, and longitudinal orifice e, in combination with a thin nut engaging
said externally threaded portion and compressing the tire material to occupy a
depression therein, and a suitable valve device located in the plug, substantially
as herein specified.
2. The hollow screw plug E set in the tire, having its entire length but little
greater than the thickness of a tire, provided with external screw-threads E, and
internal screw-threaded orifice e, in combination with the pneumatic tire D), having
the hole d, and the sunk area surrounding the same on the exterior face, the
thin nut & engaged by the outer threads with the screw plug and sunk tightly
into said recess, and a suitable automatic valve device engaged by the inner threads
at the inner end of the screw plug, all arranged to serve substantially as herein
specified.
3. The hollow screw plug E approximating in length the thickness of the tire,
and set in the same, said plug having the inner head, outer externally threaded
portion and longitudinal orifice e, in combination therewith, an outer securing
nut G, an automatic valve device located within the orifice e, and comprising
a hollow cap M of rubber or analogous yielding material, having a thin aperture
or split m. and a hollow plug O, having the cap M engaged with its inner end to
be carried and held thereby in position to support it against back pressure, sub-
stantially as herein specified.
4. The hollow screw plug E approximating in length the thickness of the tire
and set in the same, said plus having the inner head, outer externally threaded
portion, and longitudinal orifice e, reduced at its inner end by the contraction cl
in combination therewith, an outer securing nut G, an automatic valve device
located in said orifice, and comprising a hollow cap M of rubber or analogous
yielding material having a thin aperture or slit m, and a hollow plug O, having
the cap engaged with its inner end to be carried and held thereby in position
to support it against back pressure, substantially as herein specified.
5. In a valve for pneumatic tires, the hollow screw plug E, and means for hold-
ing it provided with the axial passage e, having the contraction e', at the inner end,
and the enlargement at the outer end, in combination with a valve device com-
prising the flexible cap M. having the slit m and the hollow valve bed 0, with
provisions as screw threads, for adjusting the bed to confine the cap within the

page_text: through the slit m in the conical soft rubber portion M. It is practicable to give
such form and thickness to this small rubber piece M. M' m, that it will open readily
against a strong pressure in the interior of the tire by a stronger pressure induced
in the interior of the valve through the compressing action of the pump. and the
air can thus find admission into the tire until a sufficient tension is attained.
and when the pump action stops and the connection is withdrawn, such hollow
conical part will close under the pressure of the air on its exterior and prevent
the escape of the air during the brief period while this is depended upon to retain
the air before the tight plug I IJ can be applied and tightly set.
Our invention will usually be applied to the tire in the course of its manufacture.
In such case the screw plug, EE, and its contained parts, may be introduced
from the interior and the shank E is forced easily outward through the yielding
material of the tire 1). Cases may arise in which it becomes necessary or expedient
to introduce these parts after the tire is completed. In such case more difficulty
is involved, but the highly vielding material of the tire will allow of a temporary
distention to admit the head E. The process of introducing our valve under those
conditions is briefly as follows:-First, apply the thin soft rubber washer H on
the hollow plug EE, and screw a stout threaded wire not shown, into the interior
of the shank to allow it to be held and strongly operated from the outside, and
having produced a small round hole at the right point in the side of the tire D.
temporarily strain open such hole sufficiently to allow the head 1', which may
he presented nearly edgewise, to be thrust through. Then the material of i
being allowed to close tightly around the shank E, the holder, which had been
temporarily inserted in the shank, is unscrewed and removed, the thin metal
washer is slipped on the outer end of the shank and the nut G is engaged on the
hollow plug and turned, compressing tightly the material of D.
Care should be taken to so proportion the parts that this nut may be screwed
home without sinking its outer surface so as to allow the end of the shank to
extend more than flush. Preferably E is allowed to terminate a little inside of
the outer face of the nut G.
Before or after thus introducing these parts into their place in the tire, the
mall rubber cap M, is engaged over the head 02, and the valve bed 0, 0, 0,
thus equipped, is engaged with the screw threads in the interior of the shank E
and serewed down until it is home. This, after the proper inflating of the tire,
as above, is followed by the final holding plug. [ I', with its tight fitting pack-
ing ring J.
The soft rubber parts M. M'm, allow the compressed air in the tube to act around
the conical inward projection and close the slit m very tightly. In case the
pressure obtaining within the tube is so great as to further change the form of the
soft rubber part M after it has closed the slit m, it will simply contract its length.
The end of the head is flattened to afford a reliable support to the conical
soft rubber M when the air forcing means are removed and this valve is alone
depended upon to resist the strong pressure of the air which distends the tire.
Such pressure can only flatten the conical end of M upon the flat face which forms
the inner end of the valve bed 0 0 02. It does not allow the air to escape, but
rather holds it with more tightness under these conditions. Figure shows the
form which the soft rubber may assume when the tension of the compressed air
in the tire is very great.
Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing
the advantages of the invention. The screw-threads E may extend further along
on the shank E even quite to the head E. The recess on the outer face of the tire
to allow the round nut & to sink in so that its outer face shall be nearly flush.
may be shallower, so that the outer face may project more, but in such case it is
important that its edge be beveled so that if the front tire thus equipped through
any mal-adjustment or great strain, hits the fork, it will glide smoothly by.
Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. We can dispense with
the interior lip M, on the soft rubber cap M, and in such case can omit the small

page_text: contracted end, and with the closing plug I having a packing ring J attached, all
arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 28th day of March 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants