Improvements in Inflatable Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inflatable Tyres.
HERBERT GODSAL of 13 Bruton Street Berkeley Square London W. Barrister at
Law do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to inflatable tyres for wheels or other surfaces, which tyres
do not consist of perfect tubes but are of flat or other cross section and are capable
of being made to assure a tubular form and of being expanded in that form by
means of air, other gaз fluid or substauce under pressure.
a
To carry out my invention I require a flexible tyre of practically air tight
material, one edge of the tyre so moulded or formed that it has a depression running
circumferentially round the tyre near the aforesaid edge and having a bead ridge
or a depression running circumferentially round the tyre on the side of the
depression remote from the edge of the tyre, and which will engage with
corresponding depression or bead in the other edge of the tyre, and a bead or ridge
in this latter edge of the tyre running circumferentially internally round the tyre
inside of the last mentioned edge, two beads running circumferentially on the outer
side of the tyre one on each side of the tread of the tyre and at convenient distances
from it, a wheel rim whose edges lean inwards.
In carrying out my invention I place one edge of the tyre round the wheel rim or
other surface to which I desire to attach the tyre. I then place above this edge and
round the wheel rim or other surface the other edge of the tyre overlapping the first
mentioned edge of the tyre to such an extent that the whole of the depression in the
second mentioned edge of the tyre is more than overlapped by the first mentioned
edge of the tyre. I then insert any non return valve airtight through the first
mentioned edge of the tyre and with an air pump exhaust the air from within the
arch or other shaped depression, which forms a chamber running circumferentially
round the tyre (hereinafter called the vacuum chamber) by being placed on the first
mentioned edge of the tyre. This exhaustion of the air from the vacuum chamber
causes one edge of the tyre to be drawn firmly on to the other edge of the tyre, the
tyre will thus be rendered airtight and may be inflated in the ordinary way, the one
edge overlapping the other edge so much as is convenient so that the two beads on
the inside of the first mentioned edge of the tyre engage with the corresponding
bead or depression on the outer side of the other edge and the extreme outer
circumference of that edge respectively.
This inflation of the tyre will again press the one edge of the tyre on to the other
edge of the tyre by reason of the pressure of the air, gas fluid or other substance
under pressure which is used to inflate the tyre pressing the inner overlapping edge
of the tyre on to the outer overlapping edge of the tyre which outer edge will in its
turn be pressed closely on to the wheel rim or other surface to which it was
desired to attach the tyre.
I sometimes make the depression or moulding in the edge of the tyre above
referred to deeper than the real thickness of the tyre so that instead of merely
forming a depression in the material of the tyre the tyre is so shaped that the
substance of the tyre where the depression is made is so formed as to bulge

page_text: backwards and inwards but when the air is withdrawn from the vacuum chamber
this bulging part is drawn towards the other edge of the tyre.
I sometimes also make a depression in the first mentioned edge of the tyre
somewhat similar to that above described, in addition to, or instead of the depression
described in the other edge of the tyre.
Instead of withdrawing the air from the vacuum chamber by means of an
airpump I sometimes provide a non return valve fitted airtight through the
underneath or first mentioned edge of the tyre which will permit air to escape from
the vacuum chamber but not let any air enter therein. In this case 1 merely place
one edge of the tyre over the other, as I have above described and thereupon at
once begin to inflate the tyre, this presses one edge down on to the other and thus
renders the tyre airtight, and also the air pressing on the two edges of the tyre will
crush the sides of the vacuum chamber down on to one another; the air inside the
vacuum chamber will then be expelled through the non return valve and a more or
less complete vacuum established which again draws the two edges closely on to one
another. The internal inflation obviously pressing both edges down close on to the
rim or other surface to which it was desired to attach the tyre.
When by either of the above methods I have caused one edge of the tyre to be
forced tightly on to the other edge of the tyre the forcing of the two edges on to
one another, each one being made of suitable thickness, will cause the two edges
cach to spread out transversely so that each bead on each outer edge of the tyre
nearest the tread will be thrust outwards and will then come in contact with the
edges of the rim leaning inwards, this will hold the tyre the more firmly down
into the bed of the rim.
I sometimes dispense with the last mentioned circumferential beads, and edges of
the rim leaning inwards and in this case I provide a band passing tightly round the
inside of the rim over the first mentioned edge, and having joined the ends of this
band in any convenient manner the first mentioned edge is thereby held tight on to
the rim.
Dated this
143
day of September 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inflatable Tyres.
I, HERBERT GODSAL of 13 Bruton Street, Berkeley Square, W., Barrister-at-Law
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 :-
According to this invention I produce a pneumatic tyre which may be readily
opened for repairs, and may be made practically a complete tube before it is inflated.
I effect this result by forming the tubelike tyre of flexible practically airtight
material, and divided longitudinally i.e. circumferentially.
To one edge of the tyre so divided I attach a piece of flexible material preferably
of the same kind as the body of the tyre (which may have its springyness strengthened
by attaching any suitable substance) and formed in a piece with it, and so formed
that normally its transverse section is an arch with its concave side towards the
rim. The side of the arch nearest the junction with the body of the tyre projects
so as to form a ridge or bead running circumferentially round the tyre.
At a suitable distance from the outer edge, and on the inner surface, I form a

page_text: ridge or bead circumferentially round the tyre for the purpose of engaging and
interlocking with the ridge or bead last mentioned. I provide another ridge or
bead circumferentially round the inner surface of the tyre so placed that it will abut
against and engage with the edge of the arched piece remote from its junction with
the body of the tyre.
The edges of the arched piece and the two ridges or beads above mentioned may
be bevilled and strengthened by the insertion of metal or other suitable material, to
better ensure their engaging and forming airtight joints.
Between the two ridges or beads on the inner surface of the tyre I insert a non
return valve for the purpose of allowing the air to escape from the space between
the arched piece and the portion of the tyre between the ridges on the inner
surface when the tyre is being inflated. To facilitate the expulsion of the air
from the said space a grove or groves leading to the valve may be formed in the
surface.
I also provide an ordinary valve for the purpose of inflating the tyre.
Sometimes I use a rim with inturned edges, in which case I provide, on the
external surface of the tyre, beads or ridges to engage with and be thrust under the
inturned edges aforesaid.
Sometimes I use a rim without inturned edges in which case I provide a band or
wire passing over the inner surface of the portion of the tyre between the two
internal ridges for the purpose of binding it on to the rim, and also holding it there
when the tyre is opened for repairs.
In order that my invention and the manner in which I perform the same, may be
more readily understood I have inserted the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figures I. II. and III shew the tyre as used with a rim having inturned edges.
In Figure I. the tyre is placed ready for inflation, in Figs. II and III the tyre has
been inflated.
Figures IV and V similarly show the tyre as used with a rim without inturned
edges.
Like letters indicate like parts in the different figures.
A. is the arched piece attached to one edge of the tyre B.
A¹, A³, are the edges of the arched piece, projecting into ridges or beads.
A³, Aare the internal ridges or beads.
V is the non return valve.
W is the valve for inflating the tyre.
B1, B2, are the beads or ridges provided for the purpose of engaging with the
inturned edges of the rim C.
D is the band or wire binding the tyre into the rim, when the edges of the same
are not inturned.
The tyre being in position on the rim I bring the two edges A', A² of the arched
piece A to abut against and engage with the two ridges or beads A³, A+, on the
inner surface of the tyre.
The external beads or ridges B B are placed under the inturned edges of the
rim when the same are used.
By the inflation of the tyre, by means of the ordinary valve W pressure is exerted
on the arch piece A the edges of which A¹ A' are thus the more securely abutted
against and engaged with the ridges A' A' on the inner surface of the tyre, and the
external beads or ridges B B are thrust under and engaged with the inturned
edges of the rim (in cases when these edges are inturned).
As the tyre becomes more inflated the air in the space between the arched piece A
and the portion of the tyre between the ridges or beads A³ A is expelled through
the non return valve V and the surface of the arch piece A is flattened and brought
towards the portion of the tyre between the two ridges A³ A; outwards against
which the two ridges A2 A¹ at the same time thrust.
In the event of puncture therefore the attachment and seal of the tyre remain
intact.
Instead of the two valves V and W hereinbeforo mentioned I sometimes provide

page_text: one composite valve constructed to perform the functions of the said two valves.
This is inserted through both the portion of the tyre between the two internal
ridges or beads, A3 A4, and the arched piece A and is like an ordinary type of valve
but fitted with a non return bye pass direct into the open air and out of the space
between the arch piece A and the portion of the tyre between the two internal
ridges A³ A+.
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 tyre provided with an arch piece A; beads or ridges A1 A2 A3 A4; externa
beads or ridges B1 B2, and valves as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures I. II. III.
2. A tyre provided with an arch piece A; beads or ridges A1 A2 A3 A*; and a
band or wire D; and valves as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures IV and V.