Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1893
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Complete Specification Left, 12th May, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Wheeled
Vehicles.
ARTHUR BARRACLOUGH 24 Lower Pembroke Street Dublin Professor of
Singing, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto for the purpose of reducing friction and of eliminating the vibratory jar
consequent on the progress of wheeled vehicles along highways and other tracks,
their wheels have been fitted at the rim with air tubes, solid rubber tyres or
springs. I consider, however, that the attachment of such agents to the rims of
wheels has not proved sufficiently adequate to the particular end for which they
are employed; while, in the case of air tube tires their liability to puncture has
introduced an additional source of danger and inconvenience.
The principal feature of my invention is, the application of air chambers, and
other elastic media directly to the axle, or inner circumference of a wheel, and not
to the outer rim of a wheel, and so to eliminate all danger of perforation, and to
obtain increased resilience.
I will now explain succinctly the application of my invention to the wheels of
vehicles, and I can best do so by selecting a particular class of wheeled vehicle,
and, then, by giving a general statement of a few of my methods of applying air
chambers and other elastic media to the axles of the wheels of that particular
class of vehicle, a general idea will be obtained of their application to other wheeled
vehicles.
For illustrating these methods I select the bicycle as being the best suited for
that purpose.
0
One of my methods of applying an air chamber to the axle of a wheel is as
follows-
A reel deeply grooved will turn on, or form part of the axle of the wheel. The
elastic air chamber will in this instance prefarably be in the form of a hoop, and it
will be fitted into the groove of the reel gyrating or not on the axle. The outer
rim of the air chamber will be enclosed by a grooved jacket. The overlapping
parts of the reel and of the jacket will protect the air chamber to about two thirds
of its lateral diameter, thus leaving a sufficient space between the opposite rims of
the reel and jacket to allow the air chamber to follow the direction of force by
expansion. The jacket and the reel will be connected in a particular way, which,
at the same time that it will allow freedom of movement to the jacket when
responding to movements of the air chamber, will give the necessary stability to
both. The spokes will be attached to the jacket by their inner ends, and will
radiate outwards to the rim of the wheel to which they will be fastened.
I proceed now to explain shortly another method of applying air chambers to
wheels.
To each end of the axle will be attached a grooved wheel, into which will be
inserted an air chamber, prefarably in the form of a ring. The upper portion of
the air chamber will be enclosed and pressed upon by a grooved jacket attached to
the end of the steering fork of the front wheel, and to the rere frame bearing
of the hinder wheel. By particular contrivances the jacket will be able to respond
to the movements of the air chamber, and at the same time the necassary stability
will be ensured between it and the grooved wheel.

page_text: My next method of applying air chambers to the axle of a wheel is as follows
An air chamber, prefarably globular in form, will be partially enclosed by two
hemispherical, or other suitably shaped cups. The lower cup will be attached to
the end of the axle, and the upper cup will be attached to the end of the steering
fork of the front wheel, and to the end of the rear frame bearing of the hinder
wheel. The necessary freedom of movement on the part of the upper cup, and the
stability between the two cups is ensured by particular means.
Lastly (in this Specification) I will proceed to explain one of my methods of
using springs and air chambers in combination.
A strong coiled spring, like a watch spring, will be attached by its inner end to
the end of the axle, and an air chamber will be convolved within it. To the
outer end of the spring the end of the steering fork will be attached, and, in the
case of the hinder wheel, it will be attached to the end of the rear frame bearing.
This combined coil will be prevented from oscillating by suitable guards.
It is to be understood, as before mentioned, that these methods have been
explained in their application to bicycles only in this Specification, the inventor
having considered it better to select a particular kind of wheeled vehicle for
demonstrating on, but these methods are intended to be applied with suitable
adaptations to other wheeled vehicles, also to cycle saddles and lamps.
Any tire can be used in conjunction with the above methods.
Dated this 13th day of July 1893.
ARTHUR BARRACLOUGH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Wheeled
Vehicles.
ARTHUR BARRACLOUGH 24 Lower Pembroke Street Dublin Professor of
Singing 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 :-
Hitherto for the purpose of reducing friction and of eliminating the vibratory
jar consequent on the progress of wheeled vehicles along highways and other tracks
their wheels have been fitted at the rim with air tubes, solid rubber tyres or
springs. I consider, however, that the attachment of such agents to the rims of
wheels has not proved sufficiently adequate to the particular end for which they
are employed; while in the case of air tube tyres their liability to puncture has
introduced an additional source of danger and inconvenience. The principal
feature of my invention is the application of air chambers directly to the axle
or inner circumference of a wheel and not to the outer circumference or rim of a
wheel, and so to eliminate all danger of perforation and to obtain increased
resilience. I will now explain succinctly the application of my invention to the
wheels of vehicles, and I can best do so by selecting a particular class of wheeled
vehicle and then by giving a general statement of my method of applying air
chambers to the axles of the wheels of that particular class of vehicles a general
idea will be obtained of their application to other wheeled vehicles.
I select the bicycle as being the vehicle best suited to the above purpose.
My method of applying an air chamber to the axle of a wheel is as follows-
A reel deeply grooved will turn on, or form part of the axle of the wheel. The
elastic air chamber will in this instance preferably be in the form of a hoop, and it
will be fitted into the groove of the reel, gyrating or not on the axle. The outer
rim of the air chamber will be enclosed by a grooved jacket. The overlapping
sides of the reel and of the jacket will protect the air chamber to about two thirds
of its lateral diameter, thus leaving a sufficient space between the opposite rims of

page_text: the reel and the jacket to allow the air chamber to follow the direction of force by
expansion. The jacket and the reel will be connected in a particular way which at.
the same time that it will allow freedom of movement to the jacket when responding
to the movements of the air chamber will give the necessary stability to both..
The spokes will be attached to the jacket by their inner ends and will radiate
outwards to the rim of the wheel to which they will be fastened.
. In many cases the simple grooved axle reel and also the plain grooved outer
jacket may not allow of sufficient resilience on the part of the air tube or chamber,.
therefore, in order the better to take up the thrust arising from anything causing
vibration to the periphery of the wheel, and also to allow for vertical expansion
I fit the grooved reel with transverse rods or tubes either passing from the top of
one rim of the reel to the top of the rim of the other side, or else placed at such a.
distance lower down within the groove as may be found most desirable.
I now proceed to elucidate by means of accompanying drawings in 2 sheets.
those essential points which together form the distinctive and novel nature of my
invention.
Figure 1. (Sheet 1.) shows the axle a, the grooved reel thereon b, the outer-
grooved jacket c and its flange d into which the spokes e are inserted, the air
chamber, the transverse rods or tubes g, between which the air tube or chamber
expands, the side plate h which is firmly attached by screws n to the outside of
the grooved reel b and circumferentially enclosing the flange d of the grooved
jacket c by its lateral depth, revolves with the wheel and retains the grooved.
jacket c in true line with the axis a.
Figure 2 (Sheet 1.) shows the reel b and the axle a with the transverse rods or
tubes g placed for convenience sake, not from rim to rim of the grooved reel, but
lower down in the groove.
Figure 3 (Sheet 1.) shows a median section of the grooved jacket c, the air
chamber and the grooved reel b, also the positions of the transverse rods g within
the grooved jacket c and the grooved reel b, between which rods the air chamber is
seen to expand. It may be convenient to dispense with the rods g and replace.
them by a corrugation of the inner surfaces of the jacket c and the reel b, using the
elevations or points of intersection instead of the rods; or, indeed in some cases, to
fit a seperate corrugated lining to the ordinary concave inner surfaces of the reel.
and jacket.
Figure 4. (Sheet 2) shows the outside plate ready for attachment to the reel
or hub by means of screws. m. m. m. are three or more slots through pass.
studs into the flange d. These slots allow of a vertical motion between the jacket.
and the reel while preventing any lateral list of the wheel itself, and in the event
of any accident occurring to the air chamber the studs can be fastened so as to hold.
the wheel centered and so enable the vehicle to proceed to its destination.
Figure 5. (Sheet 2.) shows the plate h in position, the studs being omitted for
the sake of clearness.
Figure 6 (Sheet 2) shows the plate h removed, the jacket c, the flange d, the air
tube or chamber f, and the reel b.
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 :-
First. The application of a seperate pneumatic tube or chamber at the place.
where the vibration should properly be intercepted and absorbed, that is at the
axle.
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Second. That by means of the jacket, reel, and air chamber I get the greatest-
amount of resilience in the smallest space, specially when combined in some cases.
with transverse rods or corrugations.
Third. Absolute immunity from puncture.
Fourth. That in conjunction with my invention any tyre, solid cusbion or

page_text: otherwise can be used with all the advantages of a pneumatic tyre without any
of its drawbacks.
Fifth. That all the advantages of a pneumatic tyre are secured at a cheaper rate
and by a novel method.
Sixth. That in the event of any accident befalling the pneumatic tube or
chamber provision is made for an immediate adjustment of the centre of the wheel
whereby the vehicle is enabled to proceed to its destination.
Dated this 10th day of May 1894.
ARTHUR. BARRACLOUGH.