Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left,, 7th May, 1897-Accepted, 12th June 1897'
I ROBERT POTTER of 46 Bold Street, Moss Side, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer; do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be:ns
follows:-
My said invention relates to elastic wheel tyres and especially to pneumatic tyres:
My object is chiefly, to diminish the danger of disablement from accidental' puncture
by increasing the number of air spaces and by a particular construction and arrange-
ment of the same.
For instance under a convenient arrangement I form the tyre from a number
of rubber air tubes pleated into a rope shape and either with or without a' central
hollow or solid core. These air tubes of which there may be any suitable number,
are inflated with air under pressure a valve being provided for each tube: The inflated
tubes swell and fill the ordinary outer cover without any appreciable' irregularity: If
one of the tubes should become punctured and deflated the remaining tubes are
sufficient. to make up for the deficiency and' event if more than one of the tubes
should be deflated the remainder will, always form a sufficient reserve with which to
continue the journey, especially, if the inner core tube should be inflated to assist in
packing, the cover. Instead of twisting the air tubes' into a rope, they might be
pleated together so as to assume in balk any desired sectional shape whether round'or
semi-circular or square or of other forms..
I,might. also use iny, improved multiple airttubes to form an air cushion at the base
of a solid rubber tyre especially in the case of carriages, auto-motors or the like
heavier class of vehicle. The strands or coils or servings of air tubing are capable
of being extracted and repaired as in the case of the present inflatable air' bags, and
might be divided into separate air chambers by partitions.
Instead of one inner core tube as described I might have more than one so that I
could inflate, one or more-oft such: tubes to replace pressure lost by the collapse of
one of the pleated tubes.
of**
I ROBERT POTTER of 46 Bold Street, Moss Side; Manchester, in the County
Lancaster, Manufacturer, 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 and accompanying drawings:

page_text: My object is chiefly to diminish the danger of disablement from accidental puncture
by increasing the number of air spaces and by a particular construction and arrange-
ment of the same.
For instance under a convenient arrangement I form the tyre from a number
of rubber air tubes pleated into rope shape and either with or without a central
hollow or solid core. These air tubes of which there may be any suitable number,
are inflated with air under pressure a valve being provided for each tube. The inflated
tubes swell and fill the ordinary outer cover without any appreciable irregularity. If
one of the tubes should become punctured and deflated the remaining tubes are
sufficient to make up for the deficiency and even if more than one of the tubes should
be deflated the remainder will always form a sufficient reserve with which to continue
the journey, especially if the inner core tube should be inflated to assist in packing
the cover.
And in order that my said invention may be more fully understood I will now
describe the same with reference to the annexed sheet of illustrative drawings.
In the said drawings
Fig. 1 indicates a plan view of my improved tyre. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the
same and Fig. 3 a cross sectional view showing the tyre in conjunction with
the rim and cover, which rim and cover may be of any usual or ordinary
construction.
Figs. 4 to 7 indicate modifications of my invention.
Referring in, the first place to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, I have here illustrated
the use of five air tubes a but it will be understood that I do not confine myself to
this number as less or more than five might be used if considered desirable. In
constructing a tyre of this description five tubes a of a suitable diameter and length
are taken and twisted on their axes until a tolerably close twist, as indicated in Fig. 1,
is imparted to them. The ends of the tubes a are then joined as usual and the twist:
imparted to the combined tubes is thus maintained. Each tube is provided with a
valve as usual for the purposes of inflation and deflation.
The twisted air tubes when used in conjunction with the rim b and outer cover c
can be inflated through their valves, and swell and fill the outer cover e the irregularity
of the twisted air tubes being little perceptible...
Should one of the tubes become deflated the remaining tubes are sufficient to
make up for the deficiency and even should more than one become deflated the
remainder will form a sufficient reserve to continue the journey.
The valve of my twisted air tubes is very apparent upon deflation of one or more
of the tubes. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, suppose for instance air
tube No. 1 were to become deflated. If this tube, instead of being twisted, ran
straight round the rim of the wheel, that side of the cover being no longer supported
by the tube No. 1, would collapse with the air tube. But it will be noted from an
inspection of the drawings that should the tube No. 1 become deflated, the remaining
tubes 2. 3. 4 and 5 would still effectually fill the cover and preserve it from collapse
owing to the twisted formation distributing the pressure of each tube diagonally
across the width of the cover.
Fig. 4 shows my improved twisted air tubes à in conjunction with a hollow elastic
core d. The core d is preferably provided with a valve so that upon the deflation of
one or more of the air tubes a, it can be inflated and thus serve to assist in packing
the cover and enable the rider to continue his journey.
I might have more than one inflatable inner core tube if considered desirable.
If desired however the core d may be solid.
Instead of having the air tubes a loose and independent of each other I might form
one side of each tube with a strip of rubber or other material a' and cement or
otherwise connect these strips together before twisting the tubes as illustrated in
Fig. 5.
Instead of twisting the air tubes a into a rope as described, they might be
pleated together so as to assume in bulk any desired sectional shape whether round;"
semi-circular or square or of other forms.

page_text: The strands or coils or servings of air tubing are capable of being extracted"
and repaired as in the case of the present inflatable air bag.
Fig. 6 illustrates my invention applied to a cushion tyre adapted for use with
heavy vehicles. In this case six cushion tyres e of small diameter are pleated together.
The combined pleated cushion tyres F with the six air spaces el form a complete
tyre of great strength and resiliency and may be used without any outer cover.
Fig. 7 shows my improved multiple twisted or pleated air tubes used to form
an air cushion at the base of a solid rubber tyre adapted for the use of carriages.
auto-motors or the heavier class of vehicles.
The trough shaped rim of the wheelf is provided with the twisted air
tubes a which thus form an elastic cushion for the solid rubber tyre g..
The twisted formation of the air tubes a provides for equal support of the solid'
rubber tyre g in case of accidental deflation of any of the tubes 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. In pneumatic tyres for vehicles the employment of a number of air tubes-
twisted or pleated together in the manner, for the purposes, and substantially as.
described and shown.
2. The improved pneumatic tyre for vehicles consisting of a number of air tubes-
twisted together in the manner, for the purposes, and substantially as described and
illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings.
3. The modified form of pneumatic tyre consisting of a number of air tubes.
twisted around a central hollow or solid core substantially as described and illustrated.
with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings.
4. The improved pneumatic tyre consisting of a number of air tubes twisted and
connected together substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 5 of the
drawings.
5. The improved elastic tyre for vehicles formed from a number of cushion tyres
pleated together substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Fig. 6 of
the drawings.
6. Forming an air cushion at the base of a solid rubber tyre by means of a.
number of twisted or pleated air tubes in the manner and substantially as described.
and illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings.