Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL STEUTTALION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for Bicycles and other
Vehicles.
I, KARL THOMANN, Manufacturer, of 20, Merseburgerstrasse, Halle on the
Saale, in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
Pneumatic tyres as usually made, have the drawback, that they are easily
damaged and rendered useless by sharp stones, pieces of glass, or nails lying on
the road.
To avoid this defect, I use an inner layer of indiarubber in which is embedded a
layer of specially arranged rhombical metal plates, said metal plates being arranged
somewhat like the tiles of a roof and connected with each other at their edges by
means of hooks or bent ledges, which allow each plate to pivot on its edges within
narrow limits, so as to form a flexible fabric.
On two contiguous sides of the rhombus, the ledges are turned inward (that is
situated on the lower face of the plate) while on the two opposite sides the ledges
are turned outward (situated on the upper face of the plate). The outer layer or
tread of the tyre and the metal-cored layer described above, are both fixed to the
felly by means of a metallic ring or hoop.
The whole tyre consists of three principal parts, namely, 1, the innermost layer,
closed on all sides, and made of indiarubber covered with silk.
2, the intermediate layer composed of indiarubber containing the metal fabric as
described above, and which does not form a complete ring or circle in cross section,
but has a narrow circular slot towards the inside or axis of the wheel.
3, the outer layer or tread. The ledges or hooks of the rhombical plates are
hooked together, so as to form a flexible connection and leave a small clearance
between each other, which is filled up with indiarubber, so as to avoid the contact
between metal and metal.
The inner ring or layer is placed upon the concave felly of the wheel (the latter
being introduced through the circular slot of the intermediate and outer layer),
and the intermediate and outer layers are then closed down over the felly, so as to
leave only a narrow circular slot, through which pass the spokes and the bolts for
connecting the felly with the metallic ring or hoop which covers the said slot, and
to clip the edges of the said layers between the felly and the hoop.
The edges of the outer and intermediate layers, which adjoin the circular slot
are bulged or thickened, and the sides of the metallic ring or hoop are bent
down over the bulged edge of the outer layer, so as to hold the layers securely in
place.
Deted this 28th day of March 1893
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for Bicycles and other
Vehicles.
I, KARL THOMANN, Manufacturer, of 20, Merseburgerstrasse, Halle on the
Saale, 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:-
Pneumatic tyres as usually made, have the drawback that they are easily
damaged and rendered useless by sharp stones, pieces of glass or nails lying on
the road.
To avoid this defect, I use a layer of indiarubber in which is embedded a skeleton
of specially arranged rhombic metal plates, said metal plates being connected with
each other at their edges by means of hooks or bent ledges, which allow each plate
to pivot on its edges within narrow limits, so as to form a flexible fabric.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a portion of a pneumatic tyre partly in side elevation and partly in
longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same.
Figs. 3 to 5 show by separate views the metallic skeleton embedded in the tyre.
The whole tyre consists of three principal parts, namely; 1, the innermost
layer A closed on all sides, and made of indiarubber covered with silk.
2, the intermediate layer B composed of indiarubber containing the metal fabric
as described above, and which does not form a complete ring or circle in cross
section, but has a narrow circular slot towards the inside or axis of the wheel.
3, the outer layer or tread.
The rhombic plates D are joined together by hooks or bends a, so as to form a
flexible connection and leave a small clearance between each other (Fig. 4) which
is filled up with indiarubber, so as to avoid the contact between metal and metal.
The inner ring or layer A is placed upon the concave felly G of the wheel (the
latter being introduced through the circular slot of the intermediate and outer
layer), and the intermediate and outer layers are then closed down over the felly,
so as to leave only a narrow circular slot, through which pass the spokes and the
bolts for connecting the felly with the metallic ring or hoop F, which covers the
said slot, so as to clip the edges b, d, of the said layers between the felly and
the hoop.
The edges of the outer or intermediate layers, which adjoin the circular slot are
bulged or thickened, and the sides of the metallic ring F are bent down over the
bulged edge d, so as to hold the layers securely in place.
The plates D are made of steel or other suitable sheet metal and comparatively
small, in order that they need not be bent in following the deformations of the tyre.
On two contiguous sides of the rhombus, the ledges are turned inward (that is
situated on the lower face of the plate), while on the two opposite sides the ledges
are turned outward, (situated on the upper face of the plate).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. A pneumatic tyre for bicycles and other wheeled vehicles, having an internal
layer (B) of indiarubber in which is embedded a skeleton of small rhombic metal
plates (D) joined together by means of overlapping edges or hooks, and an external
layer or tread (E), both being secured to the felly of the wheel by means of a
retaining ring (F) and provided with thickened edges (b, d), substantially as
described.

page_text: 2. In a pneumatic wheel tyre, an indiarubber ring or layer B containing a
skeleton of rhombic metal plates (D) arranged and connected substantially as
described.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.