Improvements in Woven Fabrics for Elastic Wheel Tires.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Woven Fabrics for Elastic Wheel Tires.
I, JAMES LYALL, of No. 324 West 28th Street, in the City of New York, in
the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer of Looms and
Fabrics, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Tires for bicycle, tricycle, and other wheels have been made elastic in the form
of a tube of india rubber or similar material, and sometimes these tires have been
inflated by air under pressure.
The present improvements relate to a woven fabric employed in the form of a
canvas that is woven to the required shape so as to form the foundation for the
elastic tire, such woven fabric assuming the form of a tubular ring, either entirely
closed or open upon the inner edges.
In carrying out this invention I weave a tube complete, the same being in the
form of a double fabric in the loom and with one edge longer than the other, in
order that the double fabric may open out as a tube and also assume the
circular form required in fitting around the wheel and forming a part of the
elastic tire.
In weaving this tube I form longitudinal pockets at the proper places for the
reception of cords or wires by which the fabric is fastened to the wheel; and when
the shape of the elastic tire requires it, I weave projecting flaps either of plain
fabric or with pockets in the flaps, and by which flaps the tubular fabric is secured
in place. The material woven as aforesaid is cut off of the proper length to
surround the wheel and it assumes a circular form in consequence of the manner in
which it is woven.
woven
Where the character of the elastic wheel tire is such that the tubular fabric
requires to be open at the inner edges, the weave may be double, the fold being in
the middle and the warps which are to form the outer portion of the tube, which
is of greater diameter than the inner portion of the tube, are to be under less
tension and the take-up preferably conical, so as to draw the fabric as
through faster at one edge than the other edge to cause it to assume a circular
form, and some of the weft threads may extend only partially across and be folded
upon themselves so as to increase the number of picks or weft threads upon the
portion of the tube that is of larger diameter, and pockets are woven longitudinally
of the fabric and either at or near the edges for the reception of cords or wires,
and where desired, heavier cords are introduced as warps to strengthen the fabric
longitudinally.
In the weaving of the aforesaid fabric it is often the most convenient to weave
several strips side by side in a substantially flat fabric, the warp threads which
form the centre portions of the strips being under less tension than the warp
threads that form the edge portions of the strips, so that the warp threads in the
middle portions of each strip are crinkled to a greater extent than the warp threads
near the edges of the strips, so that when the strips are cut up they easily assume
the form of a tubular ring when made up into the elastic tire, and this mode of
manufacturing fabrics for wheel tires is advantageous in many respects, because
the fabric can lie flat while being calendered and while a surface of rubber is
applied to the same to cause the material to adhere to the rest of the rubber
employed in making the elastic wheel tire, and in this flat fabric adapted to form
one or more strips, pockets are woven when desired for the reception of cords or
wires, and heavy cords are introduced if desired.

page_text: When these strips are cut up, they are adapted to assume the form or shape
required around the elastic tire, and the strips may be used single or they may be
folded with the edges turned inwardly so as to become a double fabric passing
around the wheel tire.
In some instances it is desirable to avoid any lap or join around the wheel tire ;
when this is required the canvas fabric is woven in the form of a large tube
corresponding in measurement to the periphery of the elastic tire, and in this case
the warp threads run longitudinally of the large tube and the weft threads pass
around the tube, and in the weaving the tube is to be contracted at intervals by
raising and lowering a divergent reed, and this canvas fabric woven as a large tube
is to be cut across into sections where the tube is woven the smallest, so that the
canvas fabric for the wheel tire extends all around the elastic tire without seam
and the edges of the fabric are drawn in and secured in attaching the elastic tire to
the wheel.
Dated this 25th dow of Tul., 1002
BREWER & SON,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Woven Fabrics for Elastic Wheel Tires.
I, JAMES LYALL, of No. 324 West 28th Street, in the City of New York in
the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer of Looms and
Fabrics, 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 :-
Tires for bicycle, tricycle and other wheels have been made elastic in the form
of a tube of india rubber or similar material, and sometimes these tires have been
inflated by air under pressure.
The present improvement relates to a woven fabric employed in the form of a
canvas that is woven to the required shape so as to form the foundation for the
elastic tire, such woven fabric assuming the form of a tubular ring, either entirely
closed or open upon the inner edges.
In carrying out this invention I weave a tube complete, the same being in the
form of a double fabric in the loom and with one edge longer than the other, in
order that the double fabric may open out as a tube and also assume the circular
form required in fitting around the wheel and forming a part of the elastic tire.
In weaving this tube I form longitudinal pockets at the proper places for the
reception of cords or wires by which the fabric is fastened to the wheel; and when
the shape of the elastic tire requires it, I weave projecting flaps either of plain
fabric or with pockets in the flaps, and by which flaps the tubular fabric is secured
in place. The material woven as aforesaid is cut off of the proper length to
surround the wheel and it assumes a circular form in consequence of the manner in
which it is woven.
Where the character of the elastic wheel tire is such that the tubular fabric
requires to be open at the inner edges, the weave may be double, the fold being in
the middle and the warps which are to form the outer portion of the tube, which is
of greater diameter than the inner portion of the tube, are to be under less tension
and the take-up preferably conical, so as to draw the fabric as woven through
faster at one edge than the other edge to cause it to assume a circular form, and
some of the weft threads may extend only partially across and be folded upon
themselves so as to increase the number of picks or weft threads upon the portion
of the tube that is of larger diameter, and pockets are woven longitudinally of the
fabric and either at or near the edges for the reception of cords or wires, and
where desired, heavier cords are introduced as warps to strengthen the fabric
longitudinally.

page_text: In the weaving of the aforesaid fabric it is often the most convenient to weave
several strips side by side in a substantially flat fabric, the warp threads which
form the center portions of the strips being under less tension than the warp
threads that form the edge portions of the strips, so that the warp threads in the
middle portion of each strip are crinkled to a greater extent than the warp threads
near the edges of the strips, so that when the strips are cut up they easily assume
the form of a tubular ring when made up into the elastic tire, and this mode of
manufacturing fabrics for wheel tires is advantageous in many respects, because the
fabric can lie flat while being calendered and while a surface of rubber is applied
to the same to cause the material to adhere to the rest of the rubber employed in
making the elastic wheel tire, and in this flat fabric adapted to form one or more
strips, pockets are woven when desired for the reception of cords or wires, and
heavy cords are introduced if desired.
When these strips are cut up, they are adapted to assume the form or shape
required around the elastic tire and the strips may be used single or they may be
folded with the edges turned inwardly so as to become a double fabric passing
around the wheel tire.
In some instances it is desirable to avoid any lap or join around the wheel tire ;
when this is required the canvas fabric is woven in the form of a large tube corre-
sponding in measurement to the periphery of the elastic tire, and in this case the
warp threads run longitudinally of the large tube and the weft threads pass around
the tube, and in the weaving the tube is to be contracted at intervals by raising
and lowering a divergent reed, and this canvas fabric woven as a large tube is to
be cut across into sections where the tube is woven the smallest, so that the canvas
fabric for the wheel tire extends all around the elastic tire without seam and the
edges of the fabric are drawn in and secured in attaching the elastic tire to the
wheel.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a cross section illustrating the tubular form that the strip of fabric
assumes, showing also the pockets and the laps of the same.
Fig. 2 is a portion of the fabric illustrating the lines of weaving by which the
increased length may be given to the middle portions of the strip.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the warp thread tension device whereby
the woven fabric is adapted to assume the shape of a circular tube.
Fig. 4 is a section of the fabric as folded double.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 represent sections of the fabric when woven as a complete
tube, and
Figs. 10 and 11 represent the fabric when woven as a complete circular fabric of
a size adapted to go around the wheel.
In weaving this fabric any suitable heddles, heddle motion or jacquard is
employed to move the warp threads in such a manner that the weft threads are
laid in as hereafter described, and the warp threads are mounted upon separate
spools or short beams so that the middle warps can be drawn off faster than the
edge warps of the fabric, and more tension is applied to the edge warps than to the
center warps, so that the warps may all be under a similar strain when the strip
surrounds the wheel and is in a form approximating a tube sectionally.
The warp threads are exposed to different tensions or fed into the loom so that
the middle warps of the strip are under less tension than the warps near the edges,
hence the middle warps in the strip will be longer than the edge warps, and the
intermediate warps have tensions lessening from the edge towards the middle.
Any desired or known devices may be used for varying the tension on these
warps, so that they will be taken up in weaving in the desired proportions for
forming the strip so that it can be coiled to correspond to the wheel and assume a
tubular form or nearly so sectionally.
If desired the weft threads may be laid in as shown in Fig. 3 with the weft
threads going from edge to edge of the strip. In Fig. 2, I have shown the fabric
in the curved form it would assume if folded in the middle, in consequence of there

page_text: being a greater number of wefts in the middle portion, there being threads 2 which
pass entirely across and other weft threads that only pass part of the way across
and return, as shown at 3, and the weft threads are to be so disposed that when the
fabric has been woven the middle part of the fabric will be of greater length
than the edge portions of the fabric, so that such fabric can be bent into
the form of a tube or nearly so and also rolled up as a circle of a diameter
corresponding or nearly so to the diameter of the bicycle or other wheel to which
such fabric is to be applied, and it is to be understood that the manner of laying in
the weft threads or the tension upon the warps to give the proper length to the
middle portions of the fabric will depend upon the diameter of the pipe or inflatable
tube around which the fabric is to pass in making up the wheel.
Pockets B C¹ are made in the fabric and they are woven by causing one shot of
the weft thread to pass below the pocket and the other shot of the weft thread to
pass above the pocket, the warp threads being manipulated to effect this object,
and these pockets are to receive wires, rubber strips or other devices that are to be
clamped by the felly and movable portions of the wheel in constructing or
applying the tire to such wheel; and I remark that the distances between these
pockets will vary according to the character of the inflatable or elastic tire of the
wheel, and as wheels of this character are well known it is not necessary herein to
describe any particular construction of inflatable or elastic tire to which the present
improvement is applicable.
In cases where a flap is required at one edge of the fabric to pass within the
felly of the wheel or to wrap around any of the rubber or other attaching devices,
the herein before described fabric is to be woven with the flap D projecting at one
edge of such fabric beyond the woven pocket, or there may be a flap at the other
edge of the strip of fabric, as illustrated by the dotted lines at D¹, Fig. 1.
The warps that come in the portion of the fabric that will be the longest when
the strips assume the general form of a tubular ring are under a sufficiently small
tension for the weft threads to corrugate the warp threads and the weft threads
receive but little corrugation; the consequence is that the fabric when laid out
either upon a table or upon a roll assumes a level or flat form, and there is no
tendency for the fabric to full, fold or pucker where the fabric is the longest, because
the extra length of warp threads is taken up by the weft threads being straight or
nearly so instead of corrugated, and according to the tension applied to the warp
threads so the weft threads will corrugate them to a greater or less extent and the
corrugation may increase from the edge of the strip towards the middle or only be
in the middle portion of the strip and of the proper width.
The consequence of this improvement is that after the fabric has been calendered
and the rubber applied to the surface thereof and the fabric made up into the form
of a tubular ring, the inflation of the tire causes the middle warps that are the
most corrugated to extend the necessary distance in proportion to the relative
diameters of the different portions of the tubular ring, and in so doing the weft
threads are crinkled or corrugated to the proper extent by the tension upon the
warp threads and hence the fabric remains firm and reliable in all parts thereof
while in use in the wheel.
A represents the portion of the fabric which is woven with the warp and weft
threads crinkled with uniformity or nearly so, and B represents the portion of the
fabric where the weft threads are nearly straight and the warps have the principal
portion of the corrugations or crinkles.
In Fig. 3, I have represented a portion of a piece of fabric adapted to be cut
into four strips after the same has been woven, calendered and the rubber applied
to the surface, the lines of the separation of the respective strips being shown at 12;
and in order to illustrate that the warps for the portion A are under greater tension
than the warps for the portion B, I have represented some of the respective warps
as passing over pulleys with weights attached, the weights for the warps B being
considerably smaller than the weights for the warps of the portion A of the fabric,
and the intermediate portions may be under intermediate tensions if desired so that

page_text: the crinkling or corrugating of the warps will be in proportion to the length of the.
warps when the woven strip is bent into the form of a tubular ring.
In some instances the canvas or other fabric made use of is doubled longitudinally
of the strip, in which instance the strip is made sufficiently wide for a central
portion B with elongated crinkled warps, and the side portions B' B' with similar
warps, so that when the fabric is folded at the lines 4 in the uniformly crinkled
portion A of the strip, the two edges of the fabric will lap upon each other, and
the long warps that have been crinkled or corrugated to a greater extent lie closely
adjacent to each other, and the folded portions A form the edges of the fabric
when in the form of the tubular ring, and by the before mentioned improvement.
one or both surfaces of the fabric can receive the india rubber and they will
adhere together where the edges lap upon each other, as indicated in Fig. 4, and
where the surfaces of the fabric come together; and in this instance it is preferable.
to include in the folds 4 either wires, cords or other attaching devices, as represented.
in Fig. 4.
If the warps that occupy the central portions of the strip are elastic, the increased
length required in such warps will be obtained by the stretching of such warps.
when the strip is employed in the tire and the increased length will be obtained in.
an equivalent manner to that before described of applying tension to the central
warps.
The flaps may receive eyelets, hooks or other attaching devices, and when desired
heavier warp threads or cords 8 may be introduced and held by the weft threads,.
such cords 8 running longitudinally and preferably being at one or both edges. The
warp threads may be omitted in any portions of the strips when so desired. I have-
shown the warp threads omitted in the central portions of the strip at 6.
It will be understood that the present improvement is available where the strips-
are woven separately instead of being cut apart, in which instance the selvedge of
each strip may be plain or it may be woven as a pocket, or the pocket may be at a
greater or less distance from the edge.
It will be apparent that this improvement is not limited to any particular-
character of weave, as the fabric may be woven plain or as a twill, or in some parts-
of the fabric more than one weft thread may be laid into the shed so as to group.
the weft threads to any desired extent, and where extra heavy canvas is desired
two or more fabrics may be formed together in the weaving operation.
It is common to weave a canvas foundation for the manufacture of india rubber-
hose, such fabric being woven flat and in the form of two thicknesses joined at the
edges, so as to be opened out into a tubular form, but such fabric is not adapted.
to wheel tires for bicycles or tricycles, because it will not coil with uniformity and
of the size required for passing around the wheel.
One part of this invention relates to the weaving of the tubular fabric longer at.
one side than the other side so that when the tube is opened out and coiled in the
manufacture of the elastic wheel tire, the outer portion of the tube will be of the
proper length, this being effected by having the warps that come at the outer
portion of the tube crinkled to a greater extent than the weft threads in the
manner before described, so that when opened out the extra length in the warp
threads will allow the tube to be coiled properly and at the same time the weft.
threads will be crinkled nearly uniformly by the strain upon the warp threads, or
additional picks of weft thread may be introduced, as shown at 3, Fig. 2, to increase
the length of the fabric of the tube upon its outer side, but in order to adapt the
fabric thus woven to use with elastic wheel tires, it is advantageous to weave into.
the tube longitudinal pockets, as shown at 14, for the reception of cords, wires or
similar devices, to be applied in connection with the attachment of the canvas-
material to the felly of the wheel, or flaps may be woven at suitable places, as.
shown at 15, or flaps with pockets at the edges may be woven, as shown at 18.
Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate the modes in which the tubular fabric may be woven, and it.
is to be understood that this tubular fabric is to be coiled of the proper size for the
wheel and the ends united in making up the elastic wheel tire in any desired manner..

page_text: In some instances it is desirable to make the fabric for the wheel tire without any
seam or join between the ends, in which case the fabric is woven in the form of a
large bag adapted to being cut off in sections so that when the section is opened out
it will form a band or ring of the proper diameter for the wheel and of the proper
width for the edges of the fabric to be secured in making up the elastic wheel tire;
and it is preferable in weaving this canvas fabric to weave it in the manner
illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, in which the portion G is woven longer in the middle
than towards the edge portions, which is accomplished by the use of a divergent reed
that is raised or lowered automatically as the weaving progresses, and the fabric
thus woven is to be cut off at the lines 3 to form the bands or rings of the proper
width; and it is advisable to weave into the fabric thus cut off, the pockets repre-
sented at B'C', Fig. 1, such pockets running around the fabric so as to receive the
cords or wires that are employed to aid in connecting the woven fabric to the felly
in making up the elastic wheel tire; and eyelets may be inserted towards the edges
of the fabric for the reception of cords or laces, by which the edges of the fabric
are drawn towards each other in making up the wheel.
These eyelets are represented at F, Fig. 11.
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. As a new article of manufacture, a strip of canvas or duck for elastic
wheel tires, woven with weft threads, and longitudinal warp threads that are longest
in the middle portion of the strip and proportionately shorter towards and at the
edges, and means for securing such strip to the elastic or other wheel tire when
drawn around the same, substantially as set forth.
Second. As a new article of manufacture, a strip, of canvas or duck for elastic
wheel tires, woven with longitudinal warp threads that are longer near the middle
of the strip than those near the edges, and weft threads, so that the fabric is adapted
to pass around a wheel and to surround the tubular or other tire, and heavier warps
at or near the edge or edges of the strip held in place by the weft threads,
substantially as set forth.
Third. As a new article of manufacture, a woven fabric for elastic wheel tires
in the form of a strip, with longitudinal warp threads and transverse weft threads,
some of which transverse weft threads cross only a part of the entire fabric and are
doubled upon themselves in the middle portions of such fabric to increase the
length of the center of the fabric, so that such fabric is adapted to surrounding the
tubular or elastic tire and to the circular form required in passing around the wheel,
and longitudinal pockets woven in such fabric near the edges of the same, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Fourth. The herein described fabric adapted to form several strips for tubular
rings for wheel tires, such fabric being woven near the edges of the strips with warp
and weft threads that are nearly equally crinkled or corrugated and with warp
threads near the middle portions of such strips that are of increased length in
consequence of being corrugated or crinkled to a greater extent than the weft
threads, so that the fabric is adapted to lie flat while being calendered or coated
with rubber or is free to assume the form of tubular rings when separated into
strips and applied to elastic tires, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The herein described fabric for wheel tires woven as a strip of canvas
having the warp and weft threads corrugated or crinkled nearly uniformly where the
same is to be folded to form the edges of the tubular wheel tire ring, and with
the portions of the strip that lap upon one another and with the central portion of
the strip having longer warp threads, in consequence of the warp threads being
corrugated or crinkled to a greater extent than the weft threads, the fabric however
being adapted to lie flat during the calendering operation or when the rubber is
applied to the surface thereof, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. As a new article of manufacture, a woven tubular fabric adapted to be

page_text: coiled into a circular form for a wheel tire and having means woven with such tube
for securing the tube in place, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The canvas foundation for a tubular elastic wheel tire, woven so as to
extend around the wheel and be secured in substantially a tubular form in the tire,
as set forth.
Eighth. The canvas or duck fabric adapted to pass around a wheel tire and
woven longer at one part than at another, so as to be made into a tubular or
partially tubular form in the wheel, substantially as specified.
Dated this 11th day of December 1893.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.