Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres.
I, CHARLES KINGSTON WELCH, of Park House, Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tyres, and is applicable
to both "double tube" and "single tube" tyres.
The chief object of my invention is to produce a pneumatic tyre for a bicycle,
that will permit approximately the same speed to be attained as with the light
racing tyres at present constructed, and will at the same time be suitable for
use on ordinary roads and in wet weather.
In racing tyres, or tyres used on bicycles for riding at a high speed, it is usual
not to cover with vulcanized rubber the whole of the outer surface of the fabric
serving to enclose and retain the air tube; but to cover only the tread portion,
leaving the fabric at the sides of the tyre bare so as to preserve the flexibility
thereof; whereby these sides offer very slight resistance to the continuous deforma-
tion or lateral expansion of the tyre at the point where it bears upon the ground.
In such tyres, however, the fabric at the sides quickly becomes chafed and worn
by the edges or flanges of the rim; and moreover water, mud, dust or the like
will readily penetrate between the sides of the tyre and the edges of the rim,
and injure or destroy the tyre; so that it is disadvantageous to use such tyres
in wet weather or on ordinary roads.
Now according to my invention I cover that portion or portions of the fabric
of the cover adjacent to the rim with a strip or strips of india rubber or other
suitable material, so as to form a resilient and efficient closure between the tyre
and the rim; or the aforesaid strips of india rubber instead of forming part of
the cover may form part of, or be attached to, the rim the said rim being if
desired formed with recesses to securely retain the strips in place. The said
rubber may in some cases be made to line the whole of the internal section of the
rim. In some instances I may cover the outer surface of the fabric with a thin
sheet membrane or skin" of india rubber, preferably unvulcanized, or I may
varnish or otherwise treat it, to efficiently protect the said fabric from moisture
or the like without detriment to its flexibility. The tread of the cover may be
moulded in any suitable manner in order to avoid side slipping.
"
One form of my invention, as applied, by way of example, to a pneumatic tyre
constructed according to my prior Patent No. 14563 of 1890, comprises an outer
cover formed of an endless strip or band of suitable fabric, preferably the fabric
described in the Specification of my prior Patent No. 13391 of 1893. On the
outer side of this strip or band I attach, by means of solution or otherwise, three
strips or bands of vulcanized india rubber; one strip being secured to the middle
portion of the cover and forming the tread of the tyre; and the other two strips
being secured to the cover at or near the edges thereof, and serving to protect
Co
077

page_text: the fabric from wear or injury by the rim, and also to prevent the ingress of
water, dust or the like between the said cover and rim.
In cases where I employ a thin sheet of unvulcanized india rubber to protect
the fabric, I may solution a strip of this unvulcanized india rubber over the
entire outer surface of the fabric before securing the tread and protective strips
thereto; or I may apply the said unvulcanized india-rubber only to the bare
side portions of the tyre cover.
E
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES KINGSTON WELCHI, of Park House, Coventry, England, Engineer,
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:.
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tyres.
The chief object of my invention is to produce pneumatic tyres that will permit
a velocipede having such tyres to attain approximately the same speed as one
provided with the light racing tyres at present constructed, said tyres being at
the same time suitable for use on ordinary roads and in wet weather.
In "Dunlop" racing tyres, or tyres used on bicycles for riding at a high
speed, it is not usual to cover with vulcanized india-rubber the whole of the
outer surface of the fabric or inexpansible jacket serving to enclose and retain
the air tube; but to cover only the tread portion thereof. The fabric at the
sides of the tyre is thus left bare so as to preserve the flexibility of the sides and
permit of their offering very slight resistance to the continuous deformation or
lateral expansion of the tyre at the point where it bears upon the ground. In
such tyres, however, the fabric at the sides, besides being exposed to wear and
abrasion and to moisture and other deleterious influences, quickly becomes chafed
by the edges or flanges of the wheel rim, and moreover water, mud, dust or the
like will readily penetrate between the sides of the tyre and the edges of the rim,
and injure or destroy the tyre; it is therefore found disadvantageous to use
tyres of this kind in wet weather or on ordinary roads.
Now according to my invention I cover the portion or portions of the fabric
or inexpansible jacket of the tyre that is not covered by the strip of vulcanized
rubber forming the tread, with a thin sheet, membrane or skin of raw, or un-
vulcanized india-rubber, (preferably cut sheet rubber of the toughest quality),
so as to efficiently protect the said jacket from moisture or other deleterious
influences without detriment to its flexibility; or I may cover the whole of the
exterior surface of the jacket with the above described rubber sheet before
attaching the tread thereto.
I cover those portions of the tyre that are adjacent to the wheel rim with a
strip or ring or strips or rings of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable 4
material, so as to form both a resilient and efficient closure between the tyre and
the rim and also a protection against chafing or wear that might arise from
friction on the rim. These strips or rings of india-rubber, instead of forming
part of the tyre, may form part of, or be attached to, the wheel rim.

page_text: In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying
drawings, which show my invention applied, by way of example, to three well
known types of pneumatic tyre; it is obvious however that my said invention
may be applied to any other construction of pneumatic tyre, irrespective of any
particular method of attaching the same to the wheel rim.
"
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are transverse sections of the well known "Dunlop-Welch'
pneumatic tyre and wheel rim, of a "Clincher" tyre and wheel rim, and of a
single tube tyre and wheel rim, respectively, showing my invention applied
thereto.
Figure 4 illustrates another form of my improved tyre; and
Figures 5, 6 and 7 show further modifications, wherein the protective strip
is applied to the wheel rim.
In all the figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is the air tube, B the inexpansible jacket of the tyre, C the vulcanized
rubber tread and D the wheel rim.
According to the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7, I solution a thin
sheet 6 of raw or unvulcanized india-rubber over the entire outer surface of the
fabric band or strip forming the inexpansible jacket; after which the tread
or wearing surface is attached thereto.
I also attach, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, two strips or rings a, a, of vulcan-
ized india-rubber arranged at or near the edges of such band, which strips serve
to protect the fabric from wear or injury by the rim, and also to prevent the
ingress of water, dust or the like between the said cover and rim. It will there-
fore be seen that, between the edges of the vulcanized tread portion and the said
protective strips or rings, the jacket is merely covered with the thin sheet or
skin or raw or unvulcanized india-rubber.
By this thin sheet of raw or unvulcanized india-rubber (or india-rubber that
has been only very slightly vulcanized) applied to the lateral portions of the
tyre, I am enabled to obtain an efficiently protected tyre without sacrificing its
speed qualities; and further this material is not liable to crack, as is the thin
side portion of a fully vulcanized cover, especially when placed in the sunlight.
Moreover it is not generally practicable to form the side portions of the vulcan-
ized tread so thin as the raw rubber that I propose to use because, in the process
of vulcanizing, it is necessary to maintain the material at a high temperature
for a time sufficient to vulcanize the thickest portions of the tread, and this
amount of vulcanization would be too much for sides as thin as those I am
enabled to provide by the use of the special material above mentioned.
In Figure 3 I have shown a single protective strip a of rubber which bears
on the whole of the internal surface of the wooden rim there illustrated. I may
however provide single tube tyres with two narrow strips arranged adjacent to
the rim-edges, in the same manner as above described with reference to a tyre-
cover.
In some cases instead of covering the entire outer surface of the fabric with
unvulcanized india-rubber, I apply such rubber only to the bare side portions
of the fabric as shown in Figure 4. If desired I may varnish, paint, or other-
wise treat the surface of the said unvulcanized india-rubber between the tread
portion and the protective strips; or I may prepare the said rubber with any
suitable pigment so as to give it any desired colour.
When I attach the protective strips to the rim, I may employ two narrow
strips or rings arranged at the edges thereof as shown in Figures 5 and 6; or I
may employ a single strip lining the whole of the internal surface of the metal
rim, as shown in Figure 7. prefer to provide the rim with grooves or recesses d
serving to securely retain the strips in place, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.
When a single strip of rubber is employed to line the entire surface of the
rim, the tape e, for covering the spoke ends, may be combined with such, strip,
as shown in Figure 7, or such tape may be dispensed with.

page_text: The tread of the tyre may be moulded in any suitable manner to avoid
slipping.
I wish it to be understood that, for protecting the fabric without detriment
to its flexibility, I prefer to use tough raw or unvulcanized cut sheet rubber,
but obviously a thin sheet of rubber could be so slightly vulcanized as to be
practically unvulcanized, that is to say so as to avoid the difficulty arising from
the cracking to which fully or over vulcanized rubber is liable, and therefore the
use of such slightly vulcanized rubber must be considered as coming within
the scope of my invention.
I also wish it to be understood that if desired the aforesaid strips or rings a a
may be dispensed with, and the raw or unvulcanized portion 6 of the tyre be
allowed to come into direct contact with the rim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of a thin sheet or skin of unvulcan-
ized or practically unvulcanized india-rubber, substantially as described and for
the purposes specified.
2. The combination with a tyre having an inexpansible jacket the exterior
surface of which is only partially covered by the vulcanized india-rubber band
forming the tread, of strips or rings of protective material arranged adjacent to
the wheel-rim, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
3. A pneumatic tyre having its parts constructed, arranged and combined
substantially as herein before described with reference to any of the examples
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.