Improvements in and relating to Tyres and Rims for the Wheels of Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tyres and Rims for the Wheels of
Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, EDWIN JOSEPH SMITH of 16 Temple Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Accountant do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in and relating to tyres or wheels
for cycles and other vehicles by which I obtain spring, elasticity, flexibility and
resiliency without fear of puncture.
I make the rims of my wheels whether for cycles or other vehicles sufficiently
deep both externally and internally to allow the attachment of a sling to either the
outer or inner edge. This sling or internal lining lies inside the rim but does not
normally extend to the bottom of the inside of the rim. The sling may be made of
rubber or other elastic material or from textile material or partly from each by
which means I obtain any quantity of elasticity necessary from very little or
practically none to very much. I then spring into this inner flexible rim or sling a
tyre which is made to rest upon the bottom of the sling or inner rim. This tyre
may be rubber or other material suitable for forming the tread of the wheel' such
for instance as wood covered on the tread with metal or it may be a compound and
it may be hollow and in cross section, oval, round, oblong or other shape. The
protrusion of the tyre or tread beyond the edge of the rim will generally be
sufficient to form a tread and to protect the edge of the rim when the tyre or tread
is compressed so as to bring the sling or inner rim to the bottom of the rim proper.
I provide an air passage and valve from outside the rim near the spokes for the
entrance of air gas or liquid under pressure which pressure will vary according to
the construction of the sling as to whether it is very elastic or not. The tyre thus
acts in suspension due to the sling and also rests upon the air cushions whether
natural or forced pressure.
Dated this 4th day of June 1896.
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
0 Improvements in and relating to Tyres and Rims for the Wheels of
Cycles and other Vehicles..
I, EDWIN JOSEPH SMITH, of 16, Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object improvements in and relating to tyres or wheels

page_text: for cycles and other vehicles by which I obtain spring, elasticity, flexibility and
resiliency withont fear of puncture.
I make the rims of my wheels whether for cycles or other vehicles sufficiently
deep both externally and internally to allow the attachment of a sling to either the
outer or inner edge. This sling or internal lining lies inside the rim but does not
normally extend to the bottom of the inside of the rim. The sling may be made of
rubber or other elastic material or from textile material or partly from each, by
which means obtain any quantity of elasticity necessary from very little or
practically none to very much. I then spring into this inner flexible rim or sling
a tyre which is made to rest upon the bottom of the sling or inner rim. This tyre
may be rubber or other material suitable for forming the tread of the wheel, such
for instance as wood covered on the tread with metal, or it may be a compound and
it may be hollow and in cross section oval, round, oblong or other shape. Inside
the rim and underneath this sling is an air chamber or tyre, provided with an air
passage and valve from outside the rim near the spokes for the entrance of air gas
or liquid under pressure, which pressure will vary according to the construction of
the sling as to whether it is very elastic or not. The tyre thus acts in suspension
due to the sling and also rests upon the air cushion whether natural or forced
pressure.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings upon
which I have illustrated examples of my improved wheel tyres.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a spring tension wheel constructed
according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a cross section taken through Figure 1 on the line w. z.
Figure 3 is a cross section showing a modified form, of the rim A..
Figure 4 is a cross section of part of an ordinary wheel felloe with my improve-
ments applied thereto.
In carrying my invention into practice I form the rim A whether for cycles,
motor cars of other vehicles sufficiently deep so as to allow the air chamber B to
rest therein, which is provided with a valve or air passage for the entrance of air,
gas or liquid under pressure. This air chamber may be made of canvas, leather or
other material conted with rubber or of rubber only. The edges of the rim are
heet over internally and rivetted together at a' and in the exterior of each side of
the rim I form the groove or recess a² into which the ends c' of the cradle or sling C
fit. This sling, which rests on the top of the air chamber, may be made of rubber
or other elastic material or from textile material or partly textile and partly
rubber, and the ends e' may be made of metal or other hard material and it is
provided on the under side with the cushions or pads as shown at Figure 5.
I then form the tyre D from metal in such a manner that the centre portion d
rests between the edges of the rim and hears upon the top of the sling, and the
outer edges overlap the edges of the rim so as to form a protection, a space
being left between these edges and the interior of the parts d, and fitted into the
interior of this metal tyre is the rubber tyre or tread G. Instead of forming the
rim with the internal shoulder as as shown at Figure 1 I may in some cases extend
the turned in edges a' as shown at Figure 3.
At Figure 4 I have shown the application of my improved tyre to the wooden
felloe E, which is formed with the groove running longitudinally around the centre
of the periphery, and into this groove I fit the air chamber F. Secured to the
edges e¹ of this felloe are two bowed hoops or strips of metal e formed with the
recesses e, into which the ends c' of the cradle or sling C fit. I then fit on to
the top of this sling the tyre D, the outer part or thread d³ of which may be
covered with rubber, or I may dispense with the part d and use the solid rubber
tread as shown at Figure 2.
Instead of the cradle or sling C being detachable, it may be rivetted or other-
wise secured to the sides of the rim in either case, and I may also secure the metal
shield J to the sides of the rim as shown at Figures 1 and 2 so as to prevent any

page_text: dirt or other foreign substance from getting between the tyre and rim. I
use a solid rubber or other cushion in place of the air chamber B or F.
also
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. In wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles, forming the tread or tyre
such as D supported upon the cradle or sling such as C, which may be either fixed
or detachable, the said cradle or sling resting upon the air chamber such as B in
the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shown upon.
the drawings.
Second. Supporting the outer tread or tyre of vehicle wheels upon the cradle or
sling such as C resting upon an inner pneumatic tyre or air chamber or cushion in
the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shown upon
the drawings.
Third. In wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles the sling or cradle such
as C for supporting the outer tyre or tread in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein set forth and as shown upon the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The improvements in and relating to tyres or wheels for cycles and
other vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown upon the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1897.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.