Improvements in Tires and Fellies for the Wheels of Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
further Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883) as
allowed by the decision of the Law Officer of the 24th day of May 1898.
Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 13th Apr.,
1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Tires and Fellies for the Wheels of Vehicles.
I, AMOS WORTHINGTON THOMAS, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at the City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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 statements :-
My invention has relation to the wheels of vehicles such as bicycles, tricycles,
wagons, carriages and other rolling conveyances; and particularly to fellies and
the tires composed of elastic or compressible material as opposed to metal, that is,
to inflatible or tubular tires adapted to contain air, gas, aeriform or gaseous fluid,
or water or other liquids.
My invention relates to details of construction and mode of application and use,
and may be carried into effect in a variety of ways and under different conditions
such as hereinafter described.
My invention consists, of a tire made of a sheet of flexible material impervious
to liquids or fluids and such as may be caused to assume a cylindrical form in
its engagement with an angular felly provided with grooves, slits, recesses or
sunken channels in the side-walls or edges thereof and caused to maintain said
form after inflation, to provide a very strong, durable and serviceable tire
especially adapted for use in connection with the road wheels of bicycles, tricycles,
velocipedes and other rolling conveyances.
My invention consists, also of a flexible or elastic tire capable of inflation by
means of air, gas, water or other liquid or fluid and the tire provided with two or
more ribs or projections for engagement with an improved felly made in one or
more parts and adapted to receive and firmly hold the same in position in the
outer face thereof by means of cement or other glutinous or adhesive material
or substances.
In the accompanying drawings are illustrated the mechanical and other features
of my invention in some of the forms found practically efficient; and in which
Fig. 9, is a sectional elevation of a grooved face felly with two concentric tubes
made of elastic or compressible material fitting closely to and lying or nested
within each other but not secured together and arranged so that each tube may
be capable of an independent creeping movement with respect to its neighbor.
The outer tube being made preferably of tougher material than the inner tube.
Fig. 10, is a similar view of another form of grooved faced felly with a flexible
tire capable of being inflated mounted therein and said tire provided with ears,
enlargements or projections in contact, with the extremities of the felly and held
solidly thereat by means of cement or other glutinous material.
Fig. 11, is a sectional elevation of a two-part felly of my improved construction

page_text: adapted to receive a flexible tire capable of being inflated and provided with two
or more ribs or projections-held-to-place-in said. felly by means of cement or other
glutinous or adhesive material.
Fig. 12 is a similar view of a curved or angular felly provided with grooves,
slits or recesses in the side walls thereof and adapted to receive and hold by means
of cement or other glutinons or adhesive material a tire made of a sheet of flexible
material impervious to liquids and caused to assume a cylindrical form in its
engagement with said felly.
Fig. 14, is a sectional elevation of a two-part felly, a tire capable of inflation and
an interposed rim and all held together in a suitable manner.
Fig. 16, is a cross section of a wooden felly with hollow flexible tire held between
the walls of flanges of an interposed rin secured to said felly; and
Fig. 17, is a similar view of a modified form of a felly and tire secured together,
and said tire composed of flexible material with a separately applied reinforce, the
sides or edges of said tire being held between the walls of flanges mounted on a
filling composed of segments of wood or other material arranged between the rim
and hoop of the wheel and the segments being flanged so as to abut against one
side of the rim and also showing the means for securing the several parts to the
wheel.
In the drawings A, designates the tubular ring or tire made of snitable flexible
material. As will be understood this ring must be air tight, while for the purpose
of filling or inflation there is provided a small tube b, having a suitable valve-
cock 6. This tube is conveniently inserted through an opening provided in the
felly B, and extending through the body of the tube A, to receive it. The tubular
tire may be filled with air, gas, aeriform or gaseous fluid or water or other liquid
to any desired degree of pressure sufficient to maintain the wall of the tubular
ring forcibly expanded. The wall of the tubular ring or other tire when so
expanded will yield to the impact of projecting obstacles, impediments or irregn-
larities upon the surface and thereby allow the wheel to ride over the same without
jar or shock or the causing of any irregularity or unevenness in the movement of
the vehicle. Pebbles or stones on the surface or ridges in the roadway and the
like will simply indent the cushion-like surface of the tire while the latter is in
contact and when the obstacle is passed the tire will again resume its normal
shape. In applying the inflatible tire to the fellies of wheels of ordinary vehicles
such as carriages and wagons special provision has to be made for securing the
tire to place therein or thereon as such are generally provided with either flat or
convex tires or rims.
In Fig. 9, is illustrated another form of my invention consisting of a hollow
flexible tire A, composed of two or more tubes made of the same or different
material. The tire constructed as shown in said figure may be composed of two
or more tubes partly or wholly secured together by cement or other glutinous or
adhesive material but they are preferably arranged so that they may be inde-
pendent of each other in order that each may be free to creep independently of
the other, that is, one tube within another tube. In this instance as before
mentioned the tire is either sprung into the grooved felly B, or secured solidly
therein by means of cement or other glutinous or adhesive material.
In Fig. 10, is shown a tubular tire composed of flexible or compressible material
with projections a² and a², diverging slightly in opposite directions and which are
brought into engagement with the extremities of the grooved-felly B, and held
thereto by cement or in any other preferred manner. These projections thoroughly
protect the extremities of the felly in the event of collapse of the tire-due to leak-
age of the liquid or fluid of which it is inflated and preventing also the tire from
coming in contact with the ground which would tend to retard the free and easy
movement of the vehicle.
In Fig. 11 is shown a tubular flexible tire A, capable of being inflated, which,
if desired, may have the tread portion in the formation of the tube made of

page_text: tougher material than the felly-facing portion or the tube may be thickened or
reinforced at the tread, if desired, in any suitable manner. Ribs or projections a¹
and a², are formed preferably integral with the tube in its manufacture and with
a central web a³. In such an instance the felly B, is made in two parts B and B¹,
with channels or grooves 62 and 6, formed in said parts for the reception of the
ribs or projections a¹ and 2, of the tire A. The web a³, of the tire is caused to
engage between the flanges and 66, of the two-part felly and the respective parts
are held firmly together by means of bolts c and nuts c². The tire is secured into
the grooves 62 and 3, and the faces of the two-part felly, by means of cement or
other glutinous or adhesive material. Through one of the parts of the felly is
introduced a small-tube b, with a stop-cock b¹, for permitting of the inflation of
the tire by means of air, gas, water or other aeriform or gaseous fluid or liquid.
In Fig. 12, is illustrated a tire A, of my improved construction which is made
of a sheet of rubber or other flexible or elastic material which in the course of
its manufacture is rendered impervious to finids or liquids. The sides a¹ and a³,
of the rectangular sheet of rubber or other analogous material is thickened to
form enlargements at and a³, therent to engage in the counter-sunk grooves,
channels or recesses 2 and 2, of the felly B, made of metal or other suitable
material. These channels or grooves extend into the body of the felly some
distance on each side of the centre thereof in order that the enlargements of the
flexible sheet forming the hollow tire may be firmly fitted to and held therein by
means of cement or other glutinous or adhesive material. In the outer surface
of the felly B, is provided an opening through which extends a small tube b,
provided with a stop-cock b¹, for inflating the hollow impervious or fluid tight
Hexible tube A. The degree of compressibility of this tire may be regulated by
the degree of the inflation which may be introduced under pressure.
This tire may be made of other material besides rubber but preference is given
to the use of rubber for the formation thereof. The felly may be made of either
wood or metal. Furthermore the enlargements in the sides of the sheet of
flexible material may be retained in the grooves of the felly B, by pins, rivets
bolts or other suitable fastening.
In Fig. 14 is illustrated a hollow flexible tire capable of being inflated with
improved constructions of fellies. The hollow flexible tire A, is made from a
sheet of flexible material impervious to liquids or fluids. When constructed in
the form approximately of an inverted letter U, the sides near the outer extrem-
ities and designated by the letters a' and a³, are thickened as to form enlargements
thereat for a purpose to be presently explained. B and B are two flanged rings
made of metal, wood or other suitable material and constituting the felly proper
of the wheel. C is an anuular rim which is interposed between the tire and the
felly and these parts when combined are held firmly in position by means of
bolts cand nuts c¹ The rim C, is located above the enlargements a' and a³, of
the tire A, in order that the tire when bent into a cylindrical form or approxi-
nately the form of the lotter U, may be held snugly and tightly up against the
inner walls of the flanged rings B and B¹, constituting the two-part felly by means
of bolts c and nuts c'. The tire A, may be held more solidly in its normal position
by cementing the same to the rim C, and the flanged rings B and B', in any pre-
ferred manner and thereby not only holding said tire in a firm position but in a
most satisfactory manner guarding against leakage of the inflating medium from
the said tire. In the wall of the rim C, is inserted one or more tubes b, provided
with stop-cocks 6', for the introduction of air, gas, water or other aeriform or
gaseous Huids or liquids for the inflation of the tire and of causing the same to
retain its cylindrical contour or approximately U-forun whilst in use.
In Figs. 16 and 17 are illustrated the manner of applying the inflated tabular
ring or tire A, to the wheels of an ordinary vehicle such as a carriage or wagon in
which special provision has to be made for securing the tire to place on such
wheels owing to the fact that the rims are generally either flat or convex. The

page_text: inflated or inflatable tire in this instance consists of a web of india-rubber or
other imitable material A, having its edges pinched and secured between the walls
of flanges d', formed at the edges of a metallic ring or hoop e. These flanges are
formed by bending and folding the metal upon itself and projecting it inwardly
from the periphery of the hoop. When the device is applied to a wheel in the
course of construction the fellies of the latter are readily fitted to the hoop e, and
are embraced by the flanges d¹. When the device is to be applied to a wheel
already made a filling of segments of wood or other material G, should be arranged
between the rim or tire of the wheel and the hoop e. These segments are flanged
on one side as shown at g, so as to abut against one side of the rim of the wheel
and when in place are secured to the wheel by cleats g', or other suitable fastenings.
Any other convenient method of securing the hoop and inflatible tire to the
wheel may be adopted. The inflatible tire and its metallic hoop may be applied
to the wheels of bicycles, tricycles and other vehicles by using suitable fastening
devices. The flexible tube or tire may be either made in one or more layers or
reinforced at any desired point. It may also cousiat of one or more materials
or of different qualities of materials.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of my
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it
understood that I make no claim to any method of constructing tires other than
such in which the tyre or tyre cover is made with longitudinal ribs or has enlarged
edges which pass into & are held within grooves or their equivalents formed in
the rim of the wheel but subject hereto 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. A wheel provided with an inflatible tire having the sides or edges thereof
secured between the flanges of a rim or felly, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. A wheel provided with an inflatible flexible tire having the sides thereof
pinched and secured between flanges formed with a rim or felly and the flanges
projecting inwardly from the periphery of said rin or felly, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
3. A wheel provided with a tyre composed of a web of flexible material having
the sides or edges secured between the walls of flanges formed with a rim and a
tube with a cock for permitting of the inflation of said tire, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
4. An inflatible tire composed of a sheet of flexible material having the sides
thereof enlarged and firmly held in grooves or counter-sunk channels formed in
the sides or edges of a felly, substantially as described.
5. An inflatible tire composed of flexible material having the sides enlarged, in
combination with a felly having grooves or channels in the sides or edges thereof
to receive the enlargements of the tire and a tube with a cock secured into said
felly, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. A flexible or elastic hollow tire provided with ribs formed integral therewith
and firmly secured to a felly adapted to receive said tire and a tube with a cock
extending through the body of said felly and tire, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
In Presence of :
LOUIS HERMANN BORMANN.
JOHN WALTER DOUGLASS.
AMUS WORTHINGTON THOMAS.