Improvements in Tyres or Wheel Circumferences for Cycles and other Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1892
.omplete Specification Left, 11th July, 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres or Wheel Circumferences for Cycles and
other Wheeled Vehicles.
We, GEORGE SALTER, of the Firm of George Salter and Company of West
Bromwich in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, and JOHN WALKER of
Overend Street, West Bromwich aforesaid, Foreman of Works do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to wheel tyres or wheel circumferences, and has for its
object. a metallic spring tyre or wheel circumference, non-inflated and impenetrable.
Ordinary pneumatic tyres forming the treads to wheel circumferences, are liable
to be deflated, by puncture, consequent upon objects piercing the outer and inner
walls of possibly both tyre and covering.
By our invention we employ an elastic body, such as thin sheet steel, which is
impenetrable, and so resilient that when forced from its natural state by
compression, it has the power of recovering itself by virtue of its elasticity.
Thus we have an impenetrable tyre, having the properties of pneumatic ones in
respect to its flexibility or pliancy.
In carrying out one form of our invention, we make up the tyre of a series of
semi-circular and hinged or jointed together tempered thin sheet steel segments in
manner following:-
A series of thin sheet steel semi-circular segments, with inwardly rolled-in edges
alike unto a butt hinge, are taken, which when brought together, comprehend a
complete circle, with the joints or the rolled joints of one section, fitting within the
gaps between the joints of an opposed section, hence a circular tyre, with joints
upon the two opposite sides, and upon these joints, the said sections turn, on the
straightening out of the opposed sections, on the tyre being flattened, or changing
its figure by compression.
The segments are threaded by their joints upon inside wires or rods, and with
cushioning or buffer blocks, in the form of cork or rubber, disposed between the
contiguous circumferential and transverse sections, each of which is composed of
inner and outer semi-circular ones.
These circumferential sections, which are preferably of about an inch or two
inches in length, taper from the outer to the inner face, so as to follow the
differences in the inner and outer circumferences.
By the interposition of cushioning blocks between the eyes or rolled-in joints of
the section as aforesaid, the said sections admit of turning slightly at their joints,
alike unto the spinal joint of a vertebrate animal.
Instead of employing a single joint upon each side, we may employ two joints,
so that a circumferential section may be composed of three or more connected
and jointed together parts.
Over the metallic and vertebrally constructed inner tyre, comes a leather, rubber
or canvas and rubber covering, either in the form of an outer tyre, or in the form
of a loose and laced cover, with or without rubber treads, facings or the like.
If necessary packing may be introduced between the tyre and the rubber or
canvas covering, or between the tyre and the ordinary rim, wherein the tyre
seats itself.
Dated this 20th day of October 1802
GEORGE SALTER,
JOHN WALKER,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tyres or Wheel Circumferences for Cycles and
other Wheeled Vehicles.
We, GEORGE' SALTER, of the Firm of George Salter and Company of West
Bromwich in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, and JOHN WALKER, of
Overend Street, West Bromwich aforesaid, Foreman of Works, 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:-
Our invention relates to wheel tyres or wheel circumferences, and has for its
object, a metallic spring tyre or wheel circumference, non-inflated, and impenetrable.
Ordinary pneumatic tyres forming the treads to wheel circumferences are liable
to be deflated by puncture, consequent upon objects piercing the outer and inner
walls of possibly both tyre and covering.
By our invention, we employ an elastic body, such as thin sheet steel, which is
impenetrable, and so resilient that when forced from its natural state by compression,
it has the power of recovering itself by virtue of its elasticity.
Thus, we have an unpuncturable tyre, having the properties of pneumatic ones
in respect to its flexibility or pliancy.
In carrying out one form of our invention, we make up the tyre of a series of
semi-circular and hinged or jointed together tempered thin sheet steel segments, in
manner following:-
A series of thin sheet steel semi-circular segments, with inwardly rolled-in edges
alike unto a butt hinge, are taken, which when brought together, comprehend a
complete circle, with the joints or the rolled joints of one section, fitting within.the
gaps between the joints of an opposed section, hence a circular tyre, with joints
upon the two opposite sides, and upon these joints, the said sections turn, on the
straightening out of the opposed sections, on the tyre being flattened, or changing
its figure by compression.
The seginents are threaded by their joints upon inside wires or rods, and if
necessary with cushioning or buffer blocks, in the form of cork or rubber, disposed
between the contiguous circumferential and transverse sections, each of which is
composed of inner and outer semi-circular ones.
These circumferential sections, which may be of about an inch or two inches in
length, taper from the outer to the inner face, so as to follow the differences
in the inner and outer circumferences.
By the interposition of cushioning blocks between the eyes or rolled-in joints of
the section as aforesaid, the said sections admit of turning slightly at their joints,
alike unto the spinal joint of a vertebrate animal.
Instead of employing a single joint upon each side, we may employ two joints, so
that a circumferential section may be composed of three or more connected and
jointed-together parts.
Over the metallic and vertebrally constructed inner tyre, comes a leather, rubber,
or canvas and rubber covering, either in the form of an outer tyre, or in the form
of a loose and laced cover, with or without rubber treads, facings or the like.
If necessary packing may be introduced between the tyre and the rubber or
canvas covering, or between the tyre and the ordinary rim, wherein the tyre
scats itself.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a cycle wheel, having a tyre
made according to our improvements, and which said tyre or wheel circumference
is unpuncturable by the walls of the same being made up of a series of metallic
sectional parts, hinged and strung together upon tie wires, so as to admit of the
same being compressed on the application of pressure, and of recovering its normal
figure on the said pressure being relieved.
Figure 2 represents partly in longitudinal section, and partly in elevation, a part

page_text: of a wheel circumference, Figure 1. It is the cover only that is shown in section,
whilst the metallic parts are in elevation.
Figure 3 represents a complete sectional view of the same upon a still larger
scale.
Figure 4 is a transverse section upon the dotted lines A. B. Figure 3, whilst
Figure 5 represents in elevation, the outer and inner halves of a complete sectional
part.
In Figures 1 to 5, a is a tyre, composed or made up of a series of semi-circular
and hinged or jointed-together thin sheet steel sectional parts b, c, with inwardly
rolled-in edges or tubular eyes, c, alike unto the joints of an ordinary hinge,
and on the said sectional parts being brought together, and with the joint parts of
the one fitting between the joint parts of the other or opposed section, they
comprehend a circular sectional part a', and a series of such sectional parts a', are
threaded, by their joints, upon wires or rods d, which form not only connecting
wires or rods for the sections making a wheel circumference, but also as joints or
centres upon which the sectional parts turn on the deflection or change of figure of
the said sectional members.
These said sectional members are also tied together by a resilient band tie or
coupling stay e, which takes through holes 3, of inward depending webs 2, of the
sectional part b.
Thus, a wheel circumference is made up of continuous circumferential and
transverse-sectioned compound segments composed of thin sheet spring steel or
other metal.
is the cover, and g is the rim of the tyre, whilst are spokes.
The said cover may be connected to the rim by any suitable means as may be
desired.
Figure 6 represents a metallic tyre, with the sectional or compound segmental
parts separated from each other by leather or rubber cushioning expedients for
preventing the contact of metal with metal.
Figure 7 is a transverse section of the same upon the dotted lines C D Figure 6.
a is the wheel circumference, a' are transverse compound sectional parts as before,
separated by interposed blocks of cork, rubber, felt or like yielding material i,
threaded upon the rods & and e, although the same may be fitted between the said
sectional parts independently of the rods.
is the cover, the rim and the spokes.
Figure 8 represents in transverse section, a wheel circumference, with each
transverse compound section made up of a series of four sectional pirts instead of
two, as in the preceeding arrangements.
u is the transverse compound sectional part, made up of four segmental
parts b, c, k, and m, united and jointed together by rods d. passing through inwardly
directed rolled-in edges at the circumferential termination of each section.
is the cover, g the rim, and the spokes.
Figure 9 represents a longitudinal section of a wheel circumference with the
circumferential sectional parts made up of single lengths or bands of metal, and
with the sides slit pierced, and the eyes or holes for the threading of the same upon
the stay wires pressed or sunken inwardly.
·
Figure 10 is a cross section upon the dotted lines E F Figure 9.
a is a part of wheel circumference, a are the transvese and circumferential
segments, made in a single piece, or from a single length of strip metal, folded
circularly, a are depressions or eyes formed inwardly from the metal of the sides,
and wherethrough the stay rods d, are threaded, and by means of which the
sectional parts a, are bound and held together.
i are interposed blocks, for keeping the said sections a' apart, whilst e is the
cover, g is the rim and the spokes.
If desired, the said metallic sheet metal tyres may be used without covers, and
padding may, if necessary, be placed between the cover and the tyre, or the cover
inay be attached to the metallic walls, by cement or otherwise.

page_text: As well as interposing cork, rubber felt or the like longitudinally between the
transverse sections or the compound sections, like yielding material may be
interposed between the whole of the adjacent or approximate edges of the said
compound sectional parts of the cross segments, so as to prevent abrasion, rattling
or chattering.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. In tyres or wheel circumferences, making up the same of thin sheet metal
and resilient cross segments or semi-circular cross segments, or compound cross
segments, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. In tyres or wheel circumferences, making the same up of a series of
circumferential or cross compound and tapered segments, each composed of two,
three or four sectional parts, united together by hinged or joint connections,
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Thirdly. In tyres or wheel circumferences, making the same up of a series of
cross sectional parts, united together by rods or threaded resilient rods, substantially
as described and set forth.
Fourthly. In tyres or wheel circumferences, making the same up of single cross
sectioned parts, or single cross sectioned parts having inward depressions for the
threading and connecting of the same substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 9 and 10.
Fifthly. In tyres or wheel circumferences, the combination with the cross
sectioned parts, the sectional portions of the said parts, of interposed cork, rubber,
felt or other like yielding blocks, substantially as and for the purpose as described
and set forth.
Sixthly. The improvements in the construction and arrangements of the parts
substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 10th day of July 1895.
GEORGE SALTER,
JOHN WALKER,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.