Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Tyres for Velocipedes.
I, NIKOLAUS WAHL, Maschinenhandlung, Löbau, Germany, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The subject of the present application for Letters Patent consists essentially of
an improved method of and material for replacing the tyres of cycles known as
pneumatic tyres which latter in spite of the most ingenious construction are still
very liable to damage and to become unserviceable.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a tyre of felt made of the finest
and best hair material and treated with a suitable preparation for the purpose of
rendering it entirely unaffected by damp or even by direct contact with water. I
secure this felt tyre upon the wheel rim preferably either by cementing it thereon
with a suitable cement or adhesive material or by means of a suitable mechanical
attachment such as by wire or the like with the object of securing a tyre of
permanent strong elasticity and not injuriously affected by damp and wet.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, NIKOLAUS WAHL, Maschinenhandlung, Löbau, Germany, Merchant, 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:-
The invention hereinafter described relates to the replacing of the pneumatic
tyres hitherto employed for velocipedes by felt tyres. Pneumatic tyres are not
only about twice as heavy as felt tyres but are also in spite of the most ingenious
construction very easily liable to damage and to become unserviceable. Moreover
the felt tyres of my invention are also capable of advantageously replacing the
solid rubber tyres such as have hitherto been used for carriages and the like
because they are much cheaper and almost more elastic than india-rubber tyres.
Felt tyres, moreover, are suitable for application to the rollers of roller skates
and the like, especially as they may be prepared in any desired size. The
machinery employed in the construction of felt tyres is similar to that known and
used for producing other shaped felt articles. The operation is effected in the
following manner :-
The very fine wool material is first placed in a felting apparatus with attached
mechanism for delivering in ribbon form; by means of the said apparatus the
material is delivered in the form of an endless band of from 15 to 20 centimetres
width upon a revolving table arranged below the opening of the ribbon mechanism.

page_text: As
On the said table stands a metal form corresponding to the shape of the tyre.
the receiving table continuously revolves around its vertical axis the form
automatically receives the ribbon passing from the machine in perfectly uniform
circles spirally wound one upon the other. As the vertical central axis of the
receiving table rests upon a weighted lever with an adjustable counter-weight
thereon the table as soon as the required weight of the tyre is reached sinks
automatically down, thereby giving to the workman in charge the signal to cut the
ribbon and to replace the filled form by a fresh empty one. The tyre prepared in
this manner is then sewn with wool threads in order that the separate layers
not yet felted together may not be in any way displaced by the subsequent
operations.
The felting together is then effected by means of a plate felting machine upon
which the tyre is placed and felted for a given time; in order to subject any
parts not yet touched to the same pressure the tyre is then turned round 90° so
that the fibres which for instance have hitherto been horizontally placed now
stand vertically. In this new position the tyre is again subjected for a given time
to the felting operation, and is then stripped off on to a cylinder corresponding
approximately to the diameter of the tyre required. In this cylinder there is a
semicircular groove in which the felt tyre is fitted. Around this principal cylinder
are arranged several small cylindrical rollers in which is also provided a
semicircular groove.
The rotating main cylinder provided with a gear wheel also sets the small
cylinder rollers in rotation by means of suitable gearing. As these little rollers
are provided with springs they press continuously during the rotation upon the felt
tyre which is also rotating. In order to effect the third felting of the same the
principal cylinder, and also the little rollers, have also imparted to them a short
and quick to and fro motion by means of a lever mechanism arranged for this
purpose. After this operation the felt tyre is felted completely round, the steam
necessary for the purpose is passed through a tube under the tyre provided with
fine perforations, or this operation can be carried out by heating the cylinder.
After the tyre has been completely felted it is again brought upon a machine
similar to the first described one on which it is also worked completely round by
means of a revolving and shaking motion. This machine is surrounded by
filled with boiled water requisite for the operation. The final treatment takes
place by means of a hammer fulling machine under which the shape of the tyre is
no longer altered. The tyre is then somewhat further shaped and is drawn upon
the rim of the wheel in the warm state. As the felt, in consequence of the material
employed for its production, as it continuously strives to contract shrinks on
cooling so firmly upon the wheel rim a special attachment is unnecessary and would
moreover be impracticable because the tyre is not capable of being taken from
the wheel except by cutting it off.
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After the tyre has been completely dried the outer skin thereof is impregnated
upon the wheel rim with suitable material in order to render it hard and
unaffected by water and damp, the inner fibres nevertheless remain quite soft and
are not impregnated in order to retain elasticity of the tyre.
Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 shews a section of the tyre and
rim secured to a spoke, Fig. 2 shews a side elevation of a portion of the tyre and
In these figures, A denotes the hard outer skin, B the elastic interior part
F the rim and S the spoke of the wheel.
rim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what mauuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A tyre for cycles and other vehicles characterized by the construction thereof
in the form of a closed seamless felt ring the outer skin whereof alone is rendered
impermeable to damp and hard, whereas the inner edges remain soft and are not
impregnated, for the purpose of retaining their elasticity.

page_text: 2. The fixing of the felt tyre set forth in Claim 1 upon the wheel rim,
characterized by the drawing of the same direct upon the rim in the hot state as it
comes from the fulling apparatus, whereby it then sticks so firmly through cooling
that special means for fixing become unnecessary.
Dated this 5th day of October 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322 High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.