Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan, 1806
Complete Specification Left 16th Nov. 1896-Accented. 15th Mar. 1897
Complete Specification Left 16th Nov 1896-Accented 15th Mar. 1997
· PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
We, CHARLES WOOLLEY, of 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton Hill, in the County
of London, Secretary to a Public Co. and THOMAS DUNN, of 83 Tierney Road,
Brixton Hill, aforesaid, Member of the Stock Exchange, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improved constructions of pneumatic tyres
designed more particularly to admit of such tyres being detachably applied to
vehicle wheels having ordinary plain or approximately plain rims or felloes and
iron tyres, without the aid of bolts or the like, and without making, in most cases,
any alteration to the wheels, for the purpose of attaching the tyres thereto except
it may be to form a hole therein for the reception of the air valve of the tyre, and
in other cases only alterations of the slightest and most unobjectionable kind.
According to one arrangement the tyre cover at or near its edges is provided
with thickened beads or projecting parts that are located on opposite sides of the
tyre cover, and are adapted to interlock with each other. These beads, which are
preferably of rectangular form in cross section, do not occupy the whole breadth
of the base of the tyre, as in that case a joint would be exposed on one side of
the tyre between the base of the tyre and one of the beads or projecting parts,
but they extend over half or two thirds, or thereabout of the breadth of the tyre
and are placed to one side thereof, a corresponding bead (hereinafter called a
filling piece) being formed on the other side of the base of the tyre so that
beneath the beads the tyre is practically plain or level from side to side and the
sides of the tyre are smooth and jointless. These beads or projecting parts, are,
when the tyre is inflated, held tightly around the periphery of a wheel rim or
felloe by a circular strip (hereinafter called a self gripping band) of material
that is practically rigid transversely and flexible longitudinally but inextensible
in length, and which is located between such beads or projecting parts and the air
tube of the tyre.
In an arrangement of this kind, the beads or projecting parts are each made
continuous so as to form three thickened annular ridges arranged parallel with
each other, two being on one side of the cover and one on the other side, the latter,
when the tyre is in place on a wheel, lying between the other two. The edge of
the outer layer of material of which the tyre cover is made may be made to overlap
the filling piece and may extend across the base of the tyre; or a flap similarly
placed may be provided instead. The inner side of this extended edge or flap or
that side which is next the beads, may be rendered permanently adhesive so that
it will hold the free edge of the cover in place, even when the tyre is off the
wheel, and prevent dust or dirt entering and lodging between the beads, but will
not seriously hinder the opening of the cover when desired.
To insure the tyre being placed true laterally on a wheel and to aid in holding
it in place thereon, the two sides of the tyre cover may be provided with metal
clips or angle pieces adapted to engage upon the adjacent sides of the wheel.
One set of these clips or angle pieces may be attached to or adapted to engage
with the filling piece, the other set being similarly arranged with relation to the
interlocking part on the other edge portion of the tyre cover. Or metal studs

page_text: secured to metal plates embedded in the base of the tyre may be provided, these
studs being arranged to enter corresponding small holes formed in the iron tyre on
the wheel.
The material for forming the interlocking beads and filling piece may
conveniently consist of india rubber or any of the substitutes therefor, or of
prepared cork, such as is used in the manufacture of cork carpet, and around these
beads and filling piece the fabric employed in forming the tyre cover may be
folded and cemented in any well known or approved manner.
The self gripping band may be formed for example of steel, celluloid, vulcanite,
or steel coated with vulcanite. It is preferably enclosed in a sheath of woven
material that may advantageously be secured to the inner side of the innermost of
the two edges of the outer cover and within which the self-gripping band can
readily expand and contract in diameter when the tyre is applied to and removed
from a wheel.
The ends of the self-gripping band, which are unconnected with external
drawing-up devices and are free and capable of end ways movement relatively to
each other and to the said sheath or channel, may, after the inflation of the tyre,
be securely fixed in place by the screwing up of a nut on the stem of the air valve
which passes through longitudinal slots in the ends of the band; or means may
be provided whereby the said ends will become fixed in place entirely auto-
matically or only on the screwing up of the air valve nut, as described for example
in the Specifications of Letters Patent No. 23423 of 1892 and 6357 of 1894,
granted to one of us, namely the said Thomas Dunn.
To give increased strength to tyres constructed as described and render them
more secure, particularly when deflated, one or both of the beads or ridges on one
side of the tyre cover may be made tubular and be provided with unjoined metal
hoops that can slide in them and act in the same way as the self gripping band,
the ends of the hoops, which should overlap like those of the self gripping band
and should preferably be thinned so that the hoops should be of equal thickness
throughout, being placed at the diametrically opposite side of the tyre to that at
which the overlapping ends of the self gripping band are situated whereby they
and the self gripping band have a mutually interlocking action. In some cases,
the same interlocking action may be secured by having two self gripping bands,
preferably in separate sheaths, provided in one tyre with their overlapping ends
arranged at diametrically opposite points. In this case the air valve would pass
through a hole formed in the cental portion of one of the bands.
When, for the purpose of giving a tyre thus constructed the most efficient self
gripping action, it is desired to render the tread inextensible in length by the use
in connection with it of steel or other metal wires, bauds or strips, we effect this
without the objections to such a construction which attach to most other devices
of this character heretofore proposed, by arranging the wires strips or bands in
two layers with one band or two or more strips or a series of wires or strands of
wire in each layer and placing between these layers, at short intervals, transverse
strips or blocks of hard material such as wood or vulcanite leaving spaces between
the blocks into which, on longitudinal compression of the tread of the tyre, the
bands, strips or wires can readily bend so as to oppose no material resistance to
the tyre thus readily contracting circumferentially. It is a special feature and
advantage of this arrangement, that ou inflation of the tyre, the air pressure
bearing on the inner side of this compound band tends constantly to press the
band, strips or wires of the under layer outwards into the spaces between the
transverse strips or blocks while the transverse tension of the tyre cover bearing
through a suitable cushion, which we prefer to provide between it and the outer
surface of the compound band, likewise tends to press the band, strips or wires of
the outer layer constantly inwards into the aforesaid spaces, the result being that
the tyre, when inflated, has a constant tendency to contract itselt longitudinally,
which gives it exceptional resiliency, whilst the construction renders it or admits
of its being readily rendered practically unpuncturable.

page_text: According to another arrangement for securing tyres with bands in the edges
of the cover which do not interlock, to ordinary wheels in accordance with the,
conditions hereinbefore stated, we employ an inextensible band or secondary rim'
of curved section located, between the air tube of the tyre and the edges of the
tyre cover and the ends of which are drawn together or moved apart, by a right
and left handed screw that is adapted to be rotated by a cord, wire or its
equivalent attached to and wound around the screw and the ends of which extend
to the exterior of the tyre, the arrangement being such that upon placing the
pneumatic tyre upon a wheel rim and pulling the one end of the cord or its
equivalent the screw will be thereby caused to rotate and draw the ends of the
band together and so cause the band to firmly clamp the edges of the tyre cover
upon the wheel rim all around the same, whereupon the tyre will be firmly fixed
in place on the wheel, and upon pulling the other end of the cord or its equivalent,,
the ends of the band will be moved apart and the tyre released sufficiently to:
admit of its removal from the rim.
The band is convex outwardly and preferably formed with outwardly turned
lips on its edges, and the edges of the tyre are formed with wedge-shaped beads
so as to fit more or less between the outer periphery of the wheel rim and the
inner concave periphery of the band. It is desirable that these beads should
have a certain amount of longitudinal elasticity, but by so constructing them that
they will at the same time have a certain degree of stiffness transversely, any
tendency for their narrowest portions to fold round the lips of the gripping band
in places, and so give an irregular formation to the tyre by reason of the air
pressure, will be obviated. The right and left handed screw works in corre-,
spondingly screw thread holes in lugs preferably attached to the inner concave
side of the ends of the band, and the ends of the length of flexible material wound
on the screw are passed out laterally between the wheel rim and the tyre cover so
as to admit of their being easily operated, and between which they can afterwards.
be tucked out of sight.
Instead of a screw having right and left handed threads a screw having a single
thread may be used, the screw in this case, being connected to one end of the
band so that it can be rotated but cannot move end wise relatively thereto, and
engaging a screw threaded lug on the opposite end of the band.
The edges of a tyre of this construction may be provided as before at intervals
with suitable means such as angle pieces adapted to assist in placing and
retaining the tyre in its proper position laterally on the wheel rim.
The special inerit of this arrangement is that by it it is not necessary to form any
hole in the wheel rim, as has heretofore been necessary, for the reception of the
means employed for drawing the ends of the band together, nor to make any other
alteration to the wheel for the purpose of attaching the tyre thereto except to
provide a valve hole. Furthermore the mode described of attaching and detaching
these tyres is exceedingly simple and speedy and does not involve the use of any
separate implement or tool.
For applying to an ordinary vehicle wheel, without the use of bolts or the like
and without alterations thereto, a tyre of the well known Clincher or Grappler
construction in which the tyres are secured by beads or hooks arranged on the
edges of the tyre covers which do not interlock hut are adapted to grip upon
inturned lips upon the wheel rim, we provide a separate compound rim adapted to.
be used in conjunction with such a tyre, and which has a capacity for accom-
modating itself to wheels having considerable variations in the breadth of the iron
tyres and also for becoming automatically secured thereon upon the inflation of "
the tyre. This compound rin comprises an outer rim made in two annular parts
or halves arranged side by side and within which is arranged an inverted channelled
rim, likewise made in two annular parts arranged side by side but with their
adjacent edges deeply crenellated so as to interlock with each other. The outer
and inner rims are connected together, as by rivetting, in such a way that each
half of the outer rim is attached to the crenellated portions projecting beneath it
i

page_text: of the half of the inner rim on the opposite side to it, the arrangement being such
that on the two portions of the outer rim being moved apart by the inflation of
the tyre with which the compound rim is used, the channel formed by the two
parts of the inner rim will automatically contract in breadth so as to close upon the
rim or felloe of the wheel to which it is applied and grip the rim or felloe with
practically the whole force of the lateral expansion of the base of the tyre
due to the air pressure, thereby rendering the compound rim as secure upon the
rim or felloe as the tyre is ordinarily rendered secure in its rim by the air
pressure.
Suitable means are preferably provided for securing together the ends of these
compound rims which may be in one piece or in sections. Such a compound rim
can be readily applied to wheels of different sizes circumferentially, within
reasonable limits, by placing some suitable packing round the wheel, when desirable,
before applying the compound rim to it. Or rims of a variety of circumferential
lengths may be easily produced by forming them of sections of a small number of
different lengths variously combined.
Such compound automatically gripping rims may be formed of various cross
sections and may be employed for securing tyres with inextensible wires in their
edge to vehicle wheels in compliance with the conditions herein stated which are
believed to be essential to the efficient and successful accomplishment of this
purpose.
Instead of the outer and inner portions of the rims being rivetted or otherwise
permanently secured together, they may be provided with beads, rings, lips or
hooks secured to or formed upon them so as to interlock with each other. When
thus constructed the compound rims may be each provided with a central channel
so that they may be used in conjunction with such tyres as those of the well known
Welch construction.
щеп
relating
res.
We, CHARLES WOOLLEY, of 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton Hill, in the County
of London, Secretary to a Public Company, and THOMAS DUNN, of 83 Tierney
Road, Brixton Hill, aforesaid, Member of the Stock Exchange, 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 has reference to improved constructions of pneumatic tyres
designed more particularly to admit of such tyres being detachably applied to
vehicle wheels having ordinary flat or approximately flat rims or iron tyres, without
the aid of bolts or the like, and without making, in most cases, any alteration to
the wheels, for the purpose of attaching the tyres thereto, except, it may be, to
form a hole therein for the reception of the air valve of the tyre, and in other
cases only alterations of the slightest and most unobjectionable kind.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows in cross section and Fig. 2 partly in
side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, a portion of a wheel felloe fitted
with one construction of pneumatic tyre according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a
developed view of the outer cover of such a tyre.
In this arrangement the tyre cover I at or near its edges is provided with

page_text: thickened beads or projecting parts 2 2" (hereinafter called beads) that are locate
on opposite sides of the tyre cover (Fig. 3), and are adapted to interlock with
each other (Fig. 1). These beads, which are preferably of rectangular form in
cross section, do not occupy the whole breadth of the base of the tyre, as in that
case a joint would be exposed on one side of the tyre between the base of the tyre
and one of the beads, but they extend over half or two thirds, or thereabout of
the breadth of the tyre and are placed to one side thereof, as shown, a corre-
sponding bead 2 (hereinafter called a filling piece) being formed on the other
side of the base of the tyre so that beneath the beads the tyre is practically plain
or level from side to side and the sides of the tyre are smooth and jointless.
These beads are, when the tyre is inflated, held tightly around the periphery of
wheel rim or felloe 3 by a circular strip 4 (hereinafter called a self-gripping band)
of material that is practically rigid transversely and flexible lngita linally but is
inextensible in length, and which is located between such bearls and the air tube 5
of the tyre, and preferably within a sheath 4" of woven material.
In an arrangement of this kind, the beads 2 2 and filling piece 2 are each made
continuous so as to form three thickened annular ridges arranged parallel with
each other, two, viz. 2, 2b, being on one side of the cover and one, viz. 2, on the
other side, the latter, when the tyre is in place on a wheel, lying between the other
two, as shown in Fig. 1. The edge portion 1" of the outer of the two layers of
material of which the tyre cover is made, may be made to overlap the filling
piece 2 and extend across the base of the tyre as shown; or a flap, corresponding
to the said edge portion 1 and cemented to the side of the cover may be similarly
used. The inner side of the extended edge portion 1 (or flap), that is to say the
side which is next the beads 2, 2, may he rendered permanently adhesive without
sticking fast so that the free edge portion 1ª of the cover will be held in place,
even when the tyre is off the wheel, and prevent dust or dirt entering and lodging
between the beads, but will not seriously hinder the opening of the cover when
desired. Such an adhesive surface can be obtained by the use of known
solutions of rubber that will not upon evaporation of the solvent become"
completely dry.
To insure the tyre being placed true laterally on a wheel and to aid in holding
it in place thereou, the two sides or edges of the tyre cover may be provided with
metal clips or angle pieces 6, 7 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted to engage against the
adjacent sides of the metal tyre on the wheel felloe 3. One set of these clips or
angle pieces, viz. 7, may be attached to or adapted to engage with the filling
piece 2, the other set 6 being similarly arranged with relation to the interlocking
part 2. The angle pieces 6, 7, of which only a small number say 3 or 5 will be
required on each side of the wheel felloe, may be formed of sheet steel with out-
wardly bent ends 6, 7 to bear against the inner edges of the bead 2 and filling
piece 2 respectively, and be secured to these parts by arranging them between
such bead and filling piece and the layers of canvas or other material that surrounds.'
these parts.
The tyre may also be held in place laterally and circumferentially upon the
wheel by means of metal studs 8 secured to metal plates 9 located in the sheath 4*1
that is embedded in the base of the tyre as shown in cross section in Fig. 4, the
said studs being arranged to enter corresponding small holes 10 formed in the iron
tyre 3 on the wheel.
The material for forming the interlocking beads 2, 2 and filling piece 2 may
conveniently consist of india rubber, or of any of the substitutes therefor; or of
prepared cork, such as is used in the manufacture of cork carpet, and around these
beads and the filling piece the fabric employed in forming the tyre cover may be
folded and cemented in any well known or approved manner.
. The self gripping band 4 may be formed for example of steel, celluloid, vulcanite,
or steel conted with enamel. As hereinbefore stated, it is preferably enclosed in
a sheath 4 of woven material that may advantageously be secured to the inner.
side of the innermost edge portion 1° of the two edge portions of the outer cover l'

page_text: and within which the self-gripping band can readily expand and contract in
diameter when the tyre, after application to a wheel, is deflated and inflated
respectively, as now well understood. The ends of the self-gripping hand 4, which
are unconnected with external drawing-up devices and are free and capable of
end ways movement relatively to each other and to the said sheath or channel,
may, after the inflation of the tyre, be securely fixed in place by the screwing up
of a nut 11 on the stem 11 of the air valve which passes through longitudinal
slots 4b in the ends of the band. Or means may be provided whereby the said
ends will become fixed in place entirely automatically, or only on the screwing
up of the air valve nut, as described for example in the Specifications of
Letters Patent No. 23423 of 1892 and 6357 of 1894, granted to one of us, namely
the said Thomas Dunn.
To give increased strength to tyres constructed as described and render them
more secure, particularly when deflated, one or both of the beads 2a, 2b ou one
side of the tyre cover may be formed by a metal hoop having its ends unjoined the
fabric of the tyre cover being arranged to form a tubular sheath or tubular sheaths
in which the hoop
or hoops may slide so that it or they can act in the same way
as the self-gripping band 4, the ends of the hoop or hoops, which should overlap
like those of the self gripping band and should preferably be thinned so that the
hoop should be of approximately equal thickness throughout, being preferably
placed at the diametrically opposite side of the tyre to that at which the overlapping
ends of the self gripping band 4 are situated, whereby they and the self gripping
band have a mutually interlocking action. In some cases, the same interlocking
action may be secured by providing the tyre with two self gripping bands like 4,
preferably in separate sheaths, and with their overlapping ends arranged at
diametrically opposite points. In this case the stein 11 of the air valve would
pass through a hole formed in the central portion of one of the bands, and
through the slotted ends of the other band.
When, for the purpose of giving a tyre constructed as herein before described, the
most efficient self gripping action, it is desired to render the tread inextensible in
length by the use in connection with it of steel or other metal wires, bands or strips,
in the form of endless inextensible rings, we effect this without the objections to
such a construction which attach to most other devices of this character heretofore
proposed, by arranging the wires, strips or bands in two layers with one band or
two or more endless strips, or a series of endless wires or strands of wire in each
layer and placing between these layers, at short intervals, transverse strips or blocks
of hard material such as wood or vulcanite leaving spaces between the blocks into
which, on longitudinal compression of the tread of the tyre, the hands, strips or
wires can readily bend so as to oppose no material resistance to the tyre thus readily
contracting circumferentially. Figs. 1 and 2 show a pneumatic tyre having an
inextensible tread of the kind mentioned. 12, 12" are two concentric bands each
composed of narrow endless rings of thin strips of metal suitably secured against
lateral movement, and 13 are transverse strips of hard material arranged between
such bands so as to leave intervening spaces 14 into which the bands can bend, as
indicated by dotted lines, when subjected to longitudinal compression. The traus-
verse strips 13 may conveniently be kept at the required distance apart by folding
them between two strips 15, 15 of flexible material or by nailing or rivetting them
to the concentric bands. The compound band thus formed is preferably enclosed
in a sheath 16 of woven material and arranged between the air tube 5 and a
cushion 17 of suitable material for example rubber or rubber compound. It is a
special feature and advantage of the arrangement just described, that on inflation
of the tyre, the air pressure bearing on the inner side of this compound band
tends constantly to press the band, strips or wires of the under or inner layer 12
outwards into the spaces 14 between the transverse strips or blocks 13, while the
transverse tension of the tyre cover 1 bearing through the cushion 17, which we
prefer to provide between the cover and the outer surface of the compound band,
likewise tends to press the band, strips or wires of the outer layer 12 constantly

page_text: inwards into the aforesaid spaces, the result being that the tyre, when inuated, nas
a constant tendency to contract itself longitudinally, which gives it exceptional
resiliency, whilst the construction renders it, or admits of its being readily rendered
practically unpuncturable.
:
Fig. 5 is a cross section and Fig. 6 a part longitudinal section, showing an
arrangement for securing tyres having beads in the elges of the cover which do
not interlock, to ordinary wheels in accordance with the conditions hereinbefore
stated. In this arrangement we employ an inextensible band or secondary rim 18
of curved section located between the air tube 5 of the tyre and the edges 2, 2" of
the tyre cover, the ends of the band being drawn together or moved apart, by a
screw coupling which in the arrangement now being described, comprises a screw 19
which is formed with right and left handed screw threads and is adapted to he
rotated by a cord or wire 20 or its equivalent (hereinafter called a cord) attached to
and wound around the central part 19 of the screw and the ends 20° of which
extend to the exterior of the tyre. The right and left handed screw 19 works in
correspondingly screw threaded holes in lugs 18, 18b preferably attached to the
inner concave side of the ends of the band, as shown, and the ends 20" of the cord 20
are passed out laterally between the wheel rim 3 and the tyre cover 1 (Fig. 5) su
as to admit of their being easily operated, and between which they can afterwards
be tucked out of sight. The arrangement is such that upon placing the pneumatic
tyre upon a wheel rim 3 and pulling one end of the cord 20, the screw 19 will be
thereby caused to rotate and draw the ends of the band 18 together and so cause
the band to firmly clamp the edges 2, 2 of the tyre cover upon the wheel rim all
around the same, whereupon the tyre will be firmly fixed in place on the wheel,
and upon pulling the other end of the cord, the ends of the band will be moved
apart and the tyre released sufficiently to admit of its removal from the rim.
The band 18 is convex outwardly and preferably formed at its edges with
outwardly turned lips 18 and the edges of the tyre cover are formed with wedge-
shaped beads 21, 21 so as to fit more or less between the outer periphery of the
wheel rim 3 and the inner concave periphery of the band 18. It is desirable that
these beads should have a small amount of longitudinal elasticity, but by so
constructing them that they will at the same time have a certain degree of stiffaess
transversely, any tendency for their narrowest or outer portions to fold round the
lips 18 of the gripping band 18 in places, by reason of the air pressure, and so
give an irregular formation to the tyre, will be obviated. The transverse stiffness
may conveniently be obtained by folding within the sides of the beads 21, 21* next
the wheel rim or felloe short strips 22 of sheet metal.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6, showing a modified arrangement in which
instead of a screw having right and left handed threads there is employed a screw 19
having a single thread. In this case the screw is connected as shown, to a lug 18*
near one end of the band so that it can be rotated but cannot move endwise
relatively thereto, and engages a screw threaded lug 18 on the opposite end of the
band, the screw being operated by a cord 20 as in the arrangement shown in
Figs. and 6.
Fig. 8 is a similar view to Figs. 6 and 7 showing a further modified construction
of screw coupling of the type shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive and Figs. 9 and 10
are cross sections thereof on the lines x and y y respectively of Fig. 8. In this
arrangement the screw 19 is made of small length and the rod 19ª upon which it
is formed passes freely through a small pulley 23 that is screwed at 24 into
the lug 18 on the band 18 and serves as an abutment against which a knob 19b on
the rod 19 bears when the coupling is in use. Upon the pulley 23 is wound a
cord 23 that extends under the base of the tyre to one side thereof like the cord 20.
The screw-threaded part carried by the other end of the band, is in the form of an
internally screw threaded tube 25 so mounted between lugs 18, 18, that it can
rotate, and on it is wound the cord 20. The tube is made easily removable for the
purpose of winding the cord upon it. To enable the tube to be easily removed and
replaced the lug 18 can be made to yield in a longitudinal direction, The screw 19

page_text: is flattened at top and bottom (Fig. 10) so that its rod can oscillate vertically in an
angular direction relatively to the tube 25 as the ends of the band 18 are drawn
together. With this arrangement upon securing the pulley 23 in the lag 18" with
the cord 23 wound around it, placing the tube 25 (with the cord 20 wound around
it) between the lugs 18 and 11, and entering the screw 19 in the tube 25, then by
pulling the cord 20 the two ends of the band 18 will be drawn together and the band
fixed sufficiently tight upon the beaded edges 21 21 to fix the latter upon the wheel
rim (Figs. 5 and 6). Upon pulling the cord 23" the pulley 23 will be quickly
unscrewed from the lug 18 and the two ends of the band disconnected so as to leave
the pneumatic tyre free to be removed from the wheel.
The edges of a tyre of the construction hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive, may, as shown in Fig. 5, be provided at intervals with
suitable means such as angle pieces 6, 7 adapted to assist in placing and retaining
the tyre in its proper position laterally on the wheel rim.
The special merit of the said arrangements (Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive) is that by
them, it is not necessary to form any hole in the wheel rim, as has heretofore
been necessary, for the reception or operation of the means employed for drawing
the ends of the band 18 together, nor to make any other alteration to the wheel
for the purpose of attaching the tyre thereto except to provide a valve hole.
Furthermore, the mode described of attaching and detaching these tyres is
exceedingly simple and speedy, and does not involve the use of any separate
implement or tool.
For applying to an ordinary vehicle wheel, without the use of bolts or the like and
without alterations thereto, a pneumatic tyre of the well known Clincher or Grappler
construction, in which the tyres are secured by beads or books arranged on the edges
of the tyre covers which do not interlock but are adapted to grip upon inturned
lips upon the wheel rim, we provide a separate compound rim adapted to be used
in conjunction with such tyres, and which has a capacity for accommodating itself to
wheels having considerable variations in the breadth of the iron tyres thereon
and also for becoming automatically secured to the wheel upon the inflation of the
tyre. Fig. 11 is a cross section and Fig. 12 a developed plan view, showing a wheel
and pneumatic tyre with a compound rim of the kind above referred to. This
compound rim comprises an cuter rim made in two annular parts or halves 26, 26°
arranged side by side and with which the beads or hooks at the edges of the
tyre cover 1 are designed to interlock and within which is arranged an inverted
channelled rim, likewise made in two annular parts 27, 27 arranged side by side
but with their adjacent edges deeply crenellated so as to extend between each other
as shown in Fig. 12. The parts 26, 26ª of the outer rim are connected as by
rivets 27* to the parts 27 27 respectively of the inner rim so that each half
of the outer rim is attached to the crenellated portions projecting beneath it of
the half of the inner rim on the opposite side to it, the arrangement being such that
on the two portions 26, 26" of the outer rim being pressed apart by the inflation
of the tyre with which the compound rim is used, the channel formed by the two
parts 27, 27 of the inner rim will automatically contract in breadth so as to close
upon the rim or felloe 3 of the wheel to which it is applied and grip such rim or
felloe with practically the whole force of the lateral expansion of the base of the
tyre due to the air pressure, thereby rendering the compound rim as secure upon
the rim or felloe as the tyre is ordinarily rendered secure in a grooved wheel rim
by the air pressure.
Suitable means are preferably, provided for securing together the ends of the
annular parts of the compound rims which may be in one piece or in sections. In
either case the adjacent ends may be secured together by a plate provided with
studs arranged to enter holes in the said ends. The plate on the base of the air
valve may be used for carrying the studs. Such a compound rim can be readily
applied to wheels of different sizes circumferentially, within reasonable limits, by
placing some suitable packing round the wheel, when desirable, before applying
the compound rim to it. Or such rims of a variety of circumferential lengths may

page_text: be easily produced by forming them of sections of a comparatively small number
of different lengths variously combined.
Such compound automatically gripping rims may be formed of various cross
sections and may be employed for securing tyres the covers of which have
inextensible wires in their edges to vehicle wheels in compliance with the conditions
herein stated which are believed to be essential to the efficient and successful
accomplishment of this purpose.
Fig. 13 is a cross section showing such a compound rim and tyre. In this case
the annular parts 26, 26 are provided with angular parts 29, 29 adapted to receive
the wired edges 30, 30% of the tyre. The tyre may in this case be removed after
deflating it and releasing the air valve, by pressing one wired edge towards the
other at the opposite side of the base of the tyre and springing a portion of the
released side of the compound rim, preferably at a point where two ends meet, over
the wheel felloe.
A compound rim constructed as described may, as shown in cross section in
Fig. 14, be provided with a central circumferential channel formed by rings 29, 29
of angular cross section and which may be of wood, secured to the parts 26, 26ª of
the outer rim so that it may be used in conjunction with such tyres as those of the
well known Welch construction as shown.
Instead of the outer and inner portions of the rims being riveted or otherwise
permanently secured together, they may be provided with beads or rings, and lips
or hooks secured to or formed upon them so as to interlock with each other.
Figs. 15 and 16 are similar views to Figs. 11. and 12 respectively and Fig. 17 a
part longitudinal section, showing one construction of this kind. 31, 31 are
beads formed upon or secured to the inner ends of the crenellated portions of the
parts 27 27 respectively of the inner rim, and 32, 32ª are spring hooks fixed to
the annular parts 26, 26 respectively of the outer rim and adapted when these
parts are pressed sufficiently towards each other to become automatically engaged
with the beads 31ª, 31 respectively in which positions they will be rendered
additionally secure by the air pressure when the tyre is inflated. The hooks may
be disengaged from the beads, when the tyre is deflated, by forcing beneath them
wedges 33 fixed upon a movable tape 34 that is located between the beads and
the ends of which pass through. the valve hole in the wheel felloe to the inner
periphery of the latter so that it can be drawn endways in either direction. The
edges of the tyre cover 1 are shown as permanently attached to the annular
parts 26, 6 of the outer rim so as to move these parts away from each other and
the parts 27, 27 of the inner rim towards each other and against the wheel rim
when the tyre is inflated. In this construction the annular parts 26, 26 should be
endless inextensible rings.
Fig. 18 is a cross section and Fig. 19 a sectional plan, showing a modified
construction in which the annular parts 27 27 of the inner rim are not crenellated
but have their inner edges plain and are provided with annular beads.or rings 35, 35*
with which respectively engage the spring hooks 32 32" which in this case are on
the free edges of two deeply crenellated portions of the annular parts 26 or 26" of
the outer rim. With this construction the tyre may be removed from the wheel
felloe, after deflation, by pushing one annular part 26, or 26 inward so that the
inwardly turned edge of the inner rim preferably at a point where two ends meet,
can at that part of the wheel be sprung over the edge of the iron tyre.on the wheel.
In this construction the annular parts 27 27" may be formed of a number of short
pieces formed into a continuous band or two parallel continuous bands by securing
them upon a strip or upon two strips of flexible material such as canvas, placed
beneath them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we. declare that what we
claim is:-
1
In a nneumatic true adented to be cocured unan a vehicle wheel having an

page_text: ordinary flat or approximately flat rim or iron tyre by a band of metal capable of
sliding in a sheath in the base of the tyre and provided at or near the edges of its
cover ou opposite sides thereof with thickened beads 2 2 adapted to interlock
with each other, a filling piece 2b secured at one side of the base of the tyre, the
said beads and filling piece being so constructed and arranged that when the tyre
is fixed upon a wheel, the interlocked beads will be at one side of the base of the
tyre and the filling piece will fill the space between the tyre and wheel rim at the
opposite side of the base of the tyre, so that the base of the tyre beneath the beads
and filling piece will be practically plain or level from side to side and the sides of
the tyre will be smooth and jointless, substantially as described.
2. A pneumatic tyre of the kind referred to in the preceding claim provided
with a self gripping band and with a tyre cover having a tubular sheath or tubular
sheaths formed upon it in the place of the beads 2" or 2 or each of these beads, the
tubular sheath or each such sheath being fitted with a metal hoop having its ends
unjoined and overlapped and adapted to act in the same way as the self gripping
band, the unjoined ends of the said hoop or hoops being displaced circumferentially
relatively to the ends of the self gripping band, substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
3. A tyre of the kind referred to in Claim 1 in which the base of the tyre has
embedded in it two self gripping bands of the kiud herein referred to arranged with
the overlapping ends of one band diametrically opposite to the overlapping ends of
the other, and with the air valve of the tyre passing through the central portion of
one of the bands, substantially as described.
4. A pneumatic tyre having an inextensible tread formed by bands, strips or
wires arranged in two layers with intermediate transverse strips or blocks of hard
material between which spaces are left, the arrangement being such that on
longitudinal compression of the tread of the tyre, the bands, strips or wires will
readily bend into the said spaces so that no material resistance will be opposed to
the tyre readily contracting circumferentially, substantially as described.
5. In a pneumatic tyre in which the edges of the tyre cover are thickened and
have a small amount of longitudinal elasticity and the tyre is held upon the wheel
rim by an inextensible band or secondary rim of curved section located in its base,
making the said elastic edges of the tyre stiff transversely substantially as herein
described for the purpose specified.
6. In a pneumatic tyre, the combination with the tyre cover, and an inextensible
band of curved section arranged with its convexity outward and so as to clamp the
edges of the tyre cover upon a vehicle wheel having an ordinary flat or approxi-
mately flat rim or iron tyre, of a screw coupling device located between the band
and wheel rim or felloe for drawing up or releasing the ends of the band, and a
cord or equivalent that is wound upon a rotary part of the coupling and is led
outward between the tyre cover and wheel rim or felloe and is capable of operating
the coupling when pulled outward, substantially as described.
7. For connecting a pneumatic tyre to a vehicle wheel having an ordinary flat or
approximately flat rim or iron tyre, a compound rim comprising an outer rim made
in two annular parts arranged side by side and adapted to hold the edges of a tyre
cover or to have these edges attached to them, and an inner rim of channel section
made in two annular parts arranged side by side, the inner and outer rims being so
connected together that each half of the outer rim is attached to that half of the
inner rim that is on the opposite side of the compound rim, so that on the two
portions of the outer rim being pressed apart by the inflation of the tyre, the
channel formed by the two parts of the inner rim will automatically close upon
and grip the wheel rim or felloe to which the compound rim is applied, substantially
as described.
8. The improved pneumatic tyres constructed and applied to vehicle wheels
having ordinary flat or approximately flat rims or iron tyres, substantially as
herein before described with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 1 to 3
inclusive, or modified according to Fig. 4; in Figs. 5 and 6 or modified according

page_text: to Fig. 7, or to Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive of the drawings annexed, whether or not the
tyre be constructed with an inextensible tread formed by a compound band such as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
9. The combination with a pneumatic tyre, of a compound rim constructed
arranged and operating substantially as herein before described with reference
respectively to and shown in Figs. 11 and 12; in Fig. 13; in Fig. 14; in Figs. 15,
16 and 17; and in Figs. 18 and 19 of the drawings annexed.
Dated this 16th day of November 1896
THOMAS DUNN.
For the Applicants,
W. Lloyd Wise,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.