Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Puncture Proof Bands or Pads.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 25 h Mar., 1:95-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Puncture Proof Bands
or Pads.
I JOHN MANN ANDREW of Glen Rosa, Potters Road, New Barnet, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a device mainly intended to be used as a shield in
connection with pneumatic tyres to prevent their being punctured while riding, by
broken glass, sharp stones, nails or other articles met with on the road.
In carrying out my invention a band is employed which can encircle the tyre
around the periphery or tread, formed of a thin envelope of rubber, silk, cloth,
cotton or other suitable material, enclosing a layer of compressed asbestos. This
material is soft and flexible, but will effectively resist penetration by any sharp
object. The asbestos may be used alone in the envelope or mixed or made up with
other material, and the band may be solutioned or otherwise fixed around the inside
or outside of the rubber tyre or in the case of pneumatic tyres with inner
tubes, may be placed inside the cover between the cover and the inner tube, thus
protecting the latter from any object which may penetrate the cover. The asbestos
may instead of forming a separate band, be embedded in or attached to the rubber
of the tyre during its manufacture.
The fibre may also be mixed with other materials, which are found suitable, in
any desired proportions. These other substances are especially intended to bind
the fibres together. In preparing the band, the fibre alone or mixed as above
described is put under considerable pressure obtained by any well known means,
compressing it into a firm pad or cushion. This material is light and thus will not
add to the weight of the tyre, and as less rubber or a thinner cover may be employed
in pneumatic tyres the weight may be reduced.
The band may consist simply of a narrow strip or may partially or wholly encircle
the inner or outer tube. Tyres thus fitted may be used for cycle wheels or wheels
applied to carriages or any other vehicles.
As the material is very soft and flexible the resiliency of the tyre will not be in
any way reduced.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Puncture Proof Bands
or Pads.
1, JOHN MANN ANDREW formerly of Glen Rosa, Potters Road, New Barnet
in the County of Herts, but now of Glenview, Whitecliffe Road, Purley in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 relates to a device mainly intended to be used as a shield in

page_text: connection with pneumatic tyres to prevent their being punctured, while being
ridden, by broken glass, sharp stones, nails or other articles met with on the road.
My invention consists in the manufacture and employment of a band or pad
composed of a layer of compressed asbestos which is covered with and more or less
mixed with a material which will bind the fibres together. The material I preferably
use for this purpose is unvulcanized india rubber in a softened or tacky condition and
hereinafter called soft unvulcanized india rubber which I spread upon the layer of
asbestos on one or both sides and I then submit the layer to considerable pressure
so as to compress it into a firm pad or cushion. The effect of this compression is
to cause the rubber to more or less penetrate the layer of asbestos and to bind the
fibres together. Or the asbestos can be mixed with the rubber before being
submitted to pressure.
The asbestos I preferably employ is that known as blue
African; this material is soft and flexible but will effectually resist penetration
by sharp objects. It is very light and adds little to the weight of the tyre; indeed
as it allows of thinner rubber being used for the tyre the weight of the tyre can
actually be reduced.
In carrying out my invention I may arrange or closely build up a band, layer or
pad of asbestos fibres (preferably blue African as already mentioned) to the
required dimensions the band being generally made thickest at the middle of its
width and its thickness gradually diminishing to the sides. I then coat or cover
this band with soft unvulcanized india rubber which will hold or unite the fibres
together in the proper position and thereby prevent any tendency to ruck or shift.
I may then mould the band into a crescent or other suitable form in section and
submit it to hydraulic or other pressure; it may also be vulcanized in the usual
way. The width of the asbestos bands should be equal to about two thirds of the
circumference of the air tube, but the rubber can be extended widthwise
sufficiently to form an outer cover to the air tube and in this case it should have
a lining of canvas or other suitable fabric such as is now generally employed in
outer covers..
The puncture proof bands can be solutioned or cemented to the inside or outside
of the cover of the air tube or the band may itself constitute the cover of the air
tube but in this case the part that actually touches the ground should have a
sufficiently thick coat of the rubber although for racing tyres or tyres required for
light work this thickness need only be slight.
When detachable covers are employed the puncture proof bands can be simply
placed between the air tube and the outer cover; they will be held in position
between the two when the air tube is pumped up hard.
The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example several ways of
employing my puncture proof bands or pads.
a is the
Figure 1 is a transverse section of a pneumatic tyre in which my puncture
proof band or pad is placed between the air tube and an outer cover.
air tube, b the puncture proof band, c the outer cover and d the rim of the wheel.
In Figure 2 the puncture proof band b is shown as embedded in the substance of
an outer cover c which entirely encircles the air tube. The band b can be thus
embedded during the manufacture of the cover c.
In Figure 3 the puncture proof band 6 is shown as placed between the outer
cover c and an outer band or protector e such as is sometimes employed around a
pneumatic tyre. The band 6 may be secured either to the cover c or to the outer
cover e or to both by cement, solution or otherwise.
In Figure 4 the puncture proof band 6 is shown as embedded in the substance of
a protecting band or tread e.
In Figure 5 the puncture proof band b is applied in the same manner as in
Figure 2 but the tyre is detachable as in Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows a tyre adapted for fast riding or racing; the puncture proof
band constitutes the outer cover of the tyre and for this purpose the rubber
coating of the band is made sufficiently thick at the tread and is extended

page_text: widthwise sufficiently to form (with a lining of canvas or other fabric) the outer
cover c.
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:
1. A puncture proof band or pad formed of a layer of compressed asbestos the
fibres of which have been bound together by being coated with and more or less
mixed with a suitable binding material such as soft unvulcanized india rubber
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. An outer cover for pneumatic tyres having embedded therein a puncture proof
band composed of a layer of compressed asbestos the fibres of which have been
bound together by being coated with and more or less mixed with a suitable
binding material such as soft unvulcanized india rubber substantially as herein before
described.
3. A protecting band or tread for pneumatic tyres having embedded therein
a puncture proof band composed of a layer of compressed asbestos the fibres of
which have been bound together by being coated with and more or less mixed with
a suitable binding material such as soft unvulcanized india rubber, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4. A pneumatic tyre having a puncture proof band composed of a layer of
compressed asbestos the fibres of which have been bound together by being coated
with and more or less mixed with a suitable binding material such as soft
unvulcanized india rubber substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 25th day of March 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.