Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Tyre Covers for Cycle and other Road Wheels.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Tyre Covers for Cycle and
other Road Wheels.
I, JOHN CAMERON GRANT, of Albert Lodge, Albert Place, Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention consists mainly in employing for the foundation of pneumatic tyres
or tyre covers, rhea filasse, that is to say, rhea fibres unspun, laid parallel to each
other either longitudinally of the foundation, or transversely, or both combined,
but without being woven together.
The said fibres may also be more or less felted together with or without other
fibres in combination therewith. With such foundation I then combine a layer of
caoutchoue in the usual manner.
The said foundation may be constructed and combined with the caoutchouc in a
variety of ways; thus according to one construction I arrange the rhea fibres
longitudinally of the foundation and I coat the same on both sides with caoutchouc
solution; or I interpose a network of rhen or other fibre between the filasse and
the caoutchoue; or I employ the same combination with the filasse arranged
transversely of the foundation; or I employ a layer of longitudinal fibres round
which I wind strands of fibres belically, but so that the whole is of a flat band-like
form. Or I combine a layer of longitudinal fibres coated on each side with
caoutchouc with a layer of transverse fibres also coated with caoutchouc, either
making both layers of rhea fibre, or the one layer may be of rhea and the other
of some other suitable fibre.
According to another modification, I knot strands of rhea fibre together so as to
form a network foundation. Or I take strands of rhea fibre tied in knots at
intervals apart, and I then lay a number of such knotted strands side by side to
form the foundation.
With foundations formed in either of the above described ways, I sometimes
combine transverse or diagonally arranged ribs, by taking strands or bundles of
rhea or other fibre of the required length, either twisted together, or not, and after
binding them round tightly with filaments, preferably so that the bundles are
thicker in the middle than at the ends, I place them transversely upon the
foundation to which they are secured by caoutchouc solution, so that when the outer
layer of caoutchouc is combined therewith the said ribs will bulge the caoutchouc
layer at those points and will thus prevent the necessity of forming a ribbed or
roughened surface on the caoutchouc. According to another arrangement I produce
a ribbed foundation by taking either tightly bound or twisted bundles of fibre,
or strips of hard caoutchouc and after placing these parallel to each other in a
row, I lay a longitudinal filasse of rhea fibre over them and depress the same
between the ribs, so that these are partly surrounded thereby, being cemented
thereto by caoutchouc solution.
With either of the above described forms of foundation I combine thickened
selvages or edges for securing the same to grooves in the wheel rim, such selvages
being formed either of bundles of rhea threads bound tightly round with threads,
or twisted together, so as to be of a more or less hard nature, or I form such
thickened selvages in any other convenient manner.

page_text: These selvages are secured to the transversely laid filasse or to the transverse
ribs, when these are used.
Dated this 10th der of June 1906
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres and Tyre Covers for Cycle and
other Road Wheels.
I, JOHN CAMERON GRANT, of Albert Lodge, Albert Place, Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention consists mainly in employing for the foundation of pneumatic tyres
or tyre covers, rhea filasse, that is to say, rhea fibres unspun, laid approximately
parallel to each other either longitudinally of the foundation or partially longi-
tudinally and partially transversely, but without being woven together.
The said fibres may also be more or less felted or matted together with or
without other fibres in combination therewith, and, if necessary, they may be
treated with a suitable cementitious material; upon the outer surfaces of the
foundation formed as above described I then apply a coating of caoutchouc.
The said foundation may be constructed and combined with the caoutchouc in a
variety of ways; thus according to one construction, I arrange the rhea fibres
longitudinally of the foundation and I coat the same on both sides with caoutchouc
solution; or I interpose a network of rhea or other fibre between the filasse and
the caoutchouc; or I employ the same combination with the filasse arranged
transversely of the foundation; or I employ a layer of longitudinal fibres round
which I wind strands of fibres helically, but so that the whole is of a flat band-
like form. Or I combine a layer of longitudinal fibres coated on each outer
surface with caoutchouc, with a layer of transverse fibres also coated with
caoutchouc, either making both layers of rhea fibre, or the one layer may be of
rhea and the other cf some other suitable fibre.
According to another modification, I knot strands of rhea fibre together so as
to form a network foundation. Or I take strands of rhea fibre tied in knots
at intervals apart, and I then lay a number of such knotted strands side by side
to form the foundation.
With foundations formed in either of the above described ways, I sometimes
combine transverse or diagonally arranged ribs, by taking strands or bundles of
rhea or other fibre of the required length either twisted together, or not, and after
binding them round tightly with filaments, preferably so that the bundles are
thicker in the middle than at the ends, I place them transversely upon the
foundation to which they are secured by caoutchouc solution so that when the outer
layer of caoutchouc is combined therewith the said ribs will increase the hold of
the caoutchouc upon the fibre, and lessen the quantity of caoutchouc required for
affording grip on the road as they will bulge the caoutchouc outwards and will
thus prevent the necessity of forming a ribbed or roughened surface on the
caoutchouc.
According to another arrangement I produce a ribbed foundation by taking
either tightly bound, or twisted bundles of fibre, or strips of hard caoutchouc, and
after placing these parallel to each other in a row, I lay a longitudinal filasse of
rhea fibre over them and depress the same between the ribs, so that these are.
partly surrounded thereby, being cemented thereto by caoutchouc solution.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing shews by way of example one of the
before described constructions of foundation for pneumatic tyre covers according to
my invention; a a is a layer of filasse forming a flat band with the unspun fibres
(preferably of rhea) carded roughly parallel and matted together, to the outer
surfaces of which layer is applied a coating of caoutchouc to secure the fibres
together. Round the flat band thus formed is then wound helically a similar flat
band of unspun fibre b, also coated on its outer surfaces with caoutchouc, and the
whole is then cemented together forming a band of the configuration shewn in the-
cross section at Figure 14.
Figure 2 shews a flat band c of unspun fibre prepared in a similar way to the
band a of Figure 1, and helically wound with a similar band d; upon this.
foundation are then laid cords or thick threads e formed of bundles of unspun fibre,
whipped round with rhea fibre as shewn separately at Figure 3; such cords being
laid at distances apart on the band d, c, so that when the whole is coated with
caoutchouc as in the cross section at Figure 4, the cords e will constitute ribs on
the foundation, operating in the same manner as the ribbed fabric described in the
Specification to my Application No. 12444 of 1896. In place of the cords e may be
used strands of unspun fibre knotted together at intervals, as at g Figure 5;:
Figure 6 shews a band formed in a similar manner to Figures 1 and 2, and having
knotted strands of fibre g laid diagonally across the same either in one direction.
only or in opposite directions, as indicated.
To the edges of the bands formed in either of the above described ways, may be
attached in any suitable manner, tubes or pockets as at h Figure 4, preferably made
of rhea duck, for containing a wire or wires for securing the cover on the rim, or a
small thickening may be provided at such edges for the purposes of fixing in the
known manner.
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 fabric for the foundation of pneumatic tyres and tyre covers consisting of a
band forined of strong unspun fibres or filasse, preferably of rhea, arranged
approximately parallel side by side and matted together, the band so formed being
coated with caoutchouc, substantially as described.
2. A fabric for the foundation of pneumatic tyres and tyre covers, consisting of a
band of unspun fibre, such as is referred to in the first claim, round which is
helically wound a similarly formed band, the whole being cemented together by a.
caoutchouc coating, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a foundation formed as described with reference to the
first and second claims, of cords or strands of unspun fibre, either whipped round
with fibre or tied in knots at intervals, the said cords or strands being laid either
longitudinally, transversely or diagonally upon the said foundation, and secured
thereto by a coating of caoutchouc substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of March 1897
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.