Improvements in Elastic Tyres for the Wheels of Road-carriages.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Tyres for the Wheels of Road-carriages.
I, RICHARD RUHLAND, of 1 Gneisenauplatz, Breslau, 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 ordinary wheel-tyres of road carriages have the great disadvantage that
their thick and heavy felloes transmit the shocks and blows received by them on
uneven pavements unmodified to the axles. To obviate this disadvantage india-
rubber tyres have been introduced, which, however, are objectionable on account of
their weight, cost, and want of durability. For cycles, tyres containing compressed
air have been and are employed in a great variety of forms, which mitigate the
effects of shocks and blows to a very great extent; but they are not durable, and
the rider, in consequence of injury to the air tube, is often detained for hours while
repairs are being effected.
In order to obviate these disadvantages I have devised a tyre which is
intended to completely supersede both solid rubber tyres and tyres containing
compressed air.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings are shown several methods of carrying
my invention into effect, Figures 1 to 5 being cross sections of tyres suitable for
cycles, and Figures 6 to 8 sections of tyres for heavy carriages.
The tyre consists of a rim or felloe a (Figures 1 to 8) connected securely with
the spokes of the wheel, and made of steel or other suitable material preferably of
horse-shoe shape in cross section, the back being straight, arched or otherwise-
suitably formed. In this rim are placed elastic intermediate pieces bb'. These
latter can either be made of metal in the form of steel springs for example
(Figures 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7) of suitable construction, or of indiarubber or similar
elastic material (Figures 4, 5 and 8) made in the form of rings or otherwise. The
elastic intermediate pieces b b', support the tyre proper, which consists either of a
smooth tyre c (Figures 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8)-or of two L-shaped rings d (Figures 1, 2-
and 4) which are connected rigidly with the tread ring e by means of screw bolts
or rivets. The tread ring e may be made of any suitable material such as steel,
indiarubber, leather, paper and so forth, and of any suitable shape, and by
reason of its peculiar construction it may be easily replaced with a new one
when worn out.
For the protection of the elastic intermediate pieces, for holding the tyre
securely, and for the central guidance of the latter, the two side rings fare employed,
(Figures 1, 3, 6 and 7); these rings are connected rigidly with the tyre by means
of a suitable number of screw bolts g, and stays h, and they form with the tyre the
movable part of the rim.
Wheel tyres constructed in this way assure very great elasticity, the entrance of
dust, dirt, moisture and so forth. is prevented by the peculiar construction, and
cleaning of the inner parts is facilitated by the ease with which the movable parts.
can be taken to pieces.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A wheel tyre for road carriages in which pieces of elastic material b b are
interposed between the rim a and the tread c, d or e, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1896
R. RUHLAND,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
R. RUHLAND,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, É.C., Agent.