Improvements in or relating to Wheel Tyres.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1893
.Complete Specification Left, 25th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wheel Tyres.
I, THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER of 11, 12, 14 and 15 Brittox, Devizes, in the
County of Wilts, House Furnisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in or relating to pneumatic tyres.
In forming a pneumatic tyre the threads may be so arranged that the expansion
or flattening of the tyre immediately under the wheel shall reduce the pressure or,
contract the tyre at the point where it first touches the ground when the wheel is
running and for this purpose special diagonal threads may be used, crossing the air
space if desired.
Dated this 15th day of November 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wheel Tyres.
I, THOMAS BEAVAN SLOPER, of 11, 12, 14 and 15 Brittox, Devizes, in the
County of Wilts, House Furnisher, 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 certain improvements in or relating to pneumatic. tyres.
When a pneumatic tyred wheel as ordinarily constructed is at rest, bearing the
weight of a rider, the pressure against the ground flattens the lower part of the
tyre, at the same time causing the sides to expand or bulge outwards. In addition
to this side expansion, the reduction in the circumference of the wheel at the
flattened part, causes an excess of material at the lower part of the tyre, which
forms a ridge or wave in the outer circumference of the tyre just where the latter
makes contact with the ground both before and behind the wheel. When the
wheel is at rest, with tyres of ordinary construction, these waves are of equal size
in front and behind, but when driving power is applied to the wheel the wave in
front increases in size, and the wave behind is reduced, in consequence of the
elasticity or "draw" of the tyre. The wave in front offers very considerable
resistance when the wheel is running, and one of the objects of my invention is to
construct the tyre or tyre cover so as to prevent this resisting wave from forming
in front of the wheel, and to cause the excess of material due to the flattening of
the tyre to increase the size of the wave or the bearing surface of the tyre behind
the wheel and thereby tend to urge the wheel forward.
In order to effect this result I take advantage of the lateral expansion or "side
bulging" of the tyre, just over the surface in actual contact with the road, by
causing this lateral expansion to put strain on special diagonal threads or loops of
fibrous material, arranged slanting downwards and forwards, from the outside of
the wheel rim to the running surface, the loops extending from one flange or edge
of the rim, round the tyre to the other edge of the rim.
These diagonal threads or loops being non-extensible, not only prevent a resisting
LD

page_text: wave from forming in front of the wheel but they have a tendency when strain is
put upon then to reduce the diameter of the tyre just where the latter first comes
in contact with the ground, thus further reducing the resistance in front of the
wheel.
As the excess of material caused by the flattening of the tyre is thus prevented
from forming a wave in front of the wheel, the peculiar arrangement of the
diagonal threads transfers, as it were, said excess of material to the back of the
wheel thereby considerably increasing the bearing surface of the tyre at that part
which has a forwarding effect on the wheel.
"
Another important advantage in my arrangement is, that the driving power is
applied direct from the wheel rim to the road surface the "draw or "give" of
the ordinary pneumatic tyre when power is applied to drive it being prevented by
the diagonal threads or loops. This in itself is a considerable saving of power.
I
am aware that pneumatic tyres have been made having spiral windings of
thread laid in reverse directions, and also with canvas cut on the bias, but in such
cases the threads slanting in one direction are counteracted by others arranged in
the opposite direction, so that the effect of my arrangement is not produced.
.
66
Although particularly suitable for pneumatic tyres my invention as regards the
diagonal threads may with advantage be applied to cushion and even to solid tyres.
By the term transverse threads as herein employed I mean threads which are
perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to the selvages of the tyre; by
"inclined," "slanting," or "looped threads " I mean those which are at an angle
to the selvages of the tyre.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which the texture of the fabric is shown considerably coarser than what it is in
the actual devices; this is necessarily resorted to in order to make the drawings
clearer.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings;
In Figures 1 and 2 which are respectively transverse and longitudinal sections I
have represented the before mentioned diagonal threads or loops A as crossing the
air space of a single-tube tyre B these being worked around or interwoven with
other threads or wires A¹ A located respectively at the two sides and tread of the
tyre. This arrangement however I do not consider so satisfactory as those herein-
after described in which the diagonal threads or loops are embedded in the wall of
the tyre or substance of the tyre cover.
.
The material shown respectively in plan and transverse section at Figures 3 and 4
is composed of indiarubber warp threads C and linen or other suitable unstretchable
weft threads D D¹. As the parts from E to F and E¹ to F¹ of this material are
adapted to be "set" folded and overlapped in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4,
the warp threads C at such parts when in their "unset "condition are preferably
wider apart than at the part F to F so that when the "unset" and "set" parts
are ultimately folded one over another the warp threads of all parts will be in line
with each other as indicated in Figure 4. The tension of the diagonal threads D'
in the finished article may be regulated by the size or number of the warp threads
used in weaving.
At the selvages of the material shown in Figures 3 and 41 weave in wires E E¹
or if desired linen or equivalent threads, and I may also weave in one or more
wires at the central part which, when the material is doubled over as shown in
Figure 4 coincides with the tread. Or, I may, have the warp threads closer
together at E and E' and if desired weave in wires at the parts F F at which the
web is afterwards folded over and which parts thereby constitute the selvages of
the finished fabric. In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown the wires G as merely laid
into the folds
The parts E to F and E to F are of such width as compared with F to F that
when folded in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 4 they overlap so as to give
extra threads from E to E' Figure 4 which represents the tread surface.
"
The material after being woven in a flat form and before being folded may be

page_text: "get
"in any convenient manner, for example, the part extending from F to F¹
may be held in a suitable clamp and the parts extending from E to F and E¹ to F¹
drawn in the same plane as that of F to F' so that the unstretchable weft
threads D D are iuclined at D' between E and F and E' and F¹ and perpendicular
to the selvages E and E¹ at D between F and F¹. The material from E to F
and E to F is then secured in the last described "set condition and as shown in
Figure 4 E to F is folded over F to F and E' to F' over E to F or vice versa as
shown in Figure 3 and the three layers cemented together by indiarubber solution
or other convenient means.
If desired I may interpose sheet rubber hetween the layers. Should more layers
of thread be required in the finished article the web is made proportionately wider
and folded the desired number of times.
<<
Instead of forming the transverse weft threads D in the same piece of fabric as
the inclined weft threads D' I may employ separate pieces of fabric one with
"
transverse weft threads D and another with inclined weft threads D' as herein-
after described in reference to Figure 5; or I may form the tyre cover in two
layers of the same piece of fabric one half of which would have transverse
threads D and the other diagonal threads D' the latter set to an approximate
V-form, and if desired one or more wires may be woven in the fabric at the part
which forms the angle of the V and constitutes the tread.
In some cases I may form the fabric tubular some of the warp threads being of
indiarubber and other at the part representing the tread surface, of linen, wire, or
other suitable unstretchable material. This tubular fabric I fold or press into a
flat form and "set" so that portions of the weft threads will be transverse or
perpendicular to the selvages and other portions inclined to the selvages, the two
layers of the fabric being subsequently cemented together in any suitable manner.
The tyre cover shown in perspective in Figure 5 and hereinbefore referred to,
comprises an inner web H with "transverse "weft threads D and a few fibrous
warp threads H at each edge to form a selvage, a layer of sheet rubber H2 an
outer web H with the weft threads D₁ "set" like the corresponding threads D' of
Figure 3, and having additional fibrous warp threads H' at the tread portion and
edges and an outer cover H³ of rubber of graduating thickness the whole of which
are vulcanised together during which process the indiarubber warp threads
previously incorporated with the weft threads D and D' disappear or amalgamate
with the other rubber. If desired, wires G may be introduced into the edges of H
and H to facilitate the attachment of the cover to the wheel rim.
In making a "single tube" pneumatic tyre according to this invention I may
weave a circular tube I of fabric as shown in side elevation in Figure 6, the warp
threads C being of indiarubber and the weft threads D of linen or other fibrous or
unstretchable material. This tube may then be drawn on to a mandrel of the
required diameter, and coated with a thin layer of rubber, after wbich a similar
tube I of much larger diameter may be drawn over or into it. This tube I' may
then be reduced in size to that of the tube I by drawing opposite sides (the top
and bottom in Figure 6) in reverse directions, which will cause the weft threads D
of the tube I¹ to take a diagonal position as shown when the two tubes I and I'
may be vulcanised together in the form of a tyre with other rubber, or the tube
may be further reinforced by other tubes of fabric drawn over or into it before
forming into a tyre. I prefer to construct the tube I with some of the warp
threads C of indiarubber and others, located at the tread surface and the portion
at which it is secured to the wheel rim, of fibrous or equivalent material so as to
have the necessary unstretchable qualities at these parts.
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing portion of the outside or running
surface of the finished tyre or tyre cover and the arrangement of the " transverse
and inclined weft threads D and D' therein.
Figure 8 is a similar view showing fibrous warp threads H' introduced at the
tread portion as before described in connection with Figure 5 and
Figure 9 is a side elevation of portion of the tyre applied to the wheel rim and

page_text: illustrating the action of the tyre when subjected to pressure; the arrow indicates
the direction in which the wheel travels. This action may be described as follows;-
The inclined weft threads D cause a reduction in the amount of surface of the tyre
pressing on the ground at J J' and an increase in the amount of surface pressure
between J J. As J J' is situated behind the bearing line J J of the wheel the
larger surface pressing on the ground at the rear of the bearing line has a
"forwarding" effect on the wheel.
.
The before described transverse threads D prevent any actual increase in the
sectional area of the tyre itself but the reduction of the bearing surface at J J¹ in
front of JJ puts extra weight on the surface at J J' thus causing the bearing
surface, where the wheel touches the ground to be further back than usual.
In applying my invention to cushion or large solid tyres I use only the diagonal
or slanting weft threads D' (without the transverse threads D) and arrange them
near the outer surface of the tyre.
The flattening of soft cushioned tyres under pressure such as that due to the
weight of a cyclist is very marked. By tying back the rubber by diagonal loops
such as D' and thus preventing a wave from forming in front of the part in contact
with the ground, the excess of rubber, as in the preceding example is obliged to
form a wave behind the wheel and thus tends to urge the wheel onwards.
The inclined threads or thread portions D' are preferably arranged at the outside
of the straight or transverse ones D but if desired they may be arranged at the
inside of them.
The foregoing device may be modified without departing from the spirit of the
invention, for example, the fabric may be woven with fibrous warp and indiarubber
weft threads or either or both the warp and weft may be partly of fibrous and
partly of indiarubber threads.
I am aware that it has before now been suggested to use threads crossing the air
space of a pneumatic tyre for the purpose of tying the sides of the wall together
and thus prevent the flattening of the tyre under pressure; the object of my
invention however is to utilise this flattening hitherto sought to be prevented, for
.the purpose of preventing the surging or formation of a resisting wave at the front
of the wheel.
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. The combination with a pneumatic tyre of non-extensible threads crossing
the air space from the ground or tread surface upwards and backwards to the side
walls of the tyre substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. Connecting the side walls of a pneumatic tyre to the tread surface by means
of threads crossing the air space in such a manner that the bulging of the side walls
puts strain on said threads which draw up the tyre at the front of the part in
contact with the ground substantially as described.
3. Contracting or drawing up a wheel tyre in front of the part in contact with
the ground by means of diagonal or slanting threads or loops operated by the
flattening or lateral expansion of the tyre upon the ground so arranged as not to
produce a similar effect but on the contrary to allow of an opposite or expanding
effect behind the part in contact with the ground.
4. A wheel tyre having threads such as D' slanting from the ground or tread
surface backward and upward to the rim ou both sides of the tyre without counter-
acting threads passing forward and upward at the part in contact with the ground
substantially as described.
5. A wheel tyre reinforced by fibrous threads such as D approximately at right
angles to the tube and by threads or portions of threads such as D₁ slanting
downwards and forwards from the bottom of the rim to the running surface on
each side of the tyre such slanting threads crossing each other at the wheel tread
or running surface and not extending forwards and upwards from the part in

page_text: contact with the ground to the rim substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A wheel tyre in which diagonal threads such as D₁ are arranged slanting
forward from the bottom of the rim to the running surface (and without threads
slanting downward and backward) in such a manner that the lateral expansion or
flattening of the tyre immediately under the wheel puts extra strain on the said
diagonal threads and thus prevents a resisting wave from forming in front of the
wheel substantially as described.
7. Preventing a resisting wave from forming in front of a wheel tyre by
vulcanising into the tyre diagonal threads slanting only forward and downward
from the bottom of the wheel rim on both sides of the tyre.
8. A wheel tyre constructed with loops of thread slanting downwards and
forwards from the bottom of the wheel rim such threads leaving the rim on both
sides of the tyre in about the same part of the circumference of the wheel and
passing over the tread of the tyre at a position in advance of the point where they
leave the rim and without threads extending downwards and backwards from the
lower part of the rim to the part of the tyre in contact with the ground.
9. A wheel tyre reinforced by fibrous threads such as D approximately at right
angles to the plane of the wheel in combination with diagonal threads or portions
of threads such as D' slanting downwards and forwards on each side of the tyre
from the rim to the tread surface at the ground and without threads extending
downwards and backwards from the lower part of the rim to the part of the tyre
in contact with the ground substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
10. A wheel tyre reinforced by fibrous threads such as D approximately at right
angles to the plane of the wheel in combination with diagonal threads such as D'
slanting downwards and forwards on each side of the tyre from the lower part of
the rim to the tread surface and longitudinal threads such as H' at the tread surface
and without threads extending downwards and backwards from the lower part of
the rim to the part of the tyre in contact with the ground substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. Reducing the size of or drawing up a rubber tyre at the front of the part
in contact with the ground and increasing the bearing surface at the back of the
wheel by means of diagonal threads slanting from the bottom of the wheel rim
downwards and forwards on both sides of the tyre substantially as described.
12. A pneumatic tyre comprising two tubes of fabric one having transverse
fibrous threads and the other having fibrous threads arranged in an oblique or
lanting direction the latter threads extending downwards towards the front of the
wheel on each side of the tyre from the lower part of the rim to the tread surface
and without threads at such lower part slanting downwards towards the back of
he wheel.
Dated this 25th day of Sentombox 1901