Improvements in Tires for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tires for Bicycles and other Vehicles.
I, ANDREW GRAFF of No. 111 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, County of Kings,
State of New York, United States of America, Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 relates to improvements in tires, for bicycle wheels, as well as
tires for wheels of other vehicles; and the objects of my improvements are, first,
to provide a light, resilient tire, and, second, a pneumatic tire, that cannot be
punctured by broken glass, sharp angled stones, tacks and the like, which
quickly cut through and mutilate the pneumatic rubber tires, and others now
in use.
I attain these objects by the constructions illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a view, showing the tube, or tire proper, and the tread of the tire, in
section;
Figure 2 is a view, illustrating the tube or tire proper, and the tread of the tire,
modified, having a triangular piece of leather, inserted between the tube and the
tread;
Figure 3, is a plan view, showing the angle or bias seam, and the strengthening
strip, cemented over the bias seam of the tube or tire proper, to re-inforce
the same;
Figure 4 is a plan view, illustrating the manner of stitching the bead, formed on
the tread ;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bead on the tread;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the bead, on the tread, having a cord running
through the entire length of the bead; and
Figure 7 is the modified form, of tread, shown in Figure 2, illustrating the
triangular piece of leather, inserted between the inside surface of the tread and the
tire proper.
Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.
A, represents the tube or tire proper, B, is the tread, b, the bead on the tread,
shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5 of the drawing. D, represents the modified form of
tread, illustrated in Figures 2 and 7, of the drawing, and, d, the triangular piece of
leather, inserted between the inner face of the tread, D, and the tube or tire
proper.
E, represents another modification of the tread, shown in Figure 6, of the
drawing, and e, the bead formed thereon, having a solid cord, e, running the
entire length of the bead, on the inside thereof. G, represents the bias or angle
seam, by means of which the ends of the tube or tire proper, are united, g, the
stitches of the seam, and, K, the strengthening piece of leather, cemented over the
bias or angle seam, on the inside of the tube or tire proper for the purpose of
re-inforcing the stitches, g, and leather of the tire or tube. M represents the air
valve, N, the rim, and O, O', the seam of the tube, or tire proper, extending the.
entire length thereof, located at the bottom or tread portion thereof.
In carrying out my invention, I take a strip of light or thin leather, such as
tanned calf, cowhide, horse hide, welt, bagging, belt, or very light harness leather,
and cut it in the required length and width for the tire. This strip of leather is
now joined at the ends, with a bias or angle scam, as shown, in Figure 3, of the

page_text: drawing, either by overlapping and cementing, or by a flat seam. (A flat seam is
one, the stitches of which are made, on the inside of the leather, the awl for
piercing the leather forming holes for the stitches, passing only half way through
the same, thereby leaving no stitches visible, on the outside of the leather.)
After the bias or angle seam is made, a thin, but strong piece of leather is
cemented to the inside of the seam, and a single row of stitches is made, on the
outside, each side of the bias seam, to strengthen the seam. The strip, at this
point of its manufacture into a tire, is one continuous piece or belt ;-it is now
soaked thoroughly in water, to make it soft, and pliable, and then run through a set
of rollers, in order to form the strip into an open tube, and when thoroughly dry,
it is put through a certain process of treatment, for the purpose of coating the
inside thereof with rubber, or rubber cement, and vulcanized, thereby formning
both a water and air tight tube. The tube is now closed, by over-lapping, or flat
seaming the two projecting edges, like that shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawing. This seam instead of being placed on the inside, or rim side of the tire,
is placed on the outside, or tread side of the tire, the seam is then trimmed down,
closed and rubbed down flat, and even, and the tube or tire is ready to receive the
tread or wearing part, of the tire. The tread, or wearing portion, of the tire, is
now formed of a strip of heavy leather, such as heavy harness, hemlock, union, or
oak-tanned sole leather, which is cut about one half the width of the tire proper,
or tube, and it is joined at the ends, by means of the bias or angle seam; it is now
thoroughly soaked, and pressed together in the center, and sewed, as shown in
Figures 1, 2, 4 and 7, of the drawing. Through the center of the tread, extending
throughout its entire length, a bead or cord like seam is formed, as clearly illustrated,
in Figures 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 of the drawing. The outer edges of the trend are
skived very thin, and made rough, and on the inside thereof, they are coated with
one or more layers of cement, and the finished tube or tire, is also made rough, at
the seams, where the outer edges of the tread, unite with the tube, and the
roughened seam portions of the tube or tire, are also coated with one or more layers
of cement, the two cemented parts of the tread and tire are firmly pressed together,
and left to thoroughly dry, when it will be found, that the said parts securely
adhere. One or more rows of stitches may be made, near the skived edges of
the tread, in order to more securely and firmly hold them to the tube or tire.
In order to make the beaded or sharp edge of the tread more solid or resilient, a
cord may be run through the bead, or a small round strip of rubber enclosed
within the bead, as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing.
The tire and tread having been completed, it is ready for the air valve, which is
placed on the inside of the tire, as illustrated at M, and for the purpose of
inflating the tire, I have what may be termed and is, an all-leather "hose pipe
tire," which is more resilient than any other tire, now upon the market, owing to
the main portion of the tube being made of one piece of light, thin leather,―lighter
than rubber, and less expensive than rubber.
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. In a pneumatic tire for wheels the tube or tire having a bead upon the tread
portion thereof substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In a pneumatic tire for wheels, the leather tube or tire provided with a bead
upon the tread thereof substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In a pneumatic tire for wheels, a leather hose pipe tire or tube, made of light,
thin leather, having a tread provided with a bead secured thereto substantially as
herein shown and described."
4. In a pneumatic tire for bicycle wheels, and wheels for other vehicles, the
combination of the light, thin leather tube or tire, and the heavy sole leather tread
provided with a bead, upon the central outside wearing portion thereof, substantially
as herein shown and described.

page_text: 5. In a pneumatic tire for wheels, comprising a tube or tire made of light welt,
belt, harness, tanned calf, or cowhide or horsehide leather, and a tread made of oak
tanned sole leather, provided with a bead upon the wearing portion thereof,
substantially as herein shown and described.
6. In a pneumatic tire for bicycle wheels, and wheels for other vehicles, the hose
pipe tube or tire, made of light, thin, welt, belt, harness, tanned calf, or cowhide
leather, and a tread, provided with a bead upon the wearing portion thereof, made
of heavy, harness, hemlock, or oak tanned sole leather, substantially as herein shown
and described.
7. In a pneumatic tire for bicycle wheels and wheels for other kinds of vehicles,
the hose pipe tube or tire, made of light, thin leather, and the tread made of heavy
harness leather, substantially as herein shown and described.
8. In a pneumatic tire for bicycle and wheels for other kinds of vehicles, the hose
pipe tube or tire, made of light, thin leather, and a tread, made of heavy hemlock
leather, substantially as herein shown and described.
9. In a pneumatic tyre for bicycle wheels and wheels for other kinds of vehicles,
the hose pipe tube or tire, made of light, thin leather, and a tread made of heavy union
sole leather, provided with a bead on the central outside wearing portion thereof,
substantially as herein shown and described.
10. In a pneumatic tire for wheels consisting of the hose pipe tube or tire, the
heavy sole leather tread provided with a bead having a cord running through the
entire length thereof, substantially as herein shown and described.
11. In a pneumatic tire for wheels comprising the hose pipe tire or tube, made of
light, thin leather, provided with a bead, having a round rubber cord, or strip of
rubber, extending through the entire length of the bead, substantially as herein.
shown and described.
12. In a pneumatic tire for bicycle wheels and wheels for other kinds of
vehicles, consisting of the hose pipe tube or tire, the ends united by means of the
bias or angle seam G, provided with the strengthening leather strip, K, the triangular
piece of leather, d, and the sharp angled tread D, substantially as herein shown and
described.
13. In a pneumatic tire for wheels, the light, thin leather hose pipe tire, provided
with an air valve, placed on the inside of the tire, the tread provided with a sharp
angled bead, D, on the outside thereof, the triangular piece of leather or rubber, d,
placed between the inside of the tread, and the tube or tire, substantially as herein
shown and described.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1906
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents for the Applicant.