improvements in tyres.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1897-Accepted, 14th Aug., 1897
improvements in tyres.
I SAMUEL HUBBARD JAMES of 3 Douglas Villas 30 Greyhound Lane Streatham
Common in the County of Surrey Civil 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:―
The object of this invention is to obtain a tyre which shall possess the
advantages of a pneumatic tyre without its liability to collapse from ordinary
punctures. I make no special reference to rims as ordinary ones can be used.
My tyres consist of three essential parts viz.: A pneumatic tube capable of being
inflated (B) a flexible outer cover for hard wear on the roads (C) a layer or lining
of corkwood in one form or another whether solid, granulated, cuttings, chips or
waste cork-said lining or layer of cork substance being placed inside the cover
nearest to the greatest circumference thereof or tread of the tyre, so that the lining
or layer of cork acts as a cushion or pad between the outside cover & the
pneumatic tube so that before a collapse can take place the thorn or sharp flint
causing it must go right through the cover. as also the thick backing of cork
before it can affect the pneumatic tube injuriously. I usually make the lining of
cork considerable as its weight is so small.
By reference to the drawings it will be seen that
Fig. 1 represents a section taken through the tyre & rim shewing (B) the cover
of indiarubber, cloth or other suitable material (C) the pad lining or filling of
cork (d) the longitudinal strip to keep the cork in place, and (P) the pneumatic
tube as blown out which instead of being circular in section adapts itself to its
natural bearings & is therefore more or less semi-circular..
Fig. 2 is a section of the cover with the cork pad or lining (C) kept in place by
the strip (d).
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of part of cover shewing the cork, kept in place
by the strip (d) which strip together with me top part of the cover practically
makes a tube of the top portion of the cover to hold the cork whether solid or
broken up.
For an ordinary Bicycle Tyre, one method is to cut solid corks in radial semi-
circular segments to fit inside the crown of the cover, these corks are fixed by
cement or by stitching to the cover so as to form attached portions thereof the
pneumatic tube is then put round the rim & this outer cover with cork lining is
put on the rim in the usual manner & the pneumatic tube is then blown out and
the tyre is complete.
A second method is to make a flexible tube of suitable size & material & fill or
partly fill the same with corkwood in small pieces and then affix this tube filled
with cork inside the crown of cover (instead of the solid cork as above mentioned)
afterwards proceeding as before to put the cover on and blow out the tube.
A third method which I prefer is to fix diagonally across & inside the flexible
cover, a longitudinal strip of webbing of light flexible material (see d Fig. 2)
attaching the longitudinal edges of this strip one to each side or wall of the cover

page_text: about half way up, thus forming a more or less semicircular tube into which I
place the cork whether in large or small pieces.
I sometimes place stops (marked s in Fig. 3) to prevent the cork shifting too
much along this tubular part of cover.
It must be clearly understood I do not limit myself to any particular make of
cover or tyre or mode of fixing provided the complete tyre consists of a pneumatic
tube, outside cover & a layer pad or lining, of cork between them.
I make no claim for either a cover, pneumatic tube, or cork, separately for a
tyre, but as will be seen the essential point of novelty & utility is the
combination.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that, what I Claim
is:-
1st. In a wheel tyre, the combination of a flexible airtight tube or tubes inflated
with air or gas, a suitable thickness, layer or lining of cork and an outer flexible
cover, said thickness, layer or lining of cork being attached or placed inside the
crown of the cover between the cover & pneumatic tube, substantially as described
& for the purposes set forth.
2. A flexible cover for a pneumatic tube tyre, the upper portion of said cover
being a tube, tubes or compartments filled or partly filled with cork substantially
as described & for the purposes set forth.