Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes and
other Vehicles.
I, HIPPOLYTE JOSEPH LA FORCE, of 18, Rue Bacon, Paris, in the Republic of
France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tyres, for the wheels of
velocipedes and other vehicles and is especially designed for use with wide flat
and slightly concave rims.
According to this invention there is employed an outer cover of rubber upon a
foundation of strong fabric the tread being provided with projections or ribs to
give proper hold upon the ground. Upon the inner edges of this cover two thick
pieces are sewn, cast or otherwise fixed, which, when in position, lie side by side
upon the rim and the edges of the cover are pressed onto the rim by the air chamber
when inflated pressing upon the said pieces.
The tyre is fastened to the rim by means of two circular metal wires placed one
at either side of the said pieces and connected throughout their length by a con-
tinuous tie-band formed by one or several layers of cloth or other suitable material.
In mounting the tyre one of the said pieces is put in place along the periphery
of the rim between the middle thereof and one half of the tie-band underneath
the air chamber one of the circular wires being placed in the angle or recess at
the inner edge of the said piece then the outer cover of the tyre is turned over so
as to enclose the air chamber and the other piece and the other edge of the cover
to which it is attached are passed between the other half of the tie-band and the
rim. To complete the mounting the whole tyre is moved sideways on the rim
until the two circular wires are over the respective edges of the rim. Then the air
chamber is inflated and the various parts are displaced so that the edges, of the
cover which at first partly overlapped each other recede from one another until
the aforesaid pieces attached to the edges of the cover lie side by side and are
forced against the rim by the pressure of the air. When this position is attained
it is impossible for the edges to further recede since the said pieces carried by
the said edges bear against the circular wires the receding movement of which is
limited by the aforesaid tie-band.
The adherence produced between the edges of the cover and the rim owing to
interior air pressure, exerted upon the tie-band and the two pieces at the edges
of the cover is sufficient to firmly secure the tyre upon the wheel.
With uniformity in the diameter this tyre combines the advantage of a large
supporting base against the rim, a condition which is necessary, in order to pre-
vent the tyre from moving sideways upon the rim, when the vehicle is turned.
Dated this 24th day of November 1897.

page_text: Improvements in Pneumatic Tyres for the Wheels of Velocipedes and
other Vehicles.
I, HIPPOLYTE JOSEPH LA FORCE, of 18, Rue Bacon, Paris, in the Republic of
France, 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 improvements in pneumatic tyres, for the wheels of
velocipedes and other vehicles, and is especially designed for use with wide flat
and slightly concave rims.
A pneumatic tyre constructed according to my invention is shewn in transverse
section in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shewing the pneumatic tyre in
its position mounted on the rim of a wheel and inflated, and Figure 2 the initial
position to be imparted to the various constituent parts of the pneumatic tyre in
order to mount the same on the rim.
According to this invention there is employed an outer cover of rubber 2 upon
a foundation or backing 1 of strong fabric the thread being provided with projec-
tions or ribs 3 to give proper hold upon the ground. Upon the inner edges of
the backing 1 two thick pieces 4 and 5 are sewn, or otherwise fixed, which, when
in position, lie side by side upon the rim and the edges of the cover are pressed
onto the rim, by the air-chamber 7, when inflated, pressing upon the said pieces.
The tyre is fastened to the rim by means of two wire rings 8 and 9 placed one
at either side of the said thick pieces 4 and 5 and connected throughout their
length by a continuous tie-band 10, formed by one or more layers of cloth or other
suitable material.
In mounting the tyre one of the pieces 4, 5, say the piece 4 as shewn in Figure 2
is put in place around the periphery of the rim 6 between the middle thereof and
one half of the tie-band 10, underneath the air-chamber 7, the wire ring 8 being
Then the outer cover
placed in the angle or recess at the edge of the said piece 4.
of the tyre is turned over so as to enclose the air chamber 7, and the piece 5 and
the other edge of the cover 2 are passed between the other half of the tie-band 10
and the rim so as to occupy the position shewn in Figure 2.
To complete the mounting, the whole tyre is moved sideways on the rim in the
direction of the arrow in Figure 2, until the two wire rings 8 and 9 are over tho
respective edges of the rim. Then the air chamber 7 is inflated, and the various
parts are moved so that the edges of the cover which, at first partly overlapped
each other, recede from one another until the aforesaid pieces 4 and 5 lie edge to
edge, as seen in Figure 1 and are forced against the rim, by the pressure of the
air when this position is attained; it is impossible for the edges to further recede,
since the pieces 4 and 5 carried by the said edges bear against the wire rings 8
and 9, the receding movement of which is limited by the aforesaid tie-band 10.
The adherence produced between the edges of the cover and the rim, owing to
interior air pressure, exerted upon the tie-band 10 and the two pieces 4 and 5 at the
edges of the cover is sufficient to firmly secure the tyre upon the wheel.
With uniformity in the diameter this tyre combines the advantage of a large
supporting base against the rim, a condition which is necessary, in order to pre-
vent the tyre from moving sideways upon the rim, when the vehicle is turned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A pneumatic tyre for the wheels of velocipedes and other vehicles, in which

page_text: the edges of the outer cover are provided with two thickened pieces projecting
inwardly and held in position by two wire rings connected by a tie-band of cloth
or other suitable material, substantially as described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the pneumatic tyre
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying draw-
ings.
Dated his 14th day of March 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.