Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I CHARLES WOOLLEY of Verulam, 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton in the County
of Surrey Secretary of a Public Company do bereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Improvements in pueumatic tyres.
My present invention relates to a method of applying these tyres, of the wired
on variety, to the wheels of road vehicles without making any alteration to the
wheels except to drill the valve holes, so that, not only is all expense in altering
the wheels saved but, the wheels remain equally serviceable either with the tyres
or without them, whereby the risk of any serious inconvenience resulting through
any failure of the tyre is avoided, the tyres by the construction admitting of
being readily removed from the wheels and replaced upon them when desired.
The method consists of attaching to the wires in each edge of the covers strong
metal hooks alternately on each side, the hooks being arranged to cross beneath
the tyre and to grip the edges of the iron tyre on the wheel on the opposite side to
that on which the wire to which each hook is attached lies.
The wires if endless should be of such circumference as to cause the cover of
the tyre with the hooks beneath it to just fit round the wheel, and if the length of
the wires is variable so as to admit of the cover being adapted to wheels of slightly
varying sizes, it should admit of being adjusted to this length.
To attach the tyre to the wheel the air tube has to be placed inside the cover,
and about half the circumference of the tyre may at once be applied to the wheel.
Then, to get the remaining half on, it is only necessary to press the two wires in
the edges together, so that the points of the hooks on the side next the wheel may
be raised so as to pass over the wheel, and so allow of the cover being drawn on
to it. Then on inflation the wires are forced apart till the hooks on both sides
bear on the edges of the wheel, and the fixed circumferential length of the wires,
lying near to the two edges of the wheel & the ends of the hooks, locks the hooks
so that they cannot be disengaged till the tyre is deflated again and the wire on
one side is forced back from the edge of the wheel so that the hooks on that side
may be raised over its edge.
By this construction the underside of the tyre may be either closed or open all
round, but if closed, its breadth must be such that it will not hinder the wires
spreading apart on the tyre being inflated, till all the spreading force of the
compressed air is borne by the hooks on the edges of the wheel.
A thickened base might be given to the air tube which when in position would
fill the space between the wires, so that the tyre would remain securely fixed even
on deflation, and could only be released by lifting the base of the air tube, either
by pressing the valve into the tyre, and by then pressing the wires together
gradually from that point onwards, or by inserting a thin blunt instrument between
the hooks for the purpose.
Other simple devices might be provided if desirable for retaining the wires in
position & thereby keeping the tyre secure even on deflation.
The hooks may be arranged continuously round the tyre, alternately on each
side, or at short intervals, & to increase the strength of the wires laterally they
might be made oval.

page_text: The hooks might be hooked or angled at both ends on reverse sides, the one end
being designed to grip the wire & the other end the edge of the wheel, and they
might be made into a separate band independently of the tyre cover.
Dated this Fourth day of August 1894.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tyres.
I, CHARLES WOOLLEY, of 19 Haycroft Road, Brixton, in the County of
London, Secretary to a Public Company, 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 the application of pneumatic tyres of the wired-on
variety to the plain or approximately plain peripheries of the wheels of ordinary
road vehicles, in such a way as to obviate the necessity of making any alteration
to the wheels for the purpose of securing the tyres thereto, except perhaps to drill
the valve holes; so that, not only is all expense in altering the wheels as is
necessary by all other constructions known to me, saved, but the wheels remain
equally serviceable either with the tyres or without them, whereby the risk of any
serious inconvenience resulting through any failure of the tyres, is avoided, the
construction of the tyres being such as to admit of their being most readily removed
from the wheels, and replaced upon them when desired.
For this purpose there is attached to the wires in the edges of the outer cover
of the pneumatic tyre, alternately on each side, strong metal angled plates or
hooks, (hereinafter called angle-pieces) arranged to cross beneath the said tyre,
the arrangement being such that when the tyre is placed upon the wheel and inflated,
the angle-pieces will be automatically caused to grip the sides or edges of the
iron-tyre on the wheel-rim, each on the side opposite to that on which the wire
to which the angle-piece is attached, lies.
The angle-pieces may he arranged continuously round the tyre, alternately on
each side, or at short intervals, and they may be hooked or angled at one end only,
or at both ends on reverse sides, the one end in the latter case being designed to
grip or engage the corresponding wire, and the other end the edge or side of the
wheel. Also instead of being attached to the tyre-cover, the said angle-pieces may
be made into a separate band independently of the tyre cover.
The wires, if endless, should be of such circumferential length as to cause the
cover of the tyre, with the angle-pieces beneath it, to just fit round the wheel, and
if the length of the wires is variable, so as to admit of the cover being adapted
to wheels of slightly varying sizes, it should admit of being thus adjusted to suit
the size of the wheel to which the tyre is to be applied.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are cross sections showing a tyre provided with fastening
devices according to this invention, Fig. I showing the manner of placing the tyre
on the wheel, Fig. 2 showing it in position on the wheel ready to be inflated, and
Fig. 3 showing it inflated and thereby secured on the wheel.
Fig. is a part plan of the pucumatic tyre alone, showing the inner portion
thereof with some of the angle-pieces attached thereto.
Fig. 5 is a plan showing a metallic plate that may be employed to protect an
exposed edge of the tyre-cover, as hereinafter explained; and
Fig. 6 is a plan showing the application of such a plate;
Figs. 7 and 8 show in plan and side elevation respectively, and
Fig. 9 in cross section, modified ways of attaching the angle-pieces to the wire-
rings in the tyre.

page_text: Figs. 10 and 11; Figs. 12 and 13; and Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate different
methods of connecting the ends of wires that do not form endless rings.
Figs. 16 and 17 are similar views to Fig. 3, showing modified constructions.
Fig. 18 is a plan, and Fig. 19 a cross section, illustrating a method of securing
the angle-pieces together to form a separate band independently of the tyre-
cover.
Fig. 20 is a cross section, showing a pneumatic tyre secured to a wheel rim
by a separate band of angle-pieces.
Figs. 21 and 22 are sectional detail views on the line..c Fig. 20, and hereinafter
more particularly referred to.
Figs. 23 and 24 are detail views of a filling piece hereinafter referred to.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 1 is the wooden felloe, and 2 the plain metal
tyre of a wheel such as is commonly used for road vehicles other than cycles.
The pneumatic tyre, which may be built up in various ways as well understood,
consists essentially of an inner air-tube 3 and an outer cover 4 having tubular
elges in which are secured, in this example, endless metal wires 6 and 7 which
may advantageously be made of oval or flattened form in cross section as shown,
in order to increase their strength in a lateral direction. For the purpose of
securing such a tyre on the wheel, it is provided, according to this invention, with
two sets of alternately arranged angle-pieces 6 and 7ª, attached respectively to the
wire-rings 6 and 7 which are of such a diameter as to fit closely over the angle-
picces when these are in position on the wheel.
By this construction when the tyre is placed upon a wheel rim and inflated, the
wire-rings 6 and 7 will be moved apart and thereby automatically cause the outer
fre ends of the angle-pieces attached thereto to firmly grip the opposite sides or
edges of the wheel tyre 2. The said wire-rings then firmly hold the angle-pieces
on the plain outer periphery of the wheel whereby the paeumatic tyre is effectually
secured in place thereon against lateral, circumferential or radial movement.
Each of the angle-pieces 6 and 7 shown, consists of a piece of plain sheet
metal, preferably steel, having its free end bent approximately at right angles to
the body portion so as to form an angle or hook adapted to bear against or engage
with one side or edge of a wheel. The outwardly projecting portions of the
angle pieces 6 and 70 are preferably made, as shown, so as not to project outward
beyond the wire-rings 6 and 7 and the parts of the tubular edges 5 that cover the
said rings, so that even if the tyre be used when deflated, the said projecting portions
will not be liable to injure the tyre or to be themselves injured. Such angle-pieces
can be attached to the wire-rings 6 and 7 in various ways. Thus in Figs. 1 to 4
inclusive, where the angle-pieces are shown beut or angled at each end on reverse
sides, one of such ends is arranged between and cemented to the two layers of
canvas or other material of which the tyre-cover is chiefly composed, so that the
upturned fixed ends of the angle-pieres bear against the outer sides of the corre-
sponding wire-rings as shown. In this case in order to protect each of the exposed
edges 8 of the outer of the two layers of the tyre-cover, such clge may be covered,
where it overlaps an angle-piece, with a thin metallic plate 9 (Figs. 5 and 6) which
is siit at 9 (Fig. 5) in such a way that when applied to one of the angle-pieces,
the portions 9 can be turned over upon the side of the angle-piece next the tyre,
and the portion 9" can be turned first inward and then outward towards the tyre
and bent partly around the corresponding covered wire-ring 6 or 7 (Fig. 6), a hook
or projection 94, struck up from the plate, being hooked into the edge of the tyre-
cover so as to secure it in place on the angle-piece to which it is applied.
Or each angle-piece may have a piece 10 punched partly out of it as shown in
Figs. 7 and 8, such piece being bent to the shape shown in the latter figure so as to
admit of the angle-piece being easily slipped over one of the wire-rings as shown
in Fig. 8. To prevent the angle-pieces in this case becoming detached when the
tyre is off the wheel, strips of thin canvas may be cemented along the edges of the
tyre and over the adjacent ends of the angle pieces, before the tyre is completed.
Or the angle-pieces may be directly fastened near one end to the wire-rings, as

page_text: for example by a rivet or rivets 11, preferably two to each plate, (Fig. 9) in
which case the said ends may be plain, that is, not augled as they are in the other
examples.
To attach a pneumatic tyre provided with angle-pieces such as hereinbefore
described upon a wheel, the wire-rings 6 and 7 are pressed close together all round,
except near the air-valve, and the valve inserted in the valve-hole in the wheel.
Then, commencing from the valve in both directions, the tyre is laid round the
wheel as far as this can be readily done, after which the points of the remaining
angle-pieces next the wheel are raised on to the periphery of the wheel, as shown in
Fig. 1. The two wire-rings 6 and 7 being still kept close together, the tyre can
then he easily pushed entirely onto the wheel, its parts then occupying the positions
shown in Fig. 2. Upon then inflating the tyre, the said wire-rings will be moved
apart and the free ends of the two series of angle-pieces 6*, 7" caused to move
towards each other and automatically grip the opposite sides or edges of the wheel,
as shown in Fig. 3, and hold the tyre immovably upon it, the wire-rings 6 and 7
then preventing the angle-pieces lifting or moving away from the periphery of the
wheel. To detach the tyre, it is first deflated and the wire-ring 6 or 7 on one side
pressed to the opposite side, so as to release the ends of the corresponding set of
angle-pieces, some of which can then be lifted, or sprung over the edge of the
wheel. When about a third of them have thus been released, the tyre can be
readily pulled off the wheel.
In order that tyres provided with fastenings of the kind hereinbefore described
may be applicable to wheels of slightly differing diameters, and in order also that
the wire-rings 6 and 7 may be caused not only to hold the angle-pieces 6 and 7ª in
place on the wheel, but also to clamp them tightly on the said wheel, it is
advantageous to make the tread 5" practically inextensible in length, and to make
the wire-rings contractile in diameter, so that the air-tube 3 when inflated, will
exert a considerable inward pressure on the wire-rings 6 and 7 and thus automatically
contract them in diameter and bind them on the angle-pieces. The inextensible
tread may be formed in various ways, one of which is by building it up, as shown,
of alternate layers of canvas and rubber cemented together. To make the wire-
rings contractile in diameter, the wires 6 and 7 may be made discontinuous and be
provided with means for adjusting the diameter of the rings formed by them, and
for connecting their adjacent ends.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 11 a plan, showing an arrangement
for this purpose in which the ends of the wire or 7 are fitted in a flattened sleeve,
or tube 12, one of the ends being soldered or otherwise permanently fastened
therein, and the other being secured therein by means of a wedge 12 when the
ring has been adjusted to the required diameter, the wedge being partly inserted
in place through a slit in the edge of the tyre-cover before inflation of the tyre
and through an opening 12 in the bottom and one side of the sleeve or tube, and
tightened up by a blow on its projecting part 12° after the wires have been duly
contracted in diameter by the inflation of the tyre.
Figs. 12 and 13 show respectively in side elevation and plan, a modified
arrangement in which the two ends of the wire 6 or 7 are arranged to overlap
one another within the sleeve 12 and are secured together and to the sleeve by a
set screw tapped into the side of the sleeve and arranged to enter a transverse
hole or recess formed between and partly within each of the overlapping ends of
the wire. Several such half holes or transverse grooves may be formed on the
adjacent sides of the wires, as shown, or on one of them, to admit of thus locking
the ends of the wire at various points to suit varying requirements or diameters
of rings.
In the further modified arrangement shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the ends of the
wires 6 and 7 are each connected to a strip 13 of metal, preferably steel, that
passes through a slit at 4 in the tubular edge of the tyre-cover 4, and carries a
pin 14, the four pins working in slots in the ends of a pair of pivoted levers 15.
The ends of the strips thus connected, can be moved towards or from each other,

page_text: when applying and detaching the tyre respectively, by a right and left handed
screw 16 engaging in lugs 17 projecting from the ends of the strips 13 that will be
next the inner side of the wheel when in use, so that they will not be liable to be
easily damaged, or to cause damage. When coupling devices are thus used, if
the angle-pieces 6ª, 7ª are not rivetted to the wire-rings 6, 7, the tyre-cover will
not be creased or strained, at the points where the coupling devices are located,
when the wire-rings are contracted or increased in diameter.
When a tyre having endless rings 6 and 7 is to be attached to a wheel having a
periphery of convex form in cross section, strips 23 of suitable hard material such
as hard rubber or gutta-percha and of wedge shape in cross section, may be forced
in between the edges of the base of the tyre and the wheel and over the free ends
of the angle-pieces, as shown in Fig. 13. The angle-pieces may in this case be
made of a curved form to suit the convexity of the wheel.
The underside or inner periphery of a pneumatic tyre constructed as
bereinbefore described, may be either open all round, as in the examples herein-
before described, or closed. In the latter case its breadth must be such that it
will not, on the tyre being inflated, hiuder the wire-rings 6 and 7 spreading apart
until all the spreading force of the compressed air is borne by the angle-pieces
acting on the sides or edges of the wheel.
In order that the pneumatic tyre may remain in position on the wheel, even
after accidental deflation, the air-tube 3 may be provided with a thickened base 3*
(see Fig. 16), of a width equal or approximately so to the distance between the
covered wire-rings 6 and 7 when these are in the positions shown in Fig. 3, so that
when the tyre is inflated and the wire-rings moved apart, the said base will be
forced between the wire-rings and keep them apart. To remove the tyre, it will
be then recessary to first force inwards the base of the air-tube 3*; this may be
effected by pressing outwards the air-valve so as to remove the said base (through
which the valve extends) from between the wire rings at this point, and then,
commencing at each side of the air-valve, to press the said rings together gradually
round the wheel, to facilitate which, the base 3 is preferably slightly bevelled at
the sides. Or the thickened base or part 3* may, as I prefer, be secured to that
side of a strip of canvas 3b that is next the wheel, such strip being cemented to
the tubular edges 5 of the tyre-cover +, as shown in Fig. 17. When extensible
wire-rings 6 and 7 are used, the angle-pieces 6ª, 7ª may be each formed or provided
with a raised central part 3, as shown in Fig. 174, that is adapted to enter between
the rings when these are moved apart.
cover.
Instead of attaching the angle pieces 6 and 7° to the edges of the cover 4, they
may as hereinbefore stated, be made into a separate band independent of the tyre
In this case they may be strung together as shown in Figs. 18 and 19, where
they are shown as threaded into an endless band formed of three tapes or strips 18
of material such as canvas with which the angle-pieces are interlaced as shown.
In this construction the angle-pieces, which are hooked or angled at each end on
reverse sides, need not extend outwardly, alternately in opposite directions, as in
Figs. 1 and 2, but are preferably placed with the hooked or angled ends on either
side practically in line with each other as shown in Fig. 19, and the whole covered
or enclosed in a casing or covering 19 of suitable flexible material, such as canvas,
that will freely allow of slight lateral movement between the plates so that their
action in gripping the wheel may not be impaired.
When such a band of angle-pieces is to be applied to a wheel-rim that is of
rounded form, its canvas casing or cover 19 may be provided with a thickened or
filling piece 20 at each side on the inner or outer surface of that portion of the
casing or cover 19 that is to be next the wheel rim, as indicated in dotted lines in
Fig. 19, so as to compensate for the curvature of the wheel rim and leave a surface
that is straight in cross section for the angle-pieces to rest upon. The angle-pieces
may be placed close together as shown, or be separated by distance pieces secured
to one of the tapes to keep them in place.
By stitching the inner and outer portions of the canvas together between the

page_text: angle-pieces, or by cementing them to the angle-pieces, the tape 18 may
with. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 20.
be dispensed
When the band of plates is covered with canvas, the gaps or spaces between the
beut ends of adjacent angle-pieces 6, 7" on each side of both the outer and inner
channels in the band, may be filled with strips 21 of material such as india-rubber,
as shown in the sertional detail view Fig. 21, these strips being cemented in place,
so that the outer sides of the band present smooth surfaces with straight edges.
Or the gaps or spaces between the ends of the angle-pieces may be bridged by
metal connecting pieces 21° (Fig. 22) each made of sheet metal bent to the form
shown in side elevation and cross section in Figs. 23 and 24 respectively, its ends
being adapted as shown to clip on to the bent ends of the angle-pieces without
materially impairing the flexibility of the band. These metal connecting or filling
pieces are of course made to correspond in depth with the flanges with which
they are used so that when the outer flanges are deeper than the inner ones two
sizes of them are necessary.
In order to cause the total inward pressure of the air-tube 3 to be exerted upon
the wire-rings 6, 7 for the purpose of locking them and the angle-pieces 6, 7ª in
their operative positions on the inflation of the tyre, there may advantageously be
arranged between the air-tube and the tubular edges of the tyre-cover containing
the wire-rings, a transversely rigid flap or band composed for instance of transverse
pieces 22 of material, such as wood, that are practically rigid transversely, and are
enclosed in a casing or sheath 23 of flexible material, such as canvas, that is
preferably secured to the tyre-cover at one edge. In this case the outwardly bent
ends of the angle-pieces 6ª, 7ª are made of greater depth than the inwardly hent
ones so as to form a deeper channel in the outer side of the band, to securely hold
the pneumatic tyre, than the one on the inner side to receive the wheel-rim, but the
sides of the outer channel of the band are not so deep that they would extend
beyond the level of the top of the transversely rigid Hap.
The outwardly bent ends of the angle-pieces 6, 7 may be turned slightly
inwards, and ridges may be formed along the base of the sides of the tyre-cover on
which these inturned angles may hook in order to avoid any risk of the one
becoming disengaged from the other.
In attaching a pneumatic tyre to a wheel with a band of angle-pieces such as
described, the band is first placed around the wheel when about two-thirds of the
circumference of the pneumatic tyre can readily be placed around and within it ;
then the remaining portion of the hand is drawn to one side to enable the tyre to
be placed completely around and within the band, after which the two edges of
the cover being kept together in the outer side of the channel, the displaced portion
of the band with the tyre within it is easily forced back over the wheel. Then
upon inflation of the tyre, the wires or rings in the edges of the tyre-cover are
spread apart and act laterally in opposite directions against the outwardly turned
ends of the angle-pieces causing their inwardly turned ends to bear tightly against
the sides or edges of the wheel and so holding the tyre firmly in place.
As will be obvious I do not limit myself to the form and dimensions of the
angle-pieces used, provided they are adapted to engage the sides or edges of the
wheel and are held around the periphery thereof when the tyre is inflated by wires
in the edges of the tyre-cover. It will also be obvious that the construction
described can be variously modified in detail.
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 :-
1. For securing a pneumatic tyre on a wheel having a plain or nearly plain
periphery, the combination with wire-rings carried within the elges of the tyre-
cover, of two sets of angle-pieres adapted to catch or engage the sides or edges of
the wheel at opposite sides thereof, the arrangement being such that on inflation
of the tyre, the angle-pieces will be caused to move laterally in opposite directions

page_text: and firmly grip the wheel-rim between their inwardly turned ends, and will be
locked in their fastening positions by the said wire-rings, substantially as herein
described.
2. The combination with a vehicle-wheel not specially adapted to receive a
pneumatic tyre, of a pneumatic tyre provided with two wire-rings in its edges, and
two series of angle-pieces arranged between the tyre and wheel and adapted to
engage the sides or edges of the latter at opposite sides thereof and to be pressed
tightly thereagainst by the said wire-rings on inflation of the tyre, substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a pneumatic tyre and angle-pieces as referred to in the
preceding claim, of a distance or filling piece carried by the tyre and adapted, when
the tyre is inflated and the wire-rings thereby moved apart, to lock the said
wire-rings and angle-pieces in position, substantially as described.
4. For securing a pneumatic tyre on a vehicle wheel, a separate or independent
band of angle-pieces adapted to fit around and engage with a wheel and to receive
and hold a pneumatic tyre, the said band of angle-pieces consisting of two sets of
plates or strips flexibly connected together and adapted to engage with the sides
or edges of a wheel on opposite sides thereof, each of the said plates or strips
being bent or angled at both ends, one end being adapted to engage with the
pneumatic tyre and the other with one side or edge of the wheel, substantially as
described.
5. A pneumatic tyre provided with wire-rings and angle-pieces constructed and
arranged substantially as herein before described with reference respectively to
and shown in the several examples illustrated in Figs. 1 to 17 of the drawings
annexed.
6. For attaching a pneumatic tyre on a wheel-rim, a separate or independent
band of angle-pieces constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 18 and 19 and in
Fig. 20 of the drawings annexed.
D.
1
1000
Dated this 6th day of May 1895.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
6 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.