Improvements in Rubber Tyres.
Year: 1891

page_text: te of Application, 27th May, 1891-Accepted. 27th June, 1891
[Communicated from abroad by ALPHONSE MERLAND, of No. 6, Boulevard de
Strasbourg, Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Rubber Tyres.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., Fel. Inst. P.A., practising as
Phillips & Leigh at No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, 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 present invention relates to improvements in rubber tyres for the wheels of
cycles and wheeled vehicles generally.
One of the drawbacks of the rubber tyres at present in use is that when once
fixed on the wheel elongation sets in with use; and that is fatal to tightness, makes
the going harder, and considerably increases the wear and tear. Further, the
elasticity of the tyre makes it necessary to subject it to tension in the act of fixing
it on the wheel, to say nothing of the increased risk of the tyre being cut as it
passes over flints, fragments of glass, and the like. Lastly, if the tyre is cut, it
must be replaced by a new one which involves a considerable outlay.
The present invention is free from the drawbacks above recited, and the
durability of the tyre is considerably increased.
In order that my invention, and the means by which the same is to be carried
into practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now describe them in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken
as part of this Specification and read therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a wheel fitted with the improved tyre, the mode of
fastening the latter to the wheel being shewn.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the axis of the wheel.
Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale shewing a fastening bolt and pin.
Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a bolt and pin only.
A is the rubber tyre. B is a band of any suitable metal; and C, a covering of
hard rubber, wove wire, or equivalent material. The band B is encased in the tyre
between its centre and the inside for its entire length, or it may be in the length of
material from which the tyre is cut off. This latter method is the one which it will
most probably be the most convenient to adopt in actual manufacture.
This improved tyre is fixed as follows. A length of tyre equal to the circum-
ference of the wheel rim J is cut off and laid upon or in the latter with the band B
next the same as indicated in Fig. 2. The two ends are next joined, and bolts F
are then introduced next to the point of junction. Each bolt has, instead of a head,
a hole perpendicular to its axis, into which hole a pin is introduced, the said
pin being by preference aligned with the axis of the tyre within the bore A' of the
latter. The two nuts f are then screwed up against the inner face of the wheel
rim and the fixing is completed.
It will be seen from the preceding that the rubber of the tyre, being practically
one with the wheel rim all round it, cannot suffer elongation during use. Moreover,
and as a consequence of my method of fixing, the perfect adherence of the tyre to
the rim all round the latter is guaranteed, thereby obviating all difficulty in fixing,
and the use of cements between rim and tyre.
A suitable cement is applied to the cut ends of the length of tyre so that they
shall thoroughly cohere, producing an endless tyre.
The facility with which this improved tyre can be fixed saves time, and besides
that, it is no longer necessary to keep a stock of tyres of different diameters.

page_text: 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. A rubber tyre having an internal metallic band for the whole of its length
incorporated with the substance of the band, as set forth.
2. In combination with the tyre claimed in the preceding claim, a fastening bolt
with pin and nuts substantially as set forth with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 07th J S ML 1001
H. H. LEIGH.