Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tires for Wheels.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tires for Wheels.
I, FREDERICK FOULSTON, of 291, Moseley Road, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Solicitors' Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention consists in the improved tire hereinafter described suitable for use
in the make-up of wheels used on or with cycles carriages, cabs, omnibuses, motor-
cars and other vehicles.
In carrying out my invention I provide a circular band or ring of flexible air-
tight material such band or ring being of a width sufficient to fold over and join
at the edges, to form and forming a continuous tube which when filled with air
would constitute my improved tire and be suitable for use in the make-up of
wheels of every description; the flexible material may be such as is usually used
in the make-up of other pneumatic wheel-tires or I may utilize any suitable
flexible air-tight substance from which to form my improved knuckle-jointed
pneumatic tire.
The essential novelty of my invention consists in the new knuckle-jointed method
of connecting the edges of the tube together and so forming a pneumatic tire at less
cost than other pneumatic tires suitable for easy and quick disconnection when
punctured.
To form my knuckle joints I pierce from one edge of the circular band or ring a
series of dovetail-openings which may be of any suitable configuration providing
that the inner end of the dovetail opening is larger than the entering end of the
opening and I form dovetail tennons alternately with the dovetail openings such
alternate dovetail tennons being larger than the dovetail openings, I prefer to make
the dovetail openings of a curved form at the inner ends and to also in a like manner
make the forward large end of the dovetail tennons of a corresponding curved
shape.
Having pierced one edge of the band or ring I next pierce the other edge in a
precisely similar manner to that hereinbefore described in relation to the first edge
excepting that the tennons would be formed on one edge to be opposite the mortices
in the other edge.
The two edges are joined together in some cases by passing the dovetail tennons
of each edge inwards through the opposite dovetail mortices, so that the whole of the
tennons will pass through their opposite and corresponding mortices inside the tube
formed by the meeting of the edges and as the dimensions of each tennon are greater
than the dimensions of each mortice the flexible tennons would be folded or pinched
together as a means of passing them through the smaller mortices, the tennons would
then lie over and project over the mortices in a somewhat similar manner to that
in which the keys of a flute project over the flute tune-holes.
Instead of passing the tennons inwards I prefer in some cases to pass them outwards
through their mortices, in such cases the tennons would rest over the mortice holes
on the outside of the ring to cover such mortice holes in a similar manner to that

page_text: herein before described in relation to the tennons resting over the mortice holes inside
the tube, I strengthen the tennons by thickening the material at the narrow or neck
end, the thickened part extending about a half an inch towards the front large end
of the tennon and about half an inch towards the neck of tennon, the thickened part
sloping down from the centre to the ordinary face of the material at each edge of the
strip and such strip would be about one inch wide more or less.
As a means of producing a more perfect sealing joint on my improved tire I in
some cases provide a flap on one internal edge, some distance below the roots of
the mortice holes, such flap being of sufficient, width to cover both sets of the
lapping tennons and extending over the lapping tennons or I can provide two of such
inside flaps one on each side, or I can provide one flap or two flaps on the external
edge or edges of the tire to cover the junctures of the tire.
My improved tires can be produced in the mauner herein before described from
flexible air tight material of any desired thickness in accordance with the diameter
of the tire, and the class of vehicle wheel used with my improved tire.
In securing my improved tire to the rim of a wheel I should take the deflated tire
which had been connected by means of tennons passing outside the tube, and I
should stretch such deflated tire over the wheel rim into the circumferential groove
thereof and in such cases the tennons would take a flat bearing against the outer
peripheral groove surface, so that when my improved pneumatic tire was pumped up
through any suitable valve connected to such improved tire, the tire would expand
outwards and inwards and press or grip the rin, consequently pressing the dovetail
tennon-flaps closely over the mortices making an air tight joint and pressing the
outer surface of improved tire over the whole of the external peripheral groove surface
and thereby producing a safe connection of the improved tire to the wheel.
In connecting a tire formed by passing the tennons inwards such connection would
be made to the rim in a precisely similar manner to that hereinbefore described in
relation to the tires with tennons outside, but the action of the atmospheric pressure
inside the rim would close the internal tennons over their mortices producing a
perfect sealed joint and supporting the tire within the rim groove.
As a modification I in some cases form two ribs over the outside surface of my
improved tire, one rib on each edge, such ribs being situated below the forward end
of mortice-holes, the distance of the ribs would correspond with the width of the
wheel rim groove into which the improved tire is to be secured and when using such
modification the two ribs would take side bearings under projecting side flanges
formed on groove edges of wheel rim.
When making up my improved tires with the inside or outside flaps it will be
readily understood that such flaps form additional sealing surfaces, that is to say the
flaps press over the mortice and tennon junctures and are by atmospheric pressure
compressed against the surfaces and also into any interstices that may exist between
the juncture of the tennons and mortices.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1897.
Improvements in and relating to Pneumatic Tires for Wheels.
I, FREDERICK FOULSTON, Solicitors' Managing Clerk, of No. 291, Moseley Road,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this

page_text: 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 pneumatic tyres for use in the make-up
of wheels used on or with cycles, cabs, omnibuses, motor-cars and other vehicles.
The principal objects of my invention are, first, to produce a pneumatic-tyre that
can be readily disconnected from the wheel-rim when collapsed from puncture; second,
that can be spread out flat and patched on the inner side; third, that can be easily
fastened together into the tubular shape after repair; fourth, that can be readily
slipped on to the wheel-rim; fifth, that will when expanded retain the pumped-in air
and answer every purpose of a pneumatic wheel-tyre.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
method of constructing my improved tyres, similar figures and letters refer to
similar parts throughout the several views.
Figure represents a transverse section of improved tyre fastened together and
made air-tight by means of the dovetails and mortices only, the dovetails being
interlocked externally.
Figure 2 represents a broken off plan of the under-side of tyre shewn in section at
Figure 1 the upper part having the dovetails interlocked and the lower part having
the dovetails pulled apart from mortices.
Figure 3 represents a transverse section of tyre with the dovetails interlocked
internally.
Figure 4 represents a broken off perspective view of the tyre shewn in section at
Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a transverse section having added flaps.
Figure 6 represents the tyre as shewn at Figure 5 with the dovetails pulled from
out of the mortices.
Figure 7 represents a transverse section of tyre with the dovetails formed out of
strips, the strips being afterwards cemented to the main tyre.
Figure 8 represents the tyre as shewn at Figure 7 after it has been pulled open
the edges of the tyre-material forming the flaps.
In carrying out my invention I provide a circular bind or ring of flexible air-tight
material, such band or ring being of a width sufficient to fold over and join at the
edges, to form and forming a continuous tube which. when filled with air would con-
stitute my improved tyre and be suitable for use in the make-up of wheels of every
description; the flexible material may be such as is usually used in the make-up of
other pneumatic wheel-tyres or I may utilize any suitable flexible air-tight substance
from which to form my improved knuckle-jointed pneumatic tyre.
The essential novelty of my invention consists in the knuckle-jointed method of
connecting the edges of the material together to form a tube.
To form my knuckle joints I pierce from one edge of the circular band or ring a
series of dovetail-openings a which may be of any suitable configuration providing
that the inner end of the dovetail opening is larger than the entering end of the
opening, and I form dovetail tennons 6 alternately with the dovetail openings a, such
alternate dovetail tennons 6 being larger than the dovetail openings a.
b
Having
pierced one edge of the band or ring I next pierce the other edge in a precisely similar
manner to that herein before described in relation to the first edge excepting that the
tennons would be formed on one edge to be opposite the mortices in the other
edge.
The two edges are joined together in some cases by passing the dovetail tennons of each
edge inwards through the opposite dovetail mortices,so that the whole of the tennons
will pass through their opposite and corresponding mortices into the inside of the tube
formed by the meeting of the edges, as shewn at Figure 3, and as the dimensions of
each tennon are greater than the dimensions of each mortice, the tennons (being
flexible) would be folded or pinched together as a means of passing them through
the smaller mortices, the tennons would then lie over and project over the mortices
as shewn at Figure 3.

page_text: Instead of passing the tennons inwards I prefer in some cases to pass them outwards
through their mortices, in such cases the tennons would rest over the mortice-holes
on the outside of the ring, to cover such mortice-holes as shewn at Figures 1 and 2.
I strengthen the tennons in some cases by thickening the material at the neck end,
the thickened part c extending a suitable distance towards the front and back of
tennon tapering from the thickened part down to the ordinary face of the material.
As a means of producing a more perfect. sealing joint on my improved knuckle-
jointed tyre I in some cases provide a flap d on one internal edge some distance below
the roots of the mortices, such flap d being of sufficient width to cover both sets of the
lapping tennons and extending over the said lapping-tennons, or I can provide flaps
on each side, the second inside flap d is shewn in dotted lines, or I can provide one
flap or two flaps on the external edge or edges of the tyre to cover the knuckle-joinţ
as shewn dotted at e Figure 6.
As a means of securing my improved tyre within the wheel-rim I prefer to form
two ribs on the outside surface of tyre-inaterial, a rib on each edge, such ribs f,
being situated below the root of mortice-holes, the distance between the outside edge
faces of the two ribs would correspond with the distance or width of the wheel-rim
that grips the ribs, the ribs f passing under the side flanges g formed on edges of
wheel-rim.
In some cases I provide strips of material and form the dovetail mortices and
tennons on one edge only of each strip afterwards cementing the separate knuckle-
joint strips to the main body of tyre as shewn at h Figure 7.
When making up my improved tyres, with the inside flaps d or the outside
flaps e it will be readily understood that such flaps form additional sealing
surfaces, that is to say the flaps press over the mortice and tennon junctures and
are by atmospheric pressure compressed against either the inside surface, or the
outside surface of the knuckle-joint.
I consider the joint made by the passing of the tennons into their mortices and
expanding therein from atmospheric pressure a perfect joint suitable for use for all.
purposes of a wheel-tyre nevertheless I can where found advantageous use one or
two of the thin elastic flaps either inside or outside as hereinbefore clearly
described.
In securing my improved tyres to the rims of wheels I should take the tyre after
it had been connected into the tubular form by means of the tennons and
mortices and pass it over the wheel-rim by stretching, until the tyre entered the
circumferential groove provided to receive the said tyre as shewn at Figures 1, 3, 5
and 7, the tyre could then be inflated in the manner usual in the inflating of other
pneumatic tyres, thus producing a safe connection of my improved knuckle-jointed
pneumatic tyre to its wheel-rim ready for use.
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 :-
1st. A pneumatic wheel-tyre formed from any suitable elastic material or substance
jointed together at the edges by means of dovetail tennons passing through and into
dovetail mortices and lapping over the dovetail mortices to form a knuckle-jointed
air-tight tube the dovetail tennons being larger than the mortices so that when the
knuckle-jointed tube is expanded by inflation the elastic tennons will expand in the
mortices and press over the mortices so forming an air-tight knuckle-joint.
2nd. The combination of a knuckle-jointed pneumatic tyre with an elastic flap
or with two elastic flaps either inside the tyre or outside the tyre for the purpose of
strengthening the knuckle-joint as illustrated and described in relation to Figures 5,
6, 7 and 8.
3rd. In an elastic knuckle-jointed wheel-tyre the combination of an elastic main
strip of material with two narrow strips, the narrow strips being provided with
mortices and tennons on one edge, the two narrow strips being cemented to the main

page_text: wide strip, (one narrow strip on each edge) to form and forming a knuckle-jointed
pneumatic tyre.
4th. In an elastic knuckle-jointed wheel-tyre the formation of the flaps out of the
main wide strip in combination with two cemented-on knuckle-joint strips as illus-
5 trated and described in relation to Figure 7 and 8.
Pattu this 21st day of January 1000.
Witness:-
ALFRED WM. TURNER.
International Patent Agent,
Cobden Buildings, 67, Corporation Street,
Birmingham.
FREDK. FOULSTON.