MTFCA Forum

These photos were sent to me by a relative asking if I knew what the heck it was. I said I’d ask here. It looks like it converts a non demountable to a demountable rim. We were speculating that it might be used for a quick change for a flat but that’s just a wild guess. Anyone got any info on it?

I never saw anything like it. It might be to fit 30X3 1/2 rims to fit 21" wheels. Anyway, I wouldn't drive on a wheel like that. It is a roll over accident waiting to happen. especially on a front wheel which that looks like it is with a speedometer gear on it..
Norm

That’s the point of the post Norm. What the heck is it?

What happens to the rim when the device is unclamped & removed? I see it has a patent plate on it. Any more information besides the word "patented"?

There is a date of the patent, can’t read the year, with full date, day, month and year that patent can be researched on line.

Can read March 11, 19__

Finally got an update from the owner: The full Patent date reads March 11 1917. Is this enough to find out what this item might be?

If you can find an actual patent #, or name, then yes you can search on-line at the US Patent Office and see the original papers.
Don't believe you can search online just by application year.
But, there is a way to request a search...but not that I know specific process/cost...but check the patent office website.

The in cabin hand pull start unit that was on Daisy was something I could find no reference to in any T forum/publication. But thankfully it was cast with a name and patent #....I was able to easily locate the original application papers.

Pushing 1000 looks and no answers yet. waiting for the owner to come back with the Patent # if there is one.

Tried using the patent date, but records at the USPTO can't be searched by just patent issue date unless later than 1978.

So used Google patent search and typed in 'demountable rim' and got lost in over 3000 hits over many years. Gave up


IF the patent number was known, then can be found.

Did find this one, but it's just a split rim, not a split felloe

Is it possible that a date was awarded to protect the inventor but no # because it wasn’t approved for the accessory market or some other requirement wasn’t met? There’s no patent number on the unit but the handle says “-part 1”.

The patent marking laws have changed over time, after 1927 items had to have 'Patented' or "Pat." and the full "number" granted patent. to provide lawful protection the patent holder.

So this part was patented in 1917 and law in effect then only required the date of issue of the patent marked on the item.


The Patent Act of 1842 required the patent owner to mark each product with the date of the patent, and failure to do so would result in a fine of not less than one hundred dollars.
The Patent Act of 1861 changed the marking requirement, eliminating the fine for failure to mark and instead establishing a rule much like today's rule, where failure to mark relieves an infringer of liability for conduct prior to the date of actual notice. The Patent Act of 1870 left the 1861 marking rule substantially unchanged, as did the Act of 1927. The 1927 Act did, however, change the required mark to the word "patent" and the patent number. The marking provision of the Patent Act of 1952 left the marking requirement largely un- changed except to permit the abbreviation "pat." in place of "patent".

Apparently the end of the road.

I looked in my patent books and the dates the patents were granted jumps from March 6 to March 13 there are no listings for March 11. I have almost all the patent books from 1872 to 1973. The books go by year and month. Please check the date and I will try to help. Dan

Checking with the owner. Awaiting an answer as to wether the date is correct.

The date is confirmed. March 11 1917.

Update: the corrected date is: march 11 1913. The owner just texted me saying he removed some paint.

I am missing the March 1913 book, sorry. Dan

Thanks anyway. Yet another brick wall.

Better photos from a variety of distances and angles would help.

Do you suppose it was made to convert a 30X3 wheel to fit 30X3 1/2 tire? You would need to make the diameter of the rim a bit smaller.
Norm

Norm may be on to something, kinda.
It could be used to use a 30x3 tire on a 30x3 1/2 rim.
Possibly allowing the owner to carry only one spare tire 30x3 & the adapter for the 2 sized pre-demountable wheels.

That makes good sense John, but, it would only apply to demountable wheels. Our Canadian Cars came with 30 x 3.5" tyres all round. Were there 3" demountable rims on wheels in the USA?

Allan from down under.

Allan wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 18, 2024 9:23 pm

That makes good sense John, but, it would only apply to demountable wheels. Our Canadian Cars came with 30 x 3.5" tyres all round. Were there 3" demountable rims on wheels in the USA?

Allan from down under.

There were no 3" demountables in the US, at least common knowledge wise.

My SWAG is a 30x3 tire on a bare rim (24") could be placed on a 30x3.5" rim sans tire.(23") All non-demountable.
This clamp device would hold it all together. If the driver had a front flat, the tire could be transferred from the device rim, thus not needing 2 different sized tires.
Remember that there was a huge accessory market looking for suckers, uh, customers.
An accessory's functionality was secondary to making the sale.

I am a big fan of accessory collecting.
Anyway, it's an educated? guess.

Well, after a couple of tries on Google Patent search, about 40 pages in of 360 hits for the time span around that patent date .

Finally found it. The invention is for quick release and install of a spare rim with mounted tire.

click on images to enlarge

Good Lord Dan thanks a million! We’d given up on ever getting a definitive answer. Thanks again. Man that's a hard read. Took a few rereads to get it.

I was trying to think of where I'd seen that lever arrangement, and it hit me - when I was doing hazmat, there is the split ring for 55 gallon drums that holds the lid and drum together (with a soft rubber gasket involved). That ring is usually anchored with an eye welded to each end and a bolt cinched down to complete the connector. But then, I ran across a cool device that, instead of being secured with eyes and a bolt, had a very similar lever device for holding the ring tight that was easily re-openable, that still held the ring and seal im place to temporarily attach the drum lid.

The lever arrangement - is almost IDENTICAL to the car rim pictured!

I am assuming that it would be great for straight sided tires, maybe not so much for Clinchers, but man, that WAS a revolutionary improvement at the time.