Possibilities of Rubberless Wheels
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As is well-known to many people who took part in the later stages of the war of 1914-18, the Germans, who then did not have their present facilities for the production of synthetic rubber, utilized various forms of ,pring wheel on their vehicles. These were used largelyon pave roads in Belgium and France, and apparently with some measure of success, although they were, naturally, exceedingly noisy in these circumstances, and must have inflicted a considerable amount of road wear.
Even before that war many inventors devoted their energies to the production of such wheels, and well after 1918 they formed quite a large proportion of British patents. However, as rubber steadily decreased in price, and as at that time there appeared to be no fear of a dearth, few of such ideas were carried beyond the experimental stage, even if they got so far.
Now that we must do everything possible to conserve those supplies of this important material which we have, attention is again being given to the possibilities of produtng some form, or forms, of wheel which will absorb road vibrations and reduce shock on the chassis without necessitating the use of rubber on the tread or elsewhere. It may be that in designs of this type rubber will not be altogether eliminated, but a much smaller proportion embodied. This might be combined with other means for achieving something which, whilst it cannot be expected to present all the advantages of the pneumatic, may be able to serve as a more efficient substitute than would a solid wheel with steel tyres. By "solid" wheel we do not intend to imply a complete disc—the wheel might take any form—but we use the expression to indicate lack of resilience.
Amongst the various materials which might be employed for a tread in place of rubber are tough wood, leather, compressed cotton, oilcloth— laminated and compressed, paper, fibre, etc., but already certain of these are in short supply.
Many of the flexible wheels of the past employed some form of steel spring-in, either in place of the wheel centre, or as a number of comparatively small coil springs, situated radially around the periphery. The tread in such instances usually taking the form of a steel ring. Steel is, of course, also greatly in demand in these days, but the situation in this respect. seems to have improved and, in any case, there is not the stringency with it as there is in the case of rubber.
So, you inventors and designers, get busy and endeavour to improve upon what has been done in the past. With modern means, methods and knowledge, the possibilities are now greater than they were then.