Linear tire

A wheel and tire assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a. means forming a cylindrical hub;
• b. a pair of spaced flanges mounted on said hub, each of said flanges including a cylindrical collar;
• c. an inner liner comprising a continuous sheet of inflatable material surrounding and extending between the collars of said flanges;
• d. jacket means surrounding said inner liner capable of taking a predetermined shape upon being expanded by the inflation of said continuous sheet;
• e. an outer tire casing means enclosing said jacket means for being expanded into the shape of said jacket means upon the latter being expanded by the inflation of said inner liner and thereafter functioning as a tire;
• f. sealing means mounted on each said collar to prevent air from escaping from within said inner liner;
• g. opening means in one of said flanges for permitting gas under pressure to be injected into said inner liner for inflation thereof;
• h. said sealing means comprising external bead means for retaining said inner liner, jacket means, and casing means on said flanges and preventing loss of air under pressure from said inner liner;
• i. said external bead means comprising straps for clamping the ends of said inner liner, jacket means and casing means on each said collar and;
• j. said opening means comprising a passageway to permit gas under pressure to be injected, said passageway being sealed closed by tightening the strap on the flange containing said passageway.