Abstract: A method and device for manufacturing tire forming bladders (2), whereby a curing mold (3) defines, via first and second half molds (4, 5) and an inner core (6), an inner molding chamber (7) inside which a precured reinforcing ply (72) is optionally inserted; the mold (3) having an outer injection chamber (34) communicating with the inner chamber (7) and consisting of a variable-volume chamber of an injection cylinder (65); the outer chamber (34) being provided with a mass (35) of heated uncured rubber, which is injected into the inner chamber (7) with the mold (3) closed and, when cured, is extracted from the mold (3) by opening the inner chamber (7) and extracting the inner core (6).

Abstract: A system and technique for monitoring the positions of the lateral edges of tire components during a tire building operation. Fluorescent lamps are positioned on opposite sides of the tire building drum to orthogonally impinge light onto the vertical cut edges of the tire components. The cut ply cords exposed at these vertical edges reflect the light to a camera having a portion of the tire building drum and the ply laminate within its field of view. The camera is controlled to obtain pairs of data windows, one on each side of the belt laminate, at fixed and spaced intervals along the circumference of the laminate. A mosaic is then generated from these data windows to illustrate the amount of walking, snaking, or centering of the tire building components during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A vehicle tire loading-unloading device having a mobile loading-unloading unit designed to enter inside a tire curing unit for receiving a cured tire on an upper supporting unit and, at the same time, releasing into the curing unit a green tire loaded on a suspension unit located beneath and integral with the upper supporting unit; the mobile loading-unloading unit being rotatable for unloading the cured tire.

Abstract: A method of preheating, curing and stabilizing vehicle tires, whereby, just before being subjected to curing a first green tire (3) is preheated simultaneously with the stabilization of a second cured tire (6), thus using the heat given off by the second tire (6) as it is being stabilized.

Abstract: A laminate cover for sealing an opening in a weatherproof roofing membrane includes a top sheet of a weather resistant material, preferably an uncured butyl rubber EPDM material, and a complementary shaped and sized lower sheet of a lightly cured butyl rubber having opposed tacky surfaces. A layer of a flowable sealing material such as an uncured butyl rubber sealing compound having a smaller dimension than that of the lower sheet, is trapped between the lower sheet and a bottom release coated carrier. Upon removal of the carrier, the cover is pressed over the opening to be sealed and an exposed peripheral tacky area of the lower sheet secures the cover to the membrane and traps the sealing compound therein. Applied or ambient heat will cause the sealing compound to flow into the opening to effectively seal the same, and will vulcanize the top sheet to provide abrasion and weather resistance for the cover.

Abstract: An air spring has pair of spaced end members for mounting the spring at spaced locations on a structure. A flexible sleeve of elastomeric material is sealingly engaged with the end members and forms a pressurized fluid chamber therebetween. A post is mounted on one of the end members and extends into the fluid chamber. A shock absorbing bumper formed of a high strength plastic is snap-fitted on an enlarged top of the post. A plurality of circumferentially arranged flexible fingers define an opening in a base of the bumper, and are snap-fitted over the enlarged top of the post which extends into the opening and seat into an annular undercut formed in the post beneath the enlarged top. The snap-fitted plastic bumper replaces the heretofore used elastomeric bumper.

Abstract: An anchor, preferably formed of metal, has at least one flat side and is adapted to be forcefully inserted axially into a complementary shaped aperture formed in an object made of a softer material than the anchor, such as plastic. The anchor is adapted to receive an attachment fastener in a central threaded opening formed in the anchor, after the anchor is forcefully seated in the aperture of the object. A plurality of angled barbs extend outwardly from the body and cut into the object to resist pullout of the anchor once seated in the object, with the flat side resisting rotation of the anchor with respect to the body. The anchor may be formed with flat corner areas which align with rounded corners of the object aperture. In the alternative, generally circular stress relief areas are formed in the corners of the aperture which align with shape square corners of the anchor.

Abstract: A vehicle tire loading-unloading and stabilizing device having a mobile loading-unloading unit designed to enter inside a tire curing unit for receiving a cured tire on an upper unit and, at the same time, releasing onto the curing unit a green tire loaded on a suspension unit located beneath and integral with the upper unit; the upper unit being a stabilizing unit enabling the cured tire to be inflated by means of a pressurized fluid, and to be cooled from the inside by forced circulation of the pressurized fluid.

Abstract: A tire innerstitching mold (9) defined by an inner portion (18) (19) of the grab ring (16) (54) of an outer tread belt (3), wherein the grab ring (16) (54) presents an inner annular body (18) (19) and two annular shoulders (51) located on opposite sides of the inner annular body (18) (19) so as to define, with the inner annular body (18) (19), a concave annular surface (9a) negatively matching the outer shoulder (53) and tread surface (2a) of a smooth-tread tire (2); at least one of the two annular shoulders (51) being movable in relation to the inner annular body (18) (19).

Abstract: A tire curing device wherein an upper half mold and a lower half mold define a toroidal chamber for accommodating a tire to be cured and constituting a portion of a closed circuit for a batch charge of a heat exchange fluid, the tire being cured by circulating the fluid along the circuit by means of an impeller device; the fluid being heated by a heating device as it flows along a return conduit having an annular section increasing towards the impeller device and coaxial and aligned with the annular inlet of the same; the fluid being fed to the toroidal chamber along a delivery conduit having an annular section and so shaped as to exert at least on compression-expansion action on the fluid.

Abstract: A tire curing device in which a mold defines a toroidal chamber for accommodating a tire to be cured, and constituting a portion of a closed circuit along which a batch charge of a heat exchange fluid is force circulated, the fluid being heated by a heating unit provided with extractable internal axial electrical resistors, and lapped externally by the fluid from the toroidal chamber with the heating unit being mounted axially through an upper portion of a first tubular body, and axially engaging a second tubular body coaxial with the first tubular body; the tubular bodies defining there between a delivery conduit for the fluid to the toroidal chamber being defined between the second tubular body and the heating unit, the reistors of which are accessible externally through the upper portion of the first tubular body.

Abstract: A closing device (9) (52) for axially connecting two half casings (7, 8) of a tire curing mold (1), the closing device (9) (52) featuring a number of calibrated hydraulic cylinders (19), each rigidly connected to a peripheral outer flange (12) on one of the half casings (7, 8), and having a rod (37) extending through a respective opening (41) (54) formed axially through a flange element (18) (53) on the other of the half casings (7, 8); each rod (37) having a head (42) (56) movable in relation to the flange element (18) (53) to and from a position of axial engagement with the flange element (18) (53) itself.

Abstract: A vibration damping device is comprised of first and second axially spaced end housings adapted to be mounted on spaced apart structures, and has a tapered intermediate member mounted on the second housing converging toward an open end of the first housing. A piston is mounted on an end of a rod which is connected to the first housing and extends through a bore formed in the intermediate member and forms a restricted flow orifice extending between the spaced apart housings. A pair of elastomeric sleeves extend between the intermediate portion and the piston and the first housing to form a pair of fluid chambers connected by the orifice. An elongated electrode preferably contacts an electrorheological fluid flowing between the chambers through the orifice.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforced component of a motor vehicle tire carcass, in particular a body ply (2) and/or tread ply (3), whereby an elongated reinforcing element (5) is fed onto a substrate (7) along a generally sinusoidal path to form a reinforcing layer (29) defined by a succession of straight, substantially parallel portions (27) of the elongated reinforcing element (5) joined successively by curved end portions (28) thereof; the reinforcing layer (29) being moved substantially transversely in relation to the straight portions (27) to cooperate with an extrusion unit (34) which covers at least one surface of the reinforcing layer (29) with a covering layer (27,38)(37a,38a) of uncured elastomeric material.

Abstract: An air spring suspension system which provides a variable rate for an air spring of a vehicle, has an auxiliary air reservoir formed by a second air spring in fluid communication with the vehicle air spring. One end member of the auxiliary air spring is mounted on a frame and the other end member, preferably a piston, is moved with respect to the other end member to vary the volume of the air chamber formed by a flexible sleeve extending between the end member and piston. An actuator motor moves the piston with respect to the fixed end member, via a linearly movable shaft to change the volume of the air chamber and consequently the rate of the vehicle air spring.

Abstract: A compact and precision extrusion system and method for extruding strips of rubber compounds with profiles of accurate dimensions. Strips of rubber compound are uniformly heated and mixed in an extruder and then passed through a low pressure drop strainer to remove foreign matter. The strained compound then is fed directly into a gear pump which delivers precise volumes of the rubber compound immediately into the spread chamber of an extrusion head after which it passes through a die to form a precise strip of the rubber compound. The strainer and extrusion head are movably mounted with respect to the gear pump for axial separation from the gear pump for easy removal of the rubber compound from the various components of the system to facilitate compound changes. A control system regulates the speed of the extruder to provide a near constant pressure at the entrance port of the gear pump to precisely regulate the rate of extrusion of the compound from the extrusion head.

Abstract: An improved inflatable bead turn-up bladder for a tire building drum which reduces or elminates cord length variation in a reinforced tire carcass by stabilizing the bladder in the area utilized for lifting the reinforced cord fabric into contact with the tire bead on the tire building drum. The elastomeric inflatable bladder is formed with an integral annular rib which is seated in complementary shaped grooves or slots formed in the radially movable segments of the tire drum bead locks. When the bead lock segments are actuated, the adjacent portion of the bladder and overlying tire carcass is prevented from axial movement by the engagement of the bladder rib in the bead lock segment groove. A stretch zone is provided in the bladder between the rib and one end of the bladder by eliminating reinforcing material from that area of the bladder.