Abstract: A coextrusion head for producing a generally tubular elastomeric ply made up of first and second concentric tubular streams of elastomeric material having interposed, adjacent to their interface, a closely spaced array of parallel reinforcing elements wherein the coextrusion head includes a reinforcing element guide subassembly including a generally annular guide element as well as a mechanism for individually and independently directing and accurately positioning a circular array of uniformly spaced individual reinforcing elements.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring and measuring the growth of a crack in an elastic specimen. The specimen is repeatedly flexed by a piston at a set frequency and periodically slowed to a substantially lower frequency during which time a line scan camera monitors the length of the crack. The camera is positioned such that the specimen is drawn through the scan line thereof. The camera is calibrated such that the output signal from the camera correlates directly to the cracklength. This output signal is digitized, received, and stored by a digital processor for use in determining the crack growth rate.

Abstract: A die assembly for generating a green tread extrudate for pneumatic tire fabrication is presented. Fundamentally, the invention includes a preform die of fixed configuration, having passages and openings therein for passing both a base stock material and a cap stock material. The openings are separated by a partition. Upper and lower final die plates are then formed to communicate with the openings, one for the cap stock, and the other for the base stock. The configuration of the die portion of the die plates control not only the external geometry of the resulting extrudate, but also the geometry of the junction between the cap stock and the base stock in the extrudate. The invention accommodates a broad range of tire specifications with the simple change of die plates.

Abstract: Apparatus for compressing an elongated strip of resilient material and inserting the strip, together with a flexible membrane, into a channel member supported on a substrate wherein the apparatus includes a frame assembly, supporting and moving structure for the frame assembly; pairs of converging roller assemblies for receiving and temporarily elastically deforming the strip of resilient material into an inverted V-shape; a grip wheel for gripping the apex portion of the inverted V-shaped strip and pushing at least a portion thereof, together with abutting portions of the flexible membrane, into the channel member; and a pressing tool for inserting the strip fully into the channel member and thereafter returning the strip to approximately its natural shape to thereby frictionally retain adjacent portions of the flexible membrane within the channel member.

Abstract: An attachment device for securing a flexible sheet within a channel member via an insert member of generally inverted V-shape wherein the latter is made of a ductile but rigid material having a central longitudinal portion of reduced rigidity that serves to define two adjacent wing portions and permits the subsequent plastic deformation of the insert member into its installed shape after its insertion, together with the flexible sheet, into the channel member. A method for securing the flexible sheet within the channel member, via the ductile but rigid member, is also presented.

Abstract: In an attachment device, comprising a channel member and an insert member, for securing an elastic membrane within the channel member via the insert member, one of the insert and channel members being capable of deformation to permit the insertion of the insert member, together with adjacent portions of the elastic membrane, into the channel member, the improvement, taking the form of a locking device, insertable into the channel member to prohibit the subsequent removal of the elastic membrane by elastic deformation of one of the channel and insert members.

Abstract: A channel end cap for use, in a mechanical fastening system for mechanically securing a flexible sheet, with a channel member of generally rectangular form, in transverse cross section, wherein the end cap is comprised of a flexible resilient material of a shape generally corresponding to that of the channel member and having first bottom, side and top wall portions separated by an intermediate abutment means from second bottom, side and top wall portions, extending from their corresponding first wall portions, axially outwardly of the channel member axial outer end surface, with the abutment means acting as stop means and abutting the channel member axial outer end surface.

Abstract: A channel connector for channel members, used in mechanical fastening systems for mechanically securing a flexible sheet relative thereto, each channel member being of generally rectangular form, in transverse cross section, and each channel connector being comprised of a flexible resilient material of a shape generally corresponding to that of the channel members and having bottom, side and top wall portions; transverse spacer means, having opposed sides, on the bottom wall, at about the midpoint of the channel connector axial extent; a channel connector bottom wall having a first aperture of a first predetermined size and shape centered a first predetermined axial distance from one of the spacer means sides and a second aperture of a second predetermined size and shape centered a second predetermined axial distance from the other of the spacer means sides.

Abstract: An improved channel connector for channel members, used in mechanical fastening systems for mechanically securing a flexible sheet relative thereto, each channel member being of generally rectangular form, transverse cross section, and each channel connector being comprised of a flexible resilient material of a shape generally corresponding to that of the channel members and having bottom, side and top walls enveloping the corresponding adjacent walls of the channel members; transverse abutment means, having opposed sides, emanating from the top walls at about the midpoint of the channel connector axial extent; and a channel connector bottom wall having one or more apertures of a predetermined size whose axially outermost extents, relative to the abutment means, are equally axially spaced from the opposed sides of the abutment means and of a dimension so as to cooperate with protrusions in the bottom wall of the channel members so as to physically bias their end surfaces against the opposed sides of the abutm