Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying a bead filler material to a bead wherein the bead filler material may be applied to the bead at an offset position to compensate for the stretching of the filler material as it is applied to the bead to afford a proper splice of the leading and trailing ends of the bead filler material.

Abstract: An elastomeric hinge spring intended primarily for the doors of vehicles, has an outwardly projecting detent formed on a first bracket mounted on the vehicle frame and a roller formed of a compressible elastomeric material mounted on a second bracket attached to the vehicle door. The detent is in the path of movement followed by the roller upon movement of the second bracket and door toward the closed position. The roller retains the door in the open position requiring temporary compression of the roller to move of the door toward the closed position. The detent may have two projections which provide an intermediate door position or have an elongated ramp configuration to achieve other door opening and closing characteristics. Another detent may be formed on the first bracket to partially compress the roller when the door is in the closed position to bias the door toward the open position. The elastomeric roller completely eliminates metal spring components heretofore used in prior hinge spring devices.

Abstract: An air spring for motor vehicles including first and second end members, at least one of which is a piston, with an intervening flexible sleeve forming a fluid pressure chamber therebetween sealingly connected to the end members. A continuous annular sealing band clamps at least one end of the flexible sleeve within an annular recess formed on the inside surface of an annular wall portion of one of the end members within an open end of the end member by compressing the sleeve material between the band and wall, and without deforming the band or wall of the end member beyond their elastic limits. In one embodiment, the annular wall of the end member is formed of plastic and is deformed outwardly but maintained within its elastic limits upon insertion of the band within the open end.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a vulcanizable rubber formulation of controlled uniform viscosity properties containing synthetic rubber comprises the steps of determining the Mooney viscosity, MV.sub.a, of the synthetic rubber from which the formulation is to be prepared; determining the relaxation time, T.sub.80, of the synthetic rubber from which the formulation is to be prepared; calculating from MV.sub.a and T.sub.80 the Mooney viscosity, MV.sub.b, of the compounded rubber formulation; selecting synthetic rubber having MV.sub.a and T.sub.80 values within a predetermined range of values calculated to produce a compounded rubber formulation, the MV.sub.b of which is within a desired, preselected uniform range; and, compounding the selected synthetic rubber with carbon black and other conventional rubber compounding agents to produce the rubber formulation of MV.sub.b within the predetermined range of values. A method is also provided for predicting the Mooney viscosity MV.sub.

Abstract: For assembling tires on a tire building drum, the two opposite ends of at least some of the successive superimposed layers of elastomeric material constituting the tire are secured to the drum and spliced together by means of an automatic splicing device, a concave-surface roller of which is moved parallel with the axis of the tire building drum, by virtue of a driving device, and into contact with the outer surface of the tire building drum, by virtue of an actuating device.

Abstract: It now has been found that uncured modified rubber compositions comprising mixtures of elastomers and a reinforcing filler can be prepared having improved properties.

Abstract: An air spring for motor vehicles including first and second end members, at least one of which is a piston, with an intervening flexible sleeve forming a fluid pressure chamber therebetween sealingly connected to the end members. A continuous annular sealing band clamps at least one end of the flexible sleeve within an annular recess formed on the inside surface of an annular wall portion of one of the end members within an open end of the end member by compressing the sleeve material between the band and wall, and without deforming the band or wall of the end member beyond their elastic limits. In one embodiment, the annular wall of the end member is formed of plastic and is deformed outwardly but maintained within its elastic limits upon insertion of the band within the open end.

Abstract: An air spring formed by a pair of spaced end members and an intervening tubular elastomeric sleeve forms a fluid pressure chamber therebetween for mounting between spaced portions preferably of a vehicle to provide damping and to absorb road shock on the vehicle. Each of the end members is provided with a surface formed with a series of convex projections and concave intervening areas which align with similarly shaped projections and concave areas on an adjacent snap ring. The snap rings compress the ends of the tubular sleeve against the corresponding end cap surfaces to provide a secure clamping engagement therewith. The various projections and surfaces form at least two radially spaced pinch areas on each of the end members and an intervening expansion area in combination with a squeeze area and subsequent terminal expansion area which ensures a change of direction of the reinforcement cords within the sleeve ends to securely clamp the sleeve ends therebetween.

Abstract: A fixture for measuring the alignment of a loadwheel with respect to the centerline spindle of a tire uniformity machine. An adaptor block is formed with a conical-shaped recess and an opposed conical-shaped projection which mates with a complementary shaped nose cone and sleeve of a chuck assembly when the block is clamped therein. A bar extending parallel to the aligned centerlines of the block and spindle has a pair of sensors mounted on its ends which register on the uncoated surfaces adjacent the edges of the loadwheel. Readings from the sensors indicate the parallelism of the loadwheel to the spindle. Another sensor can be mounted on the bar and engage the bottom edge of the loadwheel at two locations to determine the squareness of the loadwheel with respect to the spindle. Another sensor can be mounted on the bar to measure the circumferential profile of the coated surface of the loadwheel. The fixture avoids removal of the chuck assembly or the dismantling of other machine components.

Abstract: Air springs or other fluid pressure devices have flexible elastomeric sleeves terminating in a pair of end beads which are clamped or crimped onto a pair of spaced end members. Each of the beads is reinforced by a solid annular ring of nonreinforced thermoplastic material which is molded within the sleeve beads. The rings preferably are formed of nylon and are sufficiently flexible to move with the end members and sleeve and return to their original shape after such movement. A similar nonreinforced plastic ring may be molded in a central portion of the elastomer sleeve to provide the girdle hoop of the sleeve.

Abstract: An airspring for motor vehicles which includes a pair of spaced end members with an intervening flexible elastomeric sleeve forming a fluid pressure chamber therebetween, for absorbing shock forces exerted on the vehicle caused by variations in the surface of the roadway. An elongated flexible strap of synthetic fabric such as nylon, is formed as a closed loop and is connected to and extends between the end members within the pressure chamber. The flexible strap limits the expansion of the flexible sleeve in an extended direction to prevent damage to the airspring without effecting the external configuration of the airspring and without materially effecting movement of the airspring in the jounce direction.

Abstract: Guayule-type resins are chemically treated with a reactive phenolic resin and a polyether such as an amine terminated polyether. The treated guayule resin has improved physical properties such as higher softening points. The resulting composition is suitable as a rubber additive since it improves various physical properties such as building tack, tear strength, hysteresis loss, and the like.

Abstract: An air spring having a pair of spaced end members and an intervening tubular elastomeric sleeve with internal reinforcing cords forms a fluid pressure chamber for mounting between spaced portions of a vehicle to provide damping and to absorb road shock. Each of the end members has an end cap and a clamp ring provided with annular mating surfaces. The clamp ring is formed with an annular convex projection which extends into a larger annular concave recess formed in the end cap. When the ring and end cap are snapped axially together, two annular radially space areas of the sleeve are placed in compressive shear to provide a secure clamping engagement with the sleeve material. An annular expansion area is formed within the recess between the projection permitting the sleeve material located between the compressive shear areas to expand therein. The sleeve cords move through a direction change of approximately 180.degree..

Abstract: A device for transversely cutting strips of deformable material, whereby a powered, rotary cutting blade is arranged with its outer edge substantially tangent with a surface supporting a strip of uncut material, and is designed to move, on a support, in a cutting direction transverse in relation to the strip itself; the aforementioned device embodying a pressure member designed to move with the blade in the cutting direction, and to press down, onto the supporting surface and during the cutting operation, the uncut portion of the strip located immediatedly ahead of the blade in the cutting direction.

Abstract: A roofing composition comprising a blend of a thermoplastic elastomer containing at least two polymer blocks wherein one of said polymer blocks is a crystalline polymer block and one of said polymer blocks is an amorphous polymer block, and a vulcanizable elastomer selected from the group consisting of EPDM, butyl, neutralized sulfonated EPDM, neutralized sulfonated butyl and mixtures thereof. The roofing compositions have particular application as roofing membranes (i.e. roof sheeting) or roof flashing materials.

Abstract: A piezoelectric load cycle counter is provided for a multi-stationed strain-life tester. A plurality of test specimens are interposed between a fixed upper bracket and a lower reciprocating bracket and are cyclically flexed therebetween. Piezoelectric crystals maintained in association with the upper bracket with each of the test stations present an output signal on each flexure of the test specimen. These output signals enable a counter which counts the number of cycles of the lower bracket. When a specimen breaks, the output signal of the associated station terminates and the count for that station similarly terminates.

Abstract: Uncured rubber compositions containing fused aromatic furazan oxides exhibit improved processability and reduced viscosity. Useful furazan oxides have both carbons of the furazan ring as part of a fused aromatic ring and include benzofurazan oxide and its methyl and methoxy analogs. Improvements in processability, green strength and liquification of NR can be achieved through use of these furazan oxides in uncured rubber compositions.

Abstract: Coextrusion from rubber of hollow tubular structures with filament reinforcement provides composites which can be formed into spliceless bodies for pneumatic tires. The composites can be formed from one, two, three or more rubber stocks and have portions or layers which can form the body plies, sidewalls, innerliners, stabilizer ply inserts and, optionally, abrasion gum strips of tire bodies. Tires made from the bodies formed from coextruded composite structures of this invention are seamless and more uniform than those made from convention tire structural components.