Abstract: A body having rubber material thereon is positioned on a lower member, and an upper member is moved toward the lower member, such relative movement causing tread-forming shoes to move to inward positions to form a tread on the rubber material. As an alternative, the upper and lower members may be brought together, and rubber material may be injected into position to have a tread formed thereon. Upon movement of the upper and lower member relatively apart, the rubber material is made to remain in contact with the shoes, and the body is removed, whereupon an annular core having rubber material thereon is disposed on the lower member, and the upper and lower members are again brought together to deposit the rubber material in contact with the shoes onto the rubber material on the core.

Abstract: A body having rubber material thereon is positioned on a lower member, and an upper member is moved toward the lower member, such relative movement causing tread-forming shoes to move to inward positions to form a tread on the rubber material. As an alternative, the upper and lower members may be brought together, and rubber material may be injected into position to have a tread formed thereon. Upon movement of the upper and lower member relatively apart, the rubber material is made to remain in contact with the shoes, and the body is removed, whereupon an annular core having rubber material thereon is disposed on the lower member, and the upper and lower members are again brought together to deposit the rubber material in contact with the shoes onto the rubber material on the core.

Abstract: A rim for a pneumatic tire carcass has a pair of rim portions which are securable together to form such rim. One rim portion is integral with a wheel hub and includes a plurality of pockets or guide openings formed therein. The other rim portion includes guide members which correspond to these pockets and which are positionable therein to position the rim portions relative to each other. Apparatus for separating the rim portions with the tire carcass mounted on them is disclosed, as is apparatus for pulling the tire carcass off a rim portion after the other rim portion has been separated therefrom. In another embodiment, a pair of rim portions are assembled by positioning posts fixed on one rim portion into angled slots defined by the other rim portion, and rotating one rim portion relative to the other, the posts being drawn into the slots during such rotation to draw the rim portions together.

Abstract: Apparatus includes a rigid mold body and an expandable bladder associated therewith. The bladder is inflatable and expandable to form and press sand core material between itself and the mold body while exerting uniform compressive force over the total surface area of the core material thereby forming a portion of a hollow core of precise external dimension and uniform overall strength. Roll-restraining hoop members can be molded into the sand core at the surface facing the axis of the annulus. A pair of such cores forms a hollow core with two sets of hoops on which a tube-tire is formed.

Abstract: Hydraulic circuits having flexible hydraulic hoses forming part of the circuits are currently being operated at pressures in excess of 3,000 psi, and such circuits are often limited in their operating pressure by the burst strength of the hydraulic hose. By constructing a hollow core structure that forms the conduit and which serves as the foundation upon which the reinforcing is applied, with a two-layer tape composed of a layer of fabric and a layer of elastomer, which tape is then wound on a mandrel in a helically overlapping relationship with the fabric on the outside, an improved hose can be obtained after the reinforcing is applied. An increase in burst strength can be obtained in such a hose where wire cable is employed as the reinforcing in place of monofilament wire reinforcing, when the cable is formed (twisted) as it is applied, to achieve a more uniform tension on each of the strands forming the cable encircling the core structure.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire carcass has a tread portion, a pair of sidewalls connected to the tread portion, each of the sidewalls having an outer surface, and a plurality of grooves formed in the outer surface of one of said sidewalls in a preselected pattern for reducing circumferential surface tension.

Abstract: A body having rubber material thereon is positioned on a lower member, and an upper member is moved toward the lower member, such relative movement causing tread-forming shoes to move to inward positions to form a tread on the rubber material. As an alternative, the upper and lower members may be brought together, and rubber material may be injected into position to have a tread formed thereon. Upon movement of the upper and lower member relatively apart, the rubber material is made to remain in contact with the shoes, and the body is removed, whereupon an annular core having rubber material thereon is disposed on the lower member, and the upper and lower members are again brought together to deposit the rubber material in contact with the shoes onto the rubber material on the core.

Abstract: A method for mounting a closed torous tire on a rim by withdrawing a volume of air from the tire, thereafter positioning the tire on the rim, and passing a volume of fluid into the tire.

Abstract: In the formation of an elastomeric tube or the like on a toroidal core, elastomeric material is applied to the core generally along one side of the core, and force-applying means are utilized to press annular portions of the so-deposited elastomeric material onto the core. Cutting means are also included for cutting away elastomeric material not deposited on the core. The core and elastomeric material deposited thereon are then turned over and the operation is repeated, whereby elastomeric tube means or the like are provided on the toroidal core.

Abstract: A rim for a pneumatic tire carcass has a pair of rim portions which are securable together to form such rim. One rim portion is integral with a wheel hub and includes a plurality of pockets or guide openings formed therein. The other rim portion includes guide members which correspond to these pockets and which are positionable therein to position the rim portions relative to each other. Apparatus for separating the rim portions with the tire carcass mounted on them is disclosed, as is apparatus for pulling the tire carcass off a rim portion after the other rim portion has been separated therefrom. In another embodiment, a pair of rim portions are assembled by positioning posts fixed on one rim portion into angled slots defined by the other rim portion, and rotating one rim portion relative to the other, the posts being drawn into the slots during such rotation to draw the rim portions together.

Abstract: In the formation of an elastomeric tube or the like on a toroidal core, elastomeric material is applied to the core generally along one side of the core, and force-applying means are utilized to press annular portions of the so-deposited elastomeric material onto the core. Cutting means are also included for cutting away elastomeric material not deposited on the core. The core and elastomeric material deposited thereon are then turned over and the operation is repeated, whereby elastomeric tube means or the like are provided on the toroidal core.

Abstract: In the formation of an elastomeric tube or the like on a toroidal core, elastomeric material is applied to the core generally along one side of the core, and force-applying means are utilized to press annular portions of the so-deposited elastomeric material onto the core. Cutting means are also included for cutting away elastomeric material not deposited on the core. The core and elastomeric material deposited thereon are then turned over and the operation is repeated, whereby elastomeric tube means or the like are provided on the toroidal core.

Abstract: A seal arrangement for an oval tire and rim is disclosed including an oval tire having an annular base with a radially inner mounting surface and an air inlet passage therethrough, a supporting rim having a radially outer mounting surface disposed in facing relation with the inner mounting surface of the tire and with a valve opening therethrough alignable with the inlet passage, and a raised sealing device is localizably associated with one of the mounting surfaces for preventing the escape of pressurized air from the inlet passage and outwardly between the tire and the rim.

Abstract: In a pneumatic tire of the type manufactured with the carcass in the final formed condition of a preselected configuration, the tire is provided with a plurality of breaker plies which are positioned radially from the circumferential cord belt. The breaker plies are applied to the tire in the formed condition thereby eliminating any "pantographing" of the breaker plies. Each breaker ply is positioned so that the reinforcing material thereof is disposed at an angle to the vertical plane of the tire. A radial reinforcing means is placed about the carcass to prevent cross-sectional circumferential expansion of the tire upon pressurization.

Abstract: Method of making an annular sand core portion by shaping sand and binder in an annular mold with an inflatable bladder. The bladder is inflatable and expandable to form and press sand core material between itself and the mold body while exerting uniform compressive force over the total surface area of the core material thereby forming a portion of a hollow core of precise external dimension and uniform overall strength.

Abstract: An expandable tire rim arrangement is disclosed including a transversely split tire supporting rim having an outer peripheral tire engaging surface, an inner peripheral surface, and relatively circumferentially movable ends disposable between a rim diameter reducing position for ease of insertion of the supporting rim axially into a tire and a rim diameter increasing position, and a rim expanding and wheel mounting assembly having diametric dimensions somewhat larger than the diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the supporting rim when in its diameter reducing position and being axially slidably insertable into the supporting rim for tightly expanding it against the tire.

Abstract: A rim for a pneumatic tire carcass has a pair of rim portions which are securable together to form such rim. One rim portion is integral with a wheel hub and includes a plurality of pockets or guide openings formed therein. The other rim portion includes guide members which correspond to these pockets and which are positionable therein to position the rim portions relative to each other. Apparatus for separating the rim portions with the tire carcass mounted on them is disclosed, as is apparatus for pulling the tire carcass off a rim portion after the other rim portion has been separated therefrom. In another embodiment, a pair of rim portions are assembled by positioning posts fixed on one rim portion into angled slots defined by the other rim portion, and rotating one rim portion relative to the other, the posts being drawn into the slots during such rotation to draw the rim portions together.

Abstract: Replaceable tread or track belts on tube tire carcasses can be changed in the field and elsewhere by venting the pressure within the tube tire carcass, subsequently creating a partial vacuum within the tire carcass sufficient to cause it to commence collapsing, and then, while maintaining the vacuum constant in the carcass, physically depressing the periphery thereof at circumferentially spaced intervals to convert the outer circular surface of the carcass to a polygonal configuration that allows the circular belts to be conveniently changed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of forming a tire carcass on a porous sand core in the shape of the toroidal member, such method comprising the steps of helically wrapping rubber material about the body of the toroidal member, applying a vacuum through the porous toroidal member to the inner surface of the helically wrapped rubber material, applying force to the outer surface of the rubber material, helically winding wire about the body of the toroidal member over the outer surface of the already-wrapped rubber material, and helically wrapping additional rubber material about and over the wire and first-mentioned rubber material. A vacuum probe is introduced into the area of the helically wound wire, and force is applied to the additional, outer rubber material to urge it against the wire and against the first-mentioned rubber material.