Abstract: A runflat radial ply pneumatic tire 10 has a carcass 30 which has a pair of sidewalls 20, each sidewall being reinforced with at least two sidewall fillers or runflat inserts 42, 46 and at least two cord reinforced plies 38, 40 and a bead core 26. The tire has one or more reinforcing belts 36. Each sidewall has at least one ply 38 or 40 reinforced with cords, the cords have a modulus E of X, X being at least 10 GPa. At least one ply has a turnup end 32 wrapped around the bead core 26. A second ply 38 or 40 is reinforced with substantially inextensible cords having a modulus E greater than X of the cords of the other ply. The second ply 38 or 40 is spaced from the first ply 38 or 40 by the second filler or runflat insert in the sidewall 20.

Abstract: An improved tire 200 having precured tire tread 10 for mounting to an unvulcanized or a vulcanized tire casing 100 is disclosed. The improved precured tread 10 has a pair of circumferentially continuous projections 60. One projection 60 extends axially outwardly from each of the lateral surfaces 40,50 of the tread. The projection 60 provides a means for air tightly sealing the tread casing assembly at the lateral surfaces 40,50 during the vulcanization of the tread 10 to the casing 100. The method of assembly includes placing the tread 10 and casing 100 in a smooth mold, closing the mold inflating a bladder expanding the casing 100 into the tread 10, the tread 10 correspondingly expands effecting an air tight sealing of the tread 10 and the mold at the annular projections 60 of the tread 10, applying heat and pressure causing a uniform flow of unvulcanized material radially outwardly along the tread edges.

Abstract: The pneumatic tire has a single carcass ply reinforced with parallel metallic cords, each cord composed of at least one filament having a tensile strength of at least (-2000.times.D+4400 MPa).times.95%, where D is the filament diameter in millimeters. The turnup portion of the single carcass ply 12 in the bead portion of a pneumatic tire is interposed between the bead core 11 and a toe guard 18, and the radially outer edge of each turnup portion being in contact with the main portion of the carcass ply and extending to an end point 0.5 to 4.0 inches (12.7 to 101.6 mm) radially outward of the bead core. The toe guard 18 has a first and second end and each end is disposed directly adjacent to the carcass ply. The first end 18a of the toe guard is located on the axially inner side of the main portion of the carcass ply at a location about 0.4 to 3.

Abstract: A thin gauge, fine diameter steel cord reinforced tire ply fabric 2 is lap spliced. The steel cord 1 has one or more filaments 9, and each filament has a percent elongation of over 2.5% and tensile strength of at least (-2000D+4400 MPa).times.95%, where D is the diameter of the filament in millimeters. For passenger and lightly loaded trucks the fabric 2 is manufactured using a preferred cord 1 which is a 1+5.times.0.18 mm cord spaced 14 ends per inch, and for heavier loaded vehicles such as light trucks load rated E or greater the number of cords 1 is increased to 28 ends per inch. The fabric 2 has a gauge thickness g in the range of the cord diameter C+0.22 mm to C+1.25 mm.

Abstract: A run-flat radial ply pneumatic tire 10 has a carcass structure reinforced with pairs of elastomeric sidewall fillers 42,46,48 and at least three bead cores 26,26' and 37. At least one bead core 37 lies axially between the lateral edges of the tread 12 and extends radially inwardly of the tread 12 and reinforcing belts 36 and radially outwardly of the first and second bead cores 26,26' and a carcass reinforcing structure 30. In several embodiments improved wet traction tread designs are employed.