Abstract: A rubber sheet jointing apparatus is provided with first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of one of two rubber sheets, second holding means provided movably relative to the first holding means for releasably holding a joint end portion of the other of the two rubber sheets, and operating means for pressure-contacting the end surfaces of the two rubber sheets respectively held by the first and second holding means by moving the second holding means relative to the first holding means. Mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding means are respectively provided with holder portions which are formed as rugged portions each taking a comb tooth shape and which are able to partly overlap to mesh with each other.

Abstract: A rubber sheet jointing apparatus is provided with a first holding member for releasably holding a joint end portion of one of two rubber sheets; a second holding member provided movably relative to the first holding member for releasably holding a joint end portion of the other of the two rubber sheets; and an operating member for pressure-contacting the end surfaces of the two rubber sheets respectively held by the first and second holding member by moving the second holding member relative to the first holding member. Mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding member are respectively provided with holder portions which are formed as rugged portions each taking a comb tooth shape and which are able to partly overlap to mesh with each other.

Abstract: A rubber sheet joining apparatus includes a cutting unit for cutting a ribbon of rubber sheet reinforced with cords to generate rubber sheet strips having different lengths; a sheet overlapping unit for overlapping and joining the rubber sheet strips having different lengths to make an overlapped and joined strip. First holding members hold a front end portion of a following overlapped and joined strip. Second holding members hold a rear end portion of a preceding overlapped and joined strip. Support guides movably support the first holding members relative to the second holding members. An operating unit moves the first holding members relative to the second holding members to butt-join the side surfaces of two successive overlapped and joins strips held respectively by the first holding members and the second holding members to generate a ply sheet.

Abstract: A radial pneumatic tire includes a body ply and two belts. Each of the body ply and the belts has ribbon pieces that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the tire. Each ribbon piece is joined with the adjacent ribbon pieces at the lateral sides. Each ribbon piece has parallel cords coated with rubber. The cords are arranged at a predetermined first cord interval. The cords at the joined ends of the adjacent ribbon pieces, or the cords with the joint in between, are arranged at a predetermined second cord interval. As a result, a tire having a high consistency and an improved weight balance is obtained.

Abstract: A rubber sheet joining apparatus comprises: a cutting unit for cutting a ribbon of rubber sheet reinforced with cords to generate rubber sheet strips having different lengths; a sheet overlapping unit for overlapping and joining the rubber sheet strips having different lengths to make an overlapped and joined strip; first holding members for holding a front end portion of a following overlapped and joined strip; second holding members for holding a rear end portion of a preceding overlapped and joined strip; support guides for movably supporting the first holding members relative to the second holding members; and an operating unit for moving the first holding members relative to the second holding members to butt-join the side surfaces of two successive overlapped and joined strips held respectively by the first holding members and the second holding members to generate a ply sheet.

Abstract: At least one belt layer in which one or plural rubber-coated belt cords are arranged to be spirally wound almost in parallel with a tire circumferential direction on the outer circumference of a body ply. The belt cord is small in the increase rate of tensile load to stretch rate in the range of a predetermined stretch rate or less, but becomes large in the increase rate of the tensile load in another range exceeding the predetermined stretch rate. Therefore, during a vulcanizing and forming process, the belt cord is expanded together with unvulcanized compounded rubber under a small tensile load, and it does not occur to prevent body ply cords from being expanded, so that a green tire is vulcanized and formed with respective parts thereof being adhered as a result of being expanded to keep a correct shape.

Abstract: A phosphate coating apparatus for depositing a phosphate coating on a metal material by electrolyzing the metal material in a predetermined electrolysis solution includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode, of which one electrode being disposed in contact with the metal material and the other electrode being disposed away from the metal material with a predetermined distance, and the other electrode being formed into a tubular shape so as to cover the entire length of the metal material.

Abstract: A single-band type metallic belt wound between annular V-grooves of a drive pulley and a driven pulley is provided. The metallic belt includes a metal endless band having at least one layer, and a plurality of metal push blocks engaged and superimposed on the band in a manner enabling sliding in a longitudinal direction of the band. The push block includes a body formed by bending a single wire material and subsequently performing pressing so as to have two outer side surfaces defining side contact surfaces that are inclined to respectively make frictional contact with two inner surfaces of the annular V-grooves. A pair of pillars respectively extend along extensions of the two contact surfaces of the body and have an outer surface that is continuous with the side contact surfaces of the body. A pair of opposed hooks extend. The outer side surface of the push block that makes frictional contact with the V-grooves include an oil film breaking portion.

Abstract: A rubber sheet jointing apparatus is provided with first holding means 21 for releasably holding a joint end portion of one of two rubber sheets S; second holding means 22 provided movably relative to the first holding means 21 for releasably holding a joint end portion of the other of the two rubber sheets S; and operating means 47, 48 for pressure-contacting the end surfaces of the two rubber sheets respectively held by the first and second holding means 21, 22 by moving the second holding means 22 relative to the first holding means 21. Mutually facing surfaces of the first and second holding means 21, 22 are respectively provided with holder portions 31, 32, 45, 46 which are formed as rugged portions 31a, 32a, 45a, 46a each taking a comb tooth shape and which are able to partly overlap to mesh with each other.

Abstract: At least one belt layer in which one or plural rubber-coated belt codes are arranged to be spirally wound almost in parallel with a tire circumferential direction on the outer circumference of a body ply. The belt code is small in the increase rate of tensile load to stretch rate in the range of a predetermined stretch rate or less, but becomes large in the increase rate of the tensile load in another range exceeding the predetermined stretch rate. Therefore, during a vulcanizing and forming process, the belt code is expanded together with unvulcanized compounded rubber under a small tensile load, and it does not occur to prevent body ply codes from being expanded, so that a green tire is vulcanized and formed with respective parts thereof being adhered as a result of being expanded to keep a correct shape.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a belt material for tire, comprising the steps of spirally winding a ribbon, having a plurality of linear cords disposed longitudinally and coated with rubber, on the outer peripheral surface of a drum at specified pitches while the drum is rotated, sticking the side edges of the wound ribbon to each other so as to form a cylindrical wound body, and a linearly moving rotating blade in the axial direction of the drum in contact with a spiral blade groove formed in the drum at specified pitches while the drum is rotated so as to cut the wound body spirally so as to form a belt material having a specified width and a cord inclination angle.

Abstract: A cylindrical body ply is mounted around a cylindrical bladder, and annular beads are set on both axial end portions of the body ply. In this state, while the spacing between both axial ends of the body ply is narrowed, an axial intermediate portion of the body ply is increased in diameter by the bladder. Subsequently, bending members formed of rigid bodies are radially moved from the inside to the outside of the body ply to bend both axial end portions of the body ply by the bending members. The bent portions of the body ply wrap around corresponding beads. With the use of the body ply manufactured in this way in a tire, the resulting tire can be reduced in the manufacturing cost and weight.

Abstract: A ply station 12, a band station 13, a shaping station 14, and a belt-tread station 15 are disposed along one side of a conveyor line 11 which extends linearly. A first feeding apparatus 16 disposed between the stations 12, 13, a second feeding apparatus 17 between the stations 13, 14, and a third feeding apparatus 18 between the stations 15, 14 are movably supported on the conveyor line 11. A vulcanizing station 19 comprising a plurality of vulcanizers 20 is disposed on a second side of the conveyor line 11. A delivery apparatus 22 is disposed between the vulcanizing station 19 and the shaping station 14.

Abstract: The peripheral length (M) dimension of the outer peripheral surface of drums (35, 36) is set equal to the width (W) dimension of body ply materials (46A, 46B) used for tires or integral multiples thereof. The wrapping length (L) of the wrapper (40) in the direction of the length of the drum is set equal to the length dimension (L1) of the body ply materials (46A, 46B) used for tires. A ribbon (39) of predetermined width dimension in the form of a cord having a rubber covering applied thereto is produced. The ribbon (39) is spirally wound on the outer peripheral surface of the drums (35, 36) and the lateral edges of the ribbon are bonded together, thus producing the wrapper (40). The wrapper (40) is cut along a gentle curve which is substantially orthogonal to the direction of the length of the ribbon, thus providing the body ply materials (46A, 46B).

Abstract: A radial pneumatic tire includes a body ply and two belts. Each of the body ply and the belts has ribbon pieces that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the tire. Each ribbon piece is joined with the adjacent ribbon pieces at the lateral sides. Each ribbon piece has parallel cords coated with rubber. The cords are arranged at a predetermined first cord interval. The cords at the joined ends of the adjacent ribbon pieces, or the cords with the joint in between, are arranged at a predetermined second cord interval. As a result, a tire having a high consistency and an improved weight balance is obtained.

Abstract: A phosphate coating apparatus for depositing a phosphate coating on a metal material by electrolyzing the metal material in a predetermined electrolysis solution includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode, of which one electrode being disposed in contact with the metal material and the other electrode being disposed away from the metal material with a predetermined distance, and the other electrode being formed into a tubular shape so as to cover the entire length of the metal material.

Abstract: A metal belt, comprising a metal band (18) passed around a drive pulley (12) and a driven pulley (15) and a plurality of elements (19) disposed laminatedly in the extending direction of the band; each element being formed of wire material and further comprising a body part (31) in contact with the pulley, vertically installed parts (32) erected from both sides of the body part, and a pair of hook parts (33) which extended from the vertically installed parts and disposed opposedly to each other, wherein an opening part (34) is formed with the body part and both hook parts and, because the band (18) is inserted into the opening part (34) of each element so as to prevent the element from falling down from the band, a falling prevention body (20) is disposed in the opening part overlappingly with the band (18).

Abstract: A cylindrical body ply is mounted around a cylindrical bladder, and annular beads are set on both axial end portions of the body ply. In this state, while the spacing between both axial ends of the body ply is narrowed, an axial intermediate portion of the body ply is increased in diameter by the bladder. Subsequently, bending members formed of rigid bodies are radially moved from the inside to the outside of the body ply to bend both axial end portions of the body ply by the bending members. The bent portions of the body ply wrap around corresponding beads. With the use of the body ply manufactured in this way in a tire, the resulting tire can be reduced in the manufacturing cost and weight.

Abstract: A ply station 12, a band station 13, a shaping station 14, and a belt-tread station 15 are disposed along one side of a conveyor line 11 which extends linearly. A first feeding apparatus 16 disposed between the stations 12, 13, a second feeding apparatus 17 between the stations 13, 14, and a third feeding apparatus 18 between the stations 15, 14 are movably supported on the conveyor line 11. A vulcanizing station 19 comprising a plurality of vulcanizers 20 is disposed on a second side of the conveyor line 11. A delivery apparatus 22 is disposed between the vulcanizing station 19 and the shaping station 14.

Abstract: A strand 41, which is formed by twisting filaments 41a, is inserted through an untwisting device 48. The filaments 41a are untwisted and a predetermined space S is formed between the filaments. In this state, a rubber membrane coating is formed on the periphery of each filament 41a. Then, the filament is retwisted to form a rubber membrane coated strand 59. Therefore, the rubber membrane coated strand 59 has a predetermined strength against external force and is adequately adhered to the rubber so that the rubber membrane coated strand resists corrosion, absorbs vibration, and suppresses frictional heating. A belt and a ply, which use the strand, are provided.