Abstract: An apparatus for manufacture of a tire, the apparatus including a drum with shoulder having a generally cylindrical main receiving surface to receive the products to be assembled, the main receiving surface being radially retractable. The drum has a shoulder axially to the side edges of said main receiving surface. The drum is mounted on a shaft. At least one associated axially movable side crown is mounted coaxially with the drum. The drum has a lateral protuberance coaxially juxtaposed to at least one of its shoulders. The side crown is axially slidable at least partly under the lateral protuberance, the lateral protuberance forming a quasi-cylindrical support surface whose outside diameter is smaller than the diameter of the main receiving surface. The side crown has a substantially cylindrical outer surface capable of passing axially outside of the lateral protuberance.

Abstract: The tire of the invention has an optimized path of the outermost carcass designed to maximize the extent of tensile stress in the sidewall and bead portions of the tire. The invention further provides separate reinforcement structures in the bead portion for anchoring the carcass or carcasses in the bead and for retaining the bead on the mounting rim during deflated operation, and said anchoring reinforcement also facilitates the maintenance of the desirable carcass profile.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire with a sacrificial rib to protect the main ribs of the tire's tread by delaying the onset of irregular wear and the growth thereof. The improved tire tread comprises a plurality of main ribs formed by grooves extending generally circumferentially around an outer surface of the tire to form a main tread width for contacting the supporting surface. A sacrificial rib is provided for contacting the supporting surface at each lateral side of the main ribs. The sacrificial rib is separated from the main ribs by a narrow shoulder groove having a groove width not greater than about 1.5 millimeter. The sacrificial rib has a surface width in the range of about 2.5 percent to about 12 percent of said tread width. The sacrificial rib has a recess defined by a radial offset from a transverse or lateral profile of the main ribs. The offset has a value in the range of about 0.50 millimeter to about 2.0 millimeters when the tire is new.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire having a tread portion comprising a plurality of axially spaced apart essentially longitudinal grooves separating essentially longitudinal ribs. On at least one of said ribs, transverse grooves or cuts repeat in the circumferential direction to form first and second land portions wherein the first land portions comprise blocks having a circumferential length greater than that of the second land portions. Said second land portion acts as a sacrificial bridge which provides traction improvement and minimizes undesirable surface anomalies during the service life of the tire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic tire wherein the crown has a ply comprised of substantially circumferentially oriented cords which are spirally wound. The winding pitch p of said cords is greater than 2.5 times the cord diameter &PHgr;. The tread compound is applied directly on said cords. This arrangement facilitates tire fabrication and assures good adherence between the tread compound and the rest of the crown of the tire.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stainless steel wire for a carcass of a tire and a process for making such a wire. The wire comprises at least 0.02% and at most 0.2% carbon, at least 3% and at most 20% nickel, at least 12% and at most 28% chromium, the sum of the nickel and chromium being at least equal to 20% and at most 35% (% in weight). The structure of the steel comprises at least 20% in volume of martensite and it is devoid of austenite or it comprises less than 80% of it in volume.

Abstract: A tread for a tire includes at circumferentially extending grooves having side walls contoured with upper and lower waveforms that are relatively staggered, or out of phase. The side walls provide alternating protrusions and recesses relative to a perpendicular reference plane passing through upper edges of the groove. A cavity is provided beneath upper groove edges for the entire circumference of the tread, which imparts flexibility and helps avoid the initiation of rail wear.