Abstract: An apparatus and technique for determining the abrasion potential for tire treads is presented. A tire is rotatably and forcefully brought into contacting engagement with a reflective surface received upon an illuminated glass plate. A charge coupled device monitors the internal reflection light which evidences a grey level corresponding to the force of engagement between the associated portion of the tire and the glass support plate. A marker is placed upon the tire centrally within a region of interest. The video image of the marker and region of interest is analyzed as to slip and force at that area. The product of the slip and force functions is an indication of frictional work at the interface between the tire and support surface and is correspondingly an indication of the propensity of the tire to wear.

Abstract: A method of forming a bead assembly for use in a pneumatic tire includes extruding a strip of green elastomeric material onto a split or pair of steel supporting guide ring where the ends of the extruded strip are cut at a bias angle and then spliced together to form an annular elastomeric member. The extruded strip and formed annular member has a pair of tapered longitudinal end members joined by a central recess. An annular tire bead is placed in radial alignment about the central recess of the annular member. Next, a segmented mandrel carrying inflatable turnup bladders is expanded outwardly, afterwhich the split guide ring is axially withdrawn. The mandrel and bladders then provide the support for the elastomeric member previously provided by the split annular ring, and traps the bead within the central recess. The two longitudinal end members of the extruded strip are then turned up about the bead by inflating the bladders to form the bead assembly, afterwhich the assembly is placed in a shaping mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming curing envelopes which apparatus enables the use of a conventional inner tube mold for making a curing envelope preform in the form of an envelope tube which may have a portion thereof easily removed to provide a curing envelope suitable for use in a tire retreading process. A curing envelope is made by placing an annular tube of uncured envelope material in a curing mold having a center core and a mold insert installed therein. The insert includes a pair of coaxial annular rings projecting radially outwardly from the center core and connecting straps for maintaining the axial spacing between the rings. The mold is closed and heat and internal pressure are applied to the envelope tube for curing the envelope tube and urging the tube against the interior cavity surface with the annular rings penetrating into the inner wall of the tube for forming therein corresponding annular grooves.

Abstract: A method of producing a spliceless annular tread cap (2), whereby a portion (23) of an extruded tube (21) of green elastomeric material is fed inside an annular body (8), the inner annular surface (17) of which presents a diameter approximately equal to but no smaller than the outside diameter of the tubular portion (23), and negatively reproduces the pattern of the finished tread cap (2). The tubular portion (23) is expanded and calendered against the inner surface (17) of the annular body (8) by means of a roller (34) moved into a position coplanar with and eccentric in relation to the annular body (8).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video imaging of a tire ground contact patch or tire footprint is presented. A digitized image of the footprint is generated as an array of pixels. Each pixel is attributed a binary value of one or zero, to present a two-valued image. Contact areas within the image are attributed a first value, while void or noncontact areas are attributed a second value. The image is then dilated and eroded in an appropriate sequence to eliminate all white pixels from the image and to eliminate surface anomalies or the like which are not of interest in the tire analysis. An image of the footprint, accurate in size and dimensions, is thereby generated and, from such footprint, total area, contact area, and void area can be determined, as well as measurements of width, center line length, and other desired lengths at various lateral width locations. This data may be used to analyze the tire construction, operation, noise generation, and performance.

Abstract: A toroidal road vehicle tire carcass (1) having two annular beads (2) connected by a toroidal reticulated structure (4) defined by a number of elongated reinforcing elements located between and extending substantially radially in relation to the beads (2), is formed from a single continuous cord (5) for forming a succession of substantially identical groups (6) of elongated reinforcing elements, wherein each group (6) is defined by a first (7) and second (8) U-shaped loop having respective open ends (10) and respective closed ends (11) arranged along an annular interconnection line (9) extending centrally in relation to the beads (2). Each loop (7, 8) is wound about a respective bead (2), and has an open end (10) engaging the closed end (11) of the other loop (8, 7).

Abstract: A one-piece attachment device for mounting an end of a fluid actuated member on a support component. The attachment device has a plurality of first flexible fingers which terminate at a tip provided with an outwardly extending shoulder and a tapered camming surface. The fingers are moved inwardly by engagement of the camming surfaces with the support component as the fingers pass through an aperture formed therein, and thereafter attempt to return toward their original position. The finger shoulders engage the support component to secure the attachment device to the support component. A second plurality of inwardly and upwardly extending flexible fingers are also provided on the attachment device and define an interior opening.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a tread, a pair of sidewalls each terminating in an annular bead area, and a pair of beads located within the bead areas, for mounting the tire on a rim. Each of the beads is formed by at least one strand of metallic wire wound upon itself into a spiral and terminating in inner and outer ends, which ends circumferentially overlap each other. The beads are placed in the tire so that the spiral orientation of the beads are opposite to each other and the inner ends of the beads are in substantial axial alignment to reduce radial force variations on the tire.

Abstract: A device for curing road vehicle tires, wherein an annular mold for forming a green tire, presents two inner annular supports supporting respective bead portions of the tire and defining seats for respective opposite portions of a gas curing unit. One of the two portions is connected to the other through the annular mold by means of a releasable joint, and presents axial thrust devices for packing the forming mold and the two annular heating plates against the other portion.

Abstract: A self locking, snap mounted attachment device formed integrally with a plastic member, such as the end plate or piston of an air spring, for mounting the member on a separate support member. The device has a rigid member terminating in arcuate outer surfaces. Preferably two pairs of flexible fingers are mounted between the arcuate end surfaces on opposite sides of the rigid member. The fingers have stems with curved outer surfaces, which in combination with the curved surfaces of the rigid member define an imaginary circle complemental to a circular hole in the support member into which the attachment device is to be inserted. A shoulder is formed on each of the finger stems and snaps into engagement with the support member after passing through the attachment hole. The rigid member resists shear forces exerted on the device and the fingers automatically snap into position to secure the end plate or piston on the support member when the device is inserted into the attachment hole.

Abstract: A method of forming a tire (1) inside a forming mold (2) having an inner surface negatively reproducing the outer surface of the finished tire (1). The method provides for forming a second stage tread assembly (13) of the tire (1) in an annular housing (3b) defined by an annular body (3) constituting an outer portion of the forming mold (2), and by two auxiliary outer rings (47) fitted in releasable manner to the opposite axial ends of the annular body (3). The two auxiliary rings (47) are subsequently removed from the annular body for fitting the annular body (3), in place of the auxiliary rings (47), with two annular lateral plates (6) defining respective lateral portions of the forming mold (2).

Abstract: A curing station wherein a fixed frame and a slide traveling on the fixed frame, support respective portions of a curing device for an annular forming mold of a green tire. The mold is gripped axially between the two portions of the curing device and is in contact with axial heating plates on the aforementioned portions. The curing station presents a heating jacket defined by two semicylindrical heating plates which are movable to and from a closed position contacting the lateral surface of the mold.

Abstract: An auxiliary support (1) for a road vehicle tire (2), which support (1) is defined by a tubular drum (3) fitted in a fluidtight manner with the interior of a finished tire (2) for mutually locking the bead portions (22) of the tire (2) in a fixed position when the tire is pressurized, and constituting a carriage whereby the pressurized tire (2) is transferred along a post-inflation route (8) subsequent to curing.

Abstract: A method and device for producing a toroidal road vehicle tire carcass having a toroidal frame rotated about its axis in relation to a winding device and defined by two coaxial annular beads and by a removable outer annular element located radially outwards of and centered axially in relation to the two beads, so as to define, with the same, two annular openings; the winding device providing for winding at least one cord about the frame along a spiral path, each turn of which comprises two portions, a first extending outside the frame, and a second extending outside the outer annular element and through both the openings.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing road vehicle tires (2), whereby each bead portion (4) of a first stage carcass (1) of a green tire (2) is fitted to a respective circular inner annular support (22), and a finished green tire (2) is formed by fitting the first stage carcass (1) to a second stage outer annular tread assembly (11) inside a toroidal housing constituting a tire forming mold (52), the inner annular periphery of which is defined by the inner annular supports (22) of the bead portions (4) of the first stage carcass (1), and the inner surface of which negatively reproduces the outer surface of the finished tire (2). The annular supports (22) of the bead portions (4) are maintained connected to the tire (2) pending completion of the post-inflation stage.

Abstract: An improved bead setter for mounting on a retractable bead setter carrier ring of a tire building drum for carrying a steel tire bead from a load position to a pickup position on the drum where the bead is coaxial and radially aligned with radially expanding bead locks. The bead setter has a holder which is secured to the ring and has a finger which is slidably pivotally mounted in a cutout formed in the holder. A spring biases the finger to an at-rest outwardly extending bead gripping position. One or more permanent magnets are mounted on an extended end of the finger for gripping a bead. The finger is displaced radially as the bead lock extends radially outwardly to engage the bead and then pivots in a generally axial outward direction as the bead carrier ring axially withdraws to a retracted position, enabling the finger to pass freely over tire plies previously applied on the drum.

Abstract: An apparatus and a technique for determining body ply cord distribution in a calendered fabric sheet. Test strips are cut from the sheet and formed in a roll with the cords extending parallel to the axis of the roll and normal to the end thereof. The end of the roll is then exposed to polarized light, accentuating light intensity differences between the cross sectional area of the cut cords and the elastomeric material in which they are embedded. A digitized image of the spiral end of the roll is generated and the resulting pixels are analyzed to determine the locations of the center points of each of the cords. Finally, the distances separating the center points of adjacent cords are determined and, if they fall above or below predetermined thresholds, a determination is made that the calendered fabric sheet is not acceptable for forming body plies.