Abstract: A method an apparatus of applying a tire tread to a tire carcass including the steps of conveying a tread on a conveyor between two self-centering guides which are slidably mounted on a frame over the conveyor, the guides having parallel rows of rollers for engaging opposite edges of the treads; adhering one end of the tread to the tire carcass on a tire building drum; rotating the tire building drum to pull the tread over the tire carcass; and applying a predetermined uniform pressure against the opposite edges of the tire tread through the rollers to uniformly resist movement of the tread toward the tire building drum and thereby uniformly stretch the tread. The apparatus includes the use of a pneumatic piston cylinder which urges the rollers against the edges of the tread, applying uniform force perpendicular to the tread's axis regardless of the width or width variations of the tread.

Abstract: A plurality of helically wound tire beads are made by winding them on a forming wheel at two predetermined tension levels. The tension levels are generated by a braking pulley and magnetic particle brake in conjunction with a programmable logic controller. The first few turns of wires are made at a relatively low tension level. Subsequent turns are made at a higher tension level. The lower tension level contributes to longer life of the forming wheel assembly.

Abstract: A fishing rod has a plurality of spaced-apart line guides along the length of the rod. Each of the line guides includes a hoop member supported by a bracket. The bracket has a foot which is secured to the rod by means of a housing having a pocket member which receives the foot. The housing which may be molded is generally cylindrical and has an internal bore which may be tapered to receive the rod.

Abstract: Strip material is stored in stock rolls on cassettes positioned in side by side relationship and moveable on a carriage between different roll storage positions and a splicing position. Each cassette has a guide member engageable with a guide member on a stationary support for splicing a leading edge of strip material from one roll to a trailing edge of strip material from another roll. A single actuating cylinder and shaft on the stationary support moves the guide members together providing splicing of strip material on all the rolls.

Abstract: A tire mold having an upper half, a lower half, and a hinged segmented center ring mounted on the lower half. The center ring has an upper register between the ring and the upper mold half and a lower register between the center ring and the lower mold half to support the center ring during molding. The lower register is provided by engagement of an inclined surface on the center ring with a lower register surface on a ring flange positioned between the hinge axis of each center ring segment and the inclined surface of the segment. The hinge axis is positioned below a lower split plane between the lower mold half and center ring. The height of the ring flange and the inclination of the lower register surface is selected to provide for swinging movement of the center ring segments with the least interference between the center ring and the tire tread during opening of the mold and to provide the maximum support of the center ring segments during molding of a tire.

Abstract: A tire sheet component is cut and applied to a drum with a retractable applier having a cutter and anvil member for cutting the sheet component at a first position spaced from the drum. Vacuum means are provided for holding the cut leading end on the anvil as it is moved to a second position where the anvil is moved towards the drum to press the leading end portion of the sheet component against the drum with a stitcher roll. The anvil is then moved in a sweeping motion to stitch the leading end against the drum. The drum is rotated a predetermined amount and the sheet is stitched to the drum with a second stitcher roll. The sheet component is cut at the first position providing a trailing end which is then stitched to the drum as it is rotated the final amount.

Abstract: A ring tread (12) or a continuous tread (16) may be injection molded in a generally cylindrical segmental mold (20) having a core (42) and radially movable segments (46) forming a mold cavity (54). A container ring (60) is movable into engagement with the segments (46) during closing of the segmental mold (20) to retain the segments (46) during closing of the segmental mold (20) to retain the segments (46) in position during injection and curing. The container ring (60) may have an opening for a continuous tread section to extend from the mold cavity (54) through the side of the container ring (60) and through a space between two of the segments (46). Roller supports on the core (42) support the continuous tread (16) when the segmental mold (20) is opened and sections of the continuous tread (16) are shifted circumferentially through the mold cavity (54).

Abstract: A round open end container is supported and held on a turntable by a chuck. The edge of the container is guided and supported by rollers on roller heads mounted on brackets of stanchions positioned on opposite sides of the container. The brackets are movable vertically on the stanchions and the stanchions are movable radially relative to the turntable for positioning the rollers in supporting engagement with the edge of the container. A robot arm carries a C-shaped frame with opposing arms movable over the edge of the container between the rollers. Non-contact sensors are mounted on the arms of the C-shaped frame and are movable with the arms to predetermined vertical positions on opposite sides of the container wall for measuring the thickness of the wall at predetermined positions provided by rotation of the turntable.

Abstract: Rotation and linear movement of a main gear is provided by a pinion gear rotatably mounted on a crank arm and in meshing engagement with the main gear. A connecting arm between the gear centers keeps the gears in meshing engagement. The pinion gear may have a diameter one half the diameter of the main gear to provide rotation of the main gear 180 degrees after one revolution of the pinion gear. The crank arm may be rotated in opposite directions to provide oscillating movement of the main gear. In a tire building machine, the main gear may be mounted in a linear guide of an upright plate member for vertical movement. The main gear is connected to a shaft for rotating and tilting a hub member having two spaced apart tire building drums mounted with axes at an angle of 90 degrees and in the same plane as the axes of the tire building drums so that they can be oscillated between two fabricating positions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a strip of elastomeric material which is extruded onto a rotating roller where it is initially shaped by a die plate and then finally shaped by a calender roll positioned downstream from the die plate and in close proximity to the surface of the roller providing a finishing gap for finally shaping the strip of elastomeric material. The calender roll may be positioned on the opposite side of the roller from the position the elastomeric material is extruded onto the roller whereby the calender roll resists forces tending to bend the roller. The extruder screw may have a downstream end adjacent the roller for reducing the pressure and for self-cleaning the apparatus.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for mounting on a cold runner block has a cooled housing with a bore and a nozzle member with a shaft portion mounted in the bore for rotation about a bore axis. A cap portion of the nozzle member is connected to the shaft portion and has a surface for positioning close to the mold surface of a mold member. A mold cavity in the mold member has a mold orifice in the mold surface for alignment with a nozzle opening in the surface of the cap portion. The nozzle opening is positioned radially outward from the bore axis and is rotatable into alignment with the mold orifice upon rotation of the nozzle member. A nozzle passage extends from the nozzle opening to the bore for communicating a fluid molding material to the mold cavity. A spring device may be disposed between the housing and the nozzle member to urge the surface of the nozzle member towards the mold surface. A ball member with a flat sealing surface may be mounted in a spherical recess in the surface of the cap portion.

Abstract: A laminated roller die extension assembly (22) for mounting in a die holder (24) including a grooved die member (32) with a grooved surface (34) and a plate die (44) with a flat surface abutting the grooved surface (34) forming a preformer passage (54) in communication with an opening at a cylindrical surface (26) of the roller die extrusion assembly (22), and the plate die (44) having an indented edge (68) for guiding and shaping a strip applied through the opening onto a roller die (28) which is rotated past the opening.

Abstract: A compliant tube baffle for use in a marine environment wherein a boxlike structure (10) is surrounded by an elastomeric cover (64) and includes a pair of beam plates (12,14) separated by suitable means such as bent plate springs (18,20) which may be engageable with elastic cushioning layers (54) adhered to side shields (52). The beam plates (12,14) may be tapered with the tapered sections (34) having curved surfaces in the form of an ellipse. Damping may be provided by piezoelectric elements (58) or by constrained layers (66) of elastomeric material stressed during flexing movement of the beam plates (12,14). The beam plates (72,74) may also be separated at the edges (84) by elongated members (78,80) of solid elastomer or members (92,94) of a laminate of elastomer and rigid material.

Abstract: A shower or bathtub drain system (10,60) in which a sealing ring (16,16') is fastened to one end of a strainer body (32) or shoe (64) and inserted through the drain hole (14,58) in the bottom of the shower or bathtub from the space below the bottom surface. The sealing ring (16,16') is of a resilient material and has an upper flange (18,18') for overlapping the surfaces (20,62) at the edges of the drain hole. The installation is completed from the space above the bottom plate member (12,56) of the bathtub or shower by positioning a clamp ring (40,68) over the sealing ring flange (18,18') and then pulling the clamp ring (40,68) toward the strainer body (32) or shoe (64) by screw connectors (52,78) inserted through holes (48,80) in the clamp ring (40,68) and threaded in holes (50,76) in the strainer body (32) or shoe (64).

Abstract: A cold runner block (38) has spaced drop holes (54) arranged in a selected pattern for supplying fluid molding material to nozzles (60) connected to the mold gates (62). The drop holes (54) open on nozzle runners (52) in the cold runner block (38) which are in communication with a source of fluid molding material. Close-off rods (68) are selectively positioned in the runners (52) to block the flow of fluid molding material beyond the drop holes (54) communicating with a mold (12) for an object of a particular size and shape. Drop hole plugs (66) are provided for the drop holes (54) which open on the nozzle runners (52) in the section of the runners (52) not blocked by the close-off rods (68).

Abstract: A segmental drum (1) has a plurality of circumferentially spaced drum segments (28) radially movable by a set of links (36) pivotally connected to a pair of axially movable hub assemblies (34) slidably mounted on a drum shaft (12). Each of the segments (28) has a cylindrical center portion (30) and end portions (32) with recesses providing pockets (68) for the tire bead portions. The links (36) are positioned between the end portions (32) providing space for large bead portions in the pockets (68) and at the same time the segments (28) are retractable to a small diameter to facilitate placing of a tire band (64) over the drum (10).

Abstract: A retainer for containing the free hanging terminal ends of a necktie has two primary portions, a tailend retaining band carried by a button on the wearer's shirt and a longitudinal strip portion carried by the backside surface of the display end of the necktie and the band and strip portion having complimentary hook-and-loop fabric material which may be fastened temporarily together to secure the terminal ends. The tailend of the necktie is passed vertically through an opening in the band and is slidably contained thereby while the display end is secured by the hook-and-loop fabric fastening.

Abstract: A bead setter applier assembly (10) for positioning a tire bead (50) around a tire casing on a tire building drum wherein the assembly (10) has an annular frame member (12), a plurality of clamp segments (16) and a plurality of magnetic segments (34) pivotally mounted on the frame member (12). The bead ring (50) is placed on the magnetic segments (34) which have been rotated radially inward. The clamp segments (16) are rotated radially inward into engagement with the bead ring (50) to position the bead ring (50) in a location concentric with the central axis (A--A) of the assembly (10) and hold the bead ring (50). The magnetic segments (34) are then rotated radially outward out of engagement with the bead ring (50). After the tire casing is expanded into contact with the bead ring (50), the clamp segments (16) are retracted so that the assembly (10) can be moved away from the drum.

Abstract: Detaching a cured tire from mold sections of a tire mold during opening of the mold by communicating air under pressure into the space between the mold sections and confining the air in this space with a sleeve member supported on the upper mold section and slidably urged into sealing engagement with the lower mold section. Air under pressure is then communicated from the space between the mold sections to the spaces between the cured tire surface and the molding surfaces of the upper and lower mold sections to detach the tire. Sealing rings on the sleeve and on the upper mold section prevent leakage of the air under pressure from the space between the mold section. Spring means between the upper mold section and the sleeve member provide extension of the sleeve member into sealing engagement with the lower mold section.

Abstract: A tire tread (74,76,194) is injection molded by increments in a mold cavity (56,58,119,224,262) having an open end (110,272) closed by a trailing end (116) of a cured section (114,228). A temperature moderating closed end (109,207,268) prevents complete curing of a trailing portion (116) of the cured section (114,228) while the rest of the section is cured. The mold (14,16,90,188,236) is opened so that the cured section (114,228) may be shifted to a position where the trailing portion (116) is clamped in the open end (110,272) of the mold cavity (56,58,119,224,262). A second section (118,228,264) is injection molded in the cavity (56,58,119,224,262) and the partially cured trailing portion (126) of the cured section (114,228,264) is cured and adhered to the leading portion (130) of the second section (114,228,264) as the second section is cured. This process may then be repeated for later sections to provide a desired length of cured tire tread stock (74,194,264).