Abstract: Closed hollow toroidal articles such as hollow tires, which may be caused to be thickest at the tread, are molded on the inner surface of a closed toroidal mold slowly rotating on a horizontal axis by charging a fluid elastomer material in such quantity as to fill the bottom of the mold to a level above the wheel-supporting part of the tire and continuing rotation while causing the material to set to a solid elastomer progressively inwards from the liquid contacting surface of the mold. The relative thickness of different parts can be adjusted by changes in rotation, or by inducing different rates of setting in different parts of the mold.

Abstract: A spin toy has a screw threaded post with a magnet near the top to hold an iron spinner on the post by one edge so that it hangs at an angle. A flip of the finger starts the spinner on a constant speed gyratory travel down the post. The spinner can be used as a pointer to indicate by chance any one of several indicia.

Abstract: An X-ray machine for production line inspection of tires places each tire in turn with one sector of the tire inside of a U-shaped arrangement of three fluorescent screens so that one screen faces the tread and the other two face the sides of the tire. An X-ray source inside the bead circle of the tire produces X-ray shadow pictures on the screens, which are separately viewed by a video camera, with an image of the picture on each screen transferred to a third of the target of a storage tube, so that a composite image of the entire width of the tire sector can be displayed on a picture tube. The tire is rotated stepwise for display of still pictures of every sector of the tire.

Abstract: An illumination system for photomicrography includes direction of the light for illumination of the object through a fiber optic, the exit end of which replaces the usual illuminating lamp at the entrance pupil of a conventional illumination system. The light of an incandescent lamp directed through the fiber optic is used for selecting the view and focusing the camera. Light from a high intensity electronic flash, coupled to the camera shutter, is directed through the fiber optic, in replacement of the incandescent lamp, for the photography. An integrating light meter supplied by a beam splitter in the microscope tube terminates the flash when a proper exposure is achieved.

Abstract: A shaking machine for shaking core sand out of hollow castings includes a pair of coaxial cylinders containing pistons with piston rods arranged to grip a casting, and a rotating vane air valve for supplying compressed air alternately to each of the two cylinders.

Abstract: An X-ray tire inspection machine for rapid and precise determination of accuracy of placement of internal elements, by visual or automated sensing of dimensions and of uniformity, precisely places each of a random succession of pneumatic tires for highway vehicles from the smallest to the largest sizes, scans the entirety of bead-to-bead sectors or any part of each sector, without gaps or significant overlaps, and displays all or any desired portions of the X-ray shadow pictures as a succession of still pictures, or senses automatically the presence of irregularities of various kinds in any desired locations. Precise placement of tires is accomplished by gripping of the tread of a horizontal tire by four spools having upper and lower flanges positively moved toward one another at a fixed speed until they grip the shoulders of the tread.