Abstract: A tire building machine including flanges which have a surface to allow for the positioning and disengagement of a tire. The positioning and disengagement of the tire on the machine is effected by the surface interaction between the bead portions of the tire and the surface area of the flange. The surface area of the flange in the present invention includes a plurality of bead portion bearing surfaces to facilitate the release of the bead portions. In addition, the surface area of the flange is designed to reduce friction between the bead portions and the flange.

Abstract: A curing press for tires, commonly manifolded to other curing presses in a curing room, are operated with a minimum blowdown time which is variable from one cycle of each press to another cycle. A first signal is generated by a pressure transducer ("PT") in pressure communication with the bladder(s) of each curing press; this first signal is compared to a second signal corresponding to a target pressure, which second signal is stored in a programmable controller ("PC"). The PC controls operation of the press, and is used to provide a variable blowdown period; how quickly this target in the PC is reached, is a function of the pressure in a common blowdown manifold for plural presses.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is produced for off-the-road use having a tread formed from a silica-free rubber tread compound consisting essentially of particular types of rubber, and at least 55 phr of a particular high structure, fine particle carbon black having a CTAB from 130-150 m.sup.2 /g, N.sub.2 adsorption of 140-160 m.sup.2 /g, a tint of 125-140%, a DBPA of 120-140 ml/100 g, and a mean particle diameter of about 24 nanometers; and, from about 4 to about 8 phr of processing oil, antioxidant/antiozonants, curing agents and activators each present in an amount less than 10 phr. The result is a tire with substantially better cutting and chipping resistance than an identically produced tire with a tread containing silica in combination with a carbon black having essentially the same mean particle diameter but lower structure, without any noticeable loss in treadwear, or with an improvement in treadwear, that is, less loss due to treadwear.

Abstract: Method and Apparatus for forming an elastomeric strip formed from at least two elastomeric compounds, for example to use as a pneumatic tire tread strip. Extrusion means advance two or more elastomeric materials (60) under pressure toward a final die chamber; from which material is extruded between a final die (50) and a roller (70). A head assembly (30) and a preform die (62, 64) are positioned in serial flow relationship between said extrusion means and said final die, and flow chambers formed within said head assembly and said preform die intercommunicate said extrusion means with said final chamber. Flow chambers within the preform die converge to at least one common junction within said preform die to form a single preform die exit chamber wherein a multi-material flow of elastomeric materials is established for passage into said final chamber for final extrusion therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing radial force variations of pneumatic tires by removing rubber in selected areas of the shoulders wherein the current generated by each grinder motor is detected, converted into DC voltages of opposite polarities which are summed with a resultant voltage shown on a meter. When the resultant voltage differs from a predetermined level, usually zero, the grinding wheels can be adjusted thereby balancing the amount of grinding performed on the shoulders of the tire.

Abstract: A mold used for forming an elastomeric article such as a tire under heat and pressure is provided with small grooves at selected locations along the internal cavity walls to reduce or eliminate flash which customarily forms at these locations. Specifically, grooves are provided at the structural interfaces of replaceable mold components, such as tread and bead rings with cavity wall portions of the mold sections. The grooves operate to trap or collect elastomeric material extruded into the interfaces and provide a seal-like barrier to further flash.

Abstract: A recipe is provided for an aqueous inside and/or outside paint for green tires which are to be vulcanized in a mold in cooperation with a hot, pressurized inner bladder. The aqueous paint contains no silicone release agent, hydrocarbon solvent or rubber latex, but only an air bleeding pigment such as carbon black for the outside paint or mica for the inside paint, and surfactant which are blended into a hot wax melt to form a stable dispersion. The melt contains a major amount of a lower melting wax such as paraffin wax, and a minor amount of a higher melting wax such as carnauba wax based on the total weight of wax. The carnauba wax may be dispensed within the outside tire paint for passenger car tires. The essential ingredients for the inside tire paint are the same as those used for the outside tire paint, except that the ratios in which they are present are different to accommodate the disparate requirements for flow of the tire's rubber surfaces during the vulcanizing cycle.

Abstract: A self-sealing pneumatic tire that has an inner surface provided with a layer of sealant and a plurality of edge strips that partially overlap the sealant layer to retain the sealant in position during construction and operation of the tire. Construction is simplified by utilizing a laminate structure incorporating such edge strips and also comprising an air impermeable elastomer strip, the center of which is coated with a layer of puncture sealant material and having the edge strips adhesively attached to the elastomer strip and partially overlapping the edges of the sealant layer. Also, a method of constructing this tire by attaching a tire body or carcass to this laminate structure prior to molding and curing the tire. During the molding process, the edge strips that partially overlap the sealant layer hold the sealant in place preventing it from flowing in an uncontrolled manner.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a mounting system therefor, having constructional features designed to provide optimized operational characteristics. The tire has a low aspect ratio .lambda. and a low height ratio .theta. conforming substantially to the relations .lambda.=0.236/.theta. and 0.32<.theta.<0.39. The mounting system includes a vehicle axleborne drum and a pair of ring members adapted to be securely fastened to the drum, each ring member defining a bead seat, a bead restraining flange and a sidewall-supporting extension, and the ring members being adhered to the tire at the beads and the lower sidewalls. A layer of a suitable sealant at the juncture between each ring member and the drum renders the joints airtight.

Abstract: A mold used for forming an elastomeric article such as a tire under heat and pressure is provided with small grooves at seleted locations along the internal cavity walls to reduce or eliminate flash which customarily forms at these locations. Specifically, grooves are provided at the structural interfaces of replaceable mold components, such as tread and bead rings with cavity wall portions of the mold sections. The grooves operate to trap or collect elastomeric material extruded into the interfaces and provide a seal-like barrier to further flash.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for economical mass production of radial and bias/belted tires which eliminates undertread cements and solves chronic factory tack problems by providing a synthetic rubber-based undertread compound containing predominant amounts of cis-polybutadiene and having unique tack retention properties. The building tack is optimized by use of a special mixture of a p-t-alkylphenol-formaldehyde tackifying resin, a tri-methyl-dihydroquinoline polymer, and a N,N'-disubstituted-p-phenylenediamine. The process utilizes standard factory equipment with simple modifications and requires new formulations and special prodecures during mixing and processing to minimize the amount of zinc oleate, to convert virtually all of the fatty acids to zinc salts, principally stearates, and to minimize diffusion and migration of zinc stearate in a direction toward the undertread surface.

Abstract: A predominantly styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber (SBR) tire tread compound may be reinforced with a special high structure carbon black designated herein as a N103, having a relatively high volatiles content (as indicated by its iodine number), and a superfine particle size smaller than about 20 nanometers (nm), a DBPA greater than 120 cm.sup.3 /100 g carbon black, and an I.sub.2 No in the range from 130-160 mg/g, in an oil extended tread compound in which there is at least 30 parts of processing oil per 100 parts of rubber; the presence of this N103 black in a major amount relative to the total amount of high structure black, is essential.

Abstract: A simple two-stage process is disclosed for economic mass production of premium-quality heavy-duty belted tubeless and tube-type radial truck tires of various sizes using standard 30-year-old semi-automatic tire building machines heretofore used in the manufacture of bias-ply tires by the flat-band process. The old automatic machines are modified at minimal cost to receive a unique rigid expansible drum which is radially expanded 35% or more during the first-stage tire building operation. The drum may be adjusted to make tires of various widths and diameters and has a series of closely spaced radially movable segments defining a rigid segmental open-ended externally cylindrical shell having an annular rubber cover on which a complete green tire carcass is built prior to application of the belts and the tread at the second-stage machine.The shell has rigid beveled shoulders at the ends of the drum which are inclined at an angle of from 40.degree. to 50.degree.

Abstract: A pneumatic deicer having a deformable sheet formed of a fluid-impervious, resilient material adapted to be secured with respect to the leading edge of an aircraft wing. A rigid template with spaced, parallel apertures is secured to the face of the deformable sheet remote from the aircraft wing. The regions of the deformable sheet corresponding to the apertures form fluid passages adapted to be coupled with a source of fluid such as air so that the deicer may be cyclically expanded and contracted to break up ice accumulations on the deicer. A cover ply is secured to the outer face of the deformable sheet to expand and contract therewith and to add wear resistance to the deicer. The periphery of the inner face of the deformable sheet may be secured to the leading edge of the aircraft wing through an inner or base ply or, in the alternative, it may be secured directly thereto without the inclusion of the inner or base ply.