Abstract: A supportive tire rack for green tire transfer and storage includes a base assembly that carries at least four support pins that are horizontally cantilevered from the base. A pair of upper support plates and a pair of lower support plates are carried by the pins. The upper support plates engage the bead rings of the tire while the lower support plates cradle the lower surface of the tire. Each support plate is pivotally carried on an arm that is pivotally carried on a pin. Each arm is also in the form of a damper that dampens oscillatory forces in the tire. The arms and plates are biased toward resting positions by springs. Alternatively, the lower support is a spring biased sling formed of a flexible material and the upper support is a pair of spring biased T-shaped arms which are pivotally mounted on two of the pins for engaging the bead rings.

Abstract: An adhesive film is disclosed which can achieve, at the same time, bubble escapability during adhering, permanent and high peel resistance, and good appearance of the film surface after being adhered. The adhesive film comprises a substrate film, a primer layer formed on said substrate film, and an upper layer which is formed on said primer layer and contains elastic microspheres and a first adhesive polymer, wherein said primer layer comprises a second adhesive polymer and has a compressive modulus of 1×106 to 1×107 dyn/cm2, and said elastic microspheres comprises a third adhesive polymer and has a volume average diameter of 10 to 300 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A method of producing a vibration isolation mount assembly comprising at least one metal bracket member bonded to a volume of a resilient elastomeric material. The bonding of the elastomeric material to the metal bracket is improved by electrostatically spraying the metal brackets with an epoxy coating prior to adhering the rubber to the metal bracket members, but after vulcanization of the rubber material.

Abstract: A method for controlling any increase in Mooney viscosity during aging of siloxane-functionalized polymers includes the step of adding a viscosity stabilizing effective amount of a long chain alcohol preferably selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic alcohols having more carbon atoms than the hydrolyzable substituent on the siloxane end groups. The method provides for the stabilization of Mooney viscosity of siloxane-functionalized polymers at any given level upon aging. The long chain alcohols react with the siloxane-functionalized polymers prior to hydrolysis of the siloxane end groups to form moisture stabilized polymers.

Abstract: Novel solid supported anionic polymerization initiators that are multiply metalated with Group IA alkali metal atoms are provided and employed to produce extremely high molecular weight branched diene polymers. The initiators are prepared by metalating a particle comprising a thermoplastic polymer or a cured elastomer in the presence of a polar coordinator. The polymers obtained by anionic polymerization employing the initiators are multiply branched, with a polymer chain covalently attached to the particle at virtually every metalation site. The macro-branched polymers exhibit desirable properties, such as an extremely high molecular weight, a controlled molecular weight distribution, Tg and vinyl content, and the ability to readily absorb hydrocarbon solvents and oils. The polymers are easily compounded to form vulcanizable elastomeric compounds and articles that have excellent resistance to wear and tear and exhibit reduced hysteresis properties.