Abstract: Fiberboard shims are manufactured which contain blocked isocyanates. The blocked isocyanates are blended with the other shim components to ensure complete distribution of the isocyanate into the shim, thereby improving the strength characteristics of the shim while simultaneously simplifying the manufacturing procedure. Further, the need for hazardous solvent-based isocyanates in the workplace is eliminated.

Abstract: A tire testing machine having a rotatably but actuatably fixed upper rim, a rotatable lower rim assembly and a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the lower rim to a desired position. The lower rim assembly has a resiliently-biased center pilot in the form of a cone that is engageable with a recess in the upper rim to center the lower rim with respect to the upper rim and to transmit rotational forces from the upper rim to the lower rim. The centering action of the pilot is assisted by a pair of mating spherical washers associated with the lower rim assembly.

Abstract: A metal rubber gasket includes a central metal lamina sandwiched by two outer elastomer layers. The elastomer is a blend of a butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber and a random terpolymer of ethylene, alkyl acrylate and the mono alkyl ester of a dioic acid. Preferably the butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber is functionally modified with polar groups such as a carboxyl, amine, or hydroxyl groups.

Abstract: A tire uniformity measurement machine has an upper rim and a lower vertically-movable rim. A conveyor to bring tires into and out of the machine consists of movable rollers having an opening in the center of the conveyor through which a vertically-movable rim passes to engage and lift a tire up to the upper rim.

Abstract: A drive shaft has a noise absorber consisting of a rubber cup-shaped element inserted in the drive shaft and a plastic insert that presses the cup-shaped element against the interior wall against the drive shaft.

Abstract: Apparatus for dewatering. The effluent to be dewatered is passed through a hydrocyclone. The underflow of the hydrocyclone is confirned by a shroud to convert horizontal components of spray into vertical components. The effluent is driven forcibly vertically onto an endless driven filter belt.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for predicting fore-aft translations of tires. An inflated tire is rotated at a nominally constant angular velocity against a freely rotatable rigid loadwheel under a radial load. Changes in the instantaneous effective radius of the tire as it rolls give rise to fore/aft forces which tend to translate the tire alternately forward, toward the direction of travel and aft, toward the opposite direction. The tendency of the tire to so translate is predicted by measuring variations in effective radius or a parameter correlated thereto such as changes in the motion of the tread surface of the tire or the loadwheel relative to the angular speed of the tire.

Abstract: Epoxy and epoxy novolak resins are impact modified by adding an effective amount of an acrylamide diene nitrile rubber terpolymer to the resin. In a preferred embodiment, the acrylamide diene nitrile rubber includes an acid or ester group attached to the acrylamide portion of the polymer generally through a thiol group. The liquid terpolymer is reacted in the presence of acid catalysts with the resin to provide impact modification.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for use in measuring the uniformity of a body such as a tire, wheel or the like wherein a waveform related to the uniformity of the body is digitally sampled to acquire a series of data samples, each of which is correlated with a respective physical location on the body. According to a first aspect of the invention, a non-repetitive error component of the waveform is corrected for by sampling the same location on the body at two different times and determining the difference between the corresponding data samples. A part of the total difference is allocated to each of the data samples in the series according to a predetermined methematical function which at least approximately describes the non-repetitive component of the waveform. The part of the difference allocated to each sample is then subtracted from it to obtain a corrected series of data sample.

Abstract: A rim mount for a tire uniformity machine. The upper rim has bolts that cooperate with keyhole slots in an adaptor to mount the upper rim. The lower rim has keyhole slots that cooperate with bolts threaded into a lower chuck to mount the lower rim.

Abstract: A hydrocyclone has a lower conical separating chamber with a lower outlet and a tube in the outlet projecting into the concial chamber to reduce the water content of the materials discharged from the lower outlet.

Abstract: Thermally decomposable Group IIIa compounds are purified by conveying the relatively impure material through a prescrubber module, then heating the scrubbed Group IIIa compound and conveying same through a preconditioned gas chromatographic column packed with a porous polymeric material. After isolation, the purified material is cooled, demisted amd collected. Thermally decomposable Group Va compounds are purified by conveying the heated relatively impure material through a preconditioned gas chromatographic column packed with a porous polymeric material. After isolation, the purified material is cooled and collected.

Abstract: A tire building drum having collapsible and expandable segments that form a cylinder upon which a tire is built. The segments are connected to a cam, which when rotated with respect to them, causes the segments to expand or collapse.

Abstract: A hydrocyclone separator has a central feed section, an upper vortex finder, and a lower conical section. A spigot and socket connection is provided to join the sections. Each spigot has a groove and each socket has a bead that mates with the groove. A band surrounds each connection and clamps them together to form a leak-tight connection.

Abstract: A bomb crater repair mat is secured to intact pavement surrounding a crater with a novel anchor which secures the mat without piercing it and provides a tapered threshold which reduces jarring of aircraft and prevents the mat from being snagged by aircraft tail hooks or uplifted by jet blast. A slot is cut in the runway adjacent and parallel to the leading and trailing edges of the mat. An extruded member having a T-shaped cross-section is pressed into the slot to secure the mat. The member is retained within the slot by strips projecting from its vertically depending projection and optionally, by also injecting a hardenable filler into the slot.

Abstract: A continuous molding machine comprises a rotatable wheel that carries a plurality of fixed dies, each of which is aligned with an axially movable die within a peripheral surface to form pairs of molding dies. A strip of uncured material is movable between each pair of molding dies at a molding station. As the wheel rotates each pair of molding dies through a molding station, the molding dies are closed upon the uncured material to form a molded article. A shoe is fixedly-mounted adjacent the molding station and is slidable with respect to the peripheral surface of the rotating wheel to communicate with passages which lead from the peripheral surface of the rotating wheel to the insides of the molding dies. During die closing, vacuum is applied to the shoe to remove air from the molding dies.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for imposing a desired average radial load force on a tire by calculating the current average force between the tire and a loadwheel based on the average radial force and radial distance between the tire and a loadwheel over the last previous complete revolution of the tire, the spring constant of the tire and the current radial distance between the tire and the loadwheel. The calculated average force value is applied as a feedback signal to the loadwheel position controller in order to achieve the desired average radial load. The spring constant of the tire may be determined from the change in force per unit distance as the tire is loaded or programmed as a constant to be applied for testing all tires of a given type.

Abstract: Apparatus for inflating tires to a test pressure. The apparatus includes a shop supply of air and a regulated supply of air. A valve system is used to connect the tire to the shop supply to seat the bead on the test rim; to exhaust the air from the tire to bring the pressure in the tire to approximately the test pressure; and to the regulated supply to bring the air in the tire to the preselected test level. The difference between the actual test pressure and the desired test pressure is measured and that difference is used to control the pressure regulator so as to correct the test pressure in the next succeeding tire.

Abstract: A solventless prepolymer which is liquid at room temperature and cures at about 350.degree. F. The novel prepolymer is formed from a rubber monomer; acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile; and an ether derivative of methylol acrylamide. The ether is formed from methylol acrylamide and an alcohol which boils above the cure temperature of the prepolymer and which preferably is hexyl carbitol. The prepolymer is formed with sufficient chain transfer agent to establish a weight average molecular weight of the prepolymer less than about 25,000. The prepolymer is heat curable to form a solid polymer with excellent compression set, tensile strength, and fuel resistivity. The method of formulating these polymers is also disclosed.

Abstract: Method of inflating tires wherein the tires are inflated to a bead seat pressure and thereafter the pressure is reduced without deflating the tires through the valve.