Abstract: A mounted assembly of a mounting wheel, a tire provided with sidewalls between a tread and parts of the tire intended to come in contact with said wheel after mounting of the tire on the wheel and a wheel hubcap fastened to the wheel. The mounted assembly is characterized in that one of the sidewalls cooperates with the hubcap to secure a good angular position of the hubcap in relation to said sidewall as well as to maintain the angular position during the use of the assembly on the vehicle.

Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement of low H/S ratio, at least one bead provided with an axially outer protuberance, the maximum axial width of which is greater than the space taken up by the rim, characterized in that the protuberance is provided with incisions of a width other than zero, of a depth of at most 5 mm and arranged circumferentially parallel to each other.

Abstract: A tire has a toroidal-shaped carcass and an airtight layer which contains at least one ductile metal layer. In one embodiment the airtight layer is a deformable metal layer having a thickness less than or equal to 5 &mgr;m applied on the interior surface of the tire carcass by a support carrier on which the metal layer has been deposited. The support carrier may be retained as part of the tire or removed after applying the metal layer on the interior surface of the tire carcass.

Abstract: The invention concerns a radially expansible assembly drum for the manufacture of tires, having a body mounted on a center shaft and presenting a receiving surface for the products to be assembled, the ends of which have different diameters; the drum contains retractable means capable of covering the end of the receiving surface of smaller diameter, and means of expansion of the drum to two different expanded positions.

Abstract: A shaping drum for a tire having two bead holding systems mounted facing one another on a central shaft. Each of the bead holding systems includes a support mounted to be movable axially relative to the shaft. On each support there is mounted an assembly which includes a plurality of rigid segments and an elastic membrane which surrounds them. The rigid segments are each mounted on the support and swing about an articulation, the axis of which is perpendicular to a radial plane. A seat is formed on each assembly, the seat being arranged axially on the inside of the articulations, the articulations forming a crown on the support. The elastic membrane is fixed to the support axially on the inside and on the outside of the crown of articulations.

Abstract: A tire for heavy loads and having beads intended to be mounted on flat rim seats or rim seats which are inclined at 5°, including at least one radial carcass ply formed of inextensible reinforcement elements and anchored in each bead to a bead wire to form an upturn, the end of which is located at a radial distance HRNC from the base of the bead. Each bead is reinforced by at least two additional reinforcement armatures, at least one first armature formed of at least one ply of radial textile reinforcement elements which is located axially to the outside of a second armature formed of at least one ply of inextensible elements forming an angle a with the circumferential direction such that 0°≦&agr;≦45°.

Abstract: A rubber composition intended for the manufacture of tire casings and elastic bearings for vehicle suspension systems, with elastomeric base containing oxygenated functions reinforced with a majority of silica-type filler, whose hysteretic properties are improved by use of a combination of an aminoalkylalkoxysilane with an alkylalkoxysilane, particularly for use in the tread of tire casings for trucks, construction and farm vehicles or airplanes.

Abstract: A mold shell having a hole which extends from the molding surface through said shell up to the outside of said mold. The hole is closed by a plug having a completely air-tight end face which is flush with the molding surface so as to constitute a portion of the molding surface, said plug occupying all of the surface of said hole in the molding surface.

Abstract: An assembly line for mounting tires on wheels, for inflating the tire mounted on a wheel, for placement of the bead heels of the tire and for balancing which also includes apparatus for checking the conformity of the diameter of the tire to be mounted and for checking the conformity of the dimensions of the wheel.

Abstract: The tire has a single layer of cushion compound between the cords of the carcass reinforcement that are furthest radially outward in the crown and the cords of the belting that are furthest radially inward in the crown. The single layer of cushion compound may have either a high modulus of elasticity of between 7 and 25 MPa for high crown rigidity or a low modulus of elasticity of less that 6 MPa for reduced hysteresis energy loss.

Abstract: A molding element intended to equip a mold for molding, in a tread made of a rubber compound, a non-demoldable pattern, the element including at least one part molding a part of a pattern with an undercut. The molding element is one wherein during at least part of the demolding operation, the projected area of each part molding a pattern with an undercut onto a plane perpendicular to the demolding direction is smaller than the area of the same part projected onto the same plane in the molding position, so as to make demolding of the molding element easier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rubber composition intended for the manufacture of road tires of improved resistance to rolling having a base of precipitated silica with a relatively high specific surface and special porosity properties.

Abstract: A tire with a radial carcass reinforcement, when viewed in meridian section, includes a first bead, the seat of which is inclined towards the outside, the heel of the bead being axially on the inside and being reinforced by at least a reinforcement ring, the toe of the bead being axially on the outside and having a rubber wedge section made of rubber mix, the wedge being defined by two sides, the said rubber mix having a Shore A hardness greater than the Shore A hardness(es) of the rubber mixes located axially and radially above the bead ring and above the rubber wedge section.

Abstract: A tire wherein the reinforcing cords of the carcass, in the part situated between the anchoring zone of the carcass and the sidewall, are in contact with at least one layer of cushion compound having a high modulus of elasticity on the axially outer side and a low modulus of elasticity on the axially inner side and in the sidewall.

Abstract: A torsion axle for a vehicle, said axle having two arms and a cross member having a transverse axis parallel to the transverse direction, the cross member having a free edge at each of its lateral ends, the arms being connected to each of the ends of the cross member, each of said arms being designed to be attached to the body by a joint on the body, so as to define for each arm an axis coupling the arm on the body, the joint allowing a disalignment of the axes of coupling in relation to each other, each of the arms being designed to support a wheel, the cross member providing a torsion axis on which the arms swing in relation to each other, and the cross member being connected to each of the arms at each of its lateral ends by at least three ball joints, allowing a free twisting of the free edges of the cross member relative to the arms.

Abstract: A deformable structure for a vehicle, designed to roll on an axis of rotation, including an annular internal element centered on the axis, an annular external element, flexible and appreciably inextensible, forming a tread radially arranged externally relative to the internal element, a plurality of spokes arranged substantially radially between the internal element and the external annular element, each spoke being capable of opposing a radial compressive stress, beyond a given threshold, an appreciably constant force, the external element having a circumferential length such that the spokes are preloaded in radial compression, and in which provision is made for stabilizing the relative positions of the internal element and external element, characterized in that the spokes are formed and arranged between the internal and external elements, in such a way that their flexibility in a meridian plane is well below their flexibility in a circumferential plane, and in that the of stabilization limits the amplitude

Abstract: A radial carcass tire comprising a tread, two non-stretchable beads, two sidewalls connecting the beads to the tread, and a crown reinforcement located between the carcass and the tread, the crown reinforcement including a diene elastomeric rubber having, as reinforcing filler, a highly dispersible precipitated silica having a CTAB specific area less than or equal to 125 m2/g and a BET specific surface area less than or equal to 125 m2/g.

Abstract: An extruder screw having at least one raised part forming a thread projecg on a core intended to be rotatably mounted inside an extruder roll in which the raised part includes a crown wall and side walls intersecting with the crown wall, the intersections between each of the side walls and the crown wall forming edges intended to cut the material, the crown wall of said raised part being provided with a coating of at least two materials of different hardnesses placed side by side on the crown wall.

Abstract: An axle for vehicles having a suspended body, the axle having a crossmember connecting two arms. The arms are each joined to a shaft defining a pivot axis of the arms on the body. The crossmember allows for a relative clence of said suspension arms. The axle further contains two supports. A resilient suspension joint is inserted between each support and each shaft, each resilient joint being integral, without sliding, both with the support and the shaft. Each resilient joint contains holes defining a position of less radial rigidity arranged approximately vertically.

Abstract: A process of molding of a rubber tread making it possible, after molding grooves, to strip the mold without rupture of connecting elements molded in the grooves. A molding element for molding a groove pattern in a rubber tread, the groove defined by at least two main opposite walls joined by at least one molded rubber connecting element, the molding element being designed to project from a molding surface of the mold and presenting at least one opening for molding a connecting element during molding of the tread. The molding element is constituted by the assembly of a first part forming a support, intended to be fastened to a piece of a mold by appropriate means, and of a second part constituted by at least one piece forming a key. Each key is disengaged from the support in order to strip the molding element from the mold.