Patents Assigned to The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
  • Patent number: 4670289
    Abstract: A marking device used in conjunction with a tire inspection machine in order to allow a tire to be marked at the location of irregularities detected by the tire inspection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Nick M. Miller, III
  • Patent number: 4663889
    Abstract: A grinder for removing a predetermined amount of rubber at a predetermined angle from a raised or recessed area on the sidewall of an inflated tire as the tire rotates. A pair of spaced sensors engage the sidewall area of the tire at predetermined radial spaced locations on opposite sides of the area to be worked. The sensors generate a pair of electrical signals in relationship to the profiles of the sidewall areas engaged thereby. The signals are fed to a microprocessor which calculates the average angle of the raised or recessed area by the difference between the outputs from the two sensors along with the known spacing therebetween and generates a third signal. This third signal is supplied to a servo mechanism which automatically adjusts the grind angle of the grinding wheel to match the average angle of the area to be ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: John Strand, David P. Krause, Christopher D. Erickson
  • Patent number: 4665152
    Abstract: Low or no chlorine content poly(aryloxyphosphazene) copolymers useful for fireproof foams are surprisingly produced in a one step process without use of excess phenoxide reactant over a shorter than conventional time period by (a) adding linear (NPCl.sub.2).sub.n to a mixture of phenoxides comprising alkali or alkaline earth metal phenoxide, alkylphenoxide and allylphenoxide in quantities such that the total of the phenoxides is the equivalent of the total chlorine atoms in the (NPCl.sub.2).sub.n and allylphenoxide is present in an amount equivalent to from about 2% to about 10% of the chlorine atoms in the (NPCl.sub.2).sub.n ; and (b) reacting the admixture formed in step (a) at a temperature ranging from about 280.degree. F. to about 320.degree. F. for a time period ranging from about 7 hours to about 10 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William M. Cole, Joseph A. Dembek, Jr., Vispi R. Sagar
  • Patent number: 4657718
    Abstract: A coextrusion head for producing a generally tubular elastomeric ply made up of first and second concentric tubular streams of elastomeric material having interposed, adjacent to their interface, a closely spaced array of parallel reinforcing elements wherein the coextrusion head includes a reinforcing element guide subassembly including a generally annular guide element as well as a mechanism for individually and independently directing and accurately positioning a circular array of uniformly spaced individual reinforcing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Richard W. Sicka, Dale A. Tompkins
  • Patent number: 4657958
    Abstract: Adhesive compositions for bonding EPDM elastomers comprise (a) a neutralized sulfonated EPDM elastomeric terpolymer; (b) an organic hydrocarbon solvent; (c) an ionic plasticizer or mixture of ionic plasticiziers; (d) a phenolic hydrocarbon resin or mixture of phenolic hydrocarbon resins and (e) a material selected from mineral oils, petroleum oils, polybutenes, polyisobutylenes and ethylene/propylene copolymers. Such adhesive compositions are particularly suitable for bonding sheets of black EPDM, especially sheets of cured black EPDM, elastomeric membranes together and may also be utilized to bond sheets of cured black EPDM to other uncured elastomers and to non-elastomeric substrates as well.The adhesive compositions to proper selection of the component (e) material and the addition of a color pigment or dye thereto may also be used to bond colored EPDM elastomers such as white, blue, yellow, green, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: John W. Fieldhouse, Mark L. Stayer
  • Patent number: 4653992
    Abstract: A segmented matrix cure press retreads pneumatic tires by vulcanizing a tread strip onto a tire casing. The press centers the tire and provides a tailored support to the entire casing periphery of the tire. A bottom mold cavity forming member having a ring with a contoured surface matched to the bead and sidewall areas of one side of the tire is mounted on a vertically movable base plate of the press. A top mold cavity forming member has a similarly shaped contoured ring and is movable into and out of engagement with the bottom member. A standard inflatable inner tube and flap are inserted within a tire which is placed on the contoured surface of the bottom cavity forming member which centers the tire within the press. The top member is lowered onto and locked with the bottom member forming a mold cavity therebetween with the contoured surfaces coinciding with and trapping the bead and sidewall areas of the tire therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Massimo Baraldi
  • Patent number: 4647635
    Abstract: A process and a catalyst system is disclosed herein for preparation of medium to high vinyl (co)polymers containing a 1,2-microstructure of between 30 and about 90 percent. The catalyst system which is employed in the production of the (co)polymer is an oligomeric oxolanyl alkane modifier and anionic initiator selected from (1) Na(R).sub.3 Mg or (2) Na(R).sub.3 Mg and an organolithium compound or (3) K(R).sub.3 Mg and an organolithium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: James E. Hall
  • Patent number: 4647607
    Abstract: Synthetic rubber is thermooxidatively stabilized with guayule resin. The guayule resin imparts favorable stabilization as evidenced by minimum bulk viscosity changes and minimum gel formation, especially with styrene-butadiene synthetic elastomers prepared by emulsion or hydrocarbon solvent techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Edward L. Kay, Richard Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 4638532
    Abstract: A mechanical fastening system for securing a flexible sheet within a channel member via an insert member wherein the latter is made of flexible resilient material having a central longitudinal flex notch that serves to define two adjacent wing portions and permits a temporary elastic deformation of the insert member into an inverted V-shape for insertion of the insert member, together with the flexible sheet, into the channel member. A method for securing the flexible sheet within the channel member, via the resilient insert member, is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: James H. C. Yang, Walter Tomaszewski
  • Patent number: 4630663
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire in which the body ply is formed of a low twist yarn having between three and six turns-per-inch. The body ply terminates in relatively low turn-up ends extending along the side walls a distance between 10% and 30% of the tire section height and out of the area of cyclic stress and oscillation in the side walls of the tire. A relatively high, wide and hard bead filler is located within a bead portion of the tire and has a height between 20% and 50% of the tire section height with a width of between 15% and 35% of the bead filler height. The bead filler has a hardness of between 75 and 98 on the Shore A scale. The ply yarn preferably is polyester and the individual low twist strands are arranged in a parallel relationship and is preferably free of transverse cross strands known as wefts or picks. The combination of low twist yarn, low turn-up body ply ends and bead filler size and hardness provides a tire having increased durability and uniformity at a lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Thomas W. Bell, Louis W. Shurman
  • Patent number: 4630422
    Abstract: A penetrating mechanical roofing fastening and sealing system for securing a flexible sheet, provided with a plurality of apertures, to the upper surface of a roof via the use of a plurality of spaced penetrating fastening and sealing devices, each of which includes upper and lower retainers, wherein the latter are anchored to the roofing surface and the elastomeric sheet is thereafter spread thereover, with cutting portions on the lower retainers being utilized to produce the sheet apertures, rigid upper retainers overlie and completely cover the apertures and the retainers are clamped together in a sealing relationship with the interposed sheet portion. A method for securing and sealing a flexible sheet to the roofing substrate is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Heinz W. Beneze
  • Patent number: 4627479
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire in which the body ply is formed of a low twist yarn having between two and five turns-per-inch. The body ply terminates in relatively high turn-up ends extending along the side walls a distance between 35% and 65% of the tire section height and out of the area of cyclic stress and oscillation in the side walls of the tire. A relatively high, narrow and hard bead filler is located within a bead portion of the tire and has a height between 20% and 50% of the tire section height with a width of between 5% and 25% of the bead filler height. The bead filler has a hardness of between 75 and 98 on the Shore A scale. The ply yarn preferably is Nylon and the individual low twist strands are arranged in a parallel relationship and is preferably free of transverse cross strands known as wefts or picks. The combination of low twist yarn, high turn-up body ply ends and bead filler size and hardness provides a tire having increased durability and uniformity at a lower cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Louis W. Shurman, Thomas W. Bell
  • Patent number: 4623162
    Abstract: An improved vehicle suspension system for use on axles of trailers, trucks, and the like. A pair of wheels are individually rotatably mounted on stub axles attached to a pair of trailing arms which are connected to and extend radially rearwardly from a pair of pivot sleeves. The sleeves are pivotally mounted on brackets connected to the vehicle frame. A pair of spaced levers are attached to and extend radially outwardly from each of the pivot sleeves and rotate in unison with the trailing arms. An annular elastomer spring is located between a pair of metal end plates which are pivotally mounted on and located between the spaced levers. One of the end plates is connected to the lever by a hollow shaft and another shaft is connected to the other end plate and extends through the elastomer spring and into the hollow shaft to maintain the spring in axial alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: David A. Weitzenhof, Charles F. Sayre
  • Patent number: 4623525
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the stabilization against water of solutions of poly(dichlorophosphazene) through the utilization of water reacting complexes of substituted silicon, tin, germanium or titanium chlorides which are complexed with a tertiary amine base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William L. Hergenrother, John W. Fieldhouse, Adel F. Halasa
  • Patent number: 4622365
    Abstract: Guayule-type resins are chemically treated with an amine terminated polyether. The polyether treated guayule resins have high softening points and usually impart improved physical properties when used as rubber additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William W. Scholman, Jr., James A. Davis
  • Patent number: 4620402
    Abstract: A penetrating roofing fastening and sealing system for securing a flexible sheet, having a plurality of apertures, to the upper surface of a roof via the use of a plurality of spaced penetrating fastening and sealing devices, each of which includes upper and lower retainers, wherein the latter are anchored to the roofing surface and the elastomeric sheet has a continuous peripheral portion, adjacent each aperture, confined between opposing flange portions of the upper and lower retainers, the retainers being clamped together in a sealing relationship with the interposed sheet portion. A method for securing and sealing the flexible sheet to the roofing substrate is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Heinz W. Beneze
  • Patent number: D288680
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Bill J. Wallet
  • Patent number: D288916
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Bill J. Wallet
  • Patent number: D288917
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Bill J. Wallet
  • Patent number: D289275
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Silvana Hinrichsen