Abstract: A tire molding system includes a mold having a surface defining a cavity for receiving and shaping an uncured tire. The uncured tire is pressed against the surface defining the cavity. Fluid is evacuated from between the uncured tire and the surface defining the cavity. A recess extends from the cavity for forming a marking on the sidewall of the tire. A passage fluidly communicates the recess with the exterior of the mold. The passage includes a first end portion adjacent the recess and a second end portion adjacent the exterior of the mold. The second end portion extends for a distance less than one-half of the total length of the passage. A restrictor is located entirely within the second end portion of the passage for restricting fluid flow through the passage during the evacuation of fluid and before the recess is sealed off from the cavity by the uncured tire when the uncured tire is pressed against the surface defining the cavity.

Abstract: A tire having a mid-circumferential plane and comprising a plurality of circumferentially arranged tread blocks for contacting a road surface. Surfaces define a pair of substantially parallel grooves extending transverse to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire for at least partially defining each of the tread blocks. A channel separates each respective one of the plurality of tread blocks into a pair of tread elements. A first channel in a first tread block is oriented at a first angle relative to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire. The first angle varies from second and third angles at which second and third channels in respective second and third tread blocks adjacent the first tread block are oriented relative to the mid-circumferential plane of the tire.

Abstract: Joining elastomeric sheets includes providing a support surface with a cavity therein. End portions of the elastomeric sheets are overlapped so each end portion spans the cavity. A tool is located on a side of the elastomeric sheets opposite the cavity. A portion of the tool is moved into the cavity to deform the end portions of the elastomeric sheets and to form a joint having less than the combined thickness of the end portions of the elastomeric sheets prior to deformation.

Abstract: An apparatus for building a tire comprises a supply of elastomeric sheet material of a predetermined length and having spaced apart first and second end portions. A plurality of parallel extending reinforcing members are contained in the elastomeric sheet material of which adjacent reinforcing members are spaced apart a substantially equal first distance. An embosser for elastically deforming the first and second end portions of the elastomeric sheet material increases the distance between the adjacent reinforcing members in each of the first and second end portions to a second distance greater than the first distance. A drum is provided to receive the elastomeric sheet material with the first and second end portions overlapped. A mold is provided to bond together the first and second end portions of the elastomeric material in the overlapped portion under heated pressure to form a joint.

Abstract: These polymers are copolymers or overpolymers having a substrate of styrene butadiene copolymer overpolymerized with an amine substituted alkyl acrylate. The polymers promote adhesion between organic and inorganic substrates and unsaturated polymers.

Abstract: In a tire mold having a pair of mold parts separable about cooperating surfaces of the respective mold parts which define a parting line region, each of the mold parts includes a surface defining at least a portion of a cavity for shaping a tire. The tire mold further includes a plurality of pockets for defining a respective plurality of circumferentially arranged tread elements in the tire. The improvement comprises a vacuum source in fluid communication with the cavity of the tire mold for evacuating fluid from the cavity in the tire mold through a space located between the surfaces of the mold parts which define the parting line region. A vent fluidly connects a pair of adjacent pockets. A passage associated with one of the mold parts provides fluid communication between the vacuum source and one of the pair of adjacent pockets connected by the vent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a whitened polymeric blend composition in which the whiteness is achieved by the substitution of from about 0 to about 20 parts per hundred rubber of calcium sulfate for from about 0 to about 20 parts per hundred rubber of titanium dioxide by volume. The invention allows for a reduction of up to 20 percent of the titanium dioxide, while maintaining a brightness of at least 85 as measured on the L scale of the Minolta Chroma Meter test.

Abstract: A container for an uncured radial tire assembly having a tread portion and a sidewall joined at a shoulder and having a bead portion located axially outwardly of the sidewall. The container comprises a base and a frustoconical surface attached to the base. The frustoconical surface is for engaging the shoulder of the tire assembly to support the tire assembly with the bead portion and sidewall extending axially from the tire assembly substantially without deforming. The frustoconical surface is capable of supporting more than one size tire assembly. Two containers are stackable so a tire assembly is supported in one of the containers without being contacted by the other container.

Abstract: An apparatus for building a tire having an inner liner to which a sealant strip is to be laminated, comprises a rotary drum having a surface in which a trough or "groove" is provided. The depth of the groove corresponds approximately to the thickness of a layer of an elastomeric sealant which is to be placed in the groove. If the walls of the groove are contoured so as to confine the sealant layer in a specified manner while accommodating the thermo-viscous properties of the laminate, the completed first stage carcass may be removed without damaging the sealant layer which is adhered to the inner liner.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing radial force variations of pneumatic tires by removing rubber in selected areas of the tire wherein a tire is rotated at a suitable high speed for nongrinding functions such as warmup and testing and the tire is rotated at a suitable slow speed for removing rubber from the selected areas of the tire. A tire with distinct suitable texture features was unexpectantly found using an apparatus and method.

Abstract: A carcass for a self-sealing pneumatic tire is constructed by starting with an extruded thin flat strip of puncture sealant both surfaces of which are detackified. The strip is place on a building drum and its upper surface is wiped clean so that an inner liner may be adhered to it. Thereafter, the carcass is conventionally completed with superimposed successive layers of belts, and tread along with bead rings, etc. The carcass is then cured in a conventional curing press so that the sealant is cured by contact with the curing bladder. The curing sealant is not restrained in any way, but does not flow. Alternatively, a laminate of the sealant is formed with the inner liner, with only the exposed surface of the sealant detackified so that it adheres neither to the building drum nor to the curing bladder. The detackifier remains on the sealant.

Abstract: A split tire mold having a tread ring in which provision is made for venting air circumferentially across the inner surface of the tread ring so that the air escapes from the parting line of the mold halves, dispenses with widely used, conventional, radially protruding vent stubs. The air is vented through "butterfly-shaped" or "double-wedge-shaped" arch-vents which provide passage for trapped air above each tread block of the tread as it is moved against the inner surface of the tread ring. The shape of the arch-vent passages and the angulation of the wedges is critical to the effectiveness of the arch-vent which forms an arch-vent bridge of cured rubber in a cured tire. The configuration of the bridge allows as cured tire to be easily removed from the mold cavity without leaving a broken-off piece of the rubber bridge to plug the arch-vents. This arch-vent design leaves unobtrusive flat-sided, narrow wedge-shaped pieces of rubber as the arch-vent stubs, tapered in two directions.