Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire with an annular body of resilient elastomeric material and an outer cylindrical member supported by circumferentially spaced-apart ribs, is provided with four vibration-reducing features. First, the tire has an outer tread surface with a crown radius. Secondly, the tread has a pattern with a plurality of circumferential grooves and lateral grooves arranged to reduce uneven contact pressures caused by radial forces carried by the tire's ribs. Thirdly, the spacing of the ribs is randomly varied around the circumference of the tire to broaden a vibration spectrum caused by the ribs and reduce peak vibrations. Fourthly, a wheel rim that supports the annular body is provided with a structurally incorporated hoop to reduce deflection of the wheel rim during tire operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus to longitudinally cut a cord reinforced rubber sheet into at least two strips of tire ply stock while the sheet is being conveyed past the apparatus. The apparatus includes a slitting device that utilizes shear-type action to cut through the sheet by the interaction of rotating disc-like upper and lower slitters. The upper slitter is power driven while the lower slitter is rotated by frictional contact between the upper and lower slitter. The apparatus may include a trimming device for trimming a boundary strip of the sheet. The trimming device also utilizes shear-type action to trim the sheet by rotating disc-like upper and lower trimmers similar to the upper and lower disc-like slitters of the slitting device.

Abstract: A high performance passenger tire features improved bead assemblies. The bead assemblies include a split ply formed of two short insert plies of rubberized steel cords bent around the bead cores with their inside ends extending radially outwardly from the bead cores a distance greater than the distance from their outside ends to the bead cores. The cords of the insert plies form low angles with respect to the circumferential center line of said tire. The bead assemblies have extended utility when utilized in high performance belted radial pneumatic tires.

Abstract: A tire building machine that allows for free axial movement of positioned beads towards a tire drum during expansion of the tire drum. The axial movement of the bead is effected by a rubber sleeve that envelops the tire drum and a pair of bead carrier assemblies, each one located axially outwardly of the drum. Subsequent to positioning the bead in a tire building process, the beads are locked into place by means attached to each of the bead carrier assemblies. Expansion of the drum causes the sleeve to effect inwardly axial movement of the bead carrier assemblies toward the drum carrying the tire beads towards the drum, and retraction of the drum causes outwardly axial movement of the bead carrier assemblies away from the drum.

Abstract: A curing press for tires is operated with a minimum curing time which will provide the near-optimum number of cure equivalents at the point of least cure without locating it. An average temperature for a particular period during the year is "set" in a programmable controller ("PC") based on minimum and maximum temperature measurements made in the curing room during the day and night over a preselected period of time. The actual ambient temperature is measured at the press, which temperature is essentially that of the green tire just before it is loaded in the prss. The PC controls operation of the press, and is used to provide a near-optimum but variable curing period, depending upon the difference between the "set" temperature and the actual (green tire) temperature, and whether it is greater than, or less than the "set" temperature, to provide a near-perfect cure without tracking the point of least cure.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting tires according to an alphanumeric code printed directly on the tread surface of each tire. Green (uncured) tires are supplied on a feed conveyor, single file, to a receiving station of a tire painting machine (tire painter), and each is elevated, then indexed to a painting station (booth) where the green tire is to be painted, inside and outside, before it is taken to a curing press. While in the elevated position in the booth, the code is optically read by a line-scan camera system, before the tire is painted. The information read is stored and processed by a microprocessor after it locates the code which determines how the tire is to be sorted, and disregards another production code not pertinent to the task at hand. A first programmable controller (PC) locates the horizontal center line of the tire, indexes to the next of three station in the painter on cue, and imparts rotation to the tire so that the camera system can perform its functions.

Abstract: A machine for testing the uniformity of tires. The machine comprises: a test spindle configured to receive a rim supporting a tire; an index table having a pair of index spindles; indexing means to rotate the index table whereby the index spindles may move a tire between an operator loading station and an index station; a loader robot adapted to move between the test spindle and the index station for transporting therebetween a tire; a roadwheel movable between a retracted position out of contact with a tire and an advanced position in driving contact with a test tire; motor means to rotate the roadwheel while in its advanced position; and transducer means coupled to the test spindle to determine vibrations of the test tire when rotated by the roadwheel as caused by non-uniformities within the tire. Also disclosed is a method for testing tires as with the disclosed machine.

Abstract: A process for disposing of toxic organic waste fluids comprising contacting a polymeric carrier particle, such as ground tire rubber, with a toxic organic fluid that dissolves in the solid polymeric carrier. The waste fluid dissolved in the polymeric carrier forms a stable product for transportation and incineration.

Abstract: A rim assembly and a spindle assembly including locking ramps for releasably coupling them for concurrent rotation. The rim assembly has an exterior peripheral flange, an interior axial opening, a plurality of locking ramps extending radially inwardly into the opening with locking ramps having inclined surfaces on one face thereof. The spindle assembly has a taper body with an exterior face to be received within the opening of the rim assembly, a locking rotor coupled to the taper body, locking ramps extending radially outwardly therefrom with inclined surfaces on one face thereof couplable with the inclined surfaces of the rim assembly upon the rotation of said locking rotor. Locking pins are also included to lock the locking rotor in a first orientation with respect to the taper body when the inclined surfaces of the assemblies are out of contact. Also disclosed are the assemblies, per se.

Abstract: Pressure is controlled in plural stages of a shaping system for a green tire in a curing press, so that each successive shaping stage is completed when a target pressure for that stage is reached. A radial tire is preferably shaped in three stages in the first of which a first target pressure in the range from 2 psig to 5 psig is the desired shaping pressure; in the second stage, a second target pressure in the range from 7-10 psig is desired; in the third stage, a third target pressure in the range from 10-15 psig is desired. A pressure transducer (PT) senses the pressure in a bladder, one PT for each bladder. A programmable controller (PC) which controls operation of the press, stores and executes a sequence of instructions which determine the optimum desired shaping pressure for each stage, computed from the type and size of the tire to be cured, the period of time the press is down before it is loaded, and the number of heats on each bladder.

Abstract: A tire building machine including flanges which have a surface to allow for the positioning and disengagement of a tire. The positioning and disengagement of the tire on the machine is effected by the surface interaction between the bead portions of the tire and the surface area of the flange. The surface area of the flange in the present invention includes a plurality of bead portion bearing surfaces to facilitate the release of the bead portions. In addition, the surface area of the flange is designed to reduce friction between the bead portions and the flange.