Abstract: A vehicular pneumatic tire which, except for bead cores, is composed solely of an elastomeric blend strengthened by molecular orientation. The blend is a monoolefin copolymer rubber with a polyolefin and sufficient curing agents to effect vulcanization when the blend is subjected to heat and pressure. The process for making the tire comprises preforming an annulus of the elastomeric blend with bead cores adjacent the edges, the diameter of the preform being essentially that of the bead diameter of the completed tire and the axial distance between the beads less than the transverse arcuate dimension of the completed tire. The preform is cured and while still hot following curing, is stretched and shaped to final size and the generally toroidal form characteristic of conventional pneumatic tires with resulting biaxial molecular orientation, which orientation is retained in the tire by cooling it below the melting point of the polyolefin before removing the tire from the mold.

Abstract: Mechanism for retracting a vehicle seat belt and locking the belt against extension includes a track mounted on the vehicle body and a belt carriage mounted on the track for movement in the belt extending and retracting directions. A return spring biases the carriage in the belt retracting direction. The belt carriage has a locking knife edge engageable with a knife edge on the track to lock the belt carriage against belt extending movement when the carriage is pivoted bodily relative the track. A spring mounted on the carriage slidably bears upon the track to urge the carriage to a normal position wherein the locking edge is spaced from engagement with the track. The seat belt is attached to the carriage by a yoke which bodily pivots the carriage to engage the locking edge with the track upon attempted rapid extension of the belt.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety interlock system that is associated with the door of a vehicle such as the door of a school bus, and which assures that the door of the vehicle is not inadvertently open and that certain safe conditions exist before the door can be opened. The safety interlock system comprises an electrically actuated locking mechanism, that includes a manual override, for locking the door handle of the vehicle. Forming a part of the safety interlock system along with the locking mechanism is an array of switch control means, all of which must be simultaneously actuated in order to unlock and release the door handle in order that the door be opened. First, the array of switch control means includes two independent switches that must be actuated by two separate individuals, preferably the driver of the vehicle and another individual such as the passenger or a monitor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for carrying golf clubs which includes a molded upper plate having individual holes for the handles and shafts of the clubs to be carried and having contoured surfaces coinciding with the loft angle of golf club irons so that each iron is maintained with its striking face in contact with a mating surface while it is being transported in the device, and with each contoured surface being longer than the corresponding surface of the golf club whereby, when the device is oriented with the gold clubs vertical, the contoured surfaces extend to a higher elevation than any portion of the heads of the golf clubs.

Abstract: A steerable plastic sled molded in one piece and requiring no factory assembly labor. The sleds are readily stackable, one above the other and within each other to provide minimum bulk during shipment. The sled includes a rear sitting section and a front leg section joined by a relatively flexible pleated or bellows-like section that permits the sled to flex in the horizontal plane to permit steering and to flex in the vertical plane to allow the sled to conform to uneven terrain. The sled includes a set of molded in runners.In a second embodiment of the invention, there is provided a windshield which is joined to the front leg section by a molded living hinge and is secured to the leg section by rivets, bolts or the like. The windshield includes provision for steering.Both embodiments are nestable and stackable for storage or shipment.

Abstract: A traction device for a motor vehicle comprising a hose connecting the vehicle's exhaust pipe to an air pressure pump inlet. The outlet of the pump is detachably connected to the inlet valve of the vehicle's tire. An outlet valve for exiting cold air is connected to another hose communicating with a temperature gage and a pressure gage.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel having a detachable rim ring with a rim flange. The fastening means for the rim ring may be covered by a detachable plate which also seals off an air duct which leads to the hollow interior of the tire.

Abstract: A protector for the projecting forward end of a hockey skate blade consists of a one-piece moulding of tough resilient plastics material which conforms to the shape of the forward end of the blade and provides a pair of side flanges extending rearwardly from the frontal portion to lie against opposite sides of the blade adjacent the forward end. As applied to a conventional hockey skate having a toe portion extending from the forward end of the blade to the sole plate, the protector may be secured to the blade by means of integral, inwardly facing, opposed abutment flanges which engage the rear edge of the tow portion. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the toe bracket by which the blade is connected to the sole plate includes an elongated bifurcated portion consisting of a pair of bracket members defining therebetween a slot having a frontal opening, and the protector has a medial web which extends into the slot and is retained by the bracket members.

Abstract: A combination sled and wagon comprising a vehicle having first and second sides, runners disposed on the first and second sides, the sides having open ended slots therein, wheels mounted on axles adapted to be disposed in the slots and adapted to be removed therefrom, the wheels being operative to support the vehicle when the axles are disposed in the slots, and the runners being operative to support the vehicle when the axles are removed from the slots.

Abstract: Improved bumper construction for motor vehicles comprising first and second bumper members, the second bumper member having brackets for mounting the same to the frame of a vehicle, the first bumper member slideably carried on the second bumper member, a flexible air container disposed between the bumper members, a yieldable member associated with the bumper members for yieldably urging the first bumper member inwardly in respect to the second bumper member and against the air container, the air container having an air inlet valve and air outlet valves, whereby, in the event of collision of the vehicle in which the first bumper member is forced inwardly thereof, air escapes from the air container at a controlled rate to absorb the energy of the collision.

Abstract: A tubeless tire for a vehicle of the type adapted to be mounted on a one-piece undetachable rim of the drop-center type is provided. The tire is suitable for use with a rim having its bead-seats for the tire beads shaped like a truncated cone with the vertex axially turned towards the inside of the rim. The tire has beads having bead bases which are substantially frustum shaped for combining with the bead-seat of the rim. The angle of inclination of the beads is approximately the same as that of the bead seat. The tire beads are provided with reinforcing metallic wire cores which comprise a plurality of metallic turns closely wound together so as to constitute substantially a massive annular element that is circumferentially inextensible and has a cross-section of a polygonal shape. The core base is the radially innermost side of the polygon with respect to the tire.

Abstract: A drill rig hoist has a central shaft upon which a drum is mounted for free rotation. The shaft projects beyond the drum, and has at one end a caliper mounting plate secured to the shaft for rotation with the shaft. Clutch calipers mounted on the caliper mounting plate embrace a clutch rotor fixed to the drum. The drum also has a brake rotor mounted on it. Brake calipers, fixed to a base frame, embrace the brake rotor. The calipers are hydraulically operated, and an accumulator is provided in hydraulic lines to each of the brake and the clutch calipers.

Abstract: A seat belt assembly having opposite end portions and first and second anchor structures for anchoring the opposite end portions of the belt assembly relative to a vehicle is provided. One of the anchor structures is provided with latch structure releasably anchoring the corresponding belt assembly end portion and includes actuator structure operative, when actuated, to release the corresponding end portion from the one anchor structure. A first end portion of the belt assembly includes a flexible section thereof and control structure is provided for the actuator structure including a portion shiftable between first and second positions and the shiftable portion is engaged with the flexible belt end portion section deflecting the latter from a generally straight condition and operative to increasingly deflect the flexible portion in response to shifting from the second position thereof toward the first portion.

Abstract: A plurality of metal cross chains are provided which are interconnected with one another by means of inboard and outboard rope connectors. Various means are provided for adjusting the size and determining the tightness of the tire chain structure when assembled on the tire, such as a plurality of removable crown loop length adjustment devices each comprising a helix of metal wire retained by a hinged retainer lever mounted upon U-loops in the rope connectors.

Abstract: A reinforced construction of bead portions of radial tires for heavy load vehicles such as trucks, buses etc., which is well balanced in rigidity and which has an excellent durability is disclosed. The construction includes a first reinforcing layer and a second reinforcing layer, the first reinforcing layer being substantially continuously extended from a height covering both the upper ends of the second reinforcing layer and of the turned-up portion of the carcass ply to the inside surface of the carcass ply, the second reinforcing layer being interposed between the turned-up portion of the carcass ply and the first reinforcing layer, the axially inside portion of said first reinforcing layer which is disposed along the inside of the carcass ply having an upper end whose height h.sub.1 from the bead base portion is given byh.sub.1 =(0.8 to 2.5)h.sub.0where h.sub.

Abstract: Improved assembly for removably securing an inflatable tire about a vehicle wheel includes a latching ring disposed in a circumferential receiving groove in the bead seat of the wheel adjacent the inner face of the tire bead. The latching ring includes a portion protruding above the bead seat for retaining the tire in place and a portion shearable by a force applied to the outwardly facing surface of the tire bead in excess of the force encountered during rotation of the vehicle wheel, whereby the tire may be removed without damage upon shearing of the shearable portion.

Abstract: A tread reinforcement of an off the road tire for heavy carrier vehicles comprises at least three plies, two of which each have a strength substantially less than the third, one of these two plies having its edges folded at least around the edges of the third.

Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire includes a carcass having a crown region and a tread portion surrounding the crown region. A reinforcement belt is disposed circumferentially about the crown region between the carcass and the tread. The reinforcement belt includes a first ply of tire cord fabric with two free lateral edge portions folded over upon itself to form two skirts and a main portion. The cords in the first ply are steel and lie at an angle of from about 16.degree. to about 32.degree. with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire. A second ply of tire cord fabric is superimposed upon the first ply. The cords in the second ply are of textile composition and are disposed at an angle of substantially 0.degree. with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire. The second ply fetters or restrains the first ply onto the carcass and imparts to the carcass a substantially flat cross-sectional configuration in the crown region.

Abstract: The drawings illustrate a pneumatic tubeless tire including internal support means. The internal support means comprises a three component system including an inner circumferentially oriented preloaded portion abutted against the wheel rim and normally supporting an outer portion consisting of an endless resilient ring, and an intermediate circumferentially split resilient ring. The latter ring is formed to include side surfaces which match the inner surfaces of the beaded ends for seating thereon when the tire becomes deflated, at which time the inner preloaded portion compresses.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is disclosed having a top belt under the tread, which belt comprises two superimposed plies made of cables having a high modulus of elasticity. The upper ply is narrower than the lower ply. Lateral strips, which are co-extensive with the circumferential length of the plies, are joined to each of the edges of the two plies. Each lateral strip is co-extensive with the ply to which it is joined and constitutes a layer of flexible circumferentially extending cables embedded in rubber and is joined end-to-end on a bias whose angle is the same as that of the respective plies to which they are joined.