Abstract: A tread structure for pneumatic tires, especially for motor vehicles, having two circumferential ribs which include essentially rectangular blocks; these blocks are arranged sequentially one after the other in the circumferential direction of the tire, and are separated from each other by S-shaped fine slits. Several circumferential main grooves extend in a zig-zag manner in such a way as to form angles of 90.degree.. Respective separating grooves separate the tread from the sidewalls of the tire. Three main grooves are provided which enclose the two circumferential ribs of essentially rectangular blocks. The central main groove is located in the zenith portion of the tire; the outer main grooves are respectively connected with the adjacent separating grooves by transverse grooves which are disposed at a slight incline to the transverse direction. The tread profile depth is at most 5 mm.

Abstract: A rubber sheet bonding apparatus useable particularly in forming tires, for supplying an unvulcanized rubber sheet (11) to a forming drum (1) to bond it around the outer peripheral surface of the drum (1) and to form a joint at a portion along the periphery thereof so that the rubber sheet (11) is formed cylindrical, in which in order to prevent incomplete joints due to contraction of the rubber sheet (11), the front portion of the rubber sheet (11) is stretched by a given amount and after that, the rubber sheet (11) is supplied to the drum (1) and wound around a major portion of the entire periphery of the drum (1), and then the trailing rubber sheet portion is cut such that the trailing rubber sheet portion is equal in length to the remaining portion of the periphery of the drum.

Abstract: A method of making radial pneumatic tires substantially reduces or eliminates sidewall indentations in the inflated tire. A plurality of cuts is made in one end of each layer of ply fabric where the end of the ply fabric overlaps the other end to form a splice which results in the generally annular shape of the ply layer. The cuts extend in a direction generally transverse to the end edge and preferably have a length which is approximately the same as the width of the overlap of the cut edge with the other edge. The cuts prevent overtensioning of the ply cords, which otherwise result in sidewall indentations.

Abstract: A run-flat pneumatic tire having an annular structural compression element in the inside surface of the crown thereof, which compression element is stabilized by a multiplicity of closely spaced spoke-like radial elements in the tire sidewalls such that de-pressurized operation of the tire without damage is possible. The compression element is a helix with closely spaced coils wound from a rod of a cross-sectional shape selected from various solid and tubular configurations. Round, square, and rectangular coil cross-sectional configurations are shown as are interlocking convex/concave, tongue/groove arrangements. Methods of installing the helical compression element in the tire as by winding up the helix to reduce its diameter such that it can pass through the beads, or by introducing one end of an end coil of the helix over one of the beads into the interior of the tire and providing a relative rotation to feed the helix into the tire are taught.

Abstract: A banded radial run-flat tire having a band with a dual-modulus of bending deflection behavior. Bands producing various basic dual-modulus characteristics are disclosed. In one type, the band has a greater resistance to bending forces tending to decrease its local radius of curvature than to those tending to flatten it. In a second type, bending stiffness increases with increasing stress irrespective of the bending direction. In a third type, a two-step modulus is demonstrated in which deflection is initially resisted at one rate and final deflection is resisted at a higher rate. Various embodiments of the band are disclosed in which the various types of dual-modulus behavior are obtained either by mechanical structural means or by internal geometry means.

Abstract: The endless band-like portion of a chain for the tires of heavy duty automotive vehicles is assembled of substantially square main links and U-shaped shackles. Each link has a base plate which engages the tread of the tire and an outer plate which engages the ground and is spaced apart from and defines with the base plate a compartment containing projections which extend from the base plate and/or outer plate and serve to engage and retain detent members on the legs of the shackles. Each link has at least one yoke disposed in a plane extending at right angles to the respective plates and engaging the web of a shackle whose legs are anchored in the compartment of a neighboring link. At least one leg of each shackle has a spur which cooperates with the web of an adjacent shackle to prevent the extraction of legs from the compartment wherein the legs are anchored as a result of engagement of their detent members with the projections of the respective link.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for applying an envelope-type wrapping to tire bead rings. The apparatus and method are particularly useful when the wrapping material is to be applied directly over a lubricant coating on the bead ring. The apparatus includes a radially expansible drum, and an inflatable bladder that covers the drum and is interposed, along with the wrapping material, between the bead ring and the drum. According to the method of the invention, the bladder is inflated and rolled over in a desired sequence of steps to apply an envelope wrapping to the bead ring.

Abstract: In pneumatic radial tires for running on rough ground, which are useful for applying to construction vehicles and provided with a tread reinforcing layer composed of a plurality of belts embedded in a crown portion of the tires, which surrounds a carcass composed of at least one cord layer arranged in radial plane of the tire, said tread reinforcing layer comprises a pair of main intersecting belts having different belt width in which cords are arranged so as to intersect with each other across an equator of the tire, and supplemental two belts arranged in the inside and outside of said pair of main intersecting belts respectively, in which cords have an elongation at breakage of at least 40% larger than that of the cords of the main intersecting belts, and an angle of the cords in the belt having the smaller width in the main intersecting belts with respect to the above described equator is 2.degree.-9.degree.

Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire having an improved durability is disclosed. This tire comprises a carcass of a bias structure composed of at least 12 rubberized laminated ply layers each containing organic fiber cords embedded therein, and divided into three inner, middle and outer ply groups by three bead cores, the cords of which are crossed with each other, as a reinforcement for a toroidal casing inclusive of a tread. In a region extending from an upper area of a bead portion of the casing within a range of 0.15 to 0.45 times a tire height as measured from a bead base of the tire, at least an average cord distance between adjacent ply layers at the middle and outer ply groups is made substantially wider than at the inner ply group and a cord distance between adjacent ply layers at the outer ply group is made substantially not more than at the middle ply group.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the automatic assembly of a flexible interlayer sheet with one or more bent glass sheets using residual heat from bending the glass sheets to make the flexible interlayer sheet sufficiently tacky to avoid relative sliding between the sheets comprising the subassembly or sandwich that is assembled.

Abstract: A tread configuration for pneumatic vehicle tires, especially for spare tires. A number of recesses are arranged in succession and next to each other in the circumferential direction of the tire. Transverse ribs and substantially circumferential ribs separate the recesses from one another and have a width which is approximately 1/4 to 3/4 of the circumferential dimension of the recesses. The radially outwardly located peripheral surface of the tire is subdivided into several segments. Within each of the segments, the circumferential dimension of the recesses and of the transverse ribs is constant, and the circumferential dimension of the recesses and of the transverse ribs is different in successive segments. The recesses are of such a cross-sectional shape or outline that at least one boundary line thereof is formed by an edge of a transverse rib. At least some of the circumferential ribs extend at an angle to the circumferential direction of the tire.

Abstract: The band transfer device is provided between the band building device and tire building device, and on the side of the band transfer device facing the tire building device, is provided a bead supply means. This bead supply means comprises a bead retaining part having a plurality of divided segments movable in the radial direction and arranged in an expansible ring, and a bead kicking means for kicking a bead retained on the bead retaining part onto the bead ring of the tire building device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire suitable for all-year-round use comprising a tread profile in which--looking in the running direction--one half of the tire is formed from profile blocks separated from one another while the other half of the tire has a substantially continuous profile interrupted only by lamellae. The two halves of the tire are best made of different rubbers of which the properties are adapted to the particular tread profile.

Abstract: A run-flat pneumatic tire having an annular structural compression element in the inside surface of the crown thereof, which compression element is stabilized by a multiplicity of closely spaced spoke-like radial elements in the tire sidewalls such that de-pressurized operation of the tire without damage is possible. The compression element is a helix with closely spaced coils wound from a rod of a cross-sectional shape selected from various solid and tubular configurations. Round, square, and rectangular coil cross-sectional configurations are shown as are interlocking convex/concave, tongue/groove arrangements. Methods of installing the helical compression element in the tire as by winding up the helix to reduce its diameter such that it can pass through the beads, or by introducing one end of an end coil of the helix over one of the beads into the interior of the tire and providing a relative rotation to feed the helix into the tire are taught.

Abstract: A belt, band or other tire component folding machine and method are characterized by a rotatable and expandable drum comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical deck having a precisely formed peripheral deck edge and an inflatable bladder assembly positioned slightly axially and radially inwardly subjacent the deck edge which cooperate to define a precise fold line along the deck edge at which a ply or belt band or the like is precisely and sharply folded. Preferably, dual inflatable bladders are employed at each end of the deck, one bladder being contiguous to the other and arranged on inflation to walk up the precisely formed and contoured deck edge to turn up the overhanging band end, and the other arranged to push the first bladder axially inwardly to complete the fold of the band flat upon itself. A preferred form of deck comprises a plurality of readily replaceable segments which are mounted in a self-aligning manner on a radially expandable and rotatable hub.

Abstract: A tread configuration for pneumatic vehicle tires, especially for spare tires. A number of rectangular depressions are arranged in succession and next to each other in the circumferential direction of the tire. Transverse ribs and circumferential ribs separate the depressions from one another and have a width which is approximately 1/4 to 3/4 of the circumferential dimension of the depressions. The radially outwardly located peripheral surface of the tire is subdivided into several segments. The circumferential dimension of the depressions and of the transverse ribs is constant within each of the segments, and the circumferential dimension of the depressions and of the transverse ribs is different in successive segments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for aligning a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration for assembly with a position occupied by a flexible sheet of interlayer material to form a sandwich to be laminated.

Abstract: Assembly apparatus including a vacuum mold for supporting a flexible sheet of interlayer material for assembly against a bent glass sheet or between a pair of bent glass sheets of matching configuration has a first apertured wall shaped to conform to the shape of the bent glass, and a second apertured wall of conforming shape adapted for coupling to a vacuum source to form and hold the flexible sheet of interlayer material against the mold in unwrinkled condition. The mold is pivoted to a carriage from a mold loading orientation of convex elevational configuration to a mold unloading orientation of concave elevational configuration. Carriage movement between a mold loading station and an assembly station is correlated to the elevational configuration of the mold in assembling said flexible sheet of interlayer material against one or more bent glass sheets.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved method of producing corrugated cardboards, in which water suspension of raw starch is used as an adhesive. The raw starch is, after application thereof, heated to form gell or paste with dry steam prepared by reheating low-pressure steam with high-pressure steam. Also, disclosed is an apparatus for practicing the improved method.

Abstract: A high performance bicycle tire comprising a casing of untreated woven fabric in the form of a toroid about an inner tube, wherein the threads of the fabric are in bias alignment. A polyurethane tread is preferably secured about the periphery of the casing.