Abstract: Inside a tight sealed chamber defined between a rim and a tire of a pneumatic tire wheel for vehicles, there is provided a predetermined amount of a two-phase system in a substantially balanced state at the tire temperature and inflation pressure. The two-phase system comprises a liquid in a balanced state with its own vapor contained within a sealed, elastically deformable toric bladder which is mounted to the rim. By changing the amount of heat in the two-phase system so as to change its balance condition, a variation is obtained in the inflation pressure of the tire.

Abstract: A dual-chamber pneumatic tire having two separate concentric annular air chambers. The outermost air chamber, disposed behind the tire tread normally in contact with the ground has a relatively small volume, is toroidal and substantially elliptical in cross-section and is inflated at a higher pressure than the innermost chamber disposed in the remaining volume of the tire. The two chambers are separated by an elastically deformable, collapsible partition wall or diaphragm which is integrally attached to the interior tread surface near the sidewalls or which is, alternatively, made removable. The low pressure innermost chamber is inflated by means of a conventional air valve or by a regulator valve between the innermost chamber and the outermost chamber, while the outermost chamber is inflated by means of an air valve connected to the wall or diaphragm by means of flexible hose, or, alternatively by a valve disposed at the base of the tire sidewalls.

Abstract: A tire for a motorcycle having an arcuate shaped cross-section with a height to width ratio between 0.20 and 0.35 and a carcass reinforcing structure having first and second strips. The first strip is made up of mutually parallel cords having a thickness not exceeding 80 cords/dm at an angle between 22.degree. and 35.degree. to the equatorial plane. The second (radial outer) strip also has mutually parallel cords but these cords, as compared with those of the first strip, have less thickness, a lower elasticity modulus and are at an angle between 18.degree. and 30.degree. and in the opposite sense with respect to the tire equatorial plane.

Abstract: A radial tire for motor cycles having a belt layer composed of a first belt ply B1, a second belt ply B2 and a third belt ply B3 with includes a respective base part of A1, A2 and A3 superimposed one upon another on a carcass. The first belt ply B1 has lateral skirts F folded radially outwardly at both lateral edges of the base part A1. The skirts F cover the lateral cut end of the second belt ply B2 and are overlapped with the third belt ply B3 so as to improve the adhesion to the tire rubber and the rigidity of the tread shoulder. Furthermore, the ratio BW/TW of the belt width BW to the tread width TW is set to be 0.75 or more, the ratio FW/TW of the skirt width FW to the tread width TW is set to be 0.01 to 0.35, and the ratio OW/FW of the overlapped width OW to the skirt width FW is set to be 0.7 or more.

Abstract: The reinforcement for the bead of e.g. a pneumatic type, a rolling lobe diaphragm or an air spring is constructed by winding onto a mandrel or former superimposed layers alternately of unsheathed wire and flat, uncured rubber strip. Rubber is wound on before wire winding commences and continues after wire winding stops, so that the assembly exposes no cut wire end. After the winding operation the assembly is subjected to heat and pressure with all the wire embedded in and surrounded by an integrated, vulcanized rubber body.The rubber layers may be parallel with and on opposite sides of the layers of spaced wire windings or a given rubber winding may have wire windings on its radially opposite sides.The windings, both of rubber and wire, may be discrete loops or may be made by helically winding a single rubber strip or wire. The shape of the assembly as well as the volume of rubber at any position therein may be controlled by varying the tension under which the rubber strip and/or the wire is wound.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire bead is formed into a spiral coil consisting of a plurality of convolutions or turns of wire. The wire may be round, square, oval or hexagonal in cross section. A crimp or offset bend is made in each of the convolutions a distance of one wire width or a fraction of the wire width in each full 360 degree wire turn such that the ends of the bead wire permit the bead side walls to remain in flat parallel planes. This offset relationship reduces nonuniformity in the tire heretofore produced by spirally wound wire beads. The bead wire can be wound in a vertical plane or in a radial spiral clock-like spring fashion. In another embodiment a pair of mirror image offset coils are joined together to form a composite bead preferably for use in heavy duty applications. In still another embodiment a single flat hoop may be placed between a pair of mirror image offset coils to increase resistance to circumferential distortion.

Abstract: A self-healing tire system containing a tire casing, a tacky sealant material, an inner tube and anti-tack material is described. In one embodiment, either the surface of the inner tube or the inner surface of the tire casing is coated with the tacky sealant material. The surface of the sealant, the opposing surface or both are coated with the anti-tack material. The anti-tack material renders the sealant non-tacky for a sufficient time so that the inner tube can be inserted and inflated. However, the anti-tack material allows the sealant surface to become tacky again thereby adhering to the tube and providing for sealing of the tube when it is punctured. In another embodiment, a release agent is contained between the sealant and the tire casing which facilitates removal of the sealant and tube from the tire casing.

Abstract: A device for improving the winter road holding properties of automobiles is disclosed, which includes anti-skid members arranged in grooves in tire treads so as to surround lugs of the tread. A long working life of the anti-skid members may be attained if means are provided for moving the anti-skid members between non-retracted settings and retracted positions in which the anti-skid members are in the grooves.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radial tire in which each sidewall covering and protecting the side face of the carcass is composed of a plurality of layers differing in rubber composition. In the radial tire according to the invention, the sidewall has a three-layer structure consisting of an adjesive layer adjacent to the carcass, an inner layer disposed outwardly thereon and an outer layer disposed further outwardly thereon. The rubber components in the rubber compositions respectively constituting the three layers differ in proportions of the rubber having as low degree of unsaturation and the rubber having a high degree of unsaturation and the high-unsaturation rubber content decreases in the order of adhesive layer, inner layer and out layer. While retaining the endurance characteristics and ozone resistance of the conventional tires, the radial tire according to the invention is improved in that its good appearance can be prevented from being spoiled by staining or discoloration of its side portions.

Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire and rim assembly comprising a pair of bead cores, a carcass, a belt, and a pair of bead apexes, wherein in at least one of the bead portions, when the tire is mounted on a normal rim specified for the tire and inflated to a normal pressure, a thickness center line of a carcass turnup portion between two points is cured and located axially inward of a straight line drawn between the two points, the quotient (X/HR) of the axial distance (X) of the inner end (Q2) of the bead core from a bead heel point (Q1), to the height (HR) of a flange of the normal rim is in a range of 0.8 to 1.05, wherein the bead heel point (Q1) is defined as in intersection of an extension of the outer surface of the bead portion with an extension of the bead base, and the quotient (Y/HR) of the radial distance (Y) from the radially outer end (Q3) of the flange of the rim to the radially outer end (Q4) of the bead core, to the height (HR) of the flange of the rim is in a range of 0 to 0.3.

Abstract: A vehicle tire in which pressurized air is charged into an air tight inside of a tire together with from 5% to 95% by volume of a fluid having a specific gravity greater than that of air based on 100% by volume of the pressurized air and from 1% to 20% by weight of one or more of fine metals of metal oxide particles, uniformly dispersed in the fluid, based on 100% by weight of the fluid, the metal ingredient of the particles being selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ba, Mg, and Mo.Water is desirable as the fluid charged in the tire, and the highly water absorbing polymer swollen with water may be used instead of water. Running stability and the braking distance of a vehicle can be improved remarkably.

Abstract: An anti-skid chain for a vehicle tire comprises an inner and outer harness. The outer side harness comprises a closed loop harness line with elastic expansion members acting as a damping elements. A locking device is attached at one end of the harness line and a tensioning chain at the other end passes through the locking device, which permits movement of the tensioning chain for tensioning and prevents movement in the opposite direction. The inner side harness comprises a ring-shaped resilient stirrup which can be elastically spread apart for slipping across the tire tread. Closure members on the free ends of the stirrup lock the stirrup closed on release of the stirrup.

Abstract: A wheel and axle assembly is provided for a vehicle having on onboard system for controlling the pressure of air in a tire of the vehicle. The assembly comprises a stationary axle housing and a rotatable hub which carries the vehicle tire and which is mounted on the axle housing for rotation thereabout by first and second axially spaced bearing units each having inner and outer races and tapered roller bearings therebetween. Axially spaced first and second seal assemblies are provided between the axle housing and hub to provide a sealed air chamber therebetween, and one of the bearing units is in the air chamber adjacent the first seal assembly which is connected to a source of air under pressure on the vehicle. The flow path extends through the air chamber and includes a port in the hub opening into the chamber and connected in flow communication with the vehicle tire.

Abstract: An off-the-road heavy duty pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass of radial structure and a belt superimposed about a crown portion of the carcass, wherein the carcass profile in a radial section at temporary self-posture state of mounting onto a rim has a concave form between two particular contact points with respect to a straight line in parallel to the rotational axis of the tire at both sides of the equator and main belt layers constituting the belt are arranged along the concave carcass profile between the above two contact points.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a carcass made up of layers of cord materials and extending from one bead to the other bead, a tread portion disposed radially outwardly of the carcass and extending in a circumferential direction of the tire, a belt layer of at least one belt disposed between the carcass and the tread portion, and a reinforcing layer disposed between the tread portion and the belt layer, wherein the reinforcing layer is formed by spirally hooping two continuous ribbon materials, each of which is composed of two to twelve cord materials covered with rubber and has a ribbon width of 4-11 mm, on the belt layer in the circumferential direction so that the lateral edges of the belt layer are covered and that the ends of each ribbon material do not overlap each other, and wherein one of the ribbon materials is hooped in two or more layers at one laterally outer end portion of the belt layer and the other ribbon material is hooped in two or more layers at an opposite laterally outer end portion of the be

Abstract: Described herein is a crossband device to be mounted on a vehicle tire to prevent tire slips on snowy roads. The crossband device including an inner ring detachably fixable to the outer side of a wheel of the vehicle, an outer ring rotatably supported on the inner ring, a plural number of elastically deformable leaf springs extended radially outward from the outer ring, anti-slip crossbands extended contiguously from the fore ends of the leaf springs crosswise of the tread surface of the tire, and an endless circumferential band interconnecting the crossbands. The crossbands are turnable to and from a position on the tread surface of the tire and a position away from the tread surface by elastic deformation of the respective leaf springs.

Abstract: A stud link is provided for a tire protection and/or antiskid chain, and includes a link body having at least one attachment opening for chain links that are to be attached to the stud link. The link body also has a wear portion that is provided with at least two recesses disposed next to one another on sides of the link body, with the recesses being spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction of the link body. At least a portion of the recesses have a groove-like configuration and extend at an angle relative to a transverse central plane of the link body.

Abstract: Antiskid apparatus comprising a first doglegged linkage of two rods which are pivotally connected together on one end and a second doglegged linkage of two rods which are pivotally connected together on one end, the linkages being pivotally connected in the middle of the respective rods to form a pantograph. A circular support member is pivotally mounted on the open end of each of the rods, and a thin-plate-shaped gripping member is fixed to each of the support members. Each of the gripping members comprises a ground contact portion that contacts the tire tread and covers at least a part of the width of the tread and a mounting portion that contacts the tire sidewall. In one embodiment, the linkage is held in a specified form by means of a holder, and the apparatus is mounted on the tire by securing hooks of tighteners in positions corresponding to the tire wheel holes, the hooks being provided at the top of the tighteners.

Abstract: An off-the-road heavy duty pneumatic radial tire running on severely rough roads comprises a rubber reinforcing layer having a partial crescent shape in section and a JIS hardness of 55.degree..about.75.degree. and a particular thickness distribution over a range from the bead portion to the vicinity of the belt end portion as a reinforcement for the sidewall portion, whereby the stable running performances and the carcass durability in bead portion can simultaneously be improved to give good resistance to lateral rolling and followability on uneven road surface to the vehicle running on rough roads.

Abstract: A high speed labeling machine and method is provided for transferring labels to articles such as cans; the labeling machine includes a device for supplying articles to be labeled, a label transfer wheel provided with individual groups of closely spaced vacuum holddown ports to enable a succession of closely spaced labels to be supported by the transfer wheel and carried by the transfer wheel to the articles, and a pressure severing device for releasing the label from a carrier stock for subsequent transfer from a transfer wheel to the article to be labeled; sprocket holes are utilized to align very precisely a label; such labels may be die cut on the printing press and retained on the carrier by pinpoint attachments or they may be die cut as the label is advanced; in a preferred embodiment, single layer label tapes with release agent on one surface and a pressure sensitive adhesive on the other surface provide added advantages of smaller spool sizes and faster speeds; single layer label tapes also make tamper