Abstract: A run-flat pneumatic radial tire is equipped with a prestressed helical coil which is positioned inside the tire crown radially inwardly of the tread thereof. The coil is wound to approximately 50 percent of its free diameter to prestress it and the outer surface has a resin-impregnated tape applied thereto. The tape serves to hold the coil in a predetermined condition while the taped coil is cured. The taped coil can be co-cured in situ with the tire or prepared in advance of tire fabrication.

Abstract: This invention relates to a belt splice and a method of splicing a belt. The belt splice includes in its most basic form a single ply or wire fabric although when the belt is to be used in heavier conveyor systems, a multiple layer fabric weave may be utilized. The metallic fabric weave is inserted into openings sliced along the longitudinal axis of the ends of the belt which are to be spliced together with the metallic fabric weave being coated with cement prior to such insertion if necessary. The splice further includes filling material which may, if desired, be rubber which is inserted in the area of the splice prior to the vulcanization procedure. The method of splicing the belt includes the steps inferred by the above explanation of the belt splice and other method steps including the particular preferred angle at which the belt ends are cut and the particulars of the vulcanization process.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of large high pressure composite bottles. In accordance with the method, polar caps are placed on the ends of a reusable mandrel, which is then coated with an appropriate mold release and then coated or at least covered with a material which will become the internal protective coating for the finished bottle, and then coated with an impervious liner material. Thereafter, a few layers of windings of high strength resin impregnated filament are put on the mandrel and the resin is cured to make the internal protective coating and liner self-supporting. The resulting thin shell is then cut circumferentially near the middle thereof and the two halves are removed from the mandrel, then rebonded together so that the thin shell may act as a self-supporting mandrel over which the structural shell of the bottle is subsequently wound. This allows the original mandrel to be used over and over again as desired. Various details and variations of the method are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in the method by which elongate frame elements such as the spars in aircraft wings are fastened to the skin panels covering same where these skin panels are of the sandwich type having inner and outer facesheets with a core bonded therebetween, such method consisting of preparing the panel to receive its frame elements by cutting elongate grooves spanwise through the inner facesheet and the core therebeneath while leaving the outer facesheet intact; bridging the gap thus produced in the inner facesheet with one bundle of filaments adhesively bonded thereto, the latter being contained in a woven connector in the form of a strap or band running lengthwise of the groove, and this filament bundle forming an endless strand of yarn that is laid back and forth transversely across the gap in side-by-side parallel rows but which are parted at intervals for the side-by-side lays of at least one other similar yarn strand to pass therebetween in intersecting relation; adhesively-bon

Abstract: A method of preparing a composite of polyurethane bonded to the surface of a cured rubber substrate and the resulting composite. The method requires the rubber substrate to contain an hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene polyol. The method is practiced by first applying to a cleaned, cured rubber surface containing the polybutadiene polyol a coating of cyanuric acid followed by an additional coating of a phenol formaldehyde resin and then applying a liquid polyurethane reaction mixture which is cured to form the resultant composite. The invention is particularly directed to the preparation of a tire comprised of a polyurethane carcass applied to a cured rubber tread and to a tire comprised of a polyurethane tread applied to a cured rubber carcass.

Abstract: An improved non-skid tread configuration for vehicle tires. The tread design including a plurality of suction means spaced-apart in all directions around the circumference of the tread portion of the tire for providing improved resistance in all directions to skidding on ice or snow.

Abstract: A desirable embossing of a fibrous web (6) as dry laid on a forming sheet (2) is effected by the web (6) in a still unglued condition passing a pair of embossing producing rollers (18, 20) carried on or by a pressure resistant support sheet (16) as also passing between the rollers. Problems as to web fractures are hereby widely eliminated.

Abstract: A flexible hose having a novel braided reinforcement layer wherein one braid member is a relatively stiff, uncrimped monofilament and the second braid member is a flexible textile material which is crimped around the stiff monofilament at each contact point in the braided spiral layer. The braided spiral imparts improved crush and kink resistance to the hose structure. The method of manufacture employs no mandrel and produces a balanced tension braided hose which may be preferably cured by open steam techniques.

Abstract: A flexible hose having a braided spiral reinforcement layers having one wire braid member which remains uncrimped during braiding and a second braid member which is composed of a relatively flexible, high tenacity material which is crimped or deformed around the wire braid member at each contact point in the braided-spiral layer. The hose may be made using a flexible mandrel technique to produce a light weight hose having improved flexibility for use in high pressure applications such as in hydraulic system components.

Abstract: A flap for tires has lateral wings at the ends of which there is an extension which, in stress-free condition, is spaced axially inwards from the inner wall of the tire so that, upon inflation, the inner tube first of all protrudes towards the inside of the inflatable cavity before it is flattened against the tire.

Abstract: A process for making a fiber optic coupler. An optical fiber reception block of rigid material that has orthogonal longitudinal and transversal planes of symmetry, an arcuate fiber receiving groove extending along the longitudinal plane of symmetry, and a plurality of reference surfaces is provided. An optical fiber is glued into the groove and the block is cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal and transversal planes of symmetry to remove part of the fiber. The block is then cut in half along the transversal plane of symmetry, the two halves are superimposed in inverted positions and aligned by using a reference surface. This process forms a multibranch coupler that finds numerous applications in telecommunication systems.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles for systems comprising optical fibers, in particular for feeding an optical signal into an optical fiber through the buffer thereof and for withdrawing an optical signal from an optical fiber through the buffer thereof. Preferably this is achieved with the aid of an optical coupling means which contacts and conforms to the surface of the buffer at a bent portion of the fiber. The coupling means can for example be a resiliently deformable material such as a polysiloxane. In a preferred aspect, the invention provides an apparatus and method for axially aligning, and preferably joining, the ends of optical fibers. The apparatus comprises means for holding two fibers so that the fiber ends are approximately abutting and axially aligned, adjacent means for passing an optical signal into one of the fibers through the buffer thereof, and adjacent means for withdrawing that signal from the other fiber through the buffer thereof.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic drive shaft comprising a pair of metal joint members, an inner plastic layer extending over the entire length of the drive shaft and holding the metal joint members in both end portions thereof, and an outer plastic layer formed on the inner layer. The inner layer comprises continuous carbon fibers helically wound at 45-75 degrees to the axis of the drive shaft, while the outer layer comprises continuous fibers such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, polyester fibers and aramide fibers helically wound at 5-40 degrees to the axis of the drive shaft. The drive shaft has a greatly increased torsional strength and damping effect. The maximum damping effect is provided when the outer layer is formed only over the joint members.

Abstract: A pair of specially reinforced skin-spar joints in combination with a honeycomb core are used to build up a wing spar for a composite airplane wing. A series of contoured mandrels with a covering of fuel resistant material and a wrapped reinforced plastic are aligned one above the other. The wing spar materials are placed between the mandrels, honeycomb core is located alongside as well as wing skins to form a wing buildup. The buildup is placed in a mold, pressure applied to each mandrel forcing all the parts together, and the buildup heated to cure the resins and form a composite wing structure.

Abstract: A support of soft material (4) has a fiber-receiving groove (5) in one of its surfaces (40). The groove is filled with a transparent setable liquid medium. A rigid link part (8) is pressed against the groove. Suitably prepared ends (11, 21) of two optical fibers (1,2) are inserted into the liquid-filled groove from opposite ends thereof. The medium is caused to set, and then the link part (8) is removed from the support. The optical fibers come away with the link part and the support mold is reusable. In a variant, the link part is stretched prior to gluing, and is allowed to return to its original length after the glue has set. This prestresses in the connection.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a method of constructing a tire bead for the same, in which the tire has a bead portion which is reinforced by a bead core of wire running around the bead portion and the wire is housed in a circular elastomeric support which forms a cradle in which the wire is located. The bead can be made by winding wire around the preformed elastomeric cradle.

Abstract: A method of making a high density dimensionally stable encapsulated circuit board. A curable adhesive is utilized to bond insulated wires to a substrate, the dimensional stability of which is maintained by a sheet of relatively thick copper foil. Since the adhesive is cured and since the copper foil returns to the same dimensions when thermally, mechanically or chemically cycled, the entire composite is dimensionally stable.At each location where a connection is to be made to a wire, the wire has a non-linear geometrical portion. The increased dimensional stability plus non-linear shaped portion of the wires allows connections to be made to the board utilizing a very small drill. The result is a high density stable circuit board.

Abstract: A method for forming annular bands to be used on rotors of electrodynamic machines for retaining windings on the rotors against centrifugal forces generated by rotation comprises winding a continuous single strand, ideally a single filament, of resinated reinforcing material onto a mandrel to form at least one, substantially continuous layer of the resinated reinforcing material along the mandrel, which layer of reinforcing material is cured to form a solidified cylindrical body, removed from the mandrel and circumferentially cut to form the annular bands. The annular bands are then pressed onto the rotor of an electrodynamic machine, with the resulting banded portions of the rotor preferably being resinated and cured to secure the bands to the rotor.

Abstract: A composite is provided which is adaptable to be a substrate for an electronic application. The composite comprises first material particles having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of about -20.times.10.sup.-7 to about 50.times.10.sup.-7 in/in/.degree. C. Second material particles having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of about 100.times.10.sup.-7 to about 200.times.10.sup.-7 in/in/.degree. C. are mixed with the first material particles. A bonding agent adheres the first and second material particles into a coherent composite having a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of about 1.times.10.sup.-7 to about 50.times.10.sup.-7 in/in/.degree. C.

Abstract: A band carrying labels is transported step by step from a feed reel over a label removing station to a take-up reel. The drive mechanism consists of a double acting pneumatic cylinder pivotably connected to a frame, movement of the piston rod to effect trransport of the band is initiated by an optical scanner which senses the presence of a properly positioned box to which the label is to be applied. The return movement stopping the band transport is initiated by a band sensing device. The piston rod is coupled to the take-up reel by a rectangular linkage. The linkage causes the take-up reel to be moved with an angular velocity which increases during each transport step in such a way that the final linear velocity of the band at the end of each transport step is substantially independent of the diameter of the coil on the take-up reel.