Abstract: The clamping means of the anti-slip device includes a pair of locking members for selectively clamping the overlapping wire ends of the wire in a manner so as to only permit movement in a sense of a shortening of the effective length of the wire. A pair of release members are actuated simultaneously by a frame so as to move the locking members from an inclined position in which the wires are clamped to an upright position in which the wires are free to move through the locking members. The clamping wire is secured within the helical spring forming the resilient pull element at a point diametrically opposite the clamping means. With the anti-slip device fitted onto a wheel and with the release members in a locking position, the locking members allow the clamping means to move relative to the wire ends only in the sense of a shortening of the effective length of the wire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and wheel construction having a tire annularly disposed around the wheel and engaged therewith to form an air space for pressurized air. The tire is formed by a pair of undeformable side wall portions each having inner edges including beads of the tire and engaged with the wheel, a deformable side wall portion connected to each outer edge of the undeformable side wall portions, a restricted pliable wall portion connected each to outer edges of the deformable side wall portions and a belt portion connected between the outer edges of the restricted pliable wall portions. A tread carrying portion is connected to and around the outer surface of the belt portion and includes side projections extending axially outwardly of the belt portion with a cavity defined between each of the side projections and each of the restricted pliable wall portions respectively.

Abstract: A connector for chains, particularly tire chains, comprises a substantially C-shaped main body (1) whose free arms (3,4) define an insertion gap (5). In a position lying opposite the insertion gap (5) the yoke portion (2) of the main body (1) has roof shaped surfaces (11,12) the apex line of which is intersected by the axis of a stepped bore (6) for receiving a retaining pin (7,14,19) and extends at a right angle to the place of the arms (3,4) and the yoke portion (2). The retaining pin (7,14,19) has an annular flange (8) and is held in its retaining position by means of at least one securing element (10) which is seated in a bore (9,17,18) intersecting the stepped bore (6).

Abstract: A vehicle tire with tractive elements for positive engagement with the ground surface is disclosed. The tire carcass has a tread including circumferentially spaced raised features. At least one flexible but substantially inextensible belt is positioned radially outwardly of the tread, and a respective plurality of retainer elements are positioned radially inwardly of the belt, the tractive elements being positioned radially outwardly of the belt and being releasably attached to the associated retainer elements for clamping the belt tightly therebetween. Inflation pressure within the carcass expands its crown region to maintain the belt in a taut condition, and at least one element of each set of associated tractive and retainer elements is positively mechanically linked to at least one of the raised features of the tread to limit circumferential displacement of the tractive elements relative to the tread.

Abstract: A novel tire chain tightener for interconnecting opposed end links of a perimeter chain of a tire chain mounted on a tire includes an arcuate handle member including a free end and a lug end, the lug end being pivotally connected to an end link of the perimeter chain with the free end being insertable into an opposite end link of the perimeter chain and movable therethrough to draw up the perimeter chain into a locked position. The handle member is dimensioned for gripping by all of the fingers of an individual's hand and a catch is disposed adjacent the lug end for receiving and holding the opposite end link in a locked position. Additionally, the lug end is provided with an eyelet for pivotally receiving the end link with the catch including a notch having a circular portion configured for nesting the opposite end link in the locked position.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and rim combination wherein the tire is captivated about the rim and a chamber is defined between the tire and the rim and a portion of the tire extends into the chamber within the carcass of the tire and serves as an annular support structure upon deflation of air within the tire, so that if it collapses, as by a blowout, a vehicle on which it is installed will continue to be supported by the tire as the interiorly extending annular portion of the tire engages the confronting surface of the rim.

Abstract: A large-sized pneumatic radial tire is disclosed. The tire comprises a tread including grooves, a belt composed of a plurality of rubberized layers each containing steel cords, and a carcass of a substantially radial construction. The tread includes two half regions divided with respect to a crown center, one a region in a direction of plysteer due to the tire construction and the ground contact reaction force acting on steel cords of at least one rubberized layer disposed near the tread, and the other being a region opposite to the direction of plysteer. A row of small holes are formed in an island part along its edge near the kicking-out side of the groove in the region opposite to the direction of plysteer.

Abstract: A snow chain for the automobile tires employing a single or a plurality of traction cords disposed circumferentially over the tread surface of the tire in a zig-zag pattern or diamond pattern, which traction cords are held in position by a pair of star-shaped tie cord assembly respectively disposed on each side of the tire, is disclosed. The outer points of each of said star-shaped tie cord assembly are connected to said traction cord in such a way that the tension on tie cords stretches the traction cord into a zig-zag or diamond pattern as said traction cord is being tightened over the tire tread surface. The inner points of each of said star-shaped tie cord assembly are slidably engaged by a retaining cord, which sliding relationship enables the retaining cord loop to expand and be slipped over the circumference of the tire, which arrangement ensures the easy installation and take off of said snow-chain.

Abstract: In a tire chain comprising a running network (3) with steel links between chain strand portions of the running network and the tread of the tire supporting members (4) provided with guide hollows (5) are disposed. By varying the state of at least one lateral retaining strand (1 or 2) of the running network (3) it is possible for the purpose of varying the operating behavior of the tire chain to vary the position of the supported chain strands transversely to the guide hollows (5) in a way that enables the chain strands to project more or less over the outer surfaces of the supporting members (4).

Abstract: This invention relates to an anti-skid device for motor vehicles, which device is of the known kind at which a friction pulley abuts a drive wheel and the pulley is provided with chain links, the free ends of which are thrown in between the tire and the ground. The invention is characterized in that the friction pulley (8,19) is supported on one end of an arm (6), which at its other end is supported pivotally about a journal (5) rigidly connected to the vehicle or the spring system thereof, and pneumatic means (10) are provided by action of a control means in the driver's cab to swing the arm (6) with the pulley (8,19) from a protected non-operative position to a pneumatically resilient contact against the tire (23).

Abstract: A tread for a road vehicle tire having a pattern having a land-to-sea ratio between 65% to 35% and 75% to 25% and a series of diagonally extending grooves, the axially inner ends of which enter the contact patch between tread and ground before the remaining part of the groove in forward movement of the vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use with a tractor or like vehicle. The apparatus is adapted to liquid ballast and inflate a tube within a wheel of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises inflation means which include a pump adapted to pressurize air or liquid to the inflation pressure of the tube. A reservoir is provided which is adapted to be filled with ballast. The apparatus includes a nozzle adapted to fit within the tube. The nozzle is adapted to be positioned to purge up to 100% of the fluid within the tube at ambient pressures. The apparatus also includes piping means connecting the pump to the nozzle, and the pump to the reservoir.

Abstract: A wide composite band of a patterned transfer-carrying sheet is formed of several webs or web sections secured together parallel or perpendicular to the band with the patterns of adjacent webs or web sections in registration. Webs may for example be fed side-by-side parallel to one another and any staggering of the pattern corrected by suitable adjustment of web tensioning rollers by detecting reference marks corresponding to the pattern. The webs are then joined by sticking, or could be directly used for transfer printing without being secured together. Alternatively, a web is fed perpendicular to the band being formed, and cut into sections which are adjusted relative to the band by detecting reference marks, and joined to the band.

Abstract: A valve for a tubeless tire which is adapted to be secured in a bore of a tire rim comprises a tubular valve body with an outer rim surface engagement flange formed on its periphery and spaced from an inner rim surface engagement flange by the length of the bore through the tire rim. At least one of the outer or inner rim surface engagement flanges is deformed into engagement with the associated tire rim surface. Preferably, a sleeve of a soft material is located around the body between these flanges and it is deformed and compressed into a groove formed by the respective flanges over each end surface of the tire rim. The construction is such that when the valve body is inserted from the exterior of the rim to the interior, the inner flange is formed by bending over the end of an internally formed sleeve which encompasses the end of a soft body or gasket and bends it into engagement with the associated inner surface of the tire rim.

Abstract: There is disclosed an anti-skid mechanism for a wheeled vehicle suitable for attachment to the outer surface of at least two wheels of said vehicle. The mechanism includes a central flanged disk adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of the wheel, an annular plate slideably mounted on the flange of said disk, plurality of radially moveable arcuate ground-engageable shoes independently and slideably mounted between the planar surface of said disk and said plate, cam means on said plate operatively engageable with a centrally located cam follower on said shoes and abutment means for moving said plate toward said disk and for clamping said shoes therebetween.

Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle wheel contains, within or on the hub, a closed air reservoir or reservoirs, connected by one or more channels to the air cavity in the tire. The dimensions of the channels are such as to allow restricted bidirectional flow of air between the tire and the reservoir, dissipating energy during the flow, for the purpose of improving the vibration resistance quality of the wheel throughout the frequency range.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a motor vehicle has a removable tread fastened to the casing by annular projections on one locked in annular grooves in the other when the tire is inflated. The tread is supported by a breaker structure underlying the tread in the crown portion of the casing. The breaker has an annular strip of metallic fabric and an annular tape of metallic fabric on each side of the strip and between the annular strip and underlying carcass. There is a free annular central zone between the tapes astride the center plane of the tire.

Abstract: An antiskid device for mounting on pneumatic vehicle tires including a pair of annular elastomeric tubular sidewall elements interconnected by a plurality of spaced traction straps. Each traction strap is a laminated structure including a pair of spaced layers of woven nylon web having a layer of rubber interposed therebetween and bonded to each nylon layer. A body of rubber is bonded to one of said nylon layers and has traction nubs projecting therefrom. The tubular elements are each of natural rubber and each has an inside diameter of from about one-fourth inch to about one-half inch, and a wall thickness of from about one-eighth inch to about three-sixteenths inch.

Abstract: Traction is provided for automotive vehicles stuck in snow, mud, and the like by a device applied over the outer face of the slipping driven vehicle wheel and having J-shaped traction fingers draped over the tire of the wheel and fixedly clamped on the tire by merely swinging a lever. The device has a mounting plate for overlying the conventional wheel disk or hubcap, three J-shaped fingers pivoted to the center of the plate and radially guided in 120.degree. spaced apart relation at the periphery of the plate with the cups of the fingers receiving the tire and presenting outer tread surfaces which will bite into the slippery road bed. One of the fingers is retracted on its pivot by a lever or handle effective to clamp all three of the fingers on the tire.

Abstract: A tire having axially spaced rings of elastomeric material with different spring rates and tread configurations to provide variable operating characteristics at axially spaced positions across the tire. Each of the rings has an inner bead portion and an outer belt portion connected by a load-carrying and cushioning intermediate structure which may have radially extending strap members reinforced by a ply of reinforcing cords.