Abstract: A testing head for a high voltage non-destructive tire testing apparatus that is positionable inside the carcass of a tire to be tested without spreading the beads of the tire. The testing head includes a horseshoe shaped body portion with a pair of depending legs. An electrode is operably coupled at the end of each leg. One of the electrodes is attached to a high-voltage power source and the other electrode is attached to electrical ground. Each electrode may be attached off-center from the center of gravity of the electrode so that the electrode is positioned at an angle with the leg to which it is attached when the testing head is suspended by the body portion and the electrodes are not in contact with a tire or other surface. When the electrodes are brought into contact with the inner surface of the tire carcass, the electrodes rotate into a testing orientation wherein each electrode is substantially perpendicular with the leg to which it is attached.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a flaw in a tire includes a voltage generator producing a high voltage pulse on an electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is oriented with respect to the tire to establish an electric field within the tire. Relative motion between the tire and the electrical conductor occurs such that an electric arc extends from the electric field through a flaw when a flaw is proximate the electric field. A flaw detection circuit is capacitively coupled to the electrical conductor and receives a signal indicative of a voltage signal on the electrical conductor. The circuit further includes means for determining if the frequency of the received signal is greater than a predetermined threshold frequency, and if so, producing an indicator signal indicating the presence of the flaw.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a tire for testing wherein the tire need not be physically removed from a conveyor. A roller coupled with a drive device is supported adjacent the conveyor by a support structure. The roller is selectively positionable in a testing position, wherein the roller engages the beads of the tire and the tire is supported on the roller. In this testing position, the drive is used to selectively rotate the roller, thereby rotating the tire about a rotational axis. The detector head of a testing device disposed in the tire rolls or slides on the inside surface of the tire as it rotates to detect any flaws in the tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a tire for testing wherein the tire need not be physically removed from a conveyor. A roller coupled with a drive device is supported adjacent the conveyor by a support structure. The roller is selectively positionable in a testing position, wherein the roller engages the beads of the tire and the tire is supported on the roller. In this testing position, the drive is used to selectively rotate the roller, thereby rotating the tire about a rotational axis. The detector head of a testing device disposed in the tire rolls or slides on the inside surface of the tire as it rotates to detect any flaws in the tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a flaw in a tire includes a voltage generator producing a high voltage pulse on an electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is oriented with respect to the tire to establish an electric field within the tire. Relative motion between the tire and the electrical conductor occurs such that an electric arc extends from the electric field through a flaw when a flaw is proximate the electric field. A flaw detection circuit is capacitively coupled to the electrical conductor and receives a signal indicative of a voltage signal on the electrical conductor. The circuit further includes means for determining if the frequency of the received signal is greater than a predetermined threshold frequency, and if so, producing an indicator signal indicating the presence of the flaw.

Abstract: A testing head for a high voltage non-destructive tire testing apparatus that is positionable inside the carcass of a tire to be tested without spreading the beads of the tire. The testing head includes a horseshoe shaped body portion with a pair of depending legs. An electrode is operably coupled at the end of each leg. One of the electrodes is attached to a high-voltage power source and the other electrode is attached to electrical ground. Each electrode may be attached off-center from the center of gravity of the electrode so that the electrode is positioned at an angle with the leg to which it is attached when the testing head is suspended by the body portion and the electrodes are not in contact with a tire or other surface. When the electrodes are brought into contact with the inner surface of the tire carcass, the electrodes rotate into a testing orientation wherein each electrode is substantially perpendicular with the leg to which it is attached.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting flaws in a tire. The apparatus may contain a frame sized to be placed in the interior of the tire, at least one device operably connected to the frame so that upon rotation of the tire the frame travels around the interior of the tire, where the frame is substantially supported by the tire, and at least one pin attached to the frame, where the at least one pin is adapted to be connected to a voltage generator to create an electric field near the surface of the tire when in use so that an electric arc is produced upon the presence of a flaw in the tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting flaws in a tire. The apparatus may contain a frame sized to be placed in the interior of the tire, at least one device operably connected to the frame so that upon rotation of the tire the frame travels around the interior of the tire, wherein the frame is substantially supported by the tire, and at least one pin attached to the frame, wherein the at least one pin is adapted to be connected to a voltage generator to create an electric field therein and near the surface of the tire when in use so that an electric arc is produced upon the presence of a flaw in the tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting flaws in a tire. The apparatus may contain a frame sized to be placed in the interior of the tire, at least one device operably connected to the frame so that upon rotation of the tire the frame travels around the interior of the tire, wherein the frame is substantially supported by the tire, and at least one pin attached to the frame, wherein the at least one pin is adapted to be connected to a voltage generator to create an electric field therein and near the surface of the tire when in use so that an electric arc is produced upon the presence of a flaw in the tire.

Abstract: A high-voltage, non-destructive inspection system for detecting nails, and/or cuts and holes in vehicle tires. The system employs a high-voltage head mounted within the tire and a reference head outside the tire opposite to the high-voltage head. The high-voltage head and reference head span the tire tread axially. The inspection is performed in one revolution of the tire.High-voltage pulses are impressed upon the high-voltage head, and the amplitude and pulse widths are variably selected, commensurate with the type of tire being tested. When a cut, hole or a nail in the tire passes between the high-voltage head and the reference head, an electric arc forms and current passes through the tire. This arc can be visually observed and also electronically detected. Upon detection, via an electronic detection circuit, a lamp lights and the tire rotation is stopped, thus facilitating location of the flaw, via a manual mode.

Abstract: An ultrasonic, non-destructive inspection system for detecting separations and/or holes in vehicle tires. The system employs a through transmission method at ultrasonic inspection in which the ultrasonic transmitter array and the ultrasonic receiver array are both mounted in air and in a non-contacting, non-critical relationship with the tire undergoing inspection. The inspection is performed in one revolution of the tire.The ultrasonic transmitters are pulsed and the receivers are sampled during predetermined time intervals which are related to the transmitter/receiver/tire geometry. This eliminates the problems of talk-around and standing waves. The problem of transmitter--transmitter interference is eliminated by transmitter frequency separation and transmitter array pointing geometry. The problem wherein tread pattern fluctuations in the received signal interfere with flaw detection is eliminated by the use of a finite sampled data filter whose period is adjusted to the period of the tread pattern.

Abstract: An ultrasonic, non-destructive inspection system for detecting separations and/or holes in vehicle tires. The system employs a through transmission method at ultrasonic inspection in which the ultrasonic transmitter array and the ultrasonic receiver array are both mounted in air and in a non-contacting, non-critical relationship with the tire undergoing inspection. The inspection is performed in one revolution of the tire.The ultrasonic transmitters are pulsed and the receivers are sampled during predetermined time intervals which are related to the transmitter/receiver/tire geometry. This eliminates the problems of talk-around and standing waves. The problem of transmitter--transmitter interference is eliminated by transmitter frequency separation and transmitter array pointing geometry. The problem wherein tread pattern fluctuations in the received signal interfere with flaw detection is eliminated by the use of a finite sampled data filter whose period is adjusted to the period of the tread pattern.

Abstract: An ultrasonic, non-destructive inspection system for detecting separations and/or holes in vehicle tires. The system employs a through transmission method at ultrasonic inspection in which the ultrasonic transmitter array and the ultrasonic receiver array are both mounted in air and in a non-contacting, non-critical relationship with the tire undergoing inspection. The inspection is performed in one revolution of the tire.The ultrasonic transmitters are pulsed and the receivers are sampled during predetermined time intervals which are related to the transmitter/receiver/tire geometry. This eliminates the problems of talking around and standing waves. The problem of transmitter--transmitter interference is eliminated by transmitter frequency separation and transmitter array pointing geometry. The problem wherein tread pattern fluctuations in the received signal interfere with flaw detection is eliminated by the use of a finite sampled data filter whose period is adjusted to the period of the tread pattern.

Abstract: An articulated arm having first and second pairs of parallel spaced apart pivotable linkages associated with a tire casing holding fixture for moving an array of ultrasonic transmitting transducers to and from a location exterior to the tire casing and a location between the two sidewalls of the tire casing with the faces of the transducers being a predetermined spaced distance from the interior surface of the tread bearing portion of the casing. Only a single piston/cylinder type actuator linked to the arm is required to achieve the desired movement and positioning of the transducer array.

Abstract: Vehicle brake testing apparatus of the type in which there are yieldable restrained pairs of tread plates engaging the front wheels and rear wheels of a vehicle in which there is means for producing an electrical signal depending in value upon the braking force on each wheel, means for producing a total braking force signal depending upon the sums of the signals, means for measuring the speed of the vehicle as it is driven onto the tread plates and producing an electrical speed signal, means for dividing the integrated total force signal by the speed signal to obtain a weight signal indicative of the weight of the vehicle and means for comparing the total force signal with the weight signal to obtain an indication of the ratio between the total braking force and the weight of the vehicle and indicating whether this ratio meets acceptable standards.