Abstract: An apparatus for automatically adjusting the rim width between upper and lower rims on a tire uniformity machine of the type includes an upper spindle rotatable about the axis thereof, a lower spindle located opposingly in vertical alignment with the upper spindle, the lower spindle being rotatable about the axis thereof and movable in the axial direction, and upper and lower rims detachably mounted coaxially on opposing end portions of the upper and lower spindles, respectively, to release grip therebetween a testing tire to be rotated and held in contact with a load wheel for inspection of uniformity. The rim width adjusting apparatus includes a ring-like adapter threaded on a lower end portion of the upper spindle and vertically movably supporting the upper rim on the upper spindle; and a rotation blocking device mounted on a bearing housing over the adapter for blocking rotation of the adapter relative to the upper spindle.

Abstract: A tire uniformity inspecting machine includes a framework constructed by setting first, second and third columns upright in a triangular arrangement and fixedly joining a substantially triangular top plate to the respective upper ends of the first, second and third columns, a tire conveying device for conveying a tire to and ejecting the same from the framework, tire driving device for driving the tire for rotation, a tire lifting device disposed under the tire conveying device to lift a tire held on the tire conveying device toward the tire driving device, and an artificial road member provided on the top plate so as to be brought into contact with the outer circumference of the tire rotated by the tie driving device. The triangular configuration of the framework facilitates tire uniformity inspecting operations and facilitates the use of overhead crane for changing a rim assembly for holding the tire for uniformity inspection.

Abstract: A method for correcting errors of measurement due to variations in tire pressure in a tire uniformity inspecting operation, wherein a tire is inflated and rotated between a pair of rims and a load wheel is pressed against the tire and a radial force variation of said tire is measured, including: detecting a deviation of actual air pressure of the tire from a predetermined measuring pressure level to determine a correction coefficient; calculating a value of tire uniformity from the measured value of radial force variation according to the predetermined measuring pressure level; multiplying the calculated value of uniformity by the correction coefficient to compensate for any erroneous component due to a variation in the tire pressure.

Abstract: A method for correcting errors of measurement in a tire uniforming inspecting machine having a pair of upper and lower rims engageable with bead portions of a tire for gripping the tire securely for rotation at a predetermined position and a load wheel engageable with the circumference of the tire at one side thereof to check for variations in the radial force, including: measuring radial runout of the rims and/or load wheel to obtain an erronous deflection signal indicating the amount of radial runout of the rims and/or load wheel; obtaining and storing a primary harmonic component of the erroneous deflection signal; measuring variations in radial force of a tire rotated on the rims to obtain a radial variation signal for a period of one revolution of the tire; multiplying the erroneous deflection signal by a spring constant of the tire to obtain an erroneous variation signal; and subtracting the erroneous variation signal from the radial variation signal to eliminate influence of radial runout of the rims a

Abstract: A mechanism for setting slip and/or camber angles in a tire testing machine having a rotating wheel to serve as a substitutional road, the angle setting mechanism including: a support shaft adapted to support a tire at the center thereof for contact with the rotating wheel a swingable linkage provided between the tire support shaft and a movable frame of the testing machine and essentially constituted by four trapezoidally connected link levers having a pair of outwardly converging side link levers, an outer link lever having the opposite ends thereof pivotally connected to the outer converging ends of the side link levers and centrally fixed to the inner end of the tire support shaft, and an inner link lever having the opposite ends thereof pivotally connected to the inner ends of the side link levers and fixedly supported on the movable frame of the testing machine; and a mechanism for swinging the outer link lever back and forth in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the movable frame to t