Abstract: Apparatus for obtaining tire dynamic characteristics in which a wheel and tire assembly is mounted on a shaft assembly of low mass. The tire tread is engageable with either a rotating or stationary supporting surface. Flexible connecting members having load-applying capabilities for urging the tire tread into loaded engagement with the tire supporting surface are located at each side of the tire and connected to the shaft assembly. The desired loading is measured by load cells on the connecting members. The tire may be vibrated at predetermined frequencies and amplitudes in predetermined directions by exciters and the resulting tire dynamic data selectively measured by one or more accelerometers.

Abstract: A coordinated method and apparatus system for concurrently building an endless band and an endless inextensible belt, transferring the band coaxially of itself to a carcass forming and shaping drum, enfolding beads in inwardly turned ends of such band to form a carcass, then shaping the carcass while swinging the drum about a vertical axis to transfer the endless belt coaxially of itself and of the shaped carcass. The apparatus includes a band building drum with cooperating ply stock servicer for building the tire band and a belt building drum also with a cooperating servicer for supplying belt ply stock and, optionally, tread stock. Axes of the band drum and belt drum are disposed to intersect a vertical axis about which a turret mounted carcass forming drum swings into alternate coaxial alignment with the band building drum and the belt building drum.

Abstract: A rigid fixed diameter cylindrical drum for building a tire band, i.e., a straight cylindrical ply assembly without bead rings or other circumferentially inextensible elements subsequently to be a part of a complete tire, is enabled to release the band built thereon for coaxial movement of the cylindrical band off the drum. The cylindrical surface of the drum is knurled in a coarse diamond-toothed pattern. Perforations or orifices for air pressure and flow are also provided. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description.

Abstract: A coordinated method and apparatus system for concurrently building an endless band and an endless inextensible belt, transferring the band coaxially of itself to a carcass forming and shaping drum, enfolding beads in inwardly turned ends of such band to form a carcass, then shaping the carcass while swinging the drum about a vertical axis to transfer the endless belt coaxially of itself and of the shaped carcass. The apparatus includes a band building drum with cooperating ply stock servicer for building the tire band and a belt building drum also with a cooperating servicer for supplying belt ply stock and, optionally, tread stock. Axes of the band drum and belt drum are disposed to intersect a vertical axis about which a turret mounted carcass forming drum swings into alternate coaxial alignment with the band building drum and the belt building drum.