Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10. The step of co-extruding may further include the step of: forming the projecting walls 9c on an inclined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the width of the assembly 10.

Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10. The step of co-extruding may further include the step of: forming the projecting walls 9c on an inclined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the width of the assembly 10.

Abstract: An extruder apparatus is disclosed and which includes a cylindrical barrel having a feed end and a discharge end, the feed end having an outlet in fluid communication with a feed box. The extruder screw is mounted in the cylindrical barrel, and the screw has an outer surface having one or more helical flights mounted thereon. The screw has a discharge end and a terminal end, wherein the screw further comprising a notch at the terminal end.

Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10. The step of co-extruding may further include the step of: forming the projecting walls 9c on an inclined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the width of the assembly 10.

Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10.

Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10.

Abstract: A roller die preformer for use in an extrusion system to form wide extruded components, such as a rubber tire tread, on a surface of a roller. The roller die preformer includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet and a laterally expanding flow channel extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet. A flow restrictor is configured within the flow channel to urge the flow of material toward the lateral extremities of the flow channel to thereby form an extruded component at the flow outlet having a lateral width which is greater than the lateral width of the flow inlet of the preformer.

Abstract: A die assembly for use with an extruder is disclosed. The die assembly has a preformer die having a preformer shaped hole for forming the desired shape of a component to be extruded, wherein the shaped hole is not symmetrical and has a small first end and a large second end. The die assembly further includes a final die plate having a final shaping hole, the final shaping hole is not symmetrical and has a large first end and a small second end. The preformer die and the final die plate are positioned adjacent each other wherein the small first end of the preformer shaped hole is aligned with the large first end of the final shaping hole, and wherein the large second end of the preformer shaped hole is aligned with the small second end of the final shaping hole.

Abstract: A roller die preformer for use in an extrusion system to form wide extruded components, such as a rubber tire tread, on a surface of a roller. The roller die preformer includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet and a laterally expanding flow channel extending from the flow inlet to the flow outlet. A flow restrictor is configured within the flow channel to urge the flow of material toward the lateral extremities of the flow channel to thereby form an extruded component at the flow outlet having a lateral width which is greater than the lateral width of the flow inlet of the preformer.

Abstract: An interface tool is provided for a user to interface with a CAD/CAM software package, such as Pro/ENGINEER (tm) which is resident on the client computer or on a second server computer. The interface tool is resident on the client computer. Parameters are input by the user onto web pages, and then are transferred to Pro/ENGINEER by the interface tool. Pro/ENGINEER outputs drawings, 3-D models and machining codes by using the information that was transferred from the interface tool. The user can create or modify, and verify from various aspects, models of machineable process tooling such as “preformers”. Pro/ENGINEER can then create appropriate toolpaths and output the machining code for CNC (computerized numeric control) machines.

Abstract: Providing a narrow strip of electrically conductive rubber extending from a lower undertread layer to the surface of the tread by positioning a slotted chimney block in an outer tread rubber passage of a tire tread die and having the chimney block passage in communication with a lower undertread passage of the tire tread die.

Abstract: An extruder apparatus has an extruder flow channel 10 for an extruder head having a pair of flow passages 40, 50 and a flow dam 12 interposed between the flow passages and a flow splitter 14 that locally increases or locally decreases the flow area of the first flow passage 40 relative to the second flow passage 50. The preferred flow channel 10 adjusts the mass balance of the flows 6, 7 between passages 40, 50 automatically.

Abstract: An extruder flow channel 10 has a pair of flow passages 40, 50 and a flow dam 12 interposed between the flow passages and a flow splitter 14 that locally increases or locally decreases the flow area of the first flow passage 40 relative to the second flow passage 50. The preferred flow channel 10 adjusts the mass balance of the flows 6, 7 between passages 40, 50 automatically.

Abstract: Apparatus for directing the flow of material from a supply source to one or more shaping dies has a flow channel therein. A flow directing insert (34A) located in the downstream region of the flow channel spreads the material toward the outer walls and improves uniformity of flow in an exit zone (40). In the downstream region (11), the channel height is gradually decreased and levels off near the exit. The flow channel may be split into two or mom flow branches (15A, 15B), each flow branch having a flow directing insert (34A) therein.