Abstract: A tire includes a plurality of SMA springs. Each SMA spring includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion. Each SMA spring is interlaced with at least one other SMA spring thereby forming a laced toroidal structure extending about an entire circumference of the tire.

Abstract: A tire having a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) radial stiffening elements including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion. Each SMA radial element is secured to the rim of a wheel to form arching elements extending about an entire circumference of the tire.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire with a rubber sidewall having at least one layered rubber composite integral with a portion of its outer surface as a means of visibly identifying the tire. The layered composite is an integral composite in a sense of being comprised of a base rubber layer and a contrastingly colored marking rubber layer being partially pre-cured together prior to application to the outer surface of an uncured rubber sidewall. The integrally layered composite and tire rubber sidewall are integral in a sense of being co-cured together with the surface of the base rubber layer facing the rubber sidewall surface. The base rubber layer is a black colored carbon black reinforced rubber layer. The marking rubber layer is of color which contrasts with the black color of the base rubber layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a single layer of two or more elastomeric tire components is provided. The method includes the steps providing two or more elastomeric compositions to a nip of two calender rolls, calendering said elastomeric compositions to form a single layer of elastomeric material. A monocomposite elastomeric laminate comprised of a single layer of two or more elastomer composition strips, wherein each elastomer composition strip has a longitudinal axis and a side edge, wherein each elastomeric strip is joined at said side edges without overlapping.

Abstract: A tire having an outside-in ply construction is provided which torques the tire bead into the rim of the wheel to which it is mounted. The tire has first and second axially-spaced bead cores, a carcass having at least one belt extending under a tread, and a first ply layer having first and second ends. A first end is located axially outside and adjacent a first bead core, and a second end folds from a position axially outside a second bead core to a position axially inside and around the second bead core. The carcass further comprises a second ply layer having first and second ends, a first end is located axially outside and adjacent the second bead core, and a second end that folds from a position axially outside a first bead core to a position axially inside and around the first bead core.

Abstract: A method of producing a tire having an outside-in ply construction is provided.

Abstract: A method of making reinforced ply having variable gauge thickness, and/or variable cord spacing is provided. A die is provided having adjustable cord spacing. The die is adjusted to the desired cord spacing. A plurality of cords is drawn through the die. A stream of rubber is fed into the bite of first and second calender rolls wherein rubber is calendered to desired thickness. The cords are pressed into continuous engagement with rubber, forming a continuous strip of reinforced rubber.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a reinforced elastomeric fabric having a gauge thickness G and a cord spacing S, the apparatus comprising: a die having a plurality of holes for receiving a reinforcement cord, the holes providing a cord spacing of about S/2, a first and second calender roll located adjacent the die, the die having a end plate having a slot wherein the slot is located adjacent a calender roll so that the reinforcement cords are pressed into engagement with a ribbon of elastomeric material, the calender rolls being spaced to provide a gauge thickness of about G/2, the apparatus further comprising a cutter for cutting the ribbon of reinforced elastomeric material into segments having a length L, each segment having a width W, each segment having lateral edges, said apparatus further comprising a pick arm for placing a plurality of segments onto a conveyor so that the lateral ends of adjacent segments are lap spliced together, the lap splice having a width W/2.

Abstract: A method of making a reinforced elastomeric fabric having a gauge thickness G and a cord spacing S, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of reinforcement cords having a cord spacing of about S/2, pressing the reinforcement cords into engagement with a ribbon of elastomeric material having a gauge thickness of about G/2; cutting the ribbon of reinforced elastomeric material into segments having a length L, each segment having a width W, each segment having lateral edges, and joining a plurality of segments together.

Abstract: A new method for applying metal foil to tires includes applying a metallic foil to one of the sidewalls before the tire is completely cured. The metallic foil may be applied directly to the sidewall of a green tire, and then cured simultaneously with the tire. The metallic foil may further have a carrier. The carrier may be removed after a curing cycle, or it may become part of the tire. The metallic foil may also be attached to a precured piece of rubber before being attached to the green tire.

Abstract: The method of building and transferring a tread belt structure on a portable and collapsible building drum 10 mounted coaxially on a building machine 100 with a rotatable shaft 120 is disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming the annular tread belt 4 on the building drum 10, transferring the building drum 10 with the tread belt 4 from the rotatable shaft 120 onto a pivoting transfer device 200, pivoting the transfer device 200 about 90° rendering the tread belt 4 and axis of the building drum 10 perpendicular to a horizontal plane, collapsing the building drum 10, separating the annular tread belt 4 from the building drum 10, removing the tread belt 4, expanding the tire building drum 10, pivoting the building drum 10 into coaxial alignment with the rotatable shaft 120, moving the building drum 10 onto the shaft 120. The tread belt 4 has one or more elastomeric components applied while hot and the equipment provides means for weighing the tread belt 4.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapid exchanging of calender rollers 350,352 for a calendering apparatus 302 is disclosed. The apparatus 302 has two or more generally cylindrical calender rollers 350,352 which are clamped and supported at each end by a rotatable support 314,316. A pair of the supports 314,316 are axially aligned and movable relative to the other axially aligned support. The method of exchanging rollers 350,352 includes the step of unclamping a roller 350 or 352 by increasing the spacing between the first and second rotatable supports 314,316, removing the roller 350,352, and clamping a different calender roller 350,352 between the first and second supports 314,316 by decreasing the spacing between them and engaging the respective ends of the different roller 350,352 with the first and second supports 314,316. This apparatus and method greatly facilitates rapid calender roller changeover and is particularly useful in the tire building art.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a strip of elastomeric material which is extruded onto a rotating roller where it is initially shaped by a die plate and then finally shaped by a calender roll positioned downstream from the die plate and in close proximity to the surface of the roller providing a finishing gap for finally shaping the strip of elastomeric material. The calender roll may be positioned on the opposite side of the roller from the position the elastomeric material is extruded onto the roller whereby the calender roll resists forces tending to bend the roller. The extruder screw may have a downstream end adjacent the roller for reducing the pressure and for self-cleaning the apparatus.