Abstract: A hydrostatic rotary union has a shaft with an axial passage therethrough received within a housing having a radial passage in fluid communication with the axial passage. The shaft and housing have a radial clearance between them which establishes a squeeze film bearing and seal, when in use. End annuluses receive the oil establishing a squeeze film bearing and provide a return path to a supply source. The inner circumferential portion of the housing interfacing with the shaft is preferably of an anti-seizure material, such as bronze. Moreover, the housing and shaft are of materials of different coefficients of thermal expansion, such that excessive heat generated at the interface between the housing and shaft will cause the housing to expand away from the shaft.

Abstract: An improved coupling assembly includes a combined clutch and brake assembly. Springs are provided to urge the brake assembly to an engaged condition. A first pressure chamber holds fluid pressure to assist the springs in urging the brake assembly toward the engaged condition. A second chamber holds fluid pressure to urge the clutch assembly toward the engaged condition and to urge the brake assembly away from the engaged condition. Fluid is supplied at a relatively low pressure through the first chamber to provide for a controlled actuation of the brake assembly to the engaged condition under the combined influence of the springs and the pressure in the first chamber and to provide for the transmission of a controlled amount of braking torque when the brake assembly is engaged. Fluid is supplied to the second chamber at a higher pressure to overcome the influence of the springs and operate the clutch assembly to the engaged condition.

Abstract: An improved coupling assembly includes a polyurethane bushing which cooperates with a friction disc to transmit force. The polyurethane bushing reduces noise caused by components of the coupling assembly and reduces the maximum rate of acceleration between elements of the coupling assembly. The polyurethane bushing has a durometer hardness of approximately 92 Shore A and a Bayshore rebound of 20% to 50%. The maximum rate of acceleration between elements of the coupling assembly is less than 30 times the acceleration of gravity while the coupling assembly transmits a torque load which cyclically varies between at least +12,500 pound inches and at most -2,500 pound inches during rotation of elements of the coupling at a speed of at least 645 revolutions per minute. During the transmission of the aforementioned cyclically varying torque load by the coupling assembly, peak noise level caused by components of the coupling assembly is less than 103 decibels and is less than 3.0 Pascals.

Abstract: A clutch and brake assembly which includes a spring applied brake and a fluid applied clutch which is adapted to rapidly cycle. A fluid circuit is provided for rapidly pressurizing and rapidly depressurizing the apparatus. The fluid circuit includes a manifold having a main fluid passageway and a plurality of secondary fluid passageways disposed therein. Each of the secondary fluid passageways includes a quick release exhaust valve which is operable to rapidly exhaust fluid from the apparatus to allow the brake to rapidly engage when the fluid pressure in the main fluid passage way and secondary passageway decreases to less than the fluid pressure in the pressure chamber.

Abstract: A brake, clutch, or continuous slip device (12) having a pyrolytic carbon composite friction material (108) directly cooled by water or an ethylene glycol/water solution. Coolant of cooling device (12) may be tapped from a radiator (24) for a prime mover (14). The brake, clutch, or continuous slip device includes a plurality of interdigitated friction discs (74, 76) defining confronting friction surfaces (74b, 76B). One or both confronting friction surfaces have the pyrolytic carbon composite friction material bonded thereon. The material preferably has a bulk density of 0.7 to 1.2 grams/cc.

Abstract: A clutch and brake assembly for alternately coupling a machine input shaft to a clutch disc or a brake disc for applying a driving torque or a braking torque to the input shaft. An axially movable cylinder is connected to a brake plate and a clutch plate. An annular piston is carried by a hub fixed to the input shaft and is connected to a rotor spaced at an axially fixed distance from the piston. The brake disc is positioned between the brake plate and the rotor while the clutch disc is positioned between the clutch plate and the rotor. A spring force normally urges the brake disc into engagement with the rotor. A pressure chamber is formed between the piston and cylinder and a passage is provided for admitting pressurized fluid to the chamber, thereby overcoming the spring force to urge the clutch disc into engagement with the rotor.

Abstract: A disc brake unit comprises a disc assembly of interleaved rotor discs and stator discs that are normally spring in one direction biased to a brake engaged condition. A hydraulically operated first piston engages a stator disc at one end of the unit to move it axially in opposition to the spring bias to release the pressure between the discs and thus release the brake. A non-rotatable stop adapted to contact only one intermediate stator disc is provided to prevent movement of the intermediate disc in a direction opposite to the one direction. A second piston engages a stator disc at the opposite end of the unit for moving the rotor and stator discs on one side of a stop into engagement with each other and applies a modulated force to said rotor and stator discs while the first power piston is in position to oppose the spring bias, to thereby apply slip braking torque to the output shaft.

Abstract: A coupling includes relatively rotatable driving and driven members, and first and second torque transmitting members one of which is associated with one of the driving and driven members and the other of which is associated with the other of the driving and driven members. The first torque transmitting member includes a first torque transmitting surface which is adapted to engage with the second torque transmitting member to establish a driving relationship between the driving and driven members and a second surface disposed remote from the first surface.

Abstract: An annular tire building drum having an infinitely variable width for building portions of tires having various widths in a tire building machine includes a hub portion, an annular fluid expandable tube element supported on the hub portion for movement therewith and a plurality of pairs of shoes supported on an exterior surface of the tube element for movement therewith in a radial direction upon expansion and contraction of the tube element. The shoes define an annular tire building surface which is movable in a radial direction upon expansion and contraction of the tube element. Piston means is supported by the hub portion for moving one of the shoes of each of the pairs of shoes in a first direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and to effect movement of the other of the shoes in a direction opposite to the first direction to thereby infinitely vary the axial width of the building surface. Stop means is provided for limiting the axial movement of the shoes.

Abstract: An annular tire building drum having an infinitely variable width for use in a tire building machine includes a hub rotatable about an axis of rotation and an annular fluid expandable tube supported on the hub. The tube includes support means disposed on the exterior surface thereof. A plurality of pairs of shoe members are supported on the support means for movement in a radial direction upon expansion and contraction of the tube. The shoe members define an annular tire building surface. One of the shoe members of each pair of shoe members is movable in a first direction parallel to the axis of rotation and the other shoe member of each pair is movable in a second direction opposite the first direction to infinitely vary the axial width of the building surface. The support means includes guideway means and each of the shoe members includes a guide member attached thereto.

Abstract: A fluid expandable drum for building portions of tires in a tire building machine includes an annular supporting drum and an expandable annular tube element having an inner peripheral surface supported on the annular drum. The tube element includes an outer peripheral surface upon which support means is secured for movement therewith. A plurality of shoe members are connected to the support means for movement therewith with the shoe members defining an annular building surface thereon which is movable in a radial direction toward and away from the annular support drum upon contraction and expansion, respectively, of the tube element. The tube element is expanded to expand the diameter of the building surface to enable a tire portion to be built thereon and retracted to decrease the diameter of the building surface to enable a build tire portion to be removed therefrom.

Abstract: A coupling includes a rim assembly, a drum assembly rotatable relative to the rim assembly about an axis of rotation, a pneumatically expandable tube having an exterior surface attached to the rim assembly, a plurality of spaced apart lugs disposed on the exterior surface of the tube element and a plurality of shoe members each of which includes first and second spaced apart parallel surfaces. Each of the shoe members includes means on the first surface thereof which is connectable with one of the lugs on the tube element to support the first surface of the shoe member contiguous to the exterior surface of the tube member.

Abstract: A fluid expandable drum for building portions of tires in a tire building machine includes an annular supporting drum and an expandable annular tube element having an inner peripheral surface supported on the annular drum. The tube element includes an outer peripheral surface upon which building means is secured for movement therewith. The building means define an annular building surface thereon which is movable in a radial direction toward and away from the annular support drum upon contraction and expansion, respectively, of the tube element. The tube element is expanded to expand the diameter of the building surface to enable a tire portion to be built thereon and retracted to decrease the diameter of the building surface to enable a built tire portion to be removed therefrom.

Abstract: An expandable carrier apparatus for transferring a tread and a radial tread ply band from a first work station to a further work station in a tire building machine includes an annular support member and a fluid expandable annular tube element having an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion. The lower wall portion of the tube element is movable radially away from the upper wall portion upon expansion of the tube element and is movable radially toward the upper wall portion upon contraction of the tube element. The upper wall portion includes an annular peripheral surface which is bonded along a portion of the width thereof to the support member and the lower wall portion includes an annular outer peripheral surface having a plurality of gripper means disposed in an annular array supported thereon which are operable to engage and grip tread and a radial tread ply band upon expansion of the tube element.