Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire with puncture sealing properties and a method for manufacturing such a tire. In this method of manufacturing such a self-sealing pneumatic rubber tire a polymer composition layer is built into the tire in a relatively conventional manner. Under the conditions of heat and pressure used to cure the tire this polymer composition is both crosslinked and depolymerized to form a tacky material which has puncture sealant properties (the sealant layer). Ordinary tire manufacturing techniques can be employed since the sealant layer has the physical properties of ordinary butyl rubber used in tire building at the time it is assembled into the tire.

Abstract: An integral tire wheel structure (10) comprising an annular generally C-shaped support member (12) having disposed at its radially outer end a ground-engaging tread portion (14), an annular generally C-shaped decoupling member (16) disposed at the radially inner end of the annular support member, and an annular mounting member (18) disposed at the radially inner end of the stress decoupling member. The integral tire wheel being made of material wherein the modulus of elasticity divided by the ultimate strength to the three halfs power is no greater than about 2.6.

Abstract: An annular tire tread belt is assembled of uncured resilient material having reinforcing cords. An annular container of resilient material has reinforcing cords extending between annular bead rings at the edges. The container is shaped in a toroidal configuration and the tread belt stuck to the container by a layer of suitable tacky barrier material with sufficient tack to maintain the tread belt in a centered position on the container for engagement with a centered portion of the mold. The barrier material also is sufficiently incompatible with the materials of the container and tread belt to prevent appreciable chemical bonding across the interface during curing of the tread belt. After at least partial curing of the tread belt, the tread belt is detached from the container and is ready for use in a tire.

Abstract: A rubber article having an indicium on the surface of said article, characterized by said indicium having a surface of a first finish, the surface of said article substantially surrounds said indicium having a second finish which is different from said first finish such that a readily visual distinguishable appearance can be seen between the surface of said indicium and the surface substantially surrounding said indicium.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having better aerodynamic characteristics than conventionally shaped tires is disclosed. A radial cross-section of the tire has an external contour on each side of its mid-circumferential plane, exclusive of indicia on the sidewalls or traction elements of the tread portion, that extends continuously axially outwardly and radially inwardly to the point where the external surface of each sidewall intersects a radially extending line, that is tangent to the axially outer edge of a retaining flange of a rim that the tire is mountable upon, with a portion of the external contour on each side of the mid-circumferential plane at least approximating an ellipse. The external surfaces of the sidewalls do not extend more than 2.54 millimeters (0.1 inch) axially outwardly of the axially outer edge of the retaining flange of the rim at any location.

Abstract: A tire which has an outer and an inner layer of compound in the non-skid portion of the tread thereof. The outer layer is composed of a lower rolling resistance compound than the inner layer is composed. The inner layer is composed of a compound which provides better traction than the compound of the outer layer provides.

Abstract: A self-sealing pneumatic tire comprised of a cured rubber tire casing having a fitted, adherent sealant composite strip on its inner surface comprised of an admixture of (A) a partially crosslinked butyl type rubber, (B) plasticizer therefor, (C) butyl rubber-compatible tackifier and (D) particulate reinforcement.

Abstract: A pneumatic rubber tire having, as its exposed tread, an integral, resilient, covulcanized, closed cell rubber structure.