Abstract: The process for manufacturing pneumatic tires comprises as essential step the manufacture of a tire body by winding cords or cables (3, 23, 35). The cord or cable is withdrawn from a supply reel (7) under constant tension and laid around and anchored to the bead cores (2; 22; 36; 39) arranged at both sides of the tire. In addition a peripherally extending belt is applied which again can be formed by winding cords or cables, and the tire is completed by injection molding or die casting elastomeric material. An apparatus suitable for performing said process comprises in addition to an interior mold (1, 21, 38) two sets of outer molds, the first set allowing the shaping of an inner tire layer provided with protrusions serving as spacers for the winding of cables or cords and the second set corresponding to the external shape of the tire (FIG. 2).

Abstract: A self-supporting motor-vehicle tire has an outer ring supporting the tread, an inner ring adapted to be fitted to a rim or to be placed upon a hub, and supporting elements uniting the said rings. The supporting elements are in the form of honeycomb-like cells running substantially parallel to the axis of the tire, the average wall thickness of the cells being less than approximately one-thirtieth of the width of the tire, while the average cross-sectional area of the interior of a cell, expressed in cm.sup.2, is less than about one-tenth of the corresponding tire width measured in centimeters.