Abstract: A pipe transporter traction wheel suitable for mounting on a pipe transporter travelable along an interior surface of a pipe may include a tractor portion configured to be attached to a pipe transporter, the tractor portion having a tractor surface configured to contact an interior surface of a pipe when the pipe transporter is driven in the pipe. The tractor portion may include a harder granular material and a softer matrix material embedding the granular material. The wheel may include a hub and/or a mounting interface. A kit may be provided including one or two adapters and a wheel.

Abstract: A sole structure includes a sole plate having a foot-facing surface with a forefoot portion, and a ground-facing surface opposite from the foot-facing surface. The sole plate includes a plurality of grooves extending transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the sole plate, in the forefoot region of the foot-facing surface. A flex control insert includes an upper surface, and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The flex control insert includes a plurality of ribs protruding from the lower surface of the flex control insert, which extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the sole plate. Each one of ribs is disposed within a different respective one of the grooves. The ribs are strong in compression, and maintain their volume to resist compression by the grooves as the sole plate flexes in a longitudinal direction to increase the bending stiffness of the sole plate.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a rubber crawler capable of suppressing deformation of tension members which probably occurs during the manufacture. The method for producing a rubber crawler 1 comprises: obtaining rubber protrusions 4, 5 having half-vulcanized surfaces 4a, 5a by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber RR while keeping a half-vulcanized state; obtaining a main body 2 having half-vulcanized surfaces 2c, 2d by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber RR with tension members 3 embedded therein while keeping a half-vulcanized state; and arranging the rubber protrusions 4, 5 on the main body 2, and then integrating the rubber protrusions 4, 5 and the main body 2 by vulcanizing the same.

Abstract: A rubber crawler excellent in durability, in which projections are adhered to a crawler main body separately, is provided. The rubber crawler (10) has a crawler main body (1) formed of vulcanized rubber and projections (3) formed of vulcanized rubber, the crawler main body (1) having a ridge (1c) on an inner circumferential surface (1b), the projections (3) being adhered to the ridge (1c) of the crawler main body (1).

Abstract: A steel-cleated, all terrain tire has cleats that dynamically engage with changing road conditions, across slick ice and bridges, and while turning, breaking and accelerating on steep terrain. The tire design can provide stability and an enormous safety benefit in dangerous conditions, on demand, without the driver's intervention. The tire design can be used for military vehicles and aircraft, commercial jets, turboprop aircraft, heavy equipment, commercial diesel trucks, helicopters, law enforcement vehicles, fire and rescue vehicles, school buses, government vehicles, sport cars, and the like. The tire design include spring loaded cleats that can are spaced about and extend outward from the tire's surface. The spring load may be strong enough to permit the cleat to penetrate ice and the like, while not damaging asphalt or concrete roadways.

Abstract: A tire includes a tread, a crown with a crown reinforcement, first and second sidewalls, two beads, and a carcass reinforcement anchored to the two beads and extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall. The tread includes a thermoplastic elastomer that is a block copolymer, which includes at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block. A total content of the thermoplastic elastomer in the tread is within a range varying from 65 to 100 phr (parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomer).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire comprising a tread, a crown with a crown reinforcement, two sidewalls, two beads and a carcass reinforcement anchored to the two beads and extending from one sidewall to the other. The tread is based on at least one thermoplastic elastomer and on carbon black at a content by volume within a range extending from 5% to 30%, the thermoplastic elastomer being a block copolymer comprising at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block, and the total content of thermoplastic elastomer being within a range varying from 65 to 100 phr.

Abstract: A landing gear tire traction control system and methods are presented. An outer tire of an aircraft wheel is depressurized to a depressurized state in response to a non-optimal aircraft landing condition. An inner rotor of the aircraft wheel contacts the outer tire in response to the depressurized state, and a plurality of traction studs are deployed to protrude from the outer tire in response to the inner rotor contacting the outer tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire capable of improving the wet performance and the low fuel cost performance at a good balance without deteriorating other properties of the tire such as abrasion resistance has a cap tread disposed to the radial outside of a tire and a base tread disposed to the radial inside of a tire in a tread portion, in which the cap tread rubber comprises a rubber compound containing a dienic rubber, and at least 15 parts by weight of modified styrene butadiene rubber and/or modified butadiene rubber modified at a polymer molecule terminal group with at least one functional group in 100 parts by weight of the rubber ingredient and containing 1 to 60 parts by weight of crosslinked rubber particles with an average grain size of 5 to 2,000 nm and a glass transition temperature of ?100 to ?65° C., and modified with sulfur and a compound having a C?C double bond and having a hydroxyl group based on 100 parts by weight of the rubber ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards speckled tire treads for tires. Specifically, the speckled tire tread includes a primary tread compound that serves as a matrix in which is distributed discrete particles of one or more secondary tread compounds, at least one of the compounds is a different color than the other tread compound(s) so as to be visually distinguishable. For example, the primary tread compound may include carbon black pigment and be black in color while the secondary tread compound can include one or more pigments to provide the particles with non-black color. Thus, the colored particles have a visually distinguishable color from that of the primary tread composition. Additionally, at least a portion of the particles may be situated for viewing on a running surface of the tire tread so that a subject can visually distinguish between the compounds, and such observed compounds may provide a different tire performance characteristic(s).

Abstract: An energy consumption efficiency improving agent is disclosed which forms a substance having a large adherability to an applying object and a high adherence to a contacting object and greatly reduces energy loss, and attains improvement of an energy consumption efficiency substantially equal to three powers of adhesion improving rate under ordinary use conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a rubber composition and tire having at least one component of a rubber composition comprised of at least one diene-based elastomer, to the exclusion of butyl type elastomers, which contains an internal dispersion of corncob granules. Such tire component may be, for example, a tire tread and/or cord reinforced rubber ply and/or belt. A tire tread intended for winter driving, although not necessarily limited to winter driving, is provided of a rubber composition containing at least one diene-based sulfur vulcanizable elastomer having a Tg below ?30° C. and an internal dispersion therein of corncob granules. The running surface of the tire tread is configured with a combination of micro-protrusions of corncob granules from said corncob granule internal dispersion and micro-cavities therein created by a release of a portion of the protruded corncob granules during the abrading, or wearing, of the tire tread running surface as the tire is being run.

Abstract: A rubber composition which can improve performance on icy and snowy road sufficiently and a tire using the same. The rubber composition comprises 2 to 30 parts by weight of staple fibers having an average fiber diameter of 10 to 100 ?m and an average fiber length of 0.01 to 4 mm, and 1 to 10 parts by weight of particles having a Moh's hardness of at least 5 and an average particle size of at most 500 ?m based on 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber. The tire of the present invention is prepared by using the rubber composition for tread. Examples of the particle are pumice, quarts, emery and the like.

Abstract: A rubber composition for a tire tread, or a pneumatic tire using the same in a tire tread portion, wherein the tread portion contains a diene rubber; and carbon black and/or silica; and a gas-encapsulated thermoplastic resin and, further, a short fiber, a hard particle and/or a liquid polymer, and wherein the gas-encapsulated thermoplastic resin particle is obtained by expanding, upon heating. at a temperature of an expansion starting temperature thereof or more, prior to vulcanization of a rubber, a thermally expansible thermoplastic resin particle, which comprises a thermoplastic resin having an expansion starting temperature of from 70° C. to less than 120° C. and having a heat resistance to withstand vulcanization of rubber, followed by vulcanization to uniformly disperse the gas-encapsulated thermoplastic resin in the rubber, or a short fiber, a hard particle and/or a liquid polymer is further compounded to give a high frictional force on ice.

Abstract: A tread for a tire, the tread being provided with a plurality of cutouts, defined by walls perpendicular to or oblique to the rolling surface of the tread, in which the two main walls of at least one cutout located in the part of the tread affected by the loading on the ground of the tire during travel are connected by at least one rubber connecting element and in that the total connection surface SE of the connecting element(s) is at most 80% of the surface defined by the geometric contour L of minimum length and surrounding said total connection surface SE. A method for producing a cutout provided with at least one connecting element.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread having a plurality of spaced tread blocks separated by grooves or slots. A plurality of tie bars extend across the grooves or slots between adjacent tread blocks. The tie bars have a pair of sidewalls and a top surface with an undercut formed in at least one of the sidewalls to reduce tie bar stiffness and provide increased water evacuation as the tread wears. The top surface of the tie bar is lower than the top surfaces of the adjacent tread block and the undercut can be formed in only one or both sidewalls of the tie bar and have various stepped and tapered configurations.

Abstract: In a stud embedded in a tire to provide the braking force, a set of a plurality of long stud elements are arranged adjacent to one another and bundled into a predetermined shape with one end faces thereof faced to a road. Each of the stud elements is formed by a synthetic fiber or a synthetic resin wire. The stud further has a filler filled in a space between adjacent ones of the stud elements to fasten the stud elements to one another. The stud is deflected during running to distribute the stress so that the desired braking force is assured and the durability is improved.

Abstract: There is provided a rubber composition for tire tread, which can provide a tire having low decrease in abrasion resistance and balanced performance of traction property, braking property and cornering property. The rubber composition for tire tread is obtained by mixing 100 parts by weight of at least one rubber component selected from the group consisting of a natural rubber, an isoprene rubber and a butadiene rubber, 5 to 45 parts by weight of a silica, 0.5 to 4.0 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent and 3 to 8 parts by weight of a powdered article containing cellulose material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber tire, and its preparation, composed of carbon black reinforced rubber carcass with an outer, circumferential rubber tread construction of a rubber composition having a relatively high electrical resistivity. The tire tread construction has an electrically conductive filamentary thread stitched through the tread construction and extending between the inner surface of the tread to its outer surface. An electrically conductive path is thereby created through the tire tread.

Abstract: A tread is provided with at least one rubber stud of orientation XX′ perpendicular or inclined with respect to the tread surface. The rubber stud has a side wall bounded by at least one incision and an outer end wall. The stud is joined to the tread at its base (the rubber stud part located farthest inward on the tread) and by at least one rubber connecting element joining the side wall of said stud to the rest of the tread. The projected length, on the tread surface in new condition and in the direction XX′, of the principal geometrical lines of the surfaces of intersection of all the connecting elements of each rubber stud, represents at least 80 percent of the contour perimeter, measured on the same surface, of each rubber stud. Preferably, the principal geometrical lines bounding the surfaces of intersection of the connecting elements are in the form of helixes around XX′, and the projected length of said lines is equal or close to 100 percent of the perimeter.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises: a tread rubber having a blended rubber portion constituted by a short fiber blended rubber obtained by adding a nonmetal short fiber to a rubber base material forming a tread surface and having a rubber hardness Hs1 (a durometer A hardness) at 25 deg.C. of 58 to 72 degrees; the short fiber being harder than an ice and having an average fiber diameter of 5 to 50 micrometers, an average length of 0.05 to 5.0 mm and a blended amount with respect to a rubber base material 100 weight portion of 2 to 20 weight portion; and the blended rubber portion being provided with a base portion obtained by directing said short fiber in a tread thickness direction, and a surface portion arranged in a radially outer side of the base portion so as to form the tread surface and obtained by directing said short fiber in a direction parallel to said tread surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber tire composed of carbon black reinforced rubber carcass with an outer, circumferential rubber tread construction of a rubber composition having a relatively high electrical resistivity. The tire tread construction has electrically conductive filament stapled through the tread construction and extending between the inner surface of the tread to its outer surface. An electrically conductive path is thereby created through the tread.

Abstract: An antiskid device (A) mounted to a tread (20) of a tire (2) has a pin (10) and a heat insulating member (11) attached to an end of the pin (10). The pin (10) is made of a material having a higher hardness in a first temperature range not higher than a predetermined temperature and a lower hardness in a second temperature range above the predetermined temperature. The insulating member (11) prohibits heat transfer from the tire (2) to the pin (10).

Abstract: 1. A rubber composition for a tire tread containing: (i) 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber, and (ii) 1 to 20 parts by weight of an elastic gas-encapsulated thermoplastic resin hollow particle having a particle size of 5-300 .mu.m, which is obtained by expanding, upon heating during vulcanization, a thermally expansible thermoplastic resin containing an encapsulated liquid or solid substance capable of generating a gas by vaporization, decomposition or chemical reaction upon heating to form the hollow-type expanded particle and, optionally containing (iii) 1 to 20 parts by weight of a short fiber or (iv) 1 to 20 parts by weight of a hard particle.

Abstract: A wearing surface for tires includes a rubber or rubber mix and an admixture of friction-improving materials. The admixture of friction-improving materials include a mixture of crystalline chrysolite (olivine) and a metal powder. The metal powder can be steel or an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire has a carcass with reinforcing members and radially inwardly positioned beads and a tread strip with a tread positioned radially outwardly on the carcass. An additional layer is placed on the tread strip for reinforcing the tread. The additional layer is made of a rubber or thermoplastic material. The additional layer has a tensile modulus of elasticity that is greater than the tensile modulus of elasticity of the tread strip. The additional layer is provided with reinforcement elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved structure for rubber bodies such as pads on track units or tires on road wheels for tracked vehicle such as tanks. The rubber bodies have an array of bores with metallic inserts recessed in the bores. The inserts stiffen the pad or tire to reduce deformation under load and the heat produced thereby, and also transfer the heat to the surrounding air. In one embodiment, the inserts are cups closely fitting in the bores and having fins or other protrusions extending from the cup into the rubber body. In other embodiments, the inserts comprise heads near an exposed surface of the rubber body and shanks extending from the heads to a metal substrate underlying the rubber body and forming part of the track unit or road wheel.

Abstract: Spike pins made of hard rubber which may be used on vehicle tires, shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like and a system for mounting such spike pins made of hard rubber in a mounting surface such as the tread surface of vehicle tires or shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like, characterized in that the tread surface is formed with recesses in which each of said spike pin is mounted with a GaP between the periphery of the spike pin and the peripheral wall of the associated recess.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition which is useful for the treads of studless tires which provides improved grip properties on frozen roads and preserves good performance after being used for a long period of time. The rubber composition of the present invention comprises a base rubber and an inorganic halide which has a melting point of 180.degree. C. or more, an average particle size of 20 to 600 micrometer and a solubility of 5 g or more in 100 g of water at 0.degree. C.; said inorganic halide being present in an amount of 3 to 35 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of said base rubber.

Abstract: A tire tread rubber composition including a diene rubber and at least one of silica and carbon black, the composition being characterized in that the amount of extract (E) defined below satisfies the equation (1) and that a hard filler 0.01 to 5 mm in mean particle size and at least 100kg/mm.sup.2 in Knoop hardness is used in an amount of 3 to 80 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component rubber of the composition subjected to extraction with acetone/chloroform after the vulcanization of the composition, wherein said equation isE<0.4 (A-38)(1)wherein E and A are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A rubber composition comprising a cellulosic material containing-processed powder product and rubber components and a studless tire having a tread portion that contains said rubber composition which is improved in the performance of travelling over snow and ice is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a fixed spike, or a sleeve-mounted spike, fitted on a vehicle tire. The fixed spike or the sleeve-mounted spike, features an asymmetric region which is disposed to produce a force component (F.sub.2) turning the fixed spike, or the sleeve-mounted spike (20) so that the fixed spike, or the sleeve-mounted spike (20) is arranged, at initial contact with the road surface (17), to meet the road surface (17) substantially in vertical position.

Abstract: A stud for a tire to improve traction on a roadway which includes a hardened steel pin mounted in a plastic body and extending therefrom to engage the roadway, wherein the stud is sized for insertion into openings in a tire tread. The plastic body includes a portion that is collapsible so that the stud can self-adjust its position relative to the tread surface as it wears, whereby the steel pin is maintained in close relation to the tread surface throughout the life of the tire to provide the maximum road-engaging condition.

Abstract: A nonskid device for a tire, shoe sole or the like. The device comprises a stud that is embedded in a hole formed inwardly from the tread of the tire or shoe sole. The stud is a generally spherical or cylindrical body having an annular stud tip formed integrally therewith at one end thereof and is retained in the hole, either directly or via a cup, by an annular projection protruding inward from the wall of the hole. In normal slip-free travel, the stud tip does not project above the tread, and only the apex of the spherical or cylindrical body thereof is exposed at the plane of the tread. When the tread slips relative to the road surface, a force acts on the apex to cause the stud to rotate by a small angle. This causes the stud tip to rise beyond the plane of the tread and bite into the road surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a structure of a pin for a spike tire to be mounted on a vehicle such as automobile when it runs on a road slippery with ice or snow. The pin is embedded in the tire tread, with the flat end thereof being exposed on the external surface of the tire so that it touches the ice or snow on the road to lower the freezing point thereof. The pin in accordance with the present invention is especially characterized in that the exposed end of the pin has two flat surfaces parallel to the tire side wall and two slightly convex surfaces which are vertical to the tire side wall, the cross-section of the body portion of the pin being substantially square and the outwardly spreading basal portion of the pin being oval-shaped, so that when the vehicle starts to move or is braked, said slightly convex vertical surfaces of the pin are selectively forced to project from the tire in accordance with the tire deformation.

Abstract: In a non-skid device for tire constituted by two parallel cable-like members, and a plurality of non-skid strips which are fabricated of a flexible resilient material and positioned in a ladder form between the two cable-like members, each of the non-skid strips is formed approximately in an L-shape as viewed from the side face thereof, and two ends of the non-skid strip are secured respectively to the cable-like members via mounting fixtures with a longer side section of the non-skid strip as a surface coming into contact with ground. The non-skid strip securely fits to the peripheral surface of the tire, and the non-skid device can be mounted on a tire easily regardless of changes in outer shape of the tire caused by tire inflation pressure and tire width.

Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire with a tread strip having wood powder embedded therein and through the tread strip in the form of particles having a size within the range of from about 0.02 to 0.25 mm (mesh width of from 20 to 250.mu. according to German Standards DIN 4188). The wood particles are directly connected to and embedded in the tread strip mixture of which tread strip is made, e.g. rubber mixture, without the employment of adhesives. The wood particles amount to about from 2 to 10% by weight of the tread strip mixture.

Abstract: A tire having a layer of uncured rubber in its tread portion is fitted to a hub and an annular protective chain is placed over the uncured rubber. The tire is inflated and the protective chain is tensioned by chains connected to the lateral edges of the chain and extending radially inwardly to the axis of and axially away from the central plane of the tire by means of a telescopic jack aligned with the axis of the tire. The tire is vulcanised by sealably enclosing it in a cover, venting the space between the cover and tire, and curing the rubber in an autoclave in which the tire is a loose fit.

Abstract: A skid prevention device for tires, which tires are provided with longitudinally- and radially-extending rows of treads separated by discrete, laterally-extending rows of recesses, includes a plurality of elongated, generally U-shaped metal claws disposed within the rows of the recesses of the tire, the outer ends of which have spikes secured thereto, and the inner ends of which are pivotably supportable in the recesses of the tire. The device also includes means for pivotably mounting the inner ends of the claws in the recesses of the tire for movement between an extended position, in which the claws are pivoted upwardly with their spikes extending radially outwardly beyond the upper surface of the treads of the tire, and a retracted position, in which the claws are pivoted downwardly with their spikes lying below the upper surface of the treads of the tire. In addition, the device includes means for pivotably moving the claws between the extended and retracted positions thereof.