Abstract: The invention is directed to a high-speed, puncture proof tire including a tire casing having a tread portion and a pair of side wall portions and a plurality of small diameter pressurized tubes disposed within the tire casing. Each pressurized tube has an elongate body fabricated from film material that is sealed crosswise along the length of the body to define at least two compartments that contain gas under pressure. The tubes can be oriented radially or circumferentially within the annular space of the tire casing. In another embodiment of the tire, at least one panel of film material resistant to shear forces is disposed within the annular space of the tire casing. The panel is sealed lengthwise thereof to define a plurality of small diameter pressurized tubes. Each pressurized tube is sealed crosswise along the length of the tube to define at least two compartments that contain gas under pressure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel wheel which serves for equipping with a pneumatic tire and essentially realizes two apparently incompatible properties of solid rubber tires and pneumatic tires, namely strength and good shock absorption, in a single wheel. This wheel is distinguished by the fact that it has a toroidal hollow foam member enclosed by the pneumatic tire and comprising reversibly deformable material having a large number of enclosed cavities serving for the absorption of gas. The substantial advantage of the tire according to the invention is obvious. Damage to the tire skin by a stone or nail does not in fact inevitably lead to an immediate and complete loss of air, as is often the case with known tires. Thus, the toroidal hollow foam member can itself store air in its cells, which not only permits continued riding for a certain time but also reduces the risk of accidents in the event of damage to the tire.

Abstract: A structural improvement of a solid tire is made up of a tire embodiment, an inner tire including a bottom layer , a middle layer and an upper layer. The bottom layer is a flat-topped curve-bottomed continual slab, the middle layer having an approximately rectangular cross section with top and bottom side thereof provided with axially parallel grooves and the right and left side defined in a smoothly curved surface. The upper layer is approximately in the same shape as the bottom layer but is additionally equipped with a humpbacked portion right on top of the curve-bottomed area. In assembly, the bottom layer is placed at the bottom of the tire embodiment and the middle layer is positioned next on top of the bottom layer, the upper layer is lastly placed on top of the middle layer. Such a structure makes the solid tire have a better buffer effect and lighter weight in use and the inner tire assembly can also be recycled for use after the tire embodiment is worn out.

Abstract: A run-flat tire system comprising a tire and an tire core disposed therein, the tire core being an annular body of an elastic closed-cell material, the radially outside and inside of the tire core each provided with a circumferentially extending groove, the radially inner groove extending radially outwardly beyond a bead core line being drawn between the centers of the bead cores. When the tire is mounted on a standard rim, the radially outer groove forms a radially outer space extending circumferentially of the tire and having a cross sectional area of from 1 to 6% of the total sectional area of the tire cavity, and the radially inner groove forms a radially inner space extending circumferentially of the tire having a cross sectional area Si of from 10 to 25% of the total sectional area S of the tire cavity.

Abstract: In a tire inflation insert of the present invention, a tire casing contains a ring having a plurality of air filled spaces or pockets. The tire inflation insert comprises a roll of a flexible sheet, wrapped with a securing belt of material such as tape, which is formed into a ring for insertion into the tire casing. The flexible sheet comprises rubber or plastic sheeting or other flexible material having a plurality of air pockets therein although flexible foam material may also be used. In some cases non-resilient foam may be introduced into the tire casing in the form of a liquid mixture which chemically reacts to form a non-resilient foam and fills the entire cavity thereof. Such non-resilient foam is currently used in packaging materials where chemicals are mixed as they are introduced to the cavity and the chemical reaction causes foam to form within the cavity forcing air out of any cavity and completely filling the same with foam having a plurality of cavities.

Abstract: A filling for a puncture-proof pneumatic tire is formed by two half-toruses of elastomer or of rubber which are juxtaposed along an equatorial plane inside a tire cover and which are formed with a plurality of parallel channels of preferably hexagonal cross-section, the channels being parallel and separated from one another and positioned so that the thickness of material between adjacent channels is substantially constant.

Abstract: A pressure chamber or core for an unpuncturable pneumatic tire is constituted by a toroidal cushion of elastomer material including mutually independent gastight cells containing a gas under pressure. The cells are substantially all of the same right cross-section, and the area of the right cross-section of any one cell is a small fraction of the area of the right cross-section of the chamber.

Abstract: A cushion tire especially intended for industrial or construction vehicles such as a forklift truck wherein the cushion tire has a triple layered structure comprising a base rubber layer, a middle rubber layer and a tread rubber layer arranged radially outwardly in that order, and the middle rubber layer is provided with a hollow part extending circumferentially of the tire, whereby the ride is softened while durability and driving stability are maintained at a good level.

Abstract: Inner tubes for pneumatic tires including a toric cushion made from an elastomer material having cells independent of each other.A process for manufacturing such inner tubes with a mold for preforming and vulcanizing semi-toric elements, the mold includes fingers for molding recessed cavities and an incorporated heating network, the preformed semi-toric elements having undergone a first vulcanization are then joined together and subjected to a second vulcanization in an appropriate apparatus.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture is herein disclosed for eliminating the need for pressurized air in a vehicular pneumatic tire. A resilient tubular insert is inserted and carried within a tire casing to simulate pneumatic conditions. The resilient material possesses a longitudinal bore which in combination with a particular range of durometers, enhances the "pneumatic" characteristics of the tire insert. Preferably, the tire insert is discontinuous and is designed to have a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the tire casing under deflated conditions.

Abstract: A monolithic non-pneumatic urethane tire for use on a wheel rim of the type having a pair of laterally spaced bead flanges formed with wheel rim side walls which extend upwardly from the bottom of the wheel rim is improved by providing a tire body with certain structural features and locating a tubular insert inside the tire body. The tire body has a circumferentially extending tunnel on its inside and includes side walls which converge outwardly to a thickened portion. The thickened portion forms a bead shoulder that seats on top of the bead flanges of the wheel rim and also includes a bead which extends downwardly into the wheel rim adjacent the side walls of the wheel rim. The tubular insert is a semiresilient hollow tube mounted within the tunnel of the tire body to maintain the bead portion of the tire body against the side walls of the wheel rim.

Abstract: A method and article of manufacture is herein disclosed for eliminating the need for pressurized air in a vehicular pneumatic tire. A resilient tubular insert is inserted and carried within a tire casing to simulate pneumatic conditions. The resilient material possesses a longitudinal bore which in combination with a particular range of durometers, enhances the "pneumatic" characteristics of the tire insert. Preferably, the tire insert is discontinuous and is designed to have a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the tire casing under deflated conditions.

Abstract: A solid monolithic tire for use on a wheel rim can be improved by incorporating within the tire a circumferentially extending tunnel formed on the inside of the tire body. Further, the tire body has inclined side walls that converge outwardly to form a V-shaped cross section. The apex of this V-shaped cross section forms the tread portion of the tire. Each of the side walls of the tire terminate in a thickened portion which forms a bead shoulder capable of seating on the bead flanges of the wheel rim to which the tire is mounted. Extending down through the thickened portion of either side of the tire is a bead which has a lower bead wall on the portion most distal to the thickened portion. A bead cord extends circumferentially embedded within the bead near the lower bead wall. The process by which the tire is formed allows the bead cord to be positioned in its appropriate place within the bead.