Abstract: The tire for a vehicle comprises a main body of the tire made from a rubber composite material and a rim to form a toroidal space therein, accommodates a toroidal pneumatic tube expandable due to its elasticity in the space for liquid, and the pneumatic tube has a smaller volume than that of a form obtained by depressing the space for liquid to a desired level by a road surface at the point of time when the tube is filled with air at a specified pressure required for supporting a load imposed on the tire, and the space for liquid in the depressed form which is outside of the tube is filled with liquid so that a desired ground contact area of the tire can be obtained under the load.

Abstract: Damping of the bounce in elastomeric tires is desirable to eliminate the tendency of a machine, such as a loader, to lope or bounce when carrying a load for a distance. The subject invention substantially reduces the lope or bounce by filling the cavity or closed chamber of a tire of a wheel assembly with a liquid, mounting an accumulator to a rim, and controllably interconnecting the closed chamber and the accumulator. By controlling the rate of fluid flow between the closed chamber and the accumulator, the elastomeric tire retains some resiliency while forcing the springs and shock absorbers of the machine to control the tendency for the machine to bounce or lope.

Abstract: A wheel (10) having a tire (12 ) is provided with a liquid molasses as a ballast (100). The tire can be tubeless or can contain a tube (28). The molasses is preferably desugared (less than 30% by weight sucrose) and is able to sustain a temperature of -30.degree. F. (-34.4.degree. C. and below) without freezing. The molasses is non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-abrasive and is environmentally friendly. Farm, utility, industrial, lawn and garden and commercial vehicles use ballasted tires.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a valve stem for a pneumatic tire and more specifically to a valve stem which is capable of allowing for the introduction of pulverulent matter into the tire directly through the valve while at the same time also being capable of filtering the air released from within the tire through the valve core to prevent pulverulent matter contained within the tire from entering the valve core seat assembly and the atmosphere. The present invention also prevents pulverulent matter which may be contained within a tire from being forced into the valve core over time through use of the tire and due to routine checking of tire air pressure. The invention is suited for use with any size wheel and tire assembly including those found on automobiles, light trucks, heavy duty over-the-road trucks, and heavy duty off-road trucks.

Abstract: A vehicle tire in which pressurized air is charged into an air tight inside of a tire together with from 5% to 95% by volume of a fluid having a specific gravity greater than that of air based on 100% by volume of the pressurized air and from 1% to 20% by weight of one or more of fine metals of metal oxide particles, uniformly dispersed in the fluid, based on 100% by weight of the fluid, the metal ingredient of the particles being selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Ba, Mg, and Mo.Water is desirable as the fluid charged in the tire, and the highly water absorbing polymer swollen with water may be used instead of water. Running stability and the braking distance of a vehicle can be improved remarkably.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus including an assembly of parts for use in preparing the rim of a vehicle wheel having either a tube type or tubeless tire for use in dispensing liquid in the tire to fight fire in and around the area of the vehicle.

Abstract: A water filled tire filling device including a barrel portion with an axial bore therethrough. One end of the bore has an enlarged inner diameter with an air vent aperture in the wall thereof, and the inner wall threaded adjacent the open end, with the thread being suitable for attachment to a conventional tire valve member. A valve stem tube is inserted into the bore and secured therein with an end of the tube projecting beyond the end of the enlarged diameter bore portion a distance to be in proximity to the valve needle member of the tire valve when the filling device is connected to the tire valve. For larger volume and/or faster fills the needle valve assembly can be removed prior to insertion of the tube. If the needle valve assembly is not removed, actuation of the valve needle member is accomplished by the inner diameter of the tube being sufficient to pass into proximity with the needle member or sufficient to pass about the needle member and seat against the surrounding valve seat.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for use in fighting fire in and around heavy, self-propelled vehicles by means of a liquid ballast contained within the large, tubeless tires of the vehicle. In the event of a fire, a hose is connected to a coupling which is in turn connected to a fitting connected to means forming a hole in the rim of a wheel so as to permit liquid to be forced out of the tire and through a nozzle on the end of the hose by air pressure within the tire. The apparatus also includes at least one other fitting and another coupling connectible to the fitting, together with an additional hose connectible to one fitting in order to permit liquid ballast to be added to the tire, as air in the tire is vented through another fitting, and then pressurized by the addition of air through a compressed air line connected to one of the couplings.

Abstract: The cooling of a pneumatic tire (12) is provided for by a heat transfer element (21) contained within an inflation chamber (13) and drivingly coupled to the rim (14). The heat transfer element (21) extends away from the rim (14) into a volume of liquid coolant (19) also contained within the inflation chamber (13). Rotation of the rim (14) drives the heat transfer element (21) which transfers portions of the coolant (19) into contact with the rim (14) which conducts the heat away from the coolant fluid (19). A cooling coil (26) mounted about the rim (14) conducts the heat from the rim by the transfer of an additional coolant supply through the cooling coils (26). The efficient elimination of heat prolongs the life of the tire (12) and may increase productivity of earthmoving vehicles or the like which ride upon pneumatic tires (12) as operation of the vehicle need not be restricted in order to reduce heat damage to the tires ( 12).

Abstract: The seed planter press wheel having a resilient tire means that is partially filled with an incompressible liquid so that the resilient tire means stretches upon contacting of the tire means with an earthen seed bed to inhibit the sticking of any caked mud on the outer surface of the resilient tire means.

Abstract: A tire cooling system (10) for a vehicle having a wheel (12) with a tire (14) mounted on a rim (16). A heat transfer device (22) is positioned in a central cavity (18) defined by said rim (16) and tire (14). A first fluid (20) is contained in said central cavity (18) while a second fluid (25) is circulated through said heat transfer device (22), said second fluid (25) being in fluid isolation from said first fluid (20). Said second fluid (25) is circulated through a rotating wheel seal (28) to a heat exchanger (38) and back to said heat transfer device (22).Use of an intermediate heat exchanger, such as said heat transfer device (22), permits use of oil as said second fluid (25) permitting leakage from said rotating wheel seals (28) to be contained by and made up from said final drive sump (42). Oil has, of course, a deleterious affect on rubber. Through use of oil in an isolated cooling loop, relatively simple liquid cooling with an external heat exchanger (38) is achieved.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use with a tractor or like vehicle. The apparatus is adapted to liquid ballast and inflate a tube within a wheel of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises inflation means which include a pump adapted to pressurize air or liquid to the inflation pressure of the tube. A reservoir is provided which is adapted to be filled with ballast. The apparatus includes a nozzle adapted to fit within the tube. The nozzle is adapted to be positioned to purge up to 100% of the fluid within the tube at ambient pressures. The apparatus also includes piping means connecting the pump to the nozzle, and the pump to the reservoir.

Abstract: A method and device for automatically increasing the restoring force of a pneumatic tire characterized in that the centrifugal force created by rotation of the tire is caused to act on a liquid within a large diameter chamber of a centrifugal pump and the thus highly pressurized liquid is forced into the tire, so that the deformation of the wheel tread of the tire during operation of a vehicle is rapidly restored.

Abstract: A fire extinguisher system using liquid-ballast tires of a vehicle, such as a tractor or log skidder. The tire has a fire retardant liquid, and it may be water, and it has several valves spaced therearound. A gas supply can be attached to one of the valves to force the liquid from the tire, and a hose can be attached to another one of the valves for directing the evacuating liquid from the tire and toward the fire.