Abstract: An improved pneumatic tire and improved method for building same on a high crown building drum. The lower bead portion of the tire is provided with an additional reinforcing ply structure which is wrapped about a substantially inextensible bead wire.An improved method of building a tire on a high crown building drum wherein the additional reinforcing ply structure in the bead area is placed in tension during vulcanization.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for delivering the precise optimum number of cure equivalents to the exact point of least cure for each tire, though the location of the point varies from one tire to another tire of different geometry, and may vary in tires of the same geometry if there is a change in normal operating conditions. A cure is effected with the aid of a small computer means utilizing only two boundary temperature conditions and the ambient temperature, irrespective of where the boundary conditions are sensed.

Abstract: An improved process for vulcanization of elastomer products which includes the steps of heating under pressure, the elastomer product mounted in a metal mold by supplying vulcanizing medium, suspending the supply of the vulcanizing medium when the elastomer product has reached a predetermined temperature or passed through a predetermined time period, subsequently supplying inert gas preliminarily extracted from atmospheric air and maintained at least under approximately the same pressure as that of the vulcanizing medium, up to the termination of the heating step so as to maintain the elastomer product at the predetermined temperature, and, upon termination of said heating step, restoring a mixture of the inert gas and the vulcanizing medium so as to derive the inert gas through steam separation for re-utilization of the inert gas for a preshaping of the elastomer product prior to the vulcanization of the elastomer product and the like.

Abstract: A press for vulcanizing annular elements, in particular belts for motion transmission is provided. The press can be used to vulcanize belts having different dimensions and shapes. A device for varying the distance between the pulleys on which the belts are mounted for the vulcanization is separated from the vulcanizing device and provides for variation of the distance between the pulleys for loading and discharging the belts.

Abstract: A single or multiple strand molded notch V-belt and a method for its production is described. The method is characterized by use of an open-ended mold having rigid transverse notches and longitudinal ribs forming a plurality of mold cavities. The belt has undulating mold-formed notches which In one embodiment carry a fabric facing of a particular design to retard initiation and propagation of undercord cracks during operation of the belt around described sheaves.

Abstract: A tire press bag well is insulated with at least one envelope. The envelope extends substantially around the bag well within the bag well housing and can be inflated. The envelope, in addition to its insulating properties, can have insulation thereon and the ends of the envelope can be fastened to itself. The configuration of the envelope, once installed, desirably conforms to the shape of the bag well housing. Since heat is applied to a tire press via the bag well, insulation thereof considerably reduces heat loss as well as reduces cure time.

Abstract: When molding rubber or plastic articles in a closed mold, a film of a liquid coating material having a boiling point above the ambient temperature of the work area and below the temperature at which the molding is to occur is applied to the surface of the mold cavity and/or the surface of the article to be molded just before the mold is closed. The mold cavity then is heated to a temperature above the boiling point of the liquid coating material. The pressure maintaining the mold closed is suddenly reduced exposing vapor release passages between mating surfaces of the mold segments. The liquid coating material at the elevated temperature and reduced pressure within the mold cavity rapidly vaporizes and exhausts through the vapor release passages flushing air entrapped within the mold cavity when the mold was closed from the mold cavity. The mold once again is closed before air can seep back into the mold cavity. Normal molding procedures thereafter are followed.

Abstract: A composite granular mixture of source materials, providing an NPK Fertilizer content of desired value, say 16-8-8, and a plastic binder composed of granular uncured urea-formaldehyde resin are compressed into a briquette of good "green strength" and then resinously bonded into a drivable spike by curing the resin either at room temperature or at a suitably elevated temperature. The resulting plant food spike, when driven into the ground, functions to fertilize the immediately surrounding area at a slow even rate.

Abstract: The invention discloses a vehicle tire with reduced rolling noise emission. The tire tread is provided with one or more air-permeable channels or pores (6), which serve to neutralize air pressure differences between different parts of the tread surface in road contact, for example on each side of a tread block in a tread pattern. The invention also discloses how these channels or pores can be created by piecewise vulcanization of rubber or plastic balls or otherwise shaped rubber or plastic bodies of which the tread is built up so that communicating channels or pores remain between such bodies.

Abstract: The green tread strip is preshaped prior to its application to the green carcass body structure such that the minimum cross-sectional areas of the green tread strip align with the void areas of the green tread design.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire is made by applying a restricting member circumferentially around a cylindrical radial tire carcass. Shaping pressure inflates the carcass to a toroidal shape having a section height less than a predetermined section height so that the carcass can be enclosed by a mold for vulcanization. After vulcanization, normal inflation pressure is sufficient to further expand the restricting member and carcass to a shape having a section height greater than the predetermined section height so that the carcass may be pressed into gripping engagement with a replaceable tread belt.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing tires having a crown reinforcement from one or more liquid or pasty materials which solidify in a core mold is improved due to the fact that prior to the filling of the mold there is placed in the mold an elastically deformable annular net formed of two superimposed plies of parallel wires crossed from one ply to the other at an angle at most equal to 90.degree. with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire, at least the outside of the wires being formed of an elastic and weldable material permitting welding of the wires of one ply to those of the other ply at the points where they intersect, the net being placed in the mold with its edges equidistant from the equatorial plane of the tire.

Abstract: A tire having a reinforcing sheet of tubular knit material stretchable during shaping into a toroidal form. The knit material provides openings for striking through of the liquid reaction mixture of elastomer forming material used in molding the tire. The sheet of knit material may be folded over spaced-apart bead rings and overlapped to provide multiple layers. The tire is molded on a core supporting the reinforcing sheet and bead rings with the strands of the knit material straightened out and in tension at the time of cure.

Abstract: A cast or injection molded tire having a reinforcing sheet of netting material providing openings for striking through of elastomeric material during filling of the mold. The process of making the tire includes shaping the sheet of netting material by stretching and thereby orienting the strands. The shaping is done at elevated temperatures and then the netting material cooled in the shaped form. A mat of overlapping sheets of netting material may be used with the strands being multidirectional to provide uniform sidewall strength. An overlapping breaker ply of netting material may also be used to connect two mats of reinforcing sheets on opposite sides of the tire.

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 reinforcing cord is positioned in a mold cavity for reinforcing an annular article such as a tire by wrapping the cord on an annular spacer band which is supported on a mold core and then placed in the mold. The mold is charged with a liquid polyurethane reaction mixture to form an outer polymeric ring of the annular article which is adhered to the cord and partially cured. The spacer band is removed, the mold closed and charged with additional liquid polyurethane reaction mixture to form an inner polymeric ring of the annular article adjacent the reinforcing cord carried by the outer ring. The partially cured outer ring and the inner ring are then cured to adhere the inner ring to the outer ring with the layer of reinforcing cord encapsulated between the rings. An additional layer of reinforcing cord may be positioned in the article by wrapping another cord around a second spacer band having a smaller diameter than the first spacer band.

Abstract: A cold recapping method using a rubber bonding composition on each of a group of tires and a precured tread strip wrapped around each tire has each tire mounted on a rim and enclosed in a flexible curing envelope which extends radially inwardly over the sidewalls of the tire. The group of tires is assembled in side by side relationship with the envelopes held between the sidewalls of adjacent tires.

Abstract: The apparatus incorporates a rigid cylindrical form or mandrel on the outer surface of which a belt structure is built, between a pair of end dams. The radially inward surface of the mandrel is cylindrical and provides a large unobstructed cylindrical opening therethrough. The mandrel is constructed of a multiplicity of axially extending segments which are rigidly locked to and extend between a pair of end rings which provide the edge dams. Upon completing the belt structure, the belt structure together with the rigid mandrel are inserted freely into an annular channel between an outside and an inside curing assembly. The inside curing assembly includes a single cylindrical diaphragm expandable radially into contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the mandrel solely to apply curing heat thereto.

Abstract: A method for molding a tire with an annular reinforcement below the tread surface in which first a tire body is molded and then a flexible reinforcement formed by bands or threads is wound, preferably under tension, in form of a helix about the circumference of the tire body, whereafter a tread surface portion is molded about the tire body and the reinforcement thereon; and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire having a cast body of viscoelastic material, a road-engaging tread surface and a girdle member of reinforcing cords located in the crown area of the cast body.

Abstract: A mark indication is formed on the tire side wall by sticking partially vulcanized thin rubber sheets provided with mark indications on one side of said sheets along the circumferential direction of the green case at the outer surface corresponding to the side wall of the green case formed on a former and tightly adhering the rubber sheet integrally to the side wall through molding the green case into a toroidal form and vulcanizing said green case.

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US79/01107 PCT Filed Dec. 17, 1979 Sec. 371 Dec. 17, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 17, 1979.A method and apparatus for forming the mounting portion of a sidewall protector includes a rigid mold (19) in which a sidewall protector (12) can be formed and a separate plate assembly (29,31) which is moveable toward the rigid mold to form the mounting holes (10), central opening 11, and a pair of annular ribs (14,16) on opposite sides of the sidewall protector. Movement of the plate (32) is done by a plurality of springs (47) each positioned between the plate (32) and an enlarged head portion (48) of a pin (46). The springs are compressed by a linear actuator (43) and the pin (46) is connected to the mold (19) by a dowel (54) inserted through a hole (53) in the pin (46) to maintain the compression on the springs (47).

Abstract: An apparatus and processes for the production of a continuous rubber strip which is molded with surface designs, such as tire treads, in the uncured state and then cured, after removal from the mold, by heat or radiation is disclosed. In the apparatus the extruded rubber strip is passed between cooperating mold segments carried by respective endless belts which, along with related components, apply suitable temperatures and pressures to the strip to produce the surface designs. The molded uncured rubber strip is removed from the molds and then completely cured by radiation and/or heat. Process embodiments are also disclosed wherein partial curing of the rubber while in the molding apparatus is performed.

Abstract: An endless tread assembly is fabricated on a ring having grooves and ridges which mold the radially inward surface of the tread assembly. The ring is a thin walled cylinder having a single slit or gap. The tread assembly on the ring is suspended by rotatable wheels rollable on the inward surface of the ring, so as to position an arcuate portion of the ring and tread assembly between a fixed press arm and a single movable heated press mold shoe operable to mold about a 40 degree arc of the tread assembly between the shoe and the ring backed by the press arm. Lugs on the inward surface of the ring cooperate with a latch fixed on the press arm to index selected increments of the tread assembly and ring between the press arm and mold segment. After all arcuate increments of the tread assembly have been molded and cured, the ring is opened at the gap and then simply flexed to reduce its diameter sufficiently to remove the cured tread assembly.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire casing have at least one sidewall ornamental with patterns being made of an elastomer of a color different from that of the sidewall which covers the carcase of the tire, by compelling during molding and vulcanization of the tire a thin layer of elastomer of a color different from that of the sidewall into the width of the latter, so as to obtain that said layer becomes arranged at the bottom of a recess formed in a part of the outer surface of the tire casing.

Abstract: A lug tire for agricultural machines and constructional vehicles provided with at least one discontinuous portion formed by decreasing a thickness of a base rubber at both end regions of a tread and arranged along the circumferential direction of the tire.

Abstract: A method of building a closed tube-tire includes constructing a green tire carcass (13) on a disintegratable core (17) and curing the tire carcass (13) in a curing mold (10) having two halves (11,12) which are movable between opened and closed positions. The green tire carcass (13) is intentionally constructed undersized so that a space (18) exists between the green tire carcass (13) and the curing mold (10) to prevent the core (17) from being cracked or crushed when the halves are closed around the tire carcass (13).

Abstract: A torus shaped article can be molded using a liquid injection molding composition by placing a torus shaped mold at an angle of 1.degree. to 45.degree. with the horizontal, charging the mold at a port having a higher elevation and immediately rotating the mold to position the vent port at a point higher than the charging port.

Abstract: A vehicular pneumatic tire which, except for bead cores, is composed solely of an elastomeric blend strengthened by molecular orientation. The blend is a monoolefin copolymer rubber with a polyolefin and sufficient curing agents to effect vulcanization when the blend is subjected to heat and pressure. The process for making the tire comprises preforming an annulus of the elastomeric blend with bead cores adjacent the edges, the diameter of the preform being essentially that of the bead diameter of the completed tire and the axial distance between the beads less than the transverse arcuate dimension of the completed tire. The preform is cured and while still hot following curing, is stretched and shaped to final size and the generally toroidal form characteristic of conventional pneumatic tires with resulting biaxial molecular orientation, which orientation is retained in the tire by cooling it below the melting point of the polyolefin before removing the tire from the mold.

Abstract: A process is provided for injection molding a vehicle tire such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,868 having a bead of elastomeric material. The mold has an outer envelope and an inner body having a core formed of radially collapsible sectors which combine to enclose a mold cavity. The inner body member has at least two annular elements, an upper and lower one, which are separable from one another and from the core along the direction of the core axis. The annular elements have surfaces which form axially inner surfaces of the tire's beads. The inner body member is also provided with members for blocking the annular elements with the core and with the envelope. The core of the mold is divided into two series of alternate collapsible sectors which are displaced radially inwardly when the tire is released from the mold.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a tire in segments in a closed mold wherein the internal surface of the mold determines the shape of the external surface of the tire segments, comprising:(a) radially moving from the center of a mold towards the internal surface of the mold a molding tool which determines the shape of the internal surface of the tire segments while leaving a space between said molding tool and said internal surface of said mold, said space conforming to the shape of said tire segments;(b) filling said space between said molding tool and said internal surface with a plastic compound; and when said plastic compound is solidified,(c) moving said mold or said molding tool in the circumferential direction so that the next segment follows immediately upon the segment already produced.

Abstract: A method of applying a tread band to a tire carcass includes the steps of placing a pre-vulcanized tread band on the inner surface of a resiliently flexible tread band holder and deforming the band holder inwardly to contact the tread band with a tire carcass. The deformation is carried out using inflatable air bags on the outer surface of the tread band holder. The deformation shortens the periphery of the tread band and produces a compressive stress in the band, which is retained in the band after bonding to the tire carcass.

Abstract: Tires made using nylon cord in the fabric plies are built in a conventional manner, cured in a conventional manner in a curing press, removed from the curing press and held in an uninflated state for from 4 to 7 minutes, then post inflated. The tires remain in the inflated state until the temperature has been reduced below the heat shrink temperature of the nylon cord.The cords in the tires which have been subjected to the post inflation treatment of the present invention have higher tensile strength than cords in tires which have been post inflated both in and out of the mold immediately after curing and tires which were not post inflated.

Abstract: In the moulding of the tread portion of a pneumatic tire the radially inner surface of the mould cavity is defined by the radially outer surface of an annular former of elastomeric material. The former is contracted, a breaker assembly is built onto it and it is allowed to expand to stress the breaker. In the mould the former is further expanded and is held in compression between mould parts and the breaker to withstand moulding pressure. The former may have inflatable pockets to throw the breaker edges into contact with tire sidewall reinforcements.

Abstract: A method of moulding a tire in a mould in which the retaining rings for the bead formation of a green tire are variable in diameter to allow for increase in the bead diameter of the finished tire relative to its green state and to prevent damage caused by forcing the beads of a green tire over bead rings of too large diameter. Preferably the bead retaining rings expand to their maximum diameter in response to the application of curing pressure inside the tire and automatically retract when curing pressure is relieved.

Abstract: A body having rubber material thereon is positioned on a lower member, and an upper member is moved toward the lower member, such relative movement causing tread-forming shoes to move to inward positions to form a tread on the rubber material. As an alternative, the upper and lower members may be brought together, and rubber material may be injected into position to have a tread formed thereon. Upon movement of the upper and lower member relatively apart, the rubber material is made to remain in contact with the shoes, and the body is removed, whereupon an annular core having rubber material thereon is disposed on the lower member, and the upper and lower members are again brought together to deposit the rubber material in contact with the shoes onto the rubber material on the core.

Abstract: A method of increasing the tread and sidewall life of a radial belted pneumatic tire with an open end belt in which the tire is cured in a mold with the central portion of the tread in a curved configuration having the same tread radius and the margins of the tread having an increased tread radius. The sidewalls are cured with the maximum sectional width of the tire spaced from the bead baseline a predetermined distance greater than 55 percent of the maximum section height of the tire so that upon inflation of the completely manufactured tire to design inflation pressure, the tread surface of the tire will have a substantially constant tread radius across the tread profile for even wear of the tread and the tension in the sidewalls will be reduced for increased life of the tire.

Abstract: A very large off-the-road type tire having a plurality of bead cores and a plurality of bias laid carcass plies, which when in the configuration in which it was cured has a section height which is substantially less than the section height of the tire when inflated and an axial bead spacing which is substantially greater than the axial bead spacing when the tire is mounted on a rim and inflated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for injecting a temperature sensitive probe into a tire to be cured in a mold which is at least in part heated by a steam cavity. The probe is utilized to monitor cure conditions and provides an electronic input signal to control the cure. The probe is carried by a movable member in a housing mounted in the mold with one side of the movable member being exposed to, and thereby worked on, the steam in the cavity so that the steam pressure itself is utilized to inject the probe.

Abstract: A method of building an unequal bead diameter tire with conventional components and contour lengths which are substantially equal, the contour lengths being measured along the neutral axis of the carcass plies between the beads and a plane containing the mid-circumferential centerline of the tread. The tire is molded in a special configuration not usually employed in shaping a tire, i.e. the tread is unsymmetrical in relation to a plane which normally bisects the tread, and the lateral edges of the tread are radially offset and not equally spaced from the center axis of the mold which is normally the case when the conventional methods are used for molding and vulcanizing a tire.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for injection molding a pneumatic tire having corresponding symmetrical parts such as the sidewalls of the tire which are geometrical symmetrical and have substantially the same physical characteristics. The process involves providing a feed stream of suitable plastic or elastomeric compound such as rubber, separating the feed stream into intermediate streams and remixing the intermediate stream before injection into the mold. The compound is injected into the mold cavities at uniformly spaced points along at least one of the annular zones of the cavity. The feed stream is preferably separated into two streams, one of which comes primarily from the outer portion of the stream and the other predominantly from near the center of the stream and then these streams are intermixed to provide a stream which is substantially uniform in composition throughout.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the production of rubber sheets such as tire treads having a surface design in which the rubber is at least partially cured in a mold.

Abstract: An elastomeric composition is shaped into a conveyor belt and cured in three steps. In the first step the uncured composition is heated to the curing temperature of the elastomer and pressed at a pressure which is at least equal to the vapor pressure of volatile constituents in the composition to avoid bubbles but less than 6 kg/cm.sup.2 until the composition becomes plastic. At this point, the pressure is increased to about 6 to 10 kg/cm.sup.2 to shape the composition into the configuration of a conveyor belt while maintaining the temperature of the composition at the curing temperature of the elastomer. In a third step, the pressure is reduced to a pressure of not less than the vapor pressure of volatile constituents of the composition and less than 6 kg/cm.sup.2 while maintaining the temperature of the composition at the curing temperature of the elastomer until the elastomer is cured.

Abstract: A process for producing thermoplastic, elastomeric articles such as, for example, semi-pneumatic tires, comprising the steps of admixing a thermoplastic, elastomeric molding composition including a vulcanizable or otherwise thermosetable elastomer, inert filler materials, a plasticizer and certain processing aids. The molding composition is then milled into a flat sheet, extruded into a tubular shape, cut, shaped and then molded at a temperature less than about 70.degree. F into thermoplastic elastomeric articles such as, for example, semi-pneumatic tires.

Abstract: A process for injection molding a crown of a vehicle tire from one composition and the sidewalls from a different composition involves the steps of shaping the reinforcing structure in the mold, injecting a first composition over one side of the reinforcing structure to form a crown with a tread and injecting a second composition to form the sidewalls with an interface within the proximity of the edges of the reinforcing structure. In a preferred embodiment, the tire has the configuration of the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,868. The annular reinforcing structure is shaped to be generally convex but concave towards the tread along its edges.

Abstract: A method is provided whereby the three components (sidewalls and tread) of a pneumatic tire are moulded in a single press operation using two transfer units charged with uncured rubber which are located in the press so as to discharge to the mould cavities when the press is closed, after which the press is opened to allow removal of the transfer units, (the moulded components remaining in the press) and then reclosed to assemble the components together. Each transfer unit comprises at least one reservoir for uncured rubber defined between parts of the unit which are relatively movable under the action of the press to transfer the rubber from the reservoir(s) to associated mould cavities.

Abstract: A method for casting pneumatic tires by pouring a fluidized tire-forming material into a molding cavity defined between the outer peripheral surface of a separable hard core of a mold assembly and the inner peripheral surface of an outer separable hard mold member of the mold assembly. The separable hard core is composed of at least three segments and toroidal in shape. At least one segment of the separable core is retracted in a radial direction and then moved in a direction which does not hinder retractive movement of the remaining segments and subsequently these remaining segments are retracted in the radial direction, whereby the cast tire can easily be removed from the mold assembly.

Abstract: A tire shaped article is blow molded by extruding a tubular parison between movable mold sections, sealing the open end of the parison, injecting air into the parison, moving a lower mold section and the bottom portion of the parison upwardly and expanding an intermediate portion of the parison radially outwardly into a mold cavity.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a mold particularly adapted for applying pre-cured tread rubber to a tire, the mold including a pair of generally annular mold bodies which collectively define a chamber adapted to receive a tire, the mold bodies being capable of relative axial adjustment whereby axial dimensions of the chamber may be varied to accomodate tires of different widths, an annular band for locking the mold bodies to each other at a particular position of axial relative adjustment, and axially shiftable means for maintaining the mold bodies at a desired position of relative axial adjustments.Preferably an annular resilient rubber or like envelope surrounds the tire as well as its sidewalls to prevent steam or an equivalent heating medium from permeating between the tire and the pre-cured rubber glue thereto.

Abstract: A raw pneumatic tire carcass having an uncured, elastomeric, annular body and an uncured, elastomeric, liner superposed upon and affixed to the internal surface of the body, is disclosed. The liner in one form thereof includes bead-communicating recesses for venting fluid from between the liner and an inflatable bladder used in a mold for effecting inflation of the body and liner from a cylinder to a torus. The liner in the latter form is constituted of an appropriate thermoplastic material which, when engaged and inflated by a smooth surface of the bladder and vulcanized, undergoes a transformation in which the recesses gradually disappear substantially and are transformed into a correspondingly smooth surface. A second form of the liner (which is preferably incorporated as part of the first said form of the liner) is represented by a convexity on at least one surface of the liner.