Abstract:
An improved tire and wheel for road vehicles, the tire being either of tubeless or inflatable tube arrangement and of the radial and belted type and includes flexurally deformable tire side walls. The improvement comprises side wall restraining annular members for localizing a side wall flexural deformation to an annular portion of the sidewall to provide a material decrease of the tire flattening amplitude under load. The tire tread may include apex-shaped extensions on either side thereof which are integral with the belt and tread containing perimetrical portions of the tire carcass to laterally widen the road/tire contact interface area and structure for improving the load carrying and handling characteristic of the tire.
Abstract:
The beads of a pneumatic tire having sidewalls of a cross-sectional shape, wherein upon inflation the midline thereof between the tread reinforcement and bead is convex with respect to the interior of the tire, are gripped by a rim having an annular channel generally elliptically shaped in cross-section and having its open side directed radially outwardly with respect to the axis of the wheel and inwardly directed annular flanges only partially closing the open side of the channel.
Abstract:
The wheel assembly described is formed of a wheel and a hollow tire held firmly on the wheel rim by cooperating securing means including two axially outwardly open grooves extending circumferentially in a back-to-back relationship about the periphery of the wheel as an integral part thereof and two axially inwardly projecting and circumferentially extending legs forming an integral part of the tire. The free terminus of each leg snugly fits into said grooves.