Abstract:
A low pressure tire including a torus of flexible, substantially inelastic material. The material will not deform at a temperature of about 225° F. The torus includes an inner diameter surface for engaging a tire supporting rim and an outer diameter surface for contacting a support surface. The torus can flatten under a load to facilitate movement of the tire over soft or irregular support surfaces. A sealable opening permits the inflation and deflation of the torus.
Abstract:
A wheel assembly machine (10) for mounting first and second rim halves (20) on a tire (14). Means (34) for expanding at least a portion of a first circumferential portion (24) permits mounting of the second rim half (20) without excessive difficulty or damage to the tire (14). An elevator (58) evenly forces a belt (56) onto the tire (14) avoiding misalignment between the belt (56) and the tire (14). The present invention lessens the likelihood of tire damage or tire-rim misalignment during assembly of a wheel (12).
Abstract:
A pneumatic tube-tire is fabricated by applying inextensible reinforcing filaments on an oval toroidal tube member which has its major axis parallel to the axis of revolution of the resulting tube-tire carcass and providing the resulting reinforced tube-tire carcass with an inextensible circumferential belt (i.e. one that is circumferentially inextensible) about its outer periphery to maintain the tube-tire carcass in its oval configuration when the tube-tire is pressurizes. The inextensible circumfer- ential belt may be associated with rubber stock forming the tread of the tube-tire and can be formed separately or integrally with the tube-tire carcass. Preferably, the circumferential belt will contain inextensible reinforcing filaments which are oriented generally parallel to the midcircumferential plane of the tube-tire and generally normal to the reinforcing filaments surrounding the tube-tire carcass. Spaces apart roll restraining hoops are placed within the reinforcing filaments surrounding the tube-tire carcass for lateral stability.