Abstract:
A vehicle tire has a rubber tread portion with laterally-spaced, circumferentially-extending rider strips, each rider strip being zigzag in plan view so that the sides of the rider strips present alternating peaks and valleys. A helical wire coil extends circumferentially of the tire in each rider strip, with the peaks on the sides of the rider strips providing rubber stock which projects beyond the sides of the wire coils to retain the latter in position during use. This rubber stock is in the form of a series of triangular blocks and there is a sipe slit extending transversely into each of said triangular blocks from the peak thereof.
Abstract:
A helical coil which is being fed from a forming machine at high speed, and which is being simultaneously rotated, is directed at an angle into a guide tunnel having a bore which is of substantially greater height than the diameter of the coil whereby the coil inherently engages the top of the guide tunnel. At the discharge end of the guide tunnel a retracted knife, which is disposed at the same angle as the convolutions of the coil, projects into the upper portion of the bore of the tunnel in such a position that the rotating coil is normally in threaded engagement with the lower edge of the knife to progress past the knife as the coil is being rotated and moved lineally, the knife being arranged to periodically move the coil downwardly to shear a lower convolution portion against a cooperating shearing edge at the bottom of the tunnel bore.
Abstract:
IN A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING TIRE TREADS, THE STEPS OF PRODUCING A STRIP OF UNCURED RUBBER TREAD STOCK WITH LONGITUDINALLY-EXTENDING LOCATING GROOVES THEREIN, WRAPPING AND SECURING A LENGTH OF SAID TREAD STOCK AROUNG A TIRE TO BE RETREADED OR AROUND A GREEN TIRE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NEW TIRES, INSERTING ELONGATED TRACTION-AUGMENTING MEMBERS SUCH AS WIRE COILS OF A SIZE TO BE SNUGLY RECIEVED AND HELD IN SAID GROOVES, AND CURING THE TREAD STOCK BY APPLYING HEAT AND MOLDING PRESSURE WITH THE USE OF A MATRIX HAVING A TREAD PATTERN WHICH INCLUDES RIBS PORTIONED TO FORM
GROOVES IN THE TREAD BETWEEN THE TRACTION-AUGMENTING MEMBERS AND TO CAUSE RUBBER TO FLOW INTO THE LOCATING GROOVES TO CURE AROUND THE TRACTION-AUGMENTING MEMBERS.
Abstract:
Coiled wire is formed by forcing linear wire around a helical groove in a fixed mandrel by means of a hollow, rotating die which surrounds a portion of the groove in the fixed mandrel, there being feed mechanism which forces wire into the helical groove. The rotating die and feed mechanism are driven in synchronism with each other from a common rotary power source.
Abstract:
The tire-forming matrix has elongated zigzag ribs which are spaced apart to provide grooves for receiving and centering metal traction-augmenting coils. The sides of the ribs have peaks and valleys and peaks of a rib on one side of a received coil are disposed opposite the valleys of the rib on the other side of the coil, and sipe-forming strips are caused to project transversely from each valley, which strips aid the peaks in centering the wire coil. When the tire tread is molded the valleys at the sides of the matrix ribs provide a row of triangular rubber blocks on each side of each rider strip which project beyond the sides of the coil, and the sipe strips are positioned to break up these rubber blocks and provide more movement on the tire tread.