The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

George T Watts

Timothy Michael Rooney

Daniel Christian Shavers

William J Hampshire

Richard J Olsen

Douglas A Swift

John M Cady

William T Smith

Leonard R Holm

Robert Dean Irwin

Robert Thomas Irwin

Robert I Griffiths

Ronald Thomas Dillard

Theron J Thaden

Arthur Warner Moll

Gary Wayne Corder

Nguyen Bau

A method and apparatusfor correcting tire nonuniformity is disclosed. The invention is particularly suited for correcting tread runout and connicity problems for large off-road tires. Multiple measurements are taken in multiple circumferentially spaced planes which enable data to be fed into a computer which predicts an optimal profile to correct tire non-uniformities using preset rules. A virtual template directs correction of the tire profile.

Method and apparatus for correcting tire nonuniformity

An annular ring-shaped run flat device is used in tires to permit continued use of the tire even when the tire is operating at low pressure or is completely deflated. This device is comprised of a rigid section and a non-rigid section. The tire, when it collapses, due to a reduction in pressure, comes to rest on the surface of the non-rigid, resilient, impact resistant section. This device is easy to assemble, can be used with conventional multi-piece rims, is light weight, durable and capable of absorbing impact under both inflated and deflated conditions. The device can also be used as a positive and non-positive bead spacer to prevent dismounting of the tire beads when tire pressure drops.

Run flat device

There is disclosed a plastic bead protector and a method of packaging large tires having bead portions that are susceptible to damage by lifting hooks or fork trucks during shipment. The bead protectors are slideably inserted inside of the bead portions of a tire and are retained in position by a plurality of elastic tension members.

Tire packaging

There is disclosed herein a method of manufacturing low aspect radial tires. The radial tires are mounted upon a bladder assembly during the time from the assembly of the tread reinforcing structure with the carcass until the vulcanization of the tire in a mold. Restrictor band material is wrapped around the tire to prevent circumferential growth of the tire beyond a predetermined diameter, so that the tire will not become too large to fit into the mold.

Method of manufacturing radial tires

An elongated filler of flexible resilient material for an annular well of a rim on which a pneumatic tire having bead portions may be mounted. A reinforcing member of inextensible material is attached to the filler so that the filler may be installed as a unitary member. The filler has a length less than the circumferential distance around the rim at the well providing a space in the well for the tire valve and for a latch fastened to the ends of the reinforcing member. The latch applies tension to the reinforcing member which presses the filler against the rim preventing relative rotation and radial movement out of the well during operation at high speeds.

Wheel well filler

A detachable, resilient shield is maintained in contact with the sidewalls of a tire for off-the-road vehicles to protect this critical area of the tire from damage due to contact with external objects such as rocks. The tire includes a removable tread or a lug traction band. The shield is manufactured separately from the tire. The shield includes criss-crossed reinforcements which extend at oppositely directed angles greater than zero but less than ninety degrees relative to the circumferential direction of the tire.

Tire sidewall protector

Tire with sidewall protector

A segmental annular safety support having swivel hinged segments for mounting on a rim inside a tire chamber with at least one of said segments having resilient means at the inner periphery for compression between the rim and segment when the segments are latched together to provide preloaded clamping of the support on the rim.

Safety support for pneumatic tires

A removable resilient shield is maintained proximate the sidewalls of a tire for off-the-road vehicles to protect this critical area of the tire from damage due to contact with external objects such as rocks. The shield is attached to the rim flange. The radially inner portion of the shield is discontinuous to prevent accumulation of debris between the shield and the sidewall of a tire mounted on the rim.

Tire sidewall protection shield

A removable resilient shield is maintained proximate the sidewall of a tire for off-the-road vehicles to protect this critical area of the tire from damage due to contact with external objects such as rocks. The shield is secured to the terminal portion of the rim flange. The radially inner portion of the shield is spaced axially of the rim and at least one radially extending passage is provided for removal of debris from between the shield and the sidewall of a tire mounted on the rim.

Tire sidewall protector shield assembly

A safety support for mounting on a split rim inside a tire chamber to resiliently support the tread portion of the tire in the deflated condition and maintain the bead portions of the tire in separated positions. The support is in the form of an annular ring of resilient material having a base with a relatively wide radially inner surface for seating on the rim and separating the bead portions. A flange extends radially inward from the radially inner surface of the base for gripping by the rim sections to seal the space within the tire and retain the ring on the rim. The radially outer portion of the support has a diameter less than the diameter of the tread portion of the tire in the deflated condition and greater than the diameter of the base portion. The base portion may be of greater width than the radially outer portion and be connected to the outer portion by an intermediate supporting portion of circumferentially spaced-apart radially extending ribs for cushioning the vehicle on which the tire, safety support and rim assembly are mounted.

Tubeless tire, safety support and rim assembly

A wheel with a rim having a drop center well and a retainer member for a tubeless pneumatic tire. In use the bead of the inflated tire is prevented from moving inwardly off the bear seat and into the drop center well of the rim by the retainer member which is fixed to the rim axially inwardly of and adjacent a bead of the tire. If during mounting and inflation of the tire a bead thereof becomes caught on the retainer, a gas bleed passage through the retainer prevents the tire from being inflated while the bead is caught thereon, thereby preventing damage to the bead of the tire and minimizing the risk of personal injury.

Wheel with improved tire bead retainer

A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly of the drop center type is disclosed including an inflatable annular cord-reinforced tube for filling the well of the wheel. The uninflated diameter of the cord-reinforced annular tube is substantially equal to the diameter of the base of the wheel well but expands to a diameter greater than the diameter of the bead seats upon inflation. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

Inflatable well filler for pneumatic tire and wheel assembly

A safety or emergency insert device positioned on a wheel rim inside a tire chamber to support the tire in a deflated condition. The device has an annular ring member of substantially C-shaped cross section which member has a rim-engaging portion, an axially extending tire tread support portion and a curved intermediate portion joining the rim-engaging portion with one lateral edge of the tire tread support portion. The tread support portion is radially deflectable when a radial load is applied thereto by the weight of a vehicle when the tire surrounding the device is deflated. The annular ring member is made preferably of resilient plastic, spring steel or other suitable resilient material which will provide deflection when the support device is supporting a vehicle running on a flat tire.

Safety support device and rim for pneumatic tires

A tire with conventional components having a pair of annular beads with different diameters, and contour lengths which are substantially equal. The contour lengths are referenced to the sidewalls of the tire and are measured along the neutral axis of the carcass plies between the beads and a plane containing the mid-circumferential centerline of the tread.

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

George T Watts