The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Harold E Mills

Norbert Majerus

John S Rambacher

A tire tread (74,76,194) is injection molded by increments in a mold cavity (56,58,119,224,262) having an open end (110,272) closed by a trailing end (116) of a cured section (114,228). A temperature moderating closed end (109,207,268) prevents complete curing of a trailing portion (116) of the cured section (114,228) while the rest of the section is cured. The mold (14,16,90,188,236) is opened so that the cured section (114,228) may be shifted to a position where the trailing portion (116) is clamped in the open end (110,272) of the mold cavity (56,58,119,224,262). A second section (118,228,264) is injection molded in the cavity (56,58,119,224,262) and the partially cured trailing portion (126) of the cured section (114,228,264) is cured and adhered to the leading portion (130) of the second section (114,228,264) as the second section is cured. This process may then be repeated for later sections to provide a desired length of cured tire tread stock (74,194,264). The mold (14,16,90,118,188,236) may have substantially flat molding surfaces (108) or longitudinally and curved molding surfaces (192,210,244). Mold segments (204,206,208,256,258,260) for a circumferentially curved mold cavity (224,262) may also be provided.

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Akron, OH, United States of America

Harold E Mills