The General Tire & Rubber Company

James E Britton

John A Welch

Richard D Hein

Tiong H Kuan

John G Sommer

Fred V Sandels

Fredric D Metcalf

Gary L Fordyce

Victor R Rilling

Joseph L Grant

Blends of low molecular weight crystalline polyethylene and crystalline EPDM polymers exhibit good processing and on curing show unexpected high flexural modulus. The addition of reinforcing agents will raise the modulus and other physical properties but the processability can remain satisfactory.

Polyethylene-EDPM compositions

An expansion joint seal assembly for sealing the gap between adjacent sections of a deck structure, such as a highway bridge or parking deck. The assembly includes an elongated body of elastomeric material that has two elongated compression pads extending along each side, and a flexible sealing section joining the two pads together. The compression pads are secured to the roadbed sections on opposite sides of the gap by means of metal cover plates that extend over ribs on the top of each compression pad, and fasteners such as anchor bolts that are secured to the deck sections at points in between the ribs of the compression pads. The anchor bolts extend up through the cover plates, and the heads of the anchor bolts are tightened down against the cover plates to press them against the compression pads and secure the compression pads in firm sealing engagement with the deck sections.

Expansion joint seal assembly

Discloses method of forming a belted radial tire from a cylindrical radial green tire band having biased corded belts which are adapted to pantograph and expand circumferentially as the tire band is shaped to be molded into a finished tire without 'S-ing' of the radial cords of the carcass plies under the belts of the finished tire as may be caused by the pantograph action of the belts while the tire band is being expanded into finished shape. Involves lowering a belted radial green tire band of generally cylindrical shape to seat into a conventional tire molding press over the inflatable curing bladder, then applying inflation pressure into the curing bladder to a first pressure level while partially closing the press. The inflation pressure is continued to a second pressure level while continuing to close the press. The belts pantograph and circumferentially expand substantially completely through application of the second pressure until the tire band has reached a generally circular U-shape. The second pressure level is held while the press is in partially open position for a sufficient time interval to retain the belts in expanded position while the carcass cords under the belts stretch to be disposed at substantially 0.degree. with respect to the tire axis. The pressure is then lowered from the second pressure level to about the same as the first pressure level while the press remains partially open to permit ready closure of the press about the tire band. Then the press is fully closed and the higher molding pressure and temperature is applied to cure the tire band into a finished tire as usual.

Method of forming belted radial tires from a cylindrical tire band

An improved elastomeric bearing structure adapted for use to support members such as beams or decks upon piers, foundations, sills, etc., to accommodate static and dynamic loading, thermal movement, non-parallel surfaces or rotation caused by beam deflection and the like. Bearing structure includes a monolithic elastomeric member which defines two substantially parallel side surfaces bounded at their peripheries by a curvilinear edge surface; the elastomeric member is confined at its edge surface by a plurality of elongated inextensible tension members disposed in both vertically spaced apart relation and horizontally offset or staggered relation and of selected accumulative height to allow selected adjacent areas of the edge surface to remain unconfined. Such structure permits a substantial increase in horizontal shear deflection for a bearing of specified thickness while also permitting superior accommodation to rotation caused by beam deflection and limiting deflection caused by vertical loading.

Growing community of inventors

Akron, OH, United States of America

James E Britton