The General Tire & Rubber Company

Leon F Marker

Thomas J Dudek

Sundar L Aggarwal

Robert J Herold

Hendrik Jan Janssen

A laminated product such as a tire is cast from chemically extending liquids which form a laminated solid in a mold. The mold cavity is closed in preparation for use except for casting fluid inlet ports and exhaust vents. The mold cavity defines the shape of the product to be cast. Two or more chemically extendable liquids are injected into the mold without mixing through the inlet ports. Each liquid is injected through a different port. After injection, the liquids are arranged in alternate circumferential segments within the annular space. At least one of the inner and outer surfaces which define the mold cavity is then rotated about the common axis to impart a spiral configuration to each of the injected liquids. The liqiuds are then allowed to chemically extend to solids and form a laminated product such as a tire. The products, when they comprise alternate layers of high and low elastic modulus materials, have better resistance to flex cracking than non-layered materials of similar composition having similar average stiffness.

Apparatus for making cast annular laminates

A laminated product such as a tire is cast from chemically extending liquids which form a laminated solid in a mold. The mold cavity is closed in preparation for use except for casting fluid inlet ports and exhaust vents. The mold cavity defines the shape of the product to be cast. Two or more chemically extendable liquids are injected into the mold without mixing through the inlet ports. Each liquid is injected through a different port. After injection, the liquids are arranged in alternate circumferential segments within the annular space. At least one of the inner and outer surfaces which define the mold cavity is then rotated about the common axis to impart a spiral configuration to each of the injcted liquids. The liquids are then allowed to chemically extend to solids and form a laminated product such as a tire. The products, when they comprise alternate layers of high and low elastic modulus materials, have better resistance to flex cracking than non-layered materials of similar composition having similar average stiffness.

Cast annular laminates and method and apparatus for making same

A laminated pneumatic tire is disclosed which may be free of reinforcing fabric and which is made of a substantial number of alternating layers of high-modulus and low-modulus polymeric material such as synthetic rubber, polyurethane rubber, and various elastoplastic and high-modulus plastic materials including polycarbonate, nylon, epoxide resins, polystyrene and the like. The alternating hard and soft layers provide the tire with a necessary durability and resistance to flex cracking. The tire may contain low-modulus polymeric layers with a Young's modulus from 300 to 2000 or higher. The high-modulus layers of the tire may have a Young's modulus from 3000 to 50,000 or higher. The preferred process involved forming the individual layers from liquid polymeric materials, such as liquid polyurethane polymers, and forming the tire in molds wherein the layers are applied to the inside of the mold by spraying or otherwise applying the liquid polymer while rotating the mold or otherwise providing rotating motion between the applicator and the mold.

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Cuyahoga Falls, OH, United States of America

Leon F Marker