The B. F. Goodrich Company

Other

Robert F Jones

Donald R Bartley

A lock for a door latch which includes a bolt moveable from a first position where the door is unlatched to a second position where the latch engages the door to hold the latch in the second position at selected temperatures.

Thermal block for door assembly

A simple two-stage process is disclosed for economic mass production of premium-quality heavy-duty belted tubeless and tube-type radial truck tires of various sizes using standard 30-year-old semi-automatic tire building machines heretofore used in the manufacture of bias-ply tires by the flat-band process. The old automatic machines are modified at minimal cost to receive a unique rigid expansible drum which is radially expanded 35% or more during the first-stage tire building operation. The drum may be adjusted to make tires of various widths and diameters and has a series of closely spaced radially movable segments defining a rigid segmental open-ended externally cylindrical shell having an annular rubber cover on which a complete green tire carcass is built prior to application of the belts and the tread at the second-stage machine. The shell has rigid beveled shoulders at the ends of the drum which are inclined at an angle of from 40.degree. to 50.degree. relative to the drum axis and which are shaped to facilitate high-speed production, and to permit effective use of the ply turn-up tools and stitching means normally used on such automatic tire building machines with open-ended cylindrical drums. The rubber-covered shell expands radially in a precisely controlled manner in response to rotation of the drum, and it maintains uniform cord spacing and prevents the formation of wrinkles and air pockets during the ply down and ply turn-up operations. The unique drum facilitates accurate positioning of the wire beads and more precise control of bead-to-bead cord lengths and provides an ideal support during the stitching operations at the drum shoulders so as to improve tire quality and uniformity.

Tires building machine with rigid radially expansible drum

To 'set' the relative angular disposition of cords in plural inextensible belts on an inflated green tire carcass before it is cured in a mold, a roller is provided which momentarily presses a belt upon the carcass, thus 'printing' the belt thereon at a fixed distance from the longitudinal axis of the carcass, and thereafter releases the belt. The carcass is inflated into a toroidal shape so that a point on the circumference of the carcass is at a predetermined inflated distance from the longitudinal axis of the carcass. The roller is placed on each belt to be 'set' so that the roller contacts each belt prior to printing it on the carcass. The roller biases each belt on the carcass toward its (the carcass') longitudinal axis, and it is essential that the distance between the bottom surface of the roller and the longitudinal axis of the inflated carcass is maintained constant while each belt is in contact with the roller. The air cushion within the inflated carcass provides resistance against which the roller is biased. The tire is mounted only on bead flanges and there is no rigid support against which the roller acts. The tread is manually pressed on to the belts which have been printed on to the carcass with the roller, and spliced to encircle the belted carcass; thereafter, the tread, belts and sidewalls are together 'stitched' to the carcass by conventional stitching rollers. Printing the belts with the roller, so that cords of one belt are at a predetermined oblique angle with respect to cords of another belt, sets this angle in the green tire in such a way that, upon curing of the green tire in a mold, a desired cured angle of the cords is obtained in a tire of excellent uniformity.

Method for forming a tire employing a belt application roller

When feed stock is pulled from storage and a portion cut off for use by an operator, such as a builder of tires, the remaining portion of feed stock not used by the operator for the tire he is building ('unused stock'), interferes with the tire building process. Therefore, the tire builder must take the time, and make the additional effort to move the unused stock out of his way, usually by pulling the end of the unused stock into a retaining clip on the tray of the `servicer` which presents appropriate stocks to the tire builder. To avoid the inconvenience to the tire builder who must move the unused stock out of his way, and to save the time required for him to do so, a spring actuated cam roller is used to release the feed stock to the tire building machine when the operator pulls on the stock. After the operator cuts off a predetermined portion, a controlled reverse rotation of the cam is automatically spring actuated so as to retract the end of the unused stock and keep it out of the operator's way. The distance the end of unused stock is retracted is adjustable.

Spring actuated cam retractor

A device is disclosed in which an edge-sensing means ('sensor') and a work-performing assembly are combined to perform work on a belt, strip or other work (hereafter 'material'). It may be desired to slit the material, or simply position it with respect to a reference mark, but whichever the work-performing function to be discharged, it is required to do so with accuracy relative to one or both edges of the material. The sensor comprises a silicon solar cell ('cell') and a light source ('lamp') between which an edge of the material is sensed, and the deviation from a reference position measured. Depending upon the area of the cell exposed to light from the lamp due to the variable placement of an edge of the material as it traverses the cell, an electrical current is generated in the cell which current is directly proportional to the area of the cell upon which the light falls. The current generated as a result of such sensing is processed through suitable electric circuit means to initiate or control the functioning of the work-performing assembly which includes a work-positioning (or guiding) means, and may typically also include a cutter or slitter. In one embodiment, the device comprises a sensor which senses one edge of a moving strip which is not transparent to light from the lamp, and circuit means to produce an error output signal corresponding to the deviation of the edge from a reference mark on the sensor. This signal is used to control a drive means which in turn controls a positioning means for positioning the strip so as to minimize the deviation, thus enabling the sensed edge to be accurately positioned along a reference line. For example, a moving belt such as is used under the tread of a tire, is continuously cut along a desired line which is presented to a cutter blade. Alternatively, a combined work-performing assembly including a combination work-positioning and pressure exerting means such as a guide-pressure-roller may position and press a belt or tread onto a tire carcass. In another embodiment, a rubber sidewall strip is positioned along a reference line on a tire carcass. In still another embodiment, both edges of a moving pre-cut length of tire belt or tread are sensed by a pair of oppositely disposed sensors, and an error output signal is generated in direct proportion to the offset of the belt or tread relative to reference marks over the cells in the sensors. Positioning means, responsive to the magnitude of the error output signal, and the indicated direction in which the belt or tread is transversely displaced, continuously position the belt or tread so that its center line is maintained in a reference position.

Positioner and slitter for laminar material

Belt application roller

A pneumatic tire is adapted for combination with an internally situated device, such as an emergency support member. The tire has at least one specially constructed bead portion which includes a conventional bead core or member and an additional bead member spaced axially inwardly therefrom. In the space between the two bead members is formed an anchoring channel contoured to tightly receive an anchoring means provided on the device to be situated internally of the tire.

Growing community of inventors

Westfield Center, OH, United States of America

Robert F Jones