The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Stanley J Houck

Michael W Smith

Paul E Appleby

Richard B Nash

A device for direction control of a moving web includes a turning bar having a variable spaced drive the rotation speed of which is responsive to a sensor to correct deviations of the web from its intended path.

Web control device

Method and apparatus for building a cord or wire wound carcass for a closed torus tire. An endless flattened inflatable tube providing a liner for the carcass and coaxially spaced bead rings are placed on a support comprising a cylindrical array of rolls. The bead rings are spaced axially to control the length of each turn of cord or wire wound in the flattened oval path around them. A single wire or cord is wound in a flat oval orbit about the liner and bead rings by orbiting a spool along a track having two straight parallel portions, one inside, the other outside the bead rings and liner. The parallel track portions are connected at their ends by semi-circular track portions. No rigid core is required. After winding the cord or wire about the liner and bead rings, the liner is inflated and the bead rings are shifted axially toward each other to the axial spacing appropriate for the inflated tire in use.

Closed torus tire

Two embodiments of a mandrel for fabricating an air spring are disclosed. Each has a fixed diameter cylindrical portion and a portion variable in diameter to provide an extension of the cylindrical surface expandable to conic form. An array of fingers are pivotally secured to swing in radial planes to provide the variable diameter portions and are actuated by inflatable sleeves. The fingers are notched to provide a locating groove for the wire ring at the end of the air spring. Ply endings are folded about the wire ring by a second inflatable sleeve or bladder.

Mandrel for fabricating an air spring

Method and apparatus for wrapping a cord or wire in a toroidal helix about a liner to form a closed torus carcass. An extruder, die, and diehead provide means for extruding a liner having a horseshoe-shaped profile. Circumferential edges of the liner are joined with a preformed assembly of bead rings and a spacer ring. Cord or wire is wound snugly about an array of control fingers and then slipped off the fingers as successive tensionless turns about the liner and rings as the latter rotate through a winding plane in which a spool supplying cord or wire orbits. No rigid core is required. An endless inflatable tube can be used in lieu of the extruded liner.

Closed torus wound carcass for a closed torus tire

Method and apparatus for applying a permanent clamp to secure a hose end to a hose coupling provide for equalizing the radial forces between the clamp and the hose and for deforming part of a strap or wire clamp to lock its open free end to its loop or closed end.

Growing community of inventors

Akron, OH, United States of America

Stanley J Houck