Apparatus for making composite tread rubber

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING A SOLID, COMPOSITE RUBBER TIRE TREAD HAVING A CENTER PORTION OF ONE RUBBER COMPOSITION AND ATTACHED SIDE WING PORTIONS OF A DIFFERENT RUBBER COMPOSITION, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN ADAPTER DIE BLOCK HAVING FRONT AND REAR SIDES AND A MAIN, CENTRAL PASSAGE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID REAR SIDE INTO SAID DIE BLOCK AND HAVING CONVERGING SIDE WALLS TERMINATING WITHIN SAID DIE BLOCK AT AN OPENING, SIDE PASSAGES HAVING INLET OPENINGS IN THE ENDS OF SAID DIE BLOCK, EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY TOWARD AND MERGING WITH SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE NEAR ITS SAID OUTLET END AND FORMING A COMMON OUTLET FOR SAID MERGED PASSAGEWAYS ALONG THE SAID FRONT SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK; A CENTRAL TUBER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID REAR SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK FOR SUPPLYING RUBBER TO SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE TO FORM SAID CENTER PORTION OF SAID TIRE TREAD; SIDE TUBER MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH END OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK FOR FEEDING A DIFFERENT RUBBER MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID SIDE PASSAGEWAYS; A DIE PLATE REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRONT SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE AND COVERING SAID COMMON OUTLET, SAID DIE PLATE HAVING AN EXTRUSION OPENING ON ITS OUTER SIDE OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE AS THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID COMPOSITE TIRE TREAD; AND A PREFORMING DIE MEMBER ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID DIE PLATE HAVING END PORTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY INTO SAID ADAPTER DIE FOR MERGING TOGETHER AND BONDING THE RUBBER IN SAID SIDE PASSAGES WITH THE RUBBER FROM SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING A SOLID, COMPOSITE RUBBER TIRE TREAD HAVING A CENTER PORTION OF ONE RUBBER COMPOSITION AND ATTACHED SIDE WING PORTIONS OF A DIFFERENT RUBBER COMPOSITION, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: AN ADAPTER DIE BLOCK HAVING FRONT AND REAR SIDES AND A MAIN, CENTRAL PASSAGE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID REAR SIDE INTO SAID DIE BLOCK AND HAVING CONVERGING SIDE WALLS TERMINATING WITHIN SAID DIE BLOCK AT AN OPENING, SIDE PASSAGES HAVING INLET OPENINGS IN THE ENDS OF SAID DIE BLOCK, EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY TOWARD AND MERGING WITH SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE NEAR ITS SAID OUTLET END AND FORMING A COMMON OUTLET FOR SAID MERGED PASSAGEWAYS ALONG THE SAID FRONT SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK; A CENTRAL TUBER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID REAR SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK FOR SUPPLYING RUBBER TO SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE TO FORM SAID CENTER PORTION OF SAID TIRE TREAD; SIDE TUBER MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH END OF SAID ADAPTER DIE BLOCK FOR FEEDING A DIFFERENT RUBBER MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID SIDE PASSAGEWAYS; A DIE PLATE REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRONT SIDE OF SAID ADAPTER DIE AND COVERING SAID COMMON OUTLET, SAID DIE PLATE HAVING AN EXTRUSION OPENING ON ITS OUTER SIDE OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE AS THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID COMPOSITE TIRE TREAD; AND A PREFORMING DIE MEMBER ON THE INNER SIDE OF SAID DIE PLATE HAVING END PORTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY INTO SAID ADAPTER DIE FOR MERGING TOGETHER AND BONDING THE RUBBER IN SAID SIDE PASSAGES WITH THE RUBBER FROM SAID CENTRAL PASSAGE.