Method and apparatus for inspecting ply splices of tires by means of x-rays

Claim 2

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including X-ray-directing means for directing X-rays through said tire wall at a second location spaced axially along said tire from the location at which X-rays pass through it to said detecting assembly, a second detecting assembly for detecting X-rays passing through said wall at said second location, and second masking means defining a slit which is substantially parallel to a normal splice in said first ply when the splice is at said second location, a splice in said first ply substantially changing the detected intensity of X-rays passing through said slit in said second masking means, detected intensities of X-rays by said second detecting assembly remaining substantially unaffected when a splice of said second ply is at said second location.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including a second detecting assembly and second-masking means for passing X-rays from said X-ray device to said second-detecting assembly, said second masking means defining a second slit which is oriented so that detected intensity of said X-rays is substantially changed in response to passage of a splice in said second ply between said X-ray device and said second detecting assembly thereby producing inspection information concerning the construction of said splice; said slit in said second masking means being oriented with respect to splices in said first ply so that the detected intensity of said X-rays by said second detecting assembly is substantially unaffected by splices in said first ply passing said second detecting assembly.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said structure for supporting said tire includes a constant speed motor for rotating said tire at a constant predetermined speed during inspection.

Claim 5

In an apparatus for inspecting a tire containing at least first and second ply splices said first and second splices having respective first and second axes oriented in different directions in said tire, the combination comprising: a. a source of penetrative radiation positioned to direct radiation through said tire; b. means for moving said tire past said source of radiation; c. a photocell positioned to receive said radiation directed through said tire as said tire moves past said photocell; d. masking means masking said photocell and having a slit therein, said slit having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with said first axis when said first splice is between said source and said photocell and extending transverse to said second when said second splice is between said source and said photocell, said slit having a transverse width which is small as compared to its length; e. said first splice moving between said source and said photocell to substantially change the intensity of radiation passing through said slit and detected by said photocell, said second splice moving between said source and said photocell and having Substantially no effect on the radiation intensity passing through said slit and detected by said photocell; and f. said photocell providing a usable output signal in response to passage of said first splice past said slit and being insensitive to passage of said second splice. 7. The combination of claim 6, further including a second photocell and second masking means masking said second photocell and having a second slit therein, said second slit having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with said second axis of said second splice when said second splice is between said source and said second photocell and a transverse width which is small compared to its length whereby said first photocell provides a usable output signal only in response to passage of said first splice, and said second photocell provides a usable output signal only in response to passage of said second splice.

Claim 6

Apparatus for inspecting a cylindrical green tire having a plurality of plies, each ply including a splice extending generally helically in the tire with the helical paths of splices in different plies being of opposite hand so that a splice in one ply extends nonparallely with respect to a splice in another ply, apparatus comprising: a. X-ray-directing means for directing X-rays through a wall of a tire at locations spaced axially along a tire; b. first and second X-ray detectors located at said respective locations; c. first and second masking means interposed between respective X-ray detectors and said X-ray-directing means; d. each of said masking means confining X-rays detected by a respective X-ray detector to a beam which passes through a tire wall at its respective location in an area which coextends with a splice in one tire ply at said location and is transverse to a splice in another tire ply at said location, said beam area having a width which is substantially the same as or less than the width of a splice in said one ply; e. said masking means each providing a beam which coextends with a normal splice in the same tire ply; f. tire-propelling means for passing the tire wall between said detectors and said X-ray-directing means at a predetermined speed; g. said X-ray detectors producing electrical signals in response to changes in X-ray transparency of a tire wall produced when a splice in said one ply passes through an X-ray beam, said detectors being unaffected when a normal splice in another ply passes through said beam; and, h. signal-processing means for receiving signals from said detectors and producing inspection information concerning splices in said one ply.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first beam has a width approximately the same as or less than the width of said first splice and a length which is substantially greater than the width of said second splice, and relatively moving said tire and said station comprises moving said first splice abruptly into and out of said first beam to substantially change said beam strength for producing said information and gradually moving said second splice into and out of said first beam whereby said beam strength is gradually diminished and no information is produced.

Claim 9

The method of claim 9 further including detecting radiation passing through said tire in a third beam defining an area of intersection with said tire which is shaped to coextend with part of said first splice spaced from said first beam, producing inspection information concerning said first splice as it passes through said third beam and comparing that information with information produced when said first splice passes through said first beam.

Claim 11

The method defined by claim 12 further including detecting a width of a second X-ray beam which is substantially the same as a width of a normal splice in a second ply of said tire, and orienting said second beam with its width coextending with the width of said normal splice in said second ply, said second detected beam extending generally transversely of a splice in said first ply.