Apparatus for cooling tires during post inflation

Claim 2

Apparatus for post-mold cycle cooling cord reinforced pneumatic tires, after the removal of each tire from the respective mold and during the course of a post inflation treatment, by means of a mass of cooling air moving under flow conditions sufficient, at the temperature of said cooling air, to achieve over the surface of each tire a tire to air heat transfer coefficient ranging from about 15 to about 70 BTU/hr./sq.ft./* F. and to ensure that each ultimate cooled tire is characterized by an optimum set of circumferentially substantially uniform thermal, physical and geometrical properties, comprising; a. a unitary, closed, hollow box structure provided with top, bottom, and side walls defining a distribution chamber; b. said top wall being provided with a plurality of first apertures defining an inlet for said cooling air into said distribution chamber; c. at least one annular, hollow wall member secured at one end to and depending downwardly from said bottom wall of said box structure and closed at the other end, each such annular wall member being arranged in juxtaposition to the mounting location of a respective post inflation chuck on which a tire is mounted while undergoing said post inflation treatment, the interior space of each annular wall member between the radially inner and outer portions thereof constituting a respective annular plenum chamber; d. said box structure being provided at the juncture between each annular wall member and said bottom wall with a circularly arranged set of second apertures establishing communication between said distribution chamber and the respective plenum chamber; e. said radially inner portion of each annular wall member constituting the peripheral boundary of a respective cooling chamber having an open end coplanar with said other end of that wall member and generally facing the mounting location of said respective chuck, each cooling chamber being adapted axially to receive a tire to be cooled when the same is mounted on said respective chuck; f. said radially inner portion of each annular wall member being provided with orifice means arranged coextensively with said peripheral boundary of the respective cooling chamber for establishing air flow paths into the latter from the associated plenum chamber, said orifice means being positioned for directing said cooling air in jet form into said respective cooling chamber simultaneously along the entire peripheral boundary thereof and so as to be incident initially against the tread of a tire being cooled, in at least the shoulder regions of the tread, when that tire is received in said respective cooling chamber; g. blower means communicating with said first apertures from the exterior of said box structure for feeding said cooling air into each cooling chamber via said distribution and plenum chambers; h. said first and second apertures and said orifice means being constructed and arranged to provide respective open areas coordinated with the power and the air blowing capacity of said blower means to ensure the existence of said sufficient flow conditions in each cooling chamber; i. said box structure being further provided with at least one circumferentially closed exhaust duct communicating at one end with a respective cooling chamber through said bottom wall substantially axially of said respective cooling chamber and communicating at the other end with the atmosphere, whereby spent cooling air can escape from each cooling chamber via both ends thereof; j. and means for effecting relative approaching and separating reciprocal movements between said box structure and said mounting location for selectively disposing each cooling chamber in and out of receiving relation to said respective chuck and a post-inflated tire supported thereby.

Claim 3

Apparatus for post-mold cycle cooling two cord reinforced pneumatic tires at a time, after the removal of the tirEs from the respective molds and during the course of a post inflation treatment, by means of a mass of cooling air moving under flow conditions sufficient, at the temperature of said cooling air, to achieve over the surface of each tire a tire to air heat transfer coefficient ranging from about 15 to about 70 BTU/hr./sq.ft./* F. and to ensure that each ultimate cooled tire is characterized by an optimum set of circumferentially substantially uniform thermal, physical and geometrical properties, comprising; a. a unitary, closed, hollow box structure provided with top, bottom, and side walls defining a distribution chamber; b. said top wall being provided with a plurality of first apertures defining an inlet for said cooling air into said distribution chamber; c. two annular, hollow wall members each secured at one end to and depending downwardly from said bottom wall of said box structure and closed at the other end, the lateral spacing of said wall members from each other corresponding to the respective spacing of a pair of post inflation chucks on which each two tires are mounted while undergoing said post inflation treatment, the interior space of each of said wall members between the radially inner and outer portions thereof constituting a respective annular plenum chamber; d. said box structure being provided at the junctures between said annular wall members and said bottom wall with two circularly arranged sets of second apertures establishing communication between said distribution chamber and said plenum chambers, respectively; e. said radially inner portions of said annular wall members constituting the respective peripheral boundaries of a pair of cooling chambers having open ends coplanar with said other ends of said wall members and generally facing the mounting locations of said chucks, said cooling chambers being adapted axially to receive respective tires to be cooled when the same are mounted on said chucks; f. said radially inner portion of each of said wall members being provided with orifice means arranged coextensively with said peripheral boundary of the respective cooling chamber for establishing air flow paths into the latter from the associated plenum chamber, each orifice means being positioned for directing said cooling air in jet form into said respective cooling chamber simultaneously along the entire peripheral boundary thereof and so as to be incident initially against the tread of a tire being cooled, in at least the shoulder regions of tread, when that tire is received in said respective cooling chamber; g. blower means communicating with said first apertures from the exterior of said box structure for feeding said cooling air into said cooling chambers via said distribution and plenum chambers; h. said first and second apertures and said orifice means being constructed and arranged to provide respective open areas coordinated with the power and the air blowing capacity of said blower means to ensure the existence of said sufficient flow conditions in said cooling chambers; i. said box structure being further provided with a pair of circumferentially closed exhaust ducts each communicating at one end with a respective one of said cooling chambers through said bottom wall substantially axially of said respective cooling chamber and communicating at the other end with the atmosphere, whereby spent cooling air can escape from each of said cooling chambers via both ends thereof; j. and means for effecting relative approaching and separating reciprocal movements between said box structure and said mounting locations of said chucks for selectively disposing said cooling chambers in and out of receiving relation to said chucks and each post-inflated tire supported thereby.

Claim 4

Apparatus for post-mold cycle cooling two cord reinforced pneumatic tires at a time, after the removal of the tirEs from the respective molds and during the course of a post inflation treatment, by means of a mass of cooling air moving under flow conditions sufficient, at the temperature of said cooling air, to achieve over the surface of each tire a tire to air heat transfer coefficient ranging from about 15 to about 70 BTU/hr./sq.ft./* F. and to ensure that each ultimate cooled tire is characterized by an optimum set of circumferentially substantially uniform thermal, physical and geometrical properties, comprising; a. a unitary, closed, hollow box structure provided with top, bottom, and side walls defining a distribution chamber; b. said top wall being provided with a plurality of first apertures defining an inlet for said cooling air into said distribution chamber; c. two annular, hollow wall members each secured at one end to and depending downwardly from said bottom wall of said box structure and closed at the other end, the lateral spacing of said wall members from each other corresponding to the respective spacing of a pair of post inflation chucks on which each two tires are mounted while undergoing said post inflation treatment, the interior space of each of said wall members between the radially inner and outer portions thereof constituting a respective annular plenum chamber; d. said box structure being provided at the junctures between said annular wall members and said bottom wall with two circularly arranged sets of second apertures establishing communication between said distribution chamber and said plenum chambers, respectively; e. said radially inner portions of said annular wall members constituting the respective peripheral boundaries of a pair of cooling chambers having open ends coplanar with said other ends of said wall members and generally facing the mounting locations of said chucks, said cooling chambers being adapted axially to receive respective tires to be cooled when the same are mounted on said chucks; f. said radially inner portion of each of said wall members being provided with orifice means arranged coextensively with said peripheral boundary of the respective cooling chamber for establishing air flow paths into the latter from the associated plenum chamber, each orifice means being positioned for directing said cooling air in jet form into said respective cooling chamber simultaneously along the entire peripheral boundary thereof and so as to be incident initially against the tread of a tire being cooled, in at least the shoulder regions of tread, when that tire is received in said respective cooling chamber; g. blower means communicating with said first apertures from the exterior of said box structure for feeding said cooling air into said cooling chambers via said distribution and plenum chambers; h. said first and second apertures and said orifice means being constructed and arranged to provide respective open areas coordinated with the power and the air blowing capacity of said blower means to ensure the existence of said sufficient flow conditions in said cooling chambers; i. said box structure being further provided with a pair of circumferentially closed exhaust ducts each communicating at one end with a respective one of said cooling chambers through said bottom wall substantially axially of said respective cooling chamber and communicating at the other end with the atmosphere, whereby spent cooling air can escape from each of said cooling chambers via both ends thereof; j. and means for effecting relative approaching and separating reciprocal movements between said box structure and said mounting locations of said chucks for selectively disposing said cooling chambers in and out of receiving relation to said chucks and each post-inflated tire supported thereby.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2, each orifice means including multiple orifices arranged in a plurality of parallel rows extending circumferentially of said respective cooling chamber.

Claim 6

Apparatus according tO claim 3, there being at least four rows of said orifices arranged in two groups of rows, each of at least two rows, said groups of rows being spaced from each other so as to have each group of rows of orifices juxtaposed to the location of a respective shoulder region of the tread of a tire when the same is received in said respective cooling chamber.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising supporting means for said box structure, including pivot means, for enabling arcuate movements of said box structure relative to said mounting locations.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5, said supporting means and said pivot means comprising a frame, a rotatable shaft journaled in said frame, and means securing said box structure to said shaft for joint movement therewith about the axis of the latter.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6, said means for moving said box structure comprising arm means fixedly secured to and extending transversely from said shaft, and piston and cylinder means articulated at one end to said arm means and at the other end to said frame.

Claim 10

Apparatus for post-mold cycle cooling two cord reinforced pneumatic tires at a time, after the removal of the tires from the respective molds and during the course of a post inflation treatment, by means of a mass of cooling air moving under flow conditions sufficient, at the temperature of said cooling air, to achieve over the surface of each tire a tire to air heat transfer coefficient ranging from about 15 to about 70 BTU/hr./sq.ft./* F. and to ensure that each ultimate cooled tire is characterized by an optimum set of circumferentially substantially uniform thermal, physical and geometrical properties, comprising: a. a unitary, closed, hollow box structure provided with top and bottom walls, four side walls, first and second spaced, parallel inner walls disposed between and coextensive in length with first and second opposed ones of said side walls, the third and fourth side walls being perpendicular to said first and second inner walls so that the space between the latter is rectangular in outline, and at least one additional inner wall perpendicular to said first and second inner walls and dividing said rectangular space into two identical spaces of square outline, each of said first and second side walls being closer to the proximate one of said first and second inner walls at one end than at the other, thereby to define in said box structure a pair of generally wedge-shaped distribution chambers; b. said box structure being provided in the regions of the widest ends of said distribution chambers with respective inlets for said cooling air into said distribution chambers; c. two wall members of circular cross-section each extending medially through a respective one of said square spaces in said box structure from said top wall to said bottom wall thereof and being open to the atmosphere at both ends, the lateral spacing of said wall members from each other corresponding to the respective spacing of a pair of post inflation chucks on which each two tires are mounted while undergoing said post inflation treatment, the portion of each square space surrounding the associated one of said wall members constituting a respective plenum chamber; d. said first and second inner walls being provided in the regions thereof bounding said square spaces with respective sets of apertures establishing communication between said distribution chambers and said plenum chambers; e. said wall members constituting the respective peripheral boundaries of a pair of cooling chambers each having one of its open ends generally facing the mounting location of the associated one of said chucks, said cooling chambers being adapted axially to receive respective tires to be cooled when the same are mounted on said chucks; f. each of said wall members being provided with orifice means arranged coextensively with said peripheral boundary of the respective cooling chamber for eStablishing air flow paths into the latter from the associated plenum chamber, each orifice means being positioned for directing said cooling air in jet form into said respective cooling chamber simultaneously along the entire peripheral boundary thereof and so as to be incident initially against the tread of a tire being cooled, in at least the shoulder regions of the tread, when that tire is received in said respective cooling chamber, with spent cooling air being able to escape from each of said cooling chambers via both ends thereof; g. blower means communicating with said inlets to said distribution chambers from the exterior of said box structure for feeding said cooling air into said cooling chambers via said distribution and plenum chambers; h. said apertures and said orifice means being constructed and arranged to provide respective open areas coordinated with the wedge shape of said distribution chambers and with the power and the air blowing capacity of said blower means to ensure the existence of said sufficient flow conditions in said cooling chambers; i. and means for effecting relative approaching and separating reciprocal movements between said box structure and said mounting locations of said chucks for selectively disposing said cooling chambers in and out of receiving relation to said chucks and each post-inflated tire supported thereby.

Claim 11

Apparatus for post-mold cycle cooling two cord reinforced pneumatic tires at a time, after the removal of the tires from the respective molds and during the course of a post inflation treatment, by means of a mass of cooling air moving under flow conditions sufficient, at the temperature of said cooling air, to achieve over the surface of each tire a tire to air heat transfer coefficient ranging from about 15 to about 70 BTU/hr./sq.ft./* F. and to ensure that each ultimate cooled tire is characterized by an optimum set of circumferentially substantially uniform thermal, physical and geometrical properties, comprising: a. a unitary, closed, hollow box structure provided with top and bottom walls, four side walls, first and second spaced, parallel inner walls disposed between and coextensive in length with first and second opposed ones of said side walls, the third and fourth side walls being perpendicular to said first and second inner walls so that the space between the latter is rectangular in outline, and at least one additional inner wall perpendicular to said first and second inner walls and dividing said rectangular space into two identical spaces of square outline, each of said first and second side walls being closer to the proximate one of said first and second inner walls at one end than at the other, thereby to define in said box structure a pair of generally wedge-shaped distribution chambers; b. said box structure being provided in the regions of the widest ends of said distribution chambers with respective inlets for said cooling air into said distribution chambers; c. two wall members of circular cross-section each extending medially through a respective one of said square spaces in said box structure from said top wall to said bottom wall thereof and being open to the atmosphere at both ends, the lateral spacing of said wall members from each other corresponding to the respective spacing of a pair of post inflation chucks on which each two tires are mounted while undergoing said post inflation treatment, the portion of each square space surrounding the associated one of said wall members constituting a respective plenum chamber; d. said first and second inner walls being provided in the regions thereof bounding said square spaces with respective sets of apertures establishing communication between said distribution chambers and said plenum chambers; e. said wall members constituting the respective peripheral boundaries of a pair of cooling chambers each having one of its open ends generally facing the mounting location of the associated one of said chucks, said cooling chambers being adapted axially to receive respective tires to be cooled when the same are mounted on said chucks; f. each of said wall members being provided with orifice means arranged coextensively with said peripheral boundary of the respective cooling chamber for eStablishing air flow paths into the latter from the associated plenum chamber, each orifice means being positioned for directing said cooling air in jet form into said respective cooling chamber simultaneously along the entire peripheral boundary thereof and so as to be incident initially against the tread of a tire being cooled, in at least the shoulder regions of the tread, when that tire is received in said respective cooling chamber, with spent cooling air being able to escape from each of said cooling chambers via both ends thereof; g. blower means communicating with said inlets to said distribution chambers from the exterior of said box structure for feeding said cooling air into said cooling chambers via said distribution and plenum chambers; h. said apertures and said orifice means being constructed and arranged to provide respective open areas coordinated with the wedge shape of said distribution chambers and with the power and the air blowing capacity of said blower means to ensure the existence of said sufficient flow conditions in said cooling chambers; i. and means for effecting relative approaching and separating reciprocal movements between said box structure and said mounting locations of said chucks for selectively disposing said cooling chambers in and out of receiving relation to said chucks and each post-inflated tire supported thereby.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising supporting means for said box structure, including post means for enabling linear movement of said box structure relative to said mounting locations.