US3886028A — Apparatus for recapping tires with precured tread…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 290 words

Apparatus for retreading tires with a precured, premolded tread strip wherein a tire assembly is first formed from a tire casing with the precured tread strip placed around a bonding layer on the casing and the assembly is covered with a thin flexible envelope that extends radially inwardly along the sidewalls of the tire casing with an air bleeding means for evacuating trapped air provided between the surface of the tread strip and the flexible envelope, said apparatus comprising: a. a multi-part rigid shell for holding said tire and precured tread assembly, said shell being generally annular with a Ushaped cross section including end walls and defining a chamber located around the tread strip of the assembly; b. a generally annular rim means located inside of said shell for supporting said tire and tread assembly and having rim portions that are axially extensible in response to pressure within the tire casing, each said rim portion having an end member adapted to extend adjacent to an inner end wall surface of said shell when said envelope is between said end members of said rim means and said inner walls of said shell; c. sealing means for providing a fluid-tight seal between the exterior surface of said flexible envelope and the inner end walls of said shell in the area adjacent said end portions of said rim means; d. fluid inlet and exhaust means for admitting pressurized fluid within the chamber defined inside of said shell and around said tire assembly; and e. inlet means on said rim means for allowing the interior of said tire to be pressurized and thereby cause said cylindrical rim portions to extend axially and force said sealing means to seal said chamber around said tire assembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 290 words

Apparatus for retreading tires with a precured, premolded tread strip wherein a tire assembly is first formed from a tire casing with the precured tread strip placed around a bonding layer on the casing and the assembly is covered with a thin flexible envelope that extends radially inwardly along the sidewalls of the tire casing with an air bleeding means for evacuating trapped air provided between the surface of the tread strip and the flexible envelope, said apparatus comprising: a. a multi-part rigid shell for holding said tire and precured tread assembly, said shell being generally annular with a Ushaped cross section including end walls and defining a chamber located around the tread strip of the assembly; b. a generally annular rim means located inside of said shell for supporting said tire and tread assembly and having rim portions that are axially extensible in response to pressure within the tire casing, each said rim portion having an end member adapted to extend adjacent to an inner end wall surface of said shell when said envelope is between said end members of said rim means and said inner walls of said shell; c. sealing means for providing a fluid-tight seal between the exterior surface of said flexible envelope and the inner end walls of said shell in the area adjacent said end portions of said rim means; d. fluid inlet and exhaust means for admitting pressurized fluid within the chamber defined inside of said shell and around said tire assembly; and e. inlet means on said rim means for allowing the interior of said tire to be pressurized and thereby cause said cylindrical rim portions to extend axially and force said sealing means to seal said chamber around said tire assembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said axially extensible rim portions are slidable, overlapping cylindrical band portions, each end member thereon having an annular flange portion and a tire bead engaging portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said sealing means comprises an annular elastomeric member fixed to each said flange portion of the end member on each said rim means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 75 words

The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said sealing means comprises an annular elastomeric gasket mounted on each inner end wall of said shell in an area axially aligned with said flange members of said rim means and adapted to engage with the exterior surface of said envelope so as to be pressed thereto by said flange portions of said rim means when fluid pressure is applied to the interior of the tire casing.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein each said end portion and said bead retaining member is integral with its said cylindrical band member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said bead retaining members are symmetrical ring like members, each having a constant cross section with a generally radially outwardly extending portion adapted to engage one bead portion of the tire being recapped.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 224 words

Apparatus for retreading tires comprising: a. a treadless, multi-part toroidal module having a generally U-shaped cross-section, said module having annular end walls connected by a generally cylindrical wall and fluid inlet and exhaust means; b. an annular rim means inside of said module having a pair of axially extensible members with spaced apart end portions; c. a thin flexible envelope mounted within said module for covering a tire assembly prepared for retreading and supported on said rim means, said envelope extending from said end portions of said rim means around the outer perimeter of the tire; d. sealing means for sealing each side of said flexible envelope to said toroidal module along said end portions of said rim means to thereby create an annular chamber between said liner and said mold; e. means for maintaining a fluid pressure within said tire assembly and at least one inlet means extending through said rim means for inflating the interior of said tire assembly to a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure in said annular chamber; and f. means for causing said sealing means to press said envelope against said end portions of said rim means and thereby form a fluid tight seal for said annular chamber when said rim means is extended axially in response to increased fluid pressure applied internally to said tire.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 224 words

Apparatus for retreading tires comprising: a. a treadless, multi-part toroidal module having a generally U-shaped cross-section, said module having annular end walls connected by a generally cylindrical wall and fluid inlet and exhaust means; b. an annular rim means inside of said module having a pair of axially extensible members with spaced apart end portions; c. a thin flexible envelope mounted within said module for covering a tire assembly prepared for retreading and supported on said rim means, said envelope extending from said end portions of said rim means around the outer perimeter of the tire; d. sealing means for sealing each side of said flexible envelope to said toroidal module along said end portions of said rim means to thereby create an annular chamber between said liner and said mold; e. means for maintaining a fluid pressure within said tire assembly and at least one inlet means extending through said rim means for inflating the interior of said tire assembly to a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure in said annular chamber; and f. means for causing said sealing means to press said envelope against said end portions of said rim means and thereby form a fluid tight seal for said annular chamber when said rim means is extended axially in response to increased fluid pressure applied internally to said tire.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 256 words

Apparatus for retreading tires with a precured, premolded tread strip wherein a tire assembly is first formed from a tire casing with the precured tread strip placed around a bonding layer on the casing and the assembly is covered with a thin flexible envelope that extends radially inwardly along the sidewalls of the tire casing with an air bleeding means for evacuating trapped air provided between the surface of the tread strip and the flexible envelope, said apparatus comprising: a. a multi-part rigid shell for holding said tire and precured tread assembly, said shell being generally annular with a U-shaped cross section including end walls and defining a chamber located around the tread strip of the assembly; b. a generally annular rim means inside of said shell for supporting said tire and tread assembly, said rim means having outer end members each extending adjacent to an inner end wall surface of said shell so that said envelope is adapted to extend between each end member of said rim means and an inner wall of said shell; c. sealing means movable inwardly from said inner walls of said shell for providing a fluid-tight seal for said chamber between said flexible envelope, the inner end walls of said shell and said end members of said rim means; d. fluid inlet and exhaust means for admitting pressurized fluid within the chamber defined inside of said shell and around said tire assembly; and e. inlet means on said rim means for allowing the interior of said tire to be pressurized.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 256 words

Apparatus for retreading tires with a precured, premolded tread strip wherein a tire assembly is first formed from a tire casing with the precured tread strip placed around a bonding layer on the casing and the assembly is covered with a thin flexible envelope that extends radially inwardly along the sidewalls of the tire casing with an air bleeding means for evacuating trapped air provided between the surface of the tread strip and the flexible envelope, said apparatus comprising: a. a multi-part rigid shell for holding said tire and precured tread assembly, said shell being generally annular with a U-shaped cross section including end walls and defining a chamber located around the tread strip of the assembly; b. a generally annular rim means inside of said shell for supporting said tire and tread assembly, said rim means having outer end members each extending adjacent to an inner end wall surface of said shell so that said envelope is adapted to extend between each end member of said rim means and an inner wall of said shell; c. sealing means movable inwardly from said inner walls of said shell for providing a fluid-tight seal for said chamber between said flexible envelope, the inner end walls of said shell and said end members of said rim means; d. fluid inlet and exhaust means for admitting pressurized fluid within the chamber defined inside of said shell and around said tire assembly; and e. inlet means on said rim means for allowing the interior of said tire to be pressurized.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of inflatable tubes, each being seated within an annular slot on the inner wall of each said module shell and extendable axially when inflated to seal said envelope against the adjacent end portion of said rim means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 63 words

The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of inflatable tubes, each being situated within an annular slot within the inner wall surface of said shell and connected to an annular sealing member of elastomeric material, said sealing member being movable outwardly from said slot into sealing engagement with said rim means when said tube is inflated.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said annular grooves on the inner wall surfaces of said module shells having inwardly divergent side walls to retain said inflatable gaskets.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 221 words

Apparatus for retreading tires comprising: a. a treadless, multi-part toroidal module having a generally U-shaped cross-section, said module having annular end walls connected by a generally cylindrical wall and fluid inlet and exhaust means; b. an annular rim means inside of said module having axially spaced apart end portions; c. a thin flexible envelope mounted within said module for covering a tire assembly prepared for retreading and supported on said rim means, said envelope extending from said end portions of said rim means around the outer perimeter of the tire; d. sealing means for sealing each side of said flexible envelope to said toroidal module along said end portions of said rim means to thereby create an annular chamber between said liner and said mold; e. means for maintaining a fluid pressure within said tire assembly and at least one inlet means extending through said rim means for inflating the interior of said tire assembly to a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure in said annular chamber; f. means for causing said sealing means to press said envelope against said end portions of said rim means and thereby form a fluid tight seal for said annular chamber; and g. means for evacuating air from under said envelope around its inner edges adjacent said end portions of said rim means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 221 words

Apparatus for retreading tires comprising: a. a treadless, multi-part toroidal module having a generally U-shaped cross-section, said module having annular end walls connected by a generally cylindrical wall and fluid inlet and exhaust means; b. an annular rim means inside of said module having axially spaced apart end portions; c. a thin flexible envelope mounted within said module for covering a tire assembly prepared for retreading and supported on said rim means, said envelope extending from said end portions of said rim means around the outer perimeter of the tire; d. sealing means for sealing each side of said flexible envelope to said toroidal module along said end portions of said rim means to thereby create an annular chamber between said liner and said mold; e. means for maintaining a fluid pressure within said tire assembly and at least one inlet means extending through said rim means for inflating the interior of said tire assembly to a pressure equal to or greater than the pressure in said annular chamber; f. means for causing said sealing means to press said envelope against said end portions of said rim means and thereby form a fluid tight seal for said annular chamber; and g. means for evacuating air from under said envelope around its inner edges adjacent said end portions of said rim means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 67 words

The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said sealing means comprises a circular gasket means seated on the inner surface of each said annular end wall, said rim means having end portions that extend closely to said gasket means, said gasket means being deformable when an axial external force is applied to said module thereby causing it to press said envelope against said rim end portions.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said rim means is a one piece member with integral end portions and shoulder means on its outer surface for retaining the beads of the tire being recapped.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said rim means has fixed end portions that extend closely adjacent to said sealing means, and said sealing means comprises a sealing member that is extendable axially from the inner surface of the module end walls to press against said envelope and said end portions of said rim means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein each said sealing member comprises an axially extendable non-inflatable gasket that is fixed to an inflatable tube seated within a slot formed in each module end wall.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus as described in claim 15 wherein each said sealing member comprises an inflatable gasket seated within a slot formed in each module end wall and which is extendable beyond the end wall surface when inflated.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

Tire retreading apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of annular elastomeric gasket members mounted in the end walls of said toroidal mold.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 54 words

Tire retreading apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including a centering plate centrally located and nested in one part of said multi-part module and having an axially extending cylindrical portion, and radially extending locator means on said rim means for positioning it coaxially with said module parts when the apparatus is assembled for use.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-26	1978-11-25	1979-05-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-26	1982-11-25	1983-05-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-26	1986-11-25	1987-05-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for recapping tires with precured tread rubber

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