Tire and rim assembly

Claim 1

An assembly comprising a pneumatic tire mounted upon its designated rim, said rim having rim flanges and said tire comprising: (a) a pair of annular bead cores, each of which comprises a plurality of metallic filaments; (b) a carcass ply which is folded about each said bead core, said carcass ply having a main portion that extends between the bead cores and turn-up portions that are anchored around the bead cores, a radially outer edge of each said turn-up portion being in contact with said main portion, any elastomeric substance interposed between a turn-up portion of the carcass ply and the associated bead core being the same as any elastomeric substance contained in said bead core; and (c) each said bead core having a clamping member folded thereabout, said clamping members each comprising a strip of side-by-side cords of a nonmetallic heat shrinkable material which has a permanent thermal shrinkage of at least 2%, said cords being oriented at 0° to 75° with respect to a plane parallel to the centerplane of the tire, each said clamping member being disposed directly adjacent to said carcass ply on the side of the carcass ply distal from said bead core from a location axially inwardly of the bead core to a location radially outwardly of the bead core such that the respective turn-up portion of the carcass ply is radially interposed between and directly adjacent to both the clamping member and the bead core, and each turn-up portion of the carcass ply being disposed such that said turn-up portion does not extend radially outwardly of said rim flanges, said clamping members securing the turn-up portions of the carcass ply in position and protecting the carcass ply from damage.