Removable tread belt
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorV. A. Caravito
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A removable tread installed as an annular belt about the circumference of a tire carcass. The inner surface of the removable tread belt and the outer surface of the tire carcass have an interengaging pattern to interlock the two. The removable tread belt has a plurality of axially oriented metal bars and an inextensible circumferential belt radially outwardly from the bars. The cross-section of the bars is substantially T-shaped, and the bars are provided with enlarged portions at each end. The ends of the bars extend outwardly to a point at least equal to the widest portion of the tire carcass sidewall. The bars and the inextensible belt are encapsulated in a matrix of rubber, which has a tread pattern on its outer circumferential surface.
Claims15
A removable tread belt for installing about the circumferential outer surface of a tire carcass comprising:
- an annular belt matrix of axial width greater than that of said circumferential outer surface of said tire whereby said belt matrix will extend outwardly beyond the edges of said circumferential outer surface,
- a plurality of rigid bars installed in said belt matrix around the circumference thereof, each of said bars extending across the entire axial width of said belt matrix and being oriented parallel to a plane through the axis of rotation of the tire carcass, each said bar comprising a main portion oriented substantially perpendicular to a radius of said tire carcass and a rib oriented substantially radially of said tire, said main portion having a substantially rectangular cross-section with the long axis thereof oriented perpendicularly to a radius of the tire carcass and having a substantially unbroken bar outer surface distal said tire carcass extending across the axial width of said bar,
- an inextensible annular belt installed in said belt matrix and located radially outwardly of said bar outer surface,
- a ground contacting tread pattern on the outer circumferential surface of said belt matrix, and
- interlocking structure on the inner surface of said belt matrix for engaging complementing interlocking structure carried by the tire carcass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.