Apparatus for producing continuous cured rubber strips
AssigneeThe Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsGeorg G. A. Bohm, William W. Barbin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for the production of rubber sheets such as tire treads having a surface design in which the rubber in the form of a continuous rubber strip is at least partially cured in a mold. A continuous strip may be cured throughout while held under pressure in design recesses in a mold by radiation curing or may be partially heat-cured throughout and the cure completed by radiation after removal from the mold.
Claims11
Apparatus for the continuous production of cured rubber strips having a surface design comprising:
- (a) means for extruding rubber into a soft, viscous continuous rubber strip;
- (b) moving molding means having the selected design formed in recesses on its surface for continuously receiving the soft, viscous rubber strip;
- (c) means for forcing the rubber into said recesses under pressure;
- (d) means for directing a beam of high energy ionizing radiation into the viscous rubber while maintaining it under pressure in the recesses to completely cure the rubber;
- and
- (e) means for removing the cured rubber strip from the recesses;
- said molding means being constructed of a material having minimum reflection for such radiation.
Apparatus for the continuous production of cured rubber strips having a surface design comprising:
- (a) means for extruding rubber into a soft, viscous continuous rubber strip;
- (b) moving molding means having the selected design formed in recesses on its surface for continuously receiving the soft, viscous rubber strip;
- (c) means for forcing the rubber into said recesses under pressure;
- (d) heating means for partially heat curing the rubber throughout while maintaining it under pressure in said molding means;
- (e) means for removing the partially cured rubber from the mold without distorting the design formed on the surface of the rubber;
- and
- (f) means for directing a beam of high energy ionizing radiation into the partially cured rubber to complete the curing of the rubber throughout the strip after its removal from the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.