Safety support assembly for pneumatic tires

A safety support assembly comprising a wheel rim, a pneumatic tire of the type having a tread portion and bead portions, a cylindrical surface on said rim, said bead portions being mounted on said cylindrical surface, a generally cylindrical ring member of flexible resilient material having an inner cylindrical band at the inner periphery with an inner diameter not greater than the diameter of said cylindrical surface for mounting said ring member on said rim, said ring member having an outer cylindrical band at the outer periphery spaced from said inner cylindrical band and having an outer diameter less than the diameter of said tread portion of the tire in the inflated condition and greater than the diameter of said bead portions, said ring member being engageable by said tread portion in the deflated condition of said tire, an intermediate portion of said ring member between said inner band and said outer band, said intermediate portion including separate unconnected radially extending webs spaced apart circumferentially of said ring member, said outer band including a first circumferentially extending annular belt having reinforcing cords of high modulus material, said inner band including a second circumferentially extending annular belt of reinforcing cords of high modulus material and having a width measured axially of said ring member substantially equal to the distance separating said bead portions of said tire mounted on said rim so that said inner band is confined between said second circumferentially extending annular belt, said cylindrical surface of said rim and said bead portions.