US1294063A - Method of constructing pneumatic tires. - Google Patents

Description

F. S. DICKINSON.

METHOD 0F CONSTRUCTING PNEUMATIC TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. l. 1918.

1,294,063.` Pated Feb.11,1919.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FBEDRICK S. DICKINSON, 0F NEW YORK, N Y.

METHOD 0F CONSTUCTING- PNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application led February 26, 1915, Serial No. 10,667. Divided and this application filed August 1, 1918. Serial No. 247,718.

To all whom it ma concer/n.'

Be it known t at I, FREDRICK S. Drex- INsoN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Constructing Pneumatic Tires of which the following is a specification, the subjectmatter of this application being a division from my previous pending application, Serial No. 10,667, filed February 26, 1915.

This invention relates to methods of constructing pneumatic tires such as are now commonly used upon automobiles and other-` `.thereby materially weakens the fabric, and

vehicles and which comprise an elastic shoe or casing which constitutes the outer portion and tread of the tire and incloses the inner air tube and which has an internal textile body fabric or carcass.

My improvements have particular relation to that class of such tire shoes or casings in which the internal body fabric is of the cord type and made up of cords or threads laid to cover the circumferential area of the shoe or casing, in contradistnction to woven fabrics.

In the usual method of constructing such cord or thread body fabrics for the shoes or casings of pneumatic tires, as now ally employed, the cords or threa s are hunched, piled, crowded, packed and distorted at the portion of the body fabric which extends at the sides and rim edges of the shoe or casing,which conditions arise from the necessity of equalizing or compensating for the progressive variable difference in the circumference of the shoe or casing at all points of its area between the -ed at the rim bead and the tread or perip ery. The packing and distortion of the cords or threads, as just mentioned, to compensate for the diferential circumference, not only fractures and weakens the iibers of which the cords or threads-are composed but precludes that uniformity of tension which is requisite to durability in the life or service conditions of the tire.

Heretofore, in some methods of constructing the so-called cord tires of the class to which my improvements relate, the diferential circumference has been equalized or compensated for by attening the cords or threads and laying up the narrow edges of the cords, which are thus-produced, against or at right angles to the core'or mandrel on ualize or laid over the core or man which the cord fabric is formed, at that portion thereof which corresponds to the side edge or rim bead of the tire, from which point the flattened cords are adually twisted until the .wide or fiat Siriar thereof lays against or parallel to that portion of the core or mandrel which corresponds to the eriphery or tread portion of the tire. Whi e this method of construction compensates for the variable circumference, in that it serves to extend over or cover the full variable circumferential area of the tire shoe or casing, the flattenin of the cords or threads fractures the bers thereof and the twisting not only precludes the maintenance of uniformity of tension throughout the length of the c'ords or threads but it creates frictional action between the cords by displacing the position of the twist when the tire is depressed or flexed in service.

The object of my improved method of constructing the casings of pneumatic tires is to effectively overcome the conditions and objectionable features above set forth and produce an improved tire of the cord type in which the body fabric will retain all t e initial strength of the fibers from which the cords or threads are made u and will insure the requisite uniformity o tension.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a single-ply construction of the cord body fabric according to my improved method. v

Fi 2 is a cross-section of the core or man rel over which the cords or threads are laid in constructing the fabric according to my improved met od, and illustrating the positional relationship of the c ordsthereto. Fi 3 is a detail cross-section illustrating t e single-ply fabric produced by my im roved method, in its contour as 1t would be 1n a linishedtire under iniiation. Fig. 4 is a plan view illustratm the ositional relationship of the cords or s as drel on which the fabric is formed.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, illustrating a completed tire shoe or casing constructedV according to my rmproved method and showing a construction thereof in which superimposed plies of the cod body fabric are employed.

Fig. 6 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 4 and illustrating a modified construction according to my limproved method, in which a tape made up of a group of cords or' threads is employed and laid in lieu of a a single cord.

Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section on the line aio-m, Fig. 6.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the tire shoe or casing, which com rises the internal fabric body, 2, and the e astic external portion constituting the tread, 3, which casing incloses the usual air tube and is held in connection with the wheel rim in the usual manner.

The improved cord body fabric, as constructed according to my improved method, is constituted by the cords or threads, 4, which are laid to extend over or cover the entire circumferential area of the shoe or casing, the construction being preferably roduced by the laying of a continuous liingth of cord' or thread. Any suitable fiber material ma be employed for the cords or threads, ut they are preferably composed of non-extensible yarns, for instance, combed sea-island cotton spun andv twisted in non-extensible yarns of suitable or adapted diameter.

In the method of constructing the body fabric 2, as comprised in my present invention, the cordsor threads 4 are turned or looped, as at 5, at the terminal side edges or rim-bead portion of the tire, and at said loops they are laid directly over each other, as at 6, from which oint they are spread or diverged or radiated in a gradual and continuous positional relationship, as at 7, at the circumferential side portions ofthe tire,

" so that,they` relatively spread and the under .the full area o cord gradually emerges fromy beneath the upper cord, untilthey extend over or cover the full area of thegreatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral rtion thereof, as at 8. The cord body fa ric, under the improved method oficonstruction above described thus extends over or covers f the va ing or differential circumference of tlie tire shoe or casing, without packing or distortion o r attenin or twisting of the cords oi-v threads, and equalizes orA compensates for the differential circumference at all points thereof. It will be noted that the laying u of the cords or threads is preferably suc that the extend on a line diagonal or at an nb ique angle to the transverse or segmental crosssectional: lane of the tire. (see Fi 4). In a cord bo y fabric em loyingsiiig e cords or threads, asconstruc accordin to my improved method, the adually iverging or radiating cords 4have a position closely side by side at that portion of the fabric which is at the point of greatest circumference of constructing the tire, which is where the cords cross the tread portion of periphery, as shown inL Fi 4. i

n carrying out the im roved method of the cord bo y fabric, accordin to my invention the cords are referab y laid over a suitable core or man rel, 10, of such size and form as to conform to the inner contour of the yfinished tire shoe or casing which core is suitably mounted rotatab y to be advanced in step movements graduated accordin to the diameter of the cord or thread use At opposite sides of said mandrel, in one type of bead-edge anchorage constructionas adapted to my resent improvements, are mounted rings or lipops, 11, which are initially held in position a suitable distance away from the core, as shown in Fig. 2, the relative position of said rings and core being such that the cords or threads when laid will have a proper length to extend over the periphery of the core and downwardly at each side thereof a suiiicient distance to permit the rings 11 and the looped portions 5 of the cords to form the side edges or bead of the tire shoe ery of the core, as at 7-8 (Fig. 4). The

laying of the cords in the manner just indicated is continued until the fabric corresponding to the entire circumference of the tire shoe or casing is completed, after which e rings 11 or anchorage members are brou ht inwardl and set a inst the sides of t e core, an suitably amped in this position `in which the finished fabric will* conform to the circumferential annular and se ental cross-sectional contour of the iinis ed shoe 'or casing. If a pluralit of plies lare to be employed in the body abric, as

shown in Fig. 5, the succeeding lies are laid up in like manner as that just escribed, but preferably at an obliqlilie an le or diagonal position opposite to t at o the'preceding PIM en the desired number of plies have been laid up in the foregoing manner, an elastic hond is created between all the cords or threads hy the application of a caoutchouc filler, this being preferably accom lished b impregnating the entire body f ric wit soluble rubber in a vacuum chamber. There is thus produced a. homogeneous caoutchouc lll Y A so and fabric carcass conforming to the contour of the finished shoe or casin and comprising a casing of rubber in whlch are embedded reinforcing cords or threads. After completion of the homogeneous cord fabric and caoutchouc carcass or casing, as just described, the latter is placed in association with the elastic external portion of the shoe or casing, which incloses the body fabric or carcass and forms the usual cushion and tread 3 of the tire, and the complete shoe or casing thus produced is vulcanized or cured in the customary manner.

In carrying out the improved method of constructing the cord body fabric, as comprised in my present invention and improvements, I dol not restrict myself to any particular mechanism or devices for layin up or forming the improved body fabric w ich is produced by my method, as this may be accomplished in various ways. For instance, the cords or threads may be initially wound or looped over the two rings 11 orl anchorage members employed, with the latter positioned a proper distance apart to allow suilicient length of cord extendin between them to form the width of body fa ric which is to ass at the determined oblique angle from t e edge or bead of one side of the tire to the edge or bead of the other side; then, into the annular completed ring or hoop of the cord fabric so formed upon the side rings 11 or anchorage members, a sectional core or mandrel is inserted, with the periphery thereof midway between the two side rings 11 or anchorage members, after which said side rings are relatively turned in opposite directions to lay the cords over the core at the proper oblique angle in the relative position as hereinbefore described and as shown in Fig. 4, in which the cords overlay each other at the side bends or loops 5 and gradually diverge or radiate therefrom so that the under cord emerges from beneath the upper cord, as at 7, until the cords lay para lel and side by s'r'de, as at 8, over thcarea of the peripheral portion of the core.

My improvements as herein described are not restricted to an particular type of anchorage means or evioes, nor to any particular method of producing the diagonal or oblique la of the cords, as the latter may be accompli ed in any preferred manner or method of laying. For instance, the cords may be initially llaid directly across from and between the Lbead-edge supports or anchorage means in a, plane substantially transverse 'to that of the annulus of the tire, and

then the laid cords may be shifted at one or both bead-edge portions to chan e the angle and produce the diagonal or ob ique lay, or one' or both of the beadfedge supports may be shifted to produce the same effect in the diagonal or oblique lay, or the cords may be 'initially nid in said diagonal or oblique position. VThe shifting method, either of the cords or bead-edge sup orte, as just referred to, forms no part o my present application but is embodied in my original application Serial No. 10,667, filed Februaryl metallic wire or a textile cord, and they' preferably remain within the` completed fabric, so that they form beads or retaining rings within the selvage edge of thefabric at the loops (Fig. 5), at the side edges or beads of the shoe or casing, by which the tire is held in position on the Wheel rim.

Under some circumstances of tire construction, accordin to my improved method, a single ply of cor body fabric, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, may b`e employed, but under some circumstances a plurality of layers or plies or laminations of the fabric may be employed, as shown in Fig. 5, and where a plurality of plies are employed the respec tive plies are preferably laid to extend in opposite directions in their diagonal or oblique lines with relation to the segmental cross-section of the shoe or easing, which reverse positions of the plies are best adapted to ualize all stresses or strains when the tire 1s depressed or exed in Service.

Under some circumstances of construction, according to my improved method, in lieu of la ing a sin le cord or thread (as illustra in Fig. 4-, the cord bod fabric may be laid froma tape made up o groups or multiples of single cords or threads, as in the modification illustrated in Fi 6 and 7. The tape shown at 12, in this met od of construction, is laid in the same manner as the Single cord or thread construction, with the side loops, 5, extending around the rings or hoops 11 or anchorage members, at which point the tapes directly overlie each other and from which point the tapes gradually diverge or radiate,as at 7, so that the under tape gradually emerges from beneath the upper 'tape and the tapes overlie and extend over or cover, as at 8, the increased circumferential area of the peripheral or tread portion of the shoe or casing. In view of the increased width of the tape unit, in contradistinction to the singlecord construction as shown in Fig. 4:, it is not necessary that the tapes lay side by side at the lperipheral or treadV ortion, as is the case with the single cor method of construction, but the tapes are laid to overla a suitable portion of their respective widt s, as shown at 14, at the peripheral or tread portion, which overlapping construction fully e ualizes and compensates for the differential iameters in the samemanner ing myself to the detail features of the ments. I therefore reserve from beneath Y lying position at an method of construction as herein illustrated and described, as it is manifest that variations therein may be resorted to in the adaptation of the method of construction to varying conditions according to the type of pneumatic tire casing to which the cord body fabric as produced by my method is to be applied, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvethe right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the sco e of 1n and the terms of the fol owing c aims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or Casin of pneumatic tires of the cord type, w ich consists in laying a len h of textile cord or thread with turns or oops at an angle to the annulus of the tire at the terminal side edges or rim-bead portion thereof and with the cord laid over itself at said turns or loops and spread or diverged from said looped portion in a gradual and continuous relationship at the circumferential side portions of the tire so that the under portion of the length of cord gradually emerges the upper portion thereof and said under and upper portions relatively spread and extend over the enlarged circumferential area and conj ointly cover the space area of the greatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral portion thereof, to equalize or com ensate for the progressive variable circum erence of the tire and entirely cover the same by said length of cord itself without distortion or {iattening or twisting of the textile cord.

2. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casin of pneumatic tires of the cord type, w 'ch consists in laying the cords or threads of which the body fabric is com osed in overangle to lie annulus of the tire at the terminal side edges or rimbead portion thereof and with the cords relatively spread or diverged from said overlying position at the side-edge portion of the tire in a gradual and continuous positional relationship1 at the circumferential side portions of e tire so that the under invention length of cord gradually emerges from beneath the upper length and said under and upper lengthsrelatively s read and extend over the enlarged circum erential area and conjointly cover the space area of the greatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral portion thereof, `to equalize or compensate for the progressive variable circumference of the tire and entirely cover the samel by the spread of said length of cords from their side-edge position at an angle to the' annulus of the tire Without distortion or flattening or twisting of the cords.

c3. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casing of pneumatic tires of the cord type, which consists in laying the cords or threads of which the body fabric is composed in a single thickness or ply with portions relatively spread or diverged and emerging one from beneath the other at the circumferential side portions of the tire to the tread or peripheral portion thereof in a gradual and continuous positional relationship so that said portions relatively spread and extend over Athe enlarged circumferential area and conjointly cover the space area of the progressive variable circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral portion thereof, to equalize or compensate for the prosive variable circumference of the tire and entirely cover the same by the spreading and divergent cords of said single thickness or ply without distortion or flattening or twisting of the cords.

4. The method nal body fabric for the shoe or casing of pneumatic tires of the cord type, which consists in layin the cords or threads of which the body abric is composed in overlying position at an angle to the annulus of the tire at the terminal side edges or rim-bead portion thereof and with the cords relatively spread or diverged from said overlying pos'tion at the side-edge portion of the tire in a gradual and continuous positional relationship at the circumferential side portions of the tire and extending side by side in abutting position at the peripheral or tread portion thereof so that the under length of cord gradually emerges from beneath the upper length and said under and upper lengths relatively s read and extend over the enlarged circum erential area and conj ointly cover the space area of the greatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral ortion thereof, to equalize or compensate or the progressive variable circumference of the tire and entirely cover the same by said spreadin and abutting cords without distortion or attening or twisting of the cords.

5. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casing of of constructing the interpneumatic tiresy of the cord type, which consists in laying a plurality of layers or plies respectively comprisin cords or threads laid in overlying osition at an angle to the annulus of the tire at the terminal side edges or rim-bead portion thereof and with the cords relatively spread of diverged from said overlying position at the sideedge portion of the tire in a gradual and continuous positional relationship at the circumferential side portions of the tire so that in each respective layer the divergent portions of' the lengths of cord relatively s read and extend over the enlarged circum erential area to conjointly and entirely cover the space area of the rogressive'variable circumference of the tire without distortion or flattening or twisting of the cords.

6. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casin of pneumatic tires of the cord type, which consists in anchoring the cords or threads of which the bod fabric is composed at the terminal side e ges of the tire and laying the cords in engagement with the anchoring means in overlying position at an angle to the annulus of the tire and with the cords spread or diverged from said overlying position in a gradual positional relationship at the circumferential side portions of the tire so that the under length of cord gradually emerges from beneath the upper length and said under and upper lengths relatively spread and extend over the enlarged circumferential area and conjointly cover the space area of the greatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral portion thereof, to equalize or compensate for the progressive variable circumference of the tire and entirely cover the same by the spread of said length of cords from their side-edge position at an angle to the annulus of the tire without distortion or flattening or twisting of the cords.

7 The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casing of pneumatic tires of the cord type, which consists in anchorin the cords or threads of which the body fa ric is composed at the terminal sideedges of the tire and layin the cords with loops or turns enging sai anchoring means at an angle to e annulus of the tire and with the cords extending over each other at said looped ortions an spread or diverged therefrom in a gradual and continuous positional relationship at the circumferential side portions of the tire so that the under cords graduall emerge from beneath the upper cords an the under and upper lengths from said loops re1- atively spread and extend over the enlarged circumferential area and conjointly cover the space area of the greatest circumference of the tire at the tread or peripheral portion thereof, to equalize' or compensate for the progressive variable circumference of the tire and entirely cover the same by the spread of said length of cords from their loo at an angle to the annulus of the tire wi out distortion or flattening or twisting of the cords.

B. The method of making a hollow annular cord web, which comprises laying cord onto supports of different diameters .to form two series of cord elements, the cord being so arranged that the cord elements of one series lie between the cord elements of the other series at the periphery of the annular cord web but not at the sides of said web.

9. The method of constructing the internal body fabric for the shoe or casin of pneumatic tires of the cord type, w ich consists in laying cord onto a mandrel or former of one diameter and on bead-edge anchorages of lesser diameter, to form two series of cord elements and in such position that the cord elements of one series overlie the cord elements of the other series at an angle to the annulus of the tire at the rimbead portion, and spreadin or diverging said cord elements from sai overlying osition in a gradual positional relations ip in which theunder cord elements of one series emerge from beneath the outer cord elements of the other series at the circumferential side portions of the tire and the space area at the tread or peripheral portion of the tire is covered conjointly by the cord elements of both series, to equalize or compensate for and cover the progressive variable circumference of the tire.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing s eclication.

F EDRICKS. DICKINSON.

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