Vehicle tire construction and method of making same

Claim 1

The method of retreading and curing a tire, comprising providing a pre-cured rubber tread having a pre-cured tread design, applying cushion gum to the inner surface thereof, applying a net of cord loosely across the width of said tread underneath said cushion gum with its ends terminating near the beads of the tire, and adhering the cushion gum to the buffed tire surface to be retreaded, covering said pre-cured tread short of the area of the beads with a thin plastic envelope, surrounding the tire and enveloped tread with a curing module in the form of an annular chamber, allowing the ends of said patch to extend outwardly of said envelope and module, applying steam and air under pressure in said module between the envelope and inner peripheral walls of said chamber so that portions of the envelope will penetrate into the grooves of said tread and force said cord towards the base of said tread grooves so as to vent air from pockets otherwise formed in said grooves by passing air through said cords to the ends thereof adjacent said beads exteriorly of said envelope.

Claim 2

The method of retreading and curing a tire, comprising providing a pre-cured rubber tread having a pre-cured tread design, applying cushion gum to the inner surface thereof, applying a net of cord loosely across the width of said tread underneath said cushion gum with its ends terminating near the beads of the tire, and adhering the cushion gum to the buffed tire surface to be retreaded, covering said pre-cured tread short of the area of the beads with a thin plastic envelope, surrounding the tire and enveloped tread with a curing module in the form of an annular chamber, allowing the ends of said patch to extend outwardly of said envelope and module, applying steam and air under pressure in said module between the envelope and inner peripheral walls of said chamber so that portions of the envelope will penetrate into the grooves of said tread and force said cord towards the base of said tread grooves so as to vent air from pockets otherwise formed in said grooves by passing air through said cords to the ends thereof adjacent said beads exteriorly of said envelope.

Claim 4

The method of venting air pockets in the grooves of a pre-cured tire tread while curing the bonding of said tread to a tire casing contained in a module, comprising closely surrounding said pre-cured tire tread with a plastic envelope which is in spaced relationship with said module, applying at least one patch of a network of air-conducting cord of relatively large mesh above and laterally across said tire tread so that the ends of the patch extend outwardly of said plastic envelope and said module, and introducing steam under pressure in the space between said plastic envelope and said module, whereby the strands of said network of cord will be pushed into the grooves of said tread and vent air pocket otherwise formed therein to the ends of said network and into the surrounding atmosphere, whereby uniform pressure is applied to the inner surfaces of said grooves.

Claim 5

The method of venting air pockets in the grooves of a pre-cured tire tread while curing the bonding of said tread to a tire casing contained in a module, comprising closely surrounding said pre-cured tire tread with a plastic envelope which is in spaced relationship with said module, applying at least one patch of a network of air-conducting cord of relatively large mesh above and laterally across said tire tread so that the ends of the patch extend outwardly of said plastic envelope and said module, and introducing steam under pressure in the space between said plastic envelope and said module, whereby the strands of said network of cord will be pushed into the grooves of said tread and vent air pocket otherwise formed therein to the ends of said network and into the surrounding atmosphere, whereby uniform pressure is applied to the inner surfaces of said grooves.

Claim 9

The method of venting air pockets developed between a tire casing having at least one cord ply layer covered with a thin cushion gum and a rubber tread while the tire is being retreaded in an annular curing chamber having side flanges engaging the sidewall of the tire casing adjacent the beads, comprising applying a network of cord of relatively large mesh in the form of a patch laterally across said tire casing between the inner surface of said cushion gum and said rubber tread and extending to points along the sidewalls well beyond said rubber tread and beyond said side flanges of said curing chamber while leaving substantially the entire remainder of said casing uncovered with said network of cord, and directly connecting said patch to said cord ply layer, whereby trapped air between said casing and rubber tread and in said cord ply layer will be vented through the cords of said patch and ultimately escape from the ends of said patch to the atmosphere, said tread rubber being pre-cured and surrounded by a plastic envelope having side edges beyond which the ends of said patch extend, and a rigid module surrounding said envelope in spaced relationship, said patch having an extension doubled back from one shoulder and extending across the top surface of said tread, steam being applied to the space between said plastic envelope and module to cause portions of said envelope to penetrate the grooves of said tread and to push the strands of said extension into said grooves, whereby air otherwise trapped in said grooves will be vented through the strands of said patch extension to the ends thereof, escaping into the atmosphere beyond the edges of said plastic envelope and module.

Claim 10

The method of venting air pockets developed between a tire casing having at least one cord ply layer covered with a thin cushion gum and a rubber tread while the tire is being retreaded in an annular curing chamber having side flanges engaging the sidewall of the tire casing adjacent the beads, comprising applying a network of cord of relatively large mesh in the form of a patch laterally across said tire casing between the inner surface of said cushion gum and said rubber tread and extending to points along the sidewalls well beyond said rubber tread and beyond said side flanges of said curing chamber while leaving substantially the entire remainder of said casing uncovered with said network of cord, and directly connecting said patch to said cord ply layer, whereby trapped air between said casing and rubber tread and in said cord ply layer will be vented through the cords of said patch and ultimately escape from the ends of said patch to the atmosphere, said tread rubber being pre-cured and surrounded by a plastic envelope having side edges beyond which the ends of said patch extend, and a rigid module surrounding said envelope in spaced relationship, said patch having an extension doubled back from one shoulder and extending across the top surface of said tread, steam being applied to the space between said plastic envelope and module to cause portions of said envelope to penetrate the grooves of said tread and to push the strands of said extension into said grooves, whereby air otherwise trapped in said grooves will be vented through the strands of said patch extension to the ends thereof, escaping into the atmosphere beyond the edges of said plastic envelope and module.