A TYRE HOLDER ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: An arrangement for a tyre holder (1) which is designed to hold a vehicle tyre while its tyre tread is being formed, for example when making a remould. The invention makes it possible, amongst other things, to provide a tyre holder (1) which is suitable for supporting a vehicle tyre without any inflatable inner tube. The holder (1) consists of a plurality of holder elements (2, 3) which can be releasably connected to each other with a sealing arrangement (15) extending between them, in order to provide a rim-like tyre holder (1) which is designed to hold a tubeless, air-filled vehicle tyre.

Description: A Tyre Holder Arrangement The present invention relates to an arrangement for a rim-like tyre holder for holding a tubeless, air-filled vehicle tyre when, for example, the tyre tread is being formed, for example when making a remould, the tyre holder 5 being formed of a plurality of annular holder elements which can be releasably connected together around their terminal edges by means of a plurality of connecting de¬ vices with a sealing arrangement located at a distance from the terminal edges of the holder elements which are -10 furthest from each other, extending between the holder elements. The main object of the present invention is primarily to provide an arrangement of the above-mentioned kind which seals effectively between the various holder ele- 15 ments when a vehicle tyre without any inflatable inner tube is mounted on it, and also to simplify the connection of the holder elements. The said object is accomplished by means of an ar¬ rangement according to the present invention which is o essentially characterised in that the said sealing arrange¬ ment is formed by a peripheral groove extending roundthe respective associated holder elements, and located at the terminal edges of the elements which are nearest each other, in which groove a corresponding annular seal ele- 5 ent is designed to be accommodated, sealing against the respective holder elements, and that in the vicinity of the said sealing groove a peripheral projection is pro¬ vided which is effective between the terminal edges of the holder elements and which enables the holder elements 0 to be guided in the axial direction relative to each other when they are being connected together. The invention is described below by way of a pre¬ ferred embodiment example with reference to the accom¬ panying drawings on which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a tyre holder constructed ' according to the invention, Figure 2 is a section through the said tyre holder while a vehicle tyre is accommodated in it, Figure 3 shows part of a tyre holder with the asso¬ ciated connecting devices during the connecting phase thereof, Figure shows the said part of the tyre holder in the connected state, and Figures 5 - 8 are schematic sections through differ¬ ent expedient embodiment examples of sealing arrangements for a tyϊe holder according to the invention. A tyre holder according to the present invention, which is designated with the numeral 1 on the drawings, is formed of a plurality of, and preferably two, annular rim halves 2 and 3 respectively, which can be connected releasably to each other to form a rim-like holder like that shown in Figure 1, for example. The two halves 2 and 3 of the rim each have a rim edge 4- and 5 respective- ly extending peripherally round the ends 2A and 3 res¬ pectively of the halves 2, 3 and designed to form the respective outer surfaces of the holder, projecting sub¬ stantially radially from an axially-extending tyre-holding casing surface 6 and respectively on the rim halves 2 and 3- Pressure elements 8 and 9 respectively, which are preferably formed by an annular edge., extend substantially axially inwards from the said respective rim edges 4and5 towards the tyre-holding space 10 of the holder; their purpose is to press against an envelope 11 which is used in a way which is known per se during the making of a remould and which is designed to be received over the outer circumferential part of the tyre and clamped se¬ curely between the respective rim edges and and the outer annular edge sections 12A and 12B respectively of a vehicle tyre 12. At their respectiveends 2B and 3B which are furthest away from the said rim edges - and 5 the rim halves 2 and 5 have a plurality of peripheral cut-outs 13 and grooves 14- respectively, which enable the respective .rim halves 2 and 3 to be connected to each other so that a sealing arrangement 15 which is preferably formed by an annular body made of elastic material can be accommodated between them in the said groove 14- and effectively seal the space 10 from the interior of the holder when the res¬ pective halves 2 and 3 are connected to each other. A suitable number of connecting- devices 16, which may be of the type shown on the drawings, can be distri¬ buted around the circumference of the holder and mounted on the respective rim halves 2, 3 so as to enable the two rim halves 2, 3, with a tyre 12 and a sealing ring 15 al- ready threaded onto one of the rim halves, to be brought together towards each other in a specific rotary position for subsequent locking or, after unlocking, to be moved apart away from each other for removing a tyre 12 which has been treated. The connecting devices 16 are designed so that when the two rim halves 2, 3 are rotated into a specific rotary position, they tend to be pressed towards each other in the axial direction and to compress the sealing ring 15 to provide satisfactory sealing and effec¬ tive connection of the rim halves 2, 3 to each other to form a tyre holder 1. The said connecting devices are expediently formed by a plate 17 extending axially and rigidly connected, for example by welding, to one of the holder rim halves 2, and which has a receiving, aperture 18, for example a slit, ex- tending substantially peripherally in one of its edge sur¬ faces 17 at one end 17B of the plate. A projection 19 mounted on the other half 3 of the holder rim and con¬ nected, for example, by welding, having, for example, the form of a pin extending radially towards the centre axis of the said half 3, has an appropriate shape to enable it to be accommodated in the said receiving aperture 18 OMPI when the rim halves 2, 3 are connected together after they have been rotated relative to each other in the direction of the arrows 20 and 21 respectively on the drawing in Figure 3. By shaping the outer side surface wall 18A on the said receiving aperture 18, for example so that it extends obliquely away from the aperture en¬ trance 18B in towards the rim half 2 on which the said plate 17 with the aperture is mounted, the said two rim halves 2 and 3 tend to be urged towards each other, as shown by the arrows 22 and 23 respectively. This ' enables an e fective seal to be obtained around the sealingring 15 in the joint between the two rim halves 2 and 3 res¬ pectively, so that a vehicle tyre 12 with no inner tube can be accommodated in the rim-like tyre holder 1 thus formed, and may be filled with air, preferably via the rim valve arrangement. An opening 24- which is normally closed by means of a sealing arrangement 25, for example a plug, extends through one rim half 2 and allows the valve of an inner tube to be accommodated in the event that it should be desired to use one at any time when using the present arrangement. The tyre 12 can be released from the rim 1, after letting the air out of it, by rotating the rim halves2 and 3 respectively in the opposite direction to that des- cribed above for connecting them together, and moving them apart from each other. The sealing arrangement shown in Figure 5 comprises 1 an annular sealing element 15 with a crown-like cross- section, for example,- which is designed to be received in a corresponding peripheral groove 14-- extending round the circumference of the rim halves 2 1 and 31 respective- ly. The sealing element 15 is covered over in therad¬ ial direction by flanges 51 and 52 respectively extend- ing axially from the respective rim halves 2 1 and 31. Guide means for, amongst other things, facilitatingthe fitting together of the two rim halves 2 1 and 31 comprise recesses 53 and 54- respecrively, provided on the respec- 1 tive halves 2 , 3 and forming projections 55 and 56 res- pectively which enable the halves 2 1, 31 formed as holder elements to be guided in the axial direction relative to each other when they are being connected together. A sealing arrangement is shown in Figure 6 which com- 2 prises two 0-rings 15 accommodated in their respective 2 complementary accommodating grooves 14- which are pro- 2 2 vided in the respective annular holder elements 2 and 3 and are open in the axial direction of the elements when 2 2 the elements 2 , 3 are held in the moved apart position. In the said embodiment example there are again cut-outs 61 and 62 respectively, with peripheral projections 63 and 64- formed thereby. Figure 7 shows another sealing arrangement which com- 3 prises, for example, two 0-rings 15 each accommodated in its peripheral"accommodating groove -^ provided in one element 2 3. On each of the respective holder elements 23 and 3 a cut-out 71 and 72 respectively is provided, ex- tending peripherally round the elements 2 3, 33 . with axi¬ ally extending peripheral projections 73 and 7^ respective- ly formed adjoining them. The said sealing elements 15 are designed to seal round the inner casing surface JU-A. on one projection 7^. Finally, Figure 8 shows another version of a sealing arrangement which comprises two sealing elements 15 made with a substantially crown-shaped cross-section, andwhich are accommodated in their respective complementary peri- pheral accommodating grooves 14- 4- located in one 34- of the holder elements. The said grooves 14- are provided in a peripheral projection 81 extending axially and located outside a peripheral cut-out 82. The other holder element 2 which can be connected to the above-mentioned element 3 4- c ' omprises a peripherally-extending projection 84- dis- posed inside a peripheral cut-out 83; this projection may have an annular sloping run-in extension 85 at its free end 84-A. The two sealing elements 15 are designed to seal in the axial direction of the elements by sealing co-action against the circum erential surface 84-B on the projection 84-. The said sealing arrangement makes it possible to obtain an effective seal even if the ele- ents 2 4-, 34- are used for tyres with varying widths in 4- 4- the axial direction, and the two elements 2 , 3 shown can be designed to move relative to each other in the direction of the arrows 86 and 87 respectively when a tyre held in them is being pumped up; the elements 2 , 3 4- can be connected to each other, for example by means of claw devices with a plurality of stages, for example three. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment example described above, but can be modified within the framework of the following Patent Claims without exceed¬ ing the concept of the invention.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. An arrangement for a rim-like tyre holder (1) for holding a tubeless, air-filled vehicle tyre (12) when, for example, the tyre tread is being formed on the tyre, for example when making a remould, the tyre holder being 5 formed of-a plurality of annular holder elements (2, 3; 2 Λ , 3 1 . ' , 3 2 ; 2 5 , 3 3 ; 2^, 3^) which can be releasably connected together around their terminal edges by means of a plurality of connecting devices (16) with a sealing arrangement located at a distance from the terminal edges 10 of the holder elements which are furthest from each other, extending between the holder elements, characterised in that the said sealing arrangement is formed by a peri¬ pheral groove (14-; 14- ; 14- ; 14-- 5 ; 14- ) extending round the respective terminal edges of the elements which are 15 nearest to each other, in which groove a corresponding annular seal element (15; 15 1; 152; 15-5; 154-) is designed to be accommodated, sealing against the respective holder elements, and that in the vicinity of the said sealing groove a peripheral projection (13; 55, 56; 63, 64-; 73,74-; 2o 81, 84-) is provided which is effective between the ter¬ minal edges of the holder elements and which enables the holder elements to be guided in the axial direction re¬ lative to each other when they are being connected to- " " gether. 25 2. An arrangement according to Patent Claim 1, characterised in that the said holder elements(2, 3) con¬ sist of two annular rim halves (2, 3) provided with rim edges (4-, 5) and having connecting devices (16) bymeans of which the rim halves (2, 3) can be connected to each 30 other to form the said tyre holder (1). 3. An arrangement according to either of the above Patent Claims, characterised in that the sealing rings 2 ^ - (15; 15 ; 15 ; 15 ; 15 ) are made of elastic material. 4-. An arrangement according to any of the above ' Patent Claims, characterised in that on the inside of the respective rim edges (4-, 5) a plurality of pressure elements (8, 9) are provided, preferably in the form of an annular edge projecting in the direction of the tyre edges (12A, 123) and an envelope (11) used in the remould¬ ing process.

Inventors: SAELL LENNART, SAELL, LENNART
Applicants: INDUSTRISERVICE I KVAENUM AB
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B29H17
IPC codes: B60B25