Patent ID: 8632647

Claim:
In a method of controlling the shrinkage of a tread while forming a retreaded tire, which includes the steps of applying a substantially pre-cured rubber tread to a tread-engaging portion of a tire carcass, wherein the tread has an initial width and a layer of cushion gum interposed between the tread and the tire carcass, covering at least the tread with a flexible curing membrane to form a tire curing assembly having a pressurization compartment interposed at least between the membrane and the tread, and placing the tire curing assembly within a chamber of a curing vessel to cure the tread to the tire carcass, the improvement comprising the steps of: pressurizing the chamber to a predetermined chamber pressure; heating the chamber to a predetermined temperature; pressurizing the compartment to a predetermined compartment pressure greater than 14.7 psia and less than the chamber pressure to provide a pressure differential between the chamber and compartment, the step of pressurizing the compartment initializing after the step of pressurizing the chamber is initialized; bonding the tread to the tire carcass to form a retreaded tire, the tread having a final tread width that is equal to or greater than 98.0% of the initial tread width when the initial tread width is approximately 290-500 mm.