Safety liner for tires

Abstract

The liner includes a generally C-shaped, flexible band of bearing material disposed to be placed around the .[.drop.]. center .Iadd.section .Iaddend.of a tire rim. .[.Two, complimentary, generally semi-circular.]. .Iadd.A plurality of arcuate .Iaddend.members made from a polyester elastomer are then mounted as a ring coaxially around the outside of the band with the inner peripheral surfaces thereof slidably seated in a circumferential groove that is formed in the outer periphery of the band. The confronting ends of the members are releasably secured together by a pair of rigid links, each of which is releasably and pivotally mounted at one end in a recess in one end of a member, and has its opposite end connected to a rotatable eccentric that is mounted in the confronting end of the other member. When the associated eccentric is rotated, it causes the attached link to be reciprocated further into, or out of, the end of the associated member, thereby causing the link selectively to shift confronting ends of the members toward or away from each other. In one embodiment the C-shaped band is a one-piece element, while in another a layer of metal (for example galvanized steel) is mounted in the outer groove of the band to be interposed between the band and the ring members. The questions raised in reexamination request No. 90/000,540, filed 04/09/84, have been considered and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e).

What I claim is: .[.1. A safety liner for tires, comprising 
     
        . .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim .[.1,.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said securing means comprises a .[.pair.]. .Iadd.plurality .Iaddend.of links extending between and connecting the confronting ends of .[.said.]. .Iadd.adjacent .Iaddend.members .[.adjacent diametrally opposite sides.]. of the ring .[.formed thereby.].,   means releasably mounting one end of each link in a recess in one .[.end.]. .Iadd.of the two confronting ends .Iaddend.of .[.each member.]. .Iadd.an adjacent pair of said members.Iaddend., .Iadd.and .Iaddend.   means adjustably mounting the opposite end of each link in a registering recess formed in the .Iadd.other .Iaddend.confronting end of .[.the other member.]. .Iadd.said adjacent pair of members.Iaddend.,   said adjustable means including manually operable means for shifting said opposite ends of said links into different positions of adjustment in said registering recesses, thereby selectively to shift toward and away from   
     
     
        each other the confronting ends of the members connected thereby. 3. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim 2, wherein said manually operable means includes .[.a pair of eccentrics.]. .Iadd.an eccentric .Iaddend.mounted in said .Iadd.other confronting end of each pair of adjacent .Iaddend.members .[.adjacent the opposite ends thereof.]. for rotation manually into different positions of adjustment, and   means connecting said eccentrics to said opposite ends of said links to   
     
     
        shift the latter in response to the rotation of said eccentrics. 4. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for releasably mounting said one end of each link comprises a .[.pair of pins each of which is.]. .Iadd.pin .Iaddend.releasably mounted in said .[.end.]. .Iadd.one of said two confronting ends .Iaddend.of .[.a respective member.]. .Iadd.an adjacent pair of members .Iaddend.to extend slidably through an opening in said one end of the associated link thereby to secure said one ends of said links for pivotal movement about axes which extend parallel to the axis of the ring formed by said members,   said one ends of said links being removable from said recesses in said one .Iadd.of said confronting .Iaddend.ends of said members upon removal of   
     
     
        said pins, thereby to permit complete separation of said members. 5. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim 4, wherein said manually operable means comprises a .[.pair of.]. circular .[.eccentrics.]. .Iadd.eccentric .Iaddend.rotatably mounted.[., respectively,.]. in said opposite .[.ends.]. .Iadd.end .Iaddend.of .[.said links.]. .Iadd.each link.Iaddend., and   means for manually rotating each of said eccentrics about an axis extending   
     
     
        parallel to and laterally offset from its centerline. 6. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim 5, wherein the last-named means comprises a .[.pair.]. .Iadd.plurality .Iaddend.of indexing plates mounted to rotate in recesses formed in the sidewalls of said members, and connected to the eccentrics to impart rotation thereto, and   means for releasably securing each of said plates in one of a plurality of   
     
     
        different angular positions about its axis of rotation. 7. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim .[.1,.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said C-shaped bearing comprises a C-shaped band made of the same material as said members, and a C-shaped layer of bearing material, different from the first-named material, and secured to the outer periphery of said band and defining said 
     
     
        circumferential groove in which said members are seated. 8. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim .[.1,.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said C-shaped bearing consists of a 
     
     
        material different from the material from which said members are made. 9. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim 8, wherein said bearing is made from galvanized steel and 
     
     
        said members are made from a polyester elastomer. 10. .[.A safety liner for tires.]. .Iadd.The combination .Iaddend.as defined in claim .[.1,.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein a plurality of arcuate reinforcing .[.members.]. .Iadd.elements .Iaddend.made from a material different from said .[.elements.]. .Iadd.members .Iaddend.are embedded in each of said members coaxially of the radius of curvature of the member. .[.11. A safety ring for tires, comprising a plurality of rigid, arcuate members having a common radius of curvature, and disposed to be arranged in a ring coaxially about the drop center of a tire rim, and within a tire mounted on said rim, and   means for releasably connecting together adjacent ends of said members to form said ring, including a plurality of links projecting from at least certain ends of said members, and disposed to be inserted into registering recesses in the adjacent ends of the other of said members, when the members are arranged in said ring,   means in said registering recesses for releasably securing the projecting ends of said links to said other members, and   means adjustably mounting the opposite ends of said links in said certain ends of said members and manually operable, when said projecting ends are secured to said other members, selectively to retract said links into said certain ends of said members and thereby to draw together the confronting ends of the members connected by said links..]. .[.12. A safety ring for tires as defined in claim 11, wherein said means for releasably securing said projecting ends comprises a plurality of pins each of which is releasably secured in one of said recesses and extends through an opening in said projecting end supporting it for movement about an axis extending parallel to axis of said ring..]. .[.13. A safety ring for tires as defined in claim 12, wherein said means for adjustably mounting the opposite ends of said links comprises   an eccentric mounted in each of said other members and rotatable manually into different positions of adjustment, and   means connecting said opposite ends of said links to said eccentrics for movement thereby in response to the rotation of said eccentrics..].   
     
     
        .Iadd. 4.  In the combination of a tire rim having thereon a valve stem, a tire removably mounted on said rim, and a removable safety ring surrounding said rim within said tire, and wherein said ring comprises a plurality of arcuate members made of a generally rigid, plastic material, and having a common radius of curvature, and means for releasably securing said arcuate members together in said tire to form said ring, the improvement comprising a one-piece, flexible generally C-shaped bearing releasably secured beneath said ring coaxially around and in engagement with the center section of said tire rim and with the opposite ends of said bearing being positioned in spaced, confronting relation, and with the space between said ends registering with an inner end of said valve stem, which projects from the outer peripheral surface of the rim,   said bearing having in its outer peripheral surface a circumferential groove, and the inner peripheral surface of said arcuate members being slidably seated in said groove,   the outer diameter of the ring formed by said members being greater than that of said rim and less than the inner periphery of the tire mounted on the rim, whereby when the tire becomes flat it is engaged with the outer surfaces of said members to cause rotation of said members relative to said bearing, and   said bearing having integral, circumferential flange sections at opposite sides of said groove and slidably engagable with said members to prevent lateral movement thereof when said members are rotated on said bearing..Iaddend.