Tire block and method of making the same

Details Tire block and method of making the same Tire block and method of making the same

2000-07-25

2001-07-31

Jones, Deborah (Department: 1775)

Stock material or miscellaneous articles

Circular sheet or circular blank

C428S131000, C428S222000, C428S223000, C428S903300, C405S016000, C405S129200, C405S258100, C405S262000, C405S284000, C052SDIG009

Reexamination Certificate

active

06268035

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates generally to tire blocks made from the treads of automotive vehicle tires.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a continued and heightened awareness of the need for an environmentally safe method of disposal or reuse of waste tires. Under ideal conditions, scrap tire disposal is costly and problematic, and under poor conditions scrap tire piles can lead to highly toxic, uncontrollable fires or water retention resulting in severe insect infestations. Disposal of scrap tires has become highly regulated and controlled in nearly every aspect following the initial life of the tire on an automobile or truck.
Numerous methods have been developed for the reprocessing of scrap tires, including the creation of tire-derived fuels (TDF), the burning of tires in a furnace, generating heat for the production of electricity, producing crumb rubber that is used in the manufacture of rubber-based mats and asphalt or used loose as a sub-base, or cut and shaped from the natural state to form bushings and seals. However, there remains a need to find other uses of waste tires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a valid use of old tires is provided by removing the side walls and transversely splitting the tread to provide a plurality of elongated tire tread strips. The tread strips are arranged end-to-end in a spiral wrap of overlying convolutions. The tread strips are secured together, preferably by driving fasteners through the overlying convolutions.
Further in accordance with the invention, a plurality of the tire blocks may be grouped together or secured together in a layer for the prevention of soil erosion as, for example, along the banks of a river or a ravine, or to make a temporary cross-over in a river bed to permit vehicles to move from one side to the other.
The tire block of this invention uses a minimum of energy to extract the most difficult portion of the scrap tire to recycle, namely, the steel-belted tread. The sidewalls are cut away, leaving the steel belt intact in the tread and covered by a nominal thickness of rubber. This rubber covering results in a safe to handle product, and eliminates any leaching potential to waterways. All grades of scrap can be used in the manufacture of a tire block, including scrap which is clean or dirty, near new or heavily worn, intact or damaged and of any size. Limited power requirements, as opposed to most other methods of manufacture or processing of scrap tires, lends itself to a mobile operation allowing the processing plant to be brought to the raw material, thus reducing shipping and handling of whole tires.
The structural physical properties of a tire block are remarkable due to the inherent strength of the intact tread portion of the tire, the durability and impact resistance of rubber, and the method of assembly which results in a multiplicity of treads to withstand both compression and impact loads, resilience due to freezing and thawing or natural earth movements, and insolubility in water.
The tire block, with its method of manufacture, lends itself to multiple methods of joining one tire block to another, one tire block to a fixed object, or one tire block or a multiple tire block stack to a subbase or earth through the use of pins, rods, staples, lashing through the ply of the tire block, or ground driven pipes through the center hole.
In accordance with the invention, scrap tire treads are wrapped and fastened in such a manner as to create a cylindrical building component with a height equal to the width of the tire tread and a diameter dictated by construction requirements and the number of treads used in manufacture. This cylindrical building component, or tire block, when stacked and fastened together creates a highly effective, durable, and erosion resistant building component.
The tire block when fastened together and set atop, or integrated into, a levee or a dike will reduce the potential for soil erosion during times of high tide, thus eliminating the catastrophic failure of a levee or dike. The inherent strength, due to the nature of the method of manufacture and the rubber and belt combination, allows the tire block to be used where pedestrian or vehicle traffic may result with no degradation to structural integrity.
Also in accordance with the invention, a significant quantity of tire treads may be reused in the manufacture of tire blocks thus diverting scrap rubber from landfills stockpiles, and illegal dumping sites.
One object of this invention is to provide a tire block having the foregoing features and capabilities.
Another object is to provide a tire block that may be easily handled, and that will not cause harm to humans or animals due to incidental contact.
Another object is to provide a simple and efficient method of making a tire block.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when considered with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3928701 (1975-12-01), Roehner
patent: 4057141 (1977-11-01), Laurie et al.
patent: 4997309 (1991-03-01), Kiselewski
patent: 5284326 (1994-02-01), Chiovitti et al.
patent: 5364206 (1994-11-01), Marienfeld
patent: 5370475 (1994-12-01), LeBlanc
patent: 5746545 (1998-05-01), Parker, Jr.

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