Tire safety indicator means

Claim 1

IN A PNEUMATIC TIRE COMPRISING A CARCASS BEARING A RUBER-LIKE TREAD ON THE OUTER PORTION THEREOF, AND IN WHICH THE TREAD INCLUDES A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SIDE WALLS AND A GROUND ENGAGING PORTION WHICH EXTENDS THEREBETWEEN AND INTERJOINS THE RESPECTIVE PERIPHERAL BOUNDARIES THEREOF, THE TREAD HAVING THE CHARACTERISTIC THAT IT IS SUCCESSIVELY DIMINISHED BY WEAR AT THE GROUND ENGAGING PORTION THEREOF AND THAT THE SAID WEAR PRODUCES A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN THE RESPECTIVE PERIPHERAL BOUNDARIES OF THE SIDE WALLS FROM A FIRST CIRCUMFERENCE WHEN THE TIRE IS NEW TO A SECOND AND DIMINISHED CIRCUMFERENCE WHEN THE TREAD IS FULLY WORN; A INDICATOR MEANS FOR VISUALLY DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF USABLE TREAD ON THE TIRE TO PROVIDE A CONSPICUOUS WARNING WHEN THE TREAD IS WORN TO A CONDITION AT WHICH FURTHE USE OF THE TIRE IS UNSAFE, AND INDICATOR MEANS COMPRISING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL BAND CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED AT A SIDE WALL OF THE TREAD, THE PERIPHERY OF SAID BAND CONFORMING TO THE SECOND CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE PERIPHERAL BOUNDARY OF SAID SIDE WALL, AND SAID BAND BEING VISUALLY DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE TREAD.