Abstract: A radial tire having an annular cavity is built with precision and positioned between the upper and lower mold sections of a tire press. An upper center mechanism has an inflatable clamping bladder for gripping the upper bead of the tire which is suspended from the center mechanism to insure orientation of the tire components in substantially the built condition of the tire. The upper center mechanism including the upper bead ring and clamping bladder is lowered to grip and center the upper bead on the upper bead ring. The lower bead is positioned over the lower bead ring and sealing air may be utilized to provide the neccessary centering and seating. The sealing air in the tire cavity is maintained at a pressure sufficient to hold the beads in seating engagement with the bead rings while the curing bladder is being inserted in the tire cavity and while the clamping bladder is deflated and retracted with the center support assembly from the tire cavity.

Abstract: A tire press has a feature decoupling the mold closing force torque from the platens 3 and 22 supporting the press mold halves 4 and 11 using a spherical seat located between the platens 3 and 22 and the press member supplying the closing force to provide self-alignment of the mold halves 4 and 11 upon closing of the press.

Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein strips of elastomeric material are fed separately onto a roller at more than one position around the circumference of the roller at predetermined axial locations to form predetermined cross-sectional areas of the cross section of the band. Between the positions where the strips are applied and prior to removing the band from the roller, guide means is provided to guide the strips in the predetermined axial locations. The guide means confines the strips between a circumferentially grooved guide member and the cylindrical surface and the grooved guide member may be a replaceable insert mounted in a recess of a plate for accommodating different sizes and shapes of the formed band with different inserts.

Abstract: A radial tire having an annular cavity is built with precision and positioned between the upper and lower mold sections of a tire press. An upper center mechanism has an inflatable clamping bladder for gripping the upper bead of the tire which is suspended from the center mechanism to insure orientation of the tire components in substantially the built condition of the tire. The upper center mechanism including the upper bead ring and clamping bladder is lowered to grip and center the upper bead on the upper bead ring. The lower bead is positioned over the lower bead ring and sealing air may be utilized to provide the necessary centering and seating. The sealing air in the tire cavity is maintained at a pressure sufficient to hold the beads in seating engagement with the bead rings while the curing bladder is being inserted in the tire cavity and while the clamping bladder is deflated and retracted with the center support assembly from the tire cavity.