Abstract: A building drum for building first-stage, steel-reinforced, radial monoply, pneumatic tire carcasses, is disclosed. The drum comprises a circumferential array of drum-forming segments which are supported for radial displacement to and from contracted and expanded dispositions, and apparatus for displacing the segments radially between the contracted and expanded dispositions. Each of the segments has the same axial extent and terminates at each end in a respective flange projecting radially inwardly. Each of the flanges has a respective recess exposed radially outwardly, corresponding ones of the recesses which are at the same segment end defining co-operatively with one another at each such segment end a radially outwardly exposed annular bead-seat. The segments, when in a fully contracted disposition, present a substantially cylindrical outer carcass-ply support-surface having a diameter which is less than the inner diameter of any annular metallic bead-core to be thereby operated upon.

Abstract: Apparatus for transversely adjusting a longitudinally moving strip of tire breaker building fabric is disclosed. In one embodiment, for adjusting vertically moving fabric, the apparatus comprises a frame including first and second pluralities of cylindrical rollers, the first and second pluralities of rollers being spaced apart to allow the fabric to pass therebetween, first and second transversely spaced rails mounted on the frame for transverse movement, first and second pluralities of cylindrical rollers supported by the respective rails contacting the respective side edges of the strip for transverse movement thereof, a rotatable shaft connected to the first and second rails by first and second link arms for simultaneously and equally moving the first and second rails transversely, and a counterweight connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft in a first direction to urge the rails toward one another and into contact with the side edges of the strip.