Abstract: An apparatus for forming a continuous preparation ply of the type used to make vehicle tires from preparation ply sections having nonmetallic cords. An infeed conveyor successively feeds the preparation ply sections to a butt splicing machine that joins the ends of the two preparation ply sections to form a butt joint. A gum strip applier receives the continuous preparation ply from an outfeed conveyor and applies a gum strip over the butt joint. A method is provided for forming a continuous preparation ply by first automatically forming a butt joint, and thereafter automatically placing a gum strip on the butt joint.

Abstract: A cord-reinforced band 2 having at least one cord 1 is cut into a plurality of cord-reinforced strips 3 of a predetermined length L. The cord-reinforced strips 3 are arranged successively such that side edge parts of adjacent cord-reinforced strips 3 overlap each other and the adjacent cord-reinforced strips are bonded together to form a tire structural member of a pre-determined length with respect to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal side edges of the cord-reinforced strips 3. The tire structural member manufacturing method uses one and the same extrusion die 14 having an extrusion opening of a fixed width regardless of a pitch at which the cords 1 are arranged. Thus, the tire structural member manufacturing method is simpler.

Abstract: A tire belt machine comprises an extruder, a cooling drum, and a cutting station, such that the cooling drum draws a strip from the extruder. The cutting station is adapted to cut the strip into a plurality of plies that are laid adjacent one another to form a splice therebetween. A strip width sensor, a strip tracking system, and a strip temperature sensor are coupled to a central control unit to monitor the characteristics of the strip as it is processed. Based upon the monitored characteristics, the central control unit adjusts the operation of one or more of the components of the tire belt machine to maintain uniform splices between the strips.

Abstract: A radial pneumatic tire includes a body ply and two belts. Each of the body ply and the belts has ribbon pieces that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the tire. Each ribbon piece is joined with the adjacent ribbon pieces at the lateral sides. Each ribbon piece has parallel cords coated with rubber. The cords are arranged at a predetermined first cord interval. The cords at the joined ends of the adjacent ribbon pieces, or the cords with the joint in between, are arranged at a predetermined second cord interval. As a result, a tire having a high consistency and an improved weight balance is obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a vehicle tire includes means for preparing and toroidally shaping a carcass structure, preparing and arranging a belt structure as a crown around the carcass structure, and wrapping a tread around the belt structure. The means for preparing the belt structure includes an extrusion apparatus for forming a sheet of rubber-coated fabric including a plurality of reinforcing cords substantially parallel to one another, means for conveying the sheet, a first cutting device for cutting the sheet to obtain a plurality of strips, a device for transferring the strips, a device for splicing the strips to form a substantially continuous belt assembly, means for conveying the strips and the belt assembly, second and third cutting devices, means for conveying the belt strips and portions of the belt strips, and at least one assembly drum adapted to support the portions of the belt strips.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vehicle-tire belt structure includes preparing half-strips; splicing respective half-strips to form belt strips; moving the belt strips toward at least one assembly drum; and superposing portions of the belt strips to form a belt structure. Related methods for manufacturing vehicle-tire belt packages and crown structures are also disclosed. A plant for manufacturing a vehicle-tire belt structure includes an extrusion apparatus to form a fabric sheet; means to transport the sheet; a device for cutting the sheet to form multiple strips; a device for preparing first and second half-strips; means for transporting the half-strips; a device for splicing the first half-strips and the second half-strips to form belt strips; a device for cutting the belt strips into portions; and at least one assembly drum adapted to support the portions. Related plants for manufacturing vehicle-tire belt packages and crown structures are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing a belt structure of a green tire are described, wherein the belt strips (113a, 113b) which constitute the belt structure are produced in a substantially continuous manner immediately upstream of at least one assembly drum (13, 14). Such method and plant are integrated respectively in a method and in a plant for manufacturing a belt package and a crown structure incorporating the belt structure thus obtained. The method for producing the belt package provides for the subsequent formation on said belt structure of a rubber mixture layer incorporating a plurality of reinforcing cords (104), while the method for producing the crown structure provides for the subsequent assembly of a tread (105) on the belt package thus formed. The rubber mixture layer incorporating the reinforcing cords (104) and the tread (105) are both produced in a substantially continuous manner immediately upstream of at least one assembly drum (18).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a pneumatic radial tire comprising the steps of feeding a strip material comprising a plurality of reinforcing cords and having a predetermined width from a standard measure feeding device which is adjustable in its feeding angle to a carrier conveyor, cutting the strip material to a predetermined size in sequence to form strip pieces while alternately moving the strip material and the carrier conveyor intermittently in synchronization with each other, transferring the strip pieces onto the carrier conveyor, forming a belt member having a length equal to a length L of a belt layer for one tire by butting the strip pieces against each other along their longitudinal edges, and using the belt member as the belt layer, wherein if a width of the strip material is A and the number of the strip pieces for forming the belt layer is N, an angle &thgr; for cutting the strip material to the predetermined size relative to a moving direction of the standard measure feeding device is

Abstract: A thin gauge, fine diameter steel cord reinforced tire ply fabric 2 is lap spliced. The steel cord 1 has one or more filaments 9, and each filament has a percent elongation of over 2.5% and tensile strength of at least (-2000D+4400 MPa).times.95%, where D is the diameter of the filament in millimeters. For passenger and lightly loaded trucks the fabric 2 is manufactured using a preferred cord 1 which is a 1+5.times.0.18 mm cord spaced 14 ends per inch, and for heavier loaded vehicles such as light trucks load rated E or greater the number of cords 1 is increased to 28 ends per inch. The fabric 2 has a gauge thickness g in the range of the cord diameter C+0.22 mm to C+1.25 mm.

Abstract: A shuttle head which can be translated along a longitudinal axis between an assembly table and a lead-in table, wherein the shuttle head has a vacuum pick-up for picking up a ribbon of uncured elastomeric material. The shuttle head includes a pick-up plate having a plurality of apertures communicating with the source of vacuum. A cutting knife is provided on the edge of the assembly table for cutting the strip of ribbon, and the assembly table and cutting knife can be adjusted angularly with respect to the lead-in table. The pick-up plate has an inverted V-shaped edge at the leading end of the shuttle head immediately adjacent the cutting knife, such as to allow a variety of angular displacements of the assembly table relative to the lead-in table without having to change the pick-up plate.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a splicing apparatus for splicing together the leading end face of one of cord ply segments and the trailing end face of another cord ply segment positioned in front of one of the cord ply segments. The apparatus comprises a first conveyor having a first surface, a second conveyor fixed with respect to the first conveyor and having a second surface spaced apart from and in face-to-face relationship to the first surface of the first conveyor and for conveying the cord ply segments on the second surface thereof in a second conveyance direction substantially in parallel with the first conveyance direction of the first conveyor, and transfer members for transferring each of the cord ply segments on the first surface of the first conveyor to the second surface of the second conveyor.