Abstract: A tire holding fixture comprises upper and lower simulated wheel halves disposed about upper and lower wheel half supports, and a guide disposed coaxially with respect to the wheel half supports. The guide cooperates with the wheel halves and wheel supports so as to center a tire upon the tire holding fixture. The upper wheel half support is designed to be inserted into the lower wheel half support. There are noncontinuous no-lead thread segments disposed about the interior of the lower wheel half support, and about the exterior of the upper wheel half support. These thread segments are designed to be interengagable so as to form a multiple stepped bayonet retention system, capable of holding the wheel supports together. Locking pins are translatable within the wheel half supports so as to allow corotation of the wheel half supports for processing a tire.

Abstract: A tire holding fixture for holding a tire for processing by a tire processing machine comprises first and second wheel half support assemblies. One of the assemblies is shiftable between an open position for permitting insertion of a tire between the assemblies, and a closed position for holding said tire between the assemblies. The first assembly includes a hollow substantially cylindrical portion having an inner surface, and the second assembly includes a spindle, having an outer surface, insertable into said hollow cylindrical portion. A plurality of detents is disposed on the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical position. A plurality of projections shiftable between a detent engaging position and a detent releasing position is disposed on the outer surface of the spindle.