Abstract: A tire building machine for applying an apex to a bead to form a bead-apex assembly for a green tire, including a bead holder for holding the bead, wherein the tire building machine includes a first gripper and a second gripper for engaging and moving the apex in a direction of conveyance towards the bead, wherein the first gripper is moveable between a first start position and a first end position and the second gripper is moveable between a second start position and a second end position, wherein the tire building machine is provided with wedges, wherein the grippers are biased to a closed state in which the grippers are arranged to engage the apex, and wherein the wedges are arranged for countering the bias of the grippers when the grippers are at one of the start positions or the end positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method of forming an annular apex filler for tire beads. Said apparatus comprises a cylindrical former (2) for supporting a cut length of an apex filler strip (91) of elastomeric material, wherein said cylindrical former (2) comprises a hollow rotary shaft (21) and a plurality of rigid, circumferentially spaced apart fingers (22). The fingers (22) are movably connected to support members (24) for flipping the apex filler when wound on the cylindrical former. The support members (24) are movable connected to substantially radially extending guiding members (25). The guiding members (25) are connected to a hollow rotary shaft (21). The fingers (22) are connected via linkages (27) to a driving member (281) which is connected to a push/pull shaft (28) which extends at least partially through the hollow rotary shaft (21).

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method of forming an annular apex filler for tire beads. Said apparatus comprises a cylindrical former (2) for supporting a cut length of an apex filler strip (91) of elastomeric material, wherein said cylindrical former (2) comprises a hollow rotary shaft (21) and a plurality of rigid, circumferentially spaced apart fingers (22). The fingers (22) are movably connected to support members (24) for flipping the apex filler when wound on the cylindrical former. The support members (24) are movable connected to substantially radially extending guiding members (25). The guiding members (25) are connected to a hollow rotary shaft (21). The fingers (22) are connected via linkages (27) to a driving member (281) which is connected to a push/pull shaft (28) which extends at least partially through the hollow rotary shaft (21).

Abstract: A tyre building machine for applying an apex to a bead to form a bead-apex assembly for a green tyre, including a bead holder for holding the bead, wherein the tyre building machine includes a first gripper and a second gripper for engaging and moving the apex in a direction of conveyance towards the bead, wherein the first gripper is moveable between a first start position and a first end position and the second gripper is moveable between a second start position and a second end position, wherein the tyre building machine is provided with wedges, wherein the grippers are biased to a closed state in which the grippers are arranged to engage the apex, and wherein the wedges are arranged for countering the bias of the grippers when the grippers are at one of the start positions or the end positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutting device for, in a cutting direction, cutting a belt layer from a web of unvulcanised rubber having mutually substantially parallel cords that are at a cord angle, comprising: a blade which sideward with respect to the cutting direction, is freely movable; a first detector for during cutting detecting a sideward displacement of the +0d5; a control computer, operationally coupled to the first detector, for giving control instructions on the basis of displacement information from the detecting means regarding sideward displacement of the +0d5; at least one actuator, operationally coupled to the control means for during cutting adjusting the cutting direction of the +0d5 on the basis of the control instructions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutting device for, in a cutting direction, cutting a belt layer from a web of unvulcanised rubber having mutually substantially parallel cords that are at a cord angle, comprising: a blade which sideward with respect to the cutting direction, is freely movable; a first detector for during cutting detecting a sideward displacement of the +0d5; a control computer, operationally coupled to the first detector, for giving control instructions on the basis of displacement information from the detecting means regarding sideward displacement of the +0d5; at least one actuator, operationally coupled to the control means for during cutting adjusting the cutting direction of the +0d5 on the basis of the control instructions.