Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tyre for a vehicle wheel includes making a carcass structure on a drum, applying a belt structure and tread band, and shaping the tyre. Making the carcass structure includes feeding at least one semi-finished product onto the drum, disposing at least one separating element radially external to the at least one semi-finished product, feeding at least one carcass ply onto the drum, disposing annular elements radially external to the at least one carcass ply, turning up the at least one carcass ply around at least one of the annular elements, removing the at least one separating element, and applying bead cores. The drum includes a central portion, two side portions, at least one transport device for bead cores, at least one pressure device, at least one turning-up device for the at least one carcass ply, and a device adapted to radially modify the drum surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tyre includes making a carcass structure on a first-stage drum, transferring it to a second-stage drum, applying a belt structure and tread band, and shaping the tyre. Making the carcass structure includes feeding at least one semi-finished product onto the first-stage drum, disposing at least one separating element radially external to the at least one semi-finished product, feeding at least one carcass ply onto the first-stage drum, disposing annular elements radially external to the at least one carcass ply, turning up the at least one carcass ply around at least one of the annular elements, removing the at least one separating element, and applying bead cores. The first-stage drum includes central and side portions, at least one transport device, at least one pressure device, at least one turning-up device, and a device adapted to radially modify the drum surface.

Abstract: A bead wire loader device includes a shaft including two bearer elements. Each bearer elements includes a groove including a V-profile. A device for positioning tyre bead wires on the building drum includes two support plates, a plurality of gripper units, and actuating devices for synchronous and uniform movement of the gripper units. The gripper units are arranged circumferentially around openings in the support plates and include at least one bead wire grasping element including a throat forming part of a single circumferential gripping profile common to the grasping elements. A tyre building apparatus for a vehicle wheel includes a building drum and a bead wire placing system for fitting bead wires onto the building drum. The bead wire placing system includes the bead wire loader device and the device for positioning the bead wires. A related method of manufacturing a tyre for a vehicle wheel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for building a tyre for a vehicle wheel includes positioning a casing sleeve on a shaping drum and securing the sleeve on the drum. During at least one of positioning and securing the sleeve, the sleeve is kept in an essentially centered position on the drum by radial forces directed against a radially inner surface of the sleeve. A shaping drum for making a tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a rotation shaft and two coaxial half-drums integral with each other with respect to rotation. At least one of the half-drums is axially movable in both directions with respect to the other half-drum. Each half-drum includes a support device, a gripping device, and a centering device. A first equatorial plane defined the centering devices is axially movable with respect to a second equatorial plane defined by the gripping devices. A plant for building a tyre is also disclosed.