Abstract: A method for mounting beads on a tire carcass which is being laid up on tire building drum, particularly applicable to cases wherein the drum has a free end and an opposite end which is supported by a drum support (or comparable impediment to installing a bead from the opposite end of the drum). The method comprises disposing a first of two beads on the drum in an area which is between a carcass layup area and the drum support. The bead is moved into this position from the free end of the drum, and this is done before the process of laying up the carcass has resulted in there being an impediment to installing the bead from the free end of the drum, such as bumps resulting from tire insert components. This may be prior to any carcass components have been laid up, or after an inner liner has been laid up, or after an inner liner and inserts and a ply have been laid up on a drum having pockets (recesses) to alleviate bump formation.

Abstract: A method for mounting beads on a tire carcass which is being laid up on tire building drum, particularly applicable to cases wherein the drum has a free end and an opposite end which is supported by a drum support (or comparable impediment to installing a bead from the opposite end of the drum). The method comprises disposing a first of two beads on the drum in an area which is between a carcass layup area and the drum support. The bead is moved into this position from the free end of the drum, and this is done before the process of laying up the carcass has resulted in there being an impediment to installing the bead from the free end of the drum, such as bumps resulting from tire insert components. This may be prior to any carcass components have been laid up, or after an inner liner has been laid up, or after an inner liner and inserts and a ply have been laid up on a drum having pockets (recesses) to alleviate bump formation.

Abstract: A system for movably supporting bead portions of a tire during tire manufacture utilizes a bead support assembly having relatively movable parts that cooperate to define an elongate, outwardly opening groove for receiving and supporting bead portions of a tire. The relatively movable parts include a flexible sheath of material forming a cover that overlies a relatively rigid underlying support. The support gives the groove its shape; however, the cover overlies the support and engages such bead portions as extend into the groove. The cover has an excessively wide central portion that slides freely from side to side through the region of the groove to maintain a point-to-point non-slip type of engagement between the cover and such bead portions as engage the cover, thereby enabling such bead portions as extend into the groove to "rotate" through a limited range of movement without causing malformation or distortion of the bead portions.