Abstract: A tire building drum and a method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The tire building drum has a center section comprised of a plurality of segments that are radially and axially movable. The building drum further comprises shoulder sections that are axially movable. The shoulder sections include radially expandable bead locks. The method employs the steps of applying one or more carcass layers, locking the bead locks and moving the center section radially outwardly while moving the bead locks axially inwardly.

Abstract: A tire building drum and a method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The tire building drum has a center section comprised of a plurality of segments that are radially and axially movable. The building drum further comprises shoulder sections that are axially movable. The shoulder sections include radially expandable bead locks. The method employs the steps of applying one or more carcass layers, locking the bead locks and moving the center section radially outwardly while moving the bead locks axially inwardly.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for applying an apex at a workstation of a pneumatic tire building machine wherein a carcass reinforcement ply and one or more bead area components have been built into an in-process carcass on a tire building drum of the tire building machine. An injector-extruder is located at the workstation, and is either configured to extrude hot apex material directly into a bead area of the in-process carcass on the tire building drum, or to extrude the hot apex material onto an application drum followed by applying a hot apex from the application drum into a bead area of the in-process carcass on the tire building drum.

Abstract: A tire is manufactured on standard tire building equipment and cured in standard curing presses. The tire tread has at least one deep circumferentially extending groove. Within the groove is a separately assembled ring. The ring may be fitted into the deep groove after vulcanization of the tire. For very wide tires, two grooves with two external rings may be used or more than two grooves and beads, depending upon the tire width.

Abstract: A first stage tire building drum 5 and a method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The tire building drum 5 has a central segment support mechanism including a plurality of central support segments 151 that are radially movable and covered by inflatable bladders 5A, 5B. The building drum 5 has bead locks 112 and a pair of annular support rings 130. The method employs the steps of applying one or more carcass layers 130, locking the bead locks 112 and moving the central support segments 151 radially outwardly while moving the bead locks 112 axially inwardly as the support rings 130 move under the central support segments.