Abstract: A simple low cost building arbor having a wide range of axial length or bead set length variation. The arbor has no moving parts which are not of rubber or rubber-like material and is operable by air pressure alone. An expandable ring expands, by air pressure, to hold a bead ring in axial position and independently a turn-up bladder is expanded to turn a ply sleeve end about the bead ring. Operating air is conducted, in all axially selected positions in the range, not by tubing but by air transfer chambers connecting the bladder and a sleeve associated with the expandable ring with passage in the center shaft.The present invention relates to a building arbor for tires and like articles.The principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple, low cost building arbor actuable solely by fluid pressure to position an inextensible bead ring about a ply in cylindrical form on the arbor and to turn the ply ending about the bead ring.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use in building a closed torus tire. An expandable sleeve having an inflatable portion expands to wrap a sheet of tire building material partially about a disintegratable generally toroidal core. A bladder beneath the sleeve is then inflated to roll the sleeve toward the core causing the edges of the sheet to flip or snap from the sleeve surface to the core surface. The apparatus includes a drum expandable to either of two fully supported and different building diameters enabling stable support first of the core with at least one sheet of material engaged with the internal circumference of the core, and then the core with added thickness of tire components engaged with the internal diameter of the core.

Abstract: A tire building drum particularly useful for mounting a tire carcass while winding tread compound in narrow and/or thin strips therearound to build up the tread portion of the tire. The drum has a multiplicity of narrow tire support members or segments each one of which is supported and moved radially by two pairs of links which form triangular wide-based columns. Each of the links extend from a pivot connecting its radially inner end to the drum center shaft, outward and through a guiding slot in a link support tube fixed coaxially of the shaft, to a radially outer pivot mounted on the respective segment. In an alternative construction, the pairs of links are extended, and connected to the support members by additional pairs of links to extend the range of radial movement of the support members. The drum disclosed is capable of accommodating a wide range of tire carcasses differing in bead diameters and/or in section widths without need for removal or replacement of parts.

Abstract: A rigid structure supporting a motor driven spindle carried in a radially and axially stiff hydrostatic fluid film bearing provides for mounting and rotating a tire at a selected speed including a speed of the tire corresponding to a road speed in excess of 100 miles per hour (approximately 160 kilometers per hour) while the tire is loaded against the cylindrical surface of the freely rotatable load wheel. Force and force variation measurements can be taken by means of measurement frames or load cells including a plurality of strain gauges fixed therein of force and force variation components oriented radially tangentially and axially of the tire which forces are communicated to the spindle and from the spindle entirely through the fluid film of the fluid film bearing to the measuring frames, while the spindle and tire are driven in loaded rolling contact with the load wheel.

Abstract: A tire building drum, in particular useful for applying a tread to a previously built uncured tire carcass, having a large number of segments, e.g. 36, which can move radially to expand and to contract the drum. An improved arrangement and construction of cover plates for spanning the gaps between the segments in combination with an improved construction of the segments for cooperation with the cover plates.