Abstract: An unloader for a tire vulcanizer includes a linear motion guide rail fixed vertically to a main frame of a tire vulcanizer; a slider movably engaged with the linear motion guide rail; a movable carriage having the slider so as to elevate along the linear motion guide rail; a revolving suspension member which is attached to the movable carriage and has revolving rods vertically supported by bearings; and a chuck boom which is provided to the revolving rods so as to be turnable in the horizontal direction and supports the chuck mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a rubber-metal plate composite formed of a plurality of unvulcanized rubber layers and metal plates, each being overlaid alternately, by induction heating, includes an induction coil for applying a magnetic field to the composite and heating the metal plates due to eddy currents generated by the magnetic field, a power unit for applying an alternating current to the induction coil to generate the magnetic field, and a mold to confine the periphery of the composite. The mold is made of a nonmagnetic or weakly magnetic material with electrical conductivity, such as austenitic stainless steel. The mold generates enough heat to function as the heating unit by generating eddy currents in the conductive mold while magnetic flux permeates the mold substantially without loss and reaches the composite therein.

Abstract: A vulcanized rubber-metal plate composite is obtained by overlaying a plurality of unvulcanized rubber layers and metal plates alternately and heating thereof by magnetic induction heating. The vulcanized rubber-metal plate composite is obtained by placing a composite of a plurality of unvulcanized rubber layers and metal plates, each being overlaid alternately, into a place affected by an induction coil; heating the metal plates due to eddy currents formed in the metal plates by applying an alternating current to the induction coil; and vulcanizing the unvulcanized rubber layers due to heat conduction from the heated metal plates.

Abstract: An enclosed kneading apparatus which can smoothly knead and disperse kneaded products of various kneading conditions without the maintenance of a rotor moving mechanism for a first and second rotors and the operation which sacrifices the handling capacity of the kneading apparatus and at the same time, prevent an excessive increase in the temperature of the kneaded products. In the apparatus, the kneaded product of a desired kneading state is obtained by flowing a kneading object in tip clearances between the inner wall of a chamber and a first and second rotors while rotating the first and second rotors in the chamber, and by imparting a shearing force to disperse the kneading object. The respective first and second rotors are provided with three long wings in helical fashion each having a plurality of tip portions for providing a plurality of three tip clearances in the axial direction.

Abstract: A vertical tire press has a lower mold fixed to a lower platen mounted on a base, and an upper mold facing the lower mold and fixed to an upper platen mounted on a top slide. The top slide is moved vertically by a crank mechanism, thereby closing together or opening apart the upper and lower molds. The lower or upper platen has a cylinder structure so as to squeeze together the upper and lower molds. This vertical tire press basically employs a crank mechanism, but is free from disadvantages peculiar to a tilt-back type tire press. The vertical tire press provides good economic performance as well as advantages of an oil-hydraulic type tire press, i.e. uniform application of a squeezing force and easy adjustment of the squeezing force, without using an oil-hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: In a center mechanism of a tire press, which the tire size is changed, the lower limit position of an upper clamp ring is changed to a shaping height corresponding to the size of the exchanged tire only by changing a setting of a controller. Consequently, the work related to the tire size change is facilitated. A bladder is inflated and tightly comes into contact with the inner face of a green tire while lowering the upper periphery of the bladder to the shaping height corresponding to the tire size.

Abstract: A hermetically closed kneading apparatus includes a casing member (1) having a chamber (2) and one pair of counter rotating, parallel rotors (3) (4). Each of rotor has three long blades (18) (19) (20) and of which the central axes (17a) (17b) of the rotors are set apart from each other so that the long blades may not mesh with each other. Each of the long blades extends spirally around the central axis (17a) (17b) of the rotors and are set apart from each other by an equivalent angle in a circumferential direction of the rotor. Each rotor has a profile corresponding to any one of the following features: (a) the profile is almost triangular. (b) the profile includes a straight line in each non-action (22) surface of the rear surface (26) of each blade with respect to a rotation direction, the straight line starts from edge (18a) of a tip (21) of each blade (18).

Abstract: An internal mixer having a floating weight disposed in contiguous with an internal mixer main body and made elevatable in a hopper to which a material to be mixed is charged, wherein a hydraulic cylinder for elevating the floating weight is disposed in contiguous with the internal mixer main body, a pneumatic/hydraulic pressure conversion means for pressure conversion between a hydraulic side and a pneumatic side is disposed separately from the internal mixer main body, and the hydraulic side of the hydraulic cylinder for lowering the floating weight is connected with the hydraulic side of the pneumatic/hydraulic pressure conversion means. The reliability of the internal mixer can be improved while making the structure compact and facilitating the maintenance operation.

Abstract: A center mechanism for a tire vulcanizer having a first cylinder whose stroke can be detected with a simplified structure achieves reduction in cost and improvement in working efficiency upon maintenance. The center mechanism expands, while the first cylinder 1 moves downwardly, a bladder 5 into close contact with an inner face of a green tire. A downward stop position of the first cylinder 1 is set in advance by a linear sensor 14. The stroke amount of the first cylinder 1 is detected by a stroke bracket 12 having a stroke portion 12a extending downwardly in parallel to the first cylinder 1 from within a stem 8 and provided so as to advance into the stem 8 together with a cylinder rod 1a, and a linear sensor 14 for detecting the stroke amount of the first cylinder 1 from the stroke portion 12a of the stroke bracket 12 remaining outside the stem 8.

Abstract: A post-cure inflator for inflating and cooling a vulcanized tire is disclosed. A lower rim mechanism is easily and certainly fixed, the whole apparatus is miniaturized, and the degree of freedom in designing when the lower rim mechanism is moved is made higher. The lower rim mechanism is lifted so that a locking shaft attached to an upper rim mechanism enters a fitting portion of the lower rim mechanism. After that, the locking shaft is rotated to be engaged with the lower rim mechanism, thereby connecting the lower rim mechanism via the locking shaft to the upper rim mechanism. A tire is inflated and cooled while being held by the upper and lower rim mechanisms. Guide plates are fixed to the upper rim mechanism so as to be along the locking shaft. Insertion grooves are formed in the lower rim mechanism. When the locking shaft enters the fitting portion, the guide plates are inserted into the insertion grooves.

Abstract: It is the object of the present invention to firstly provide a loading system and loading method of high working efficiency, and secondly, to provide a loading system and method in which a high precision of loading onto a center mold can be regularly assured without the need for repeated correction checks. The loading system includes a transport car 2 movable along a plurality of tire vulcanizing presses 1 arranged in a line; a robot arm 3 mounted on said transport car 2 for movement in three XYZ dimensions to a prescribed position in a desired stance; and a green tire chuck 6 fixed to the end of said robot arm 3. A load method essentially comprises the steps of picking-up, transportation, loading and chucking during shaping, of a green tire largely through movement of the robot arm of said system.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system capable of performing high accuracy transportation of a green tire by a loader and of performing high accuracy transportation of a vulcanized tire by an unloader including a group of tire vulcanizing presses having many tire vulcanizing presses 1 arranged in a row and manipulators 2 arranged along the group of the tire vulcanizing presses in such a way that they may freely run. The tire vulcanizing presses 1 are constructed such that the upper and lower molds 80, 81 are stored between the engaging or disengaging upper and lower press members in such a manner that they may be fastened with the green tire mounting table 7 and the post-cure inflator 8 arranged around them.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system comprising (a) a tire vulcanizing press having a plurality of molding stations (b) a tire loader for loading tires onto the molding stations and (c) a tire unloader for unloading tires off of the molding stations, wherein the tire vulcanizing press comprises a fixed frame upon which the fixed molds of each molding station are mounted, a displaceable frame upon which the displaceable molds of each molding station are mounted, a tie-rod arranged between the molding stations and connecting the fixed frame to the displaceable frame, lifting cylinder for vertically displacing the displaceable frame along the tie-rod with respect to the fixed frame, half blocks for securing when necessary the displaceable frame to the tie-rod, thereby securing the displaceable frame to the fixed frame, and clamping means for forcibly clamping said displaceable molds to said fixed molds during tire vulcanization.

Abstract: A conveyor system that performs a conveyance by using pallets for loading green tires and device for conveying these pallets, installs a storage area for storing pallets as they are on the way to convey, and uses robots for transferring the green tires from a pallet to a tire vulcanizer. Pallets being of such a type as to be able to load two or more green tires for planar placement and a conveyor devise is desired to be able to get under these pallets for lifting up. Furthermore, a visual sensor provided on a robot reads at least one of a mark concerning the specification of a green tire, a mark for its positioning on a pallet, and a mark for its positioning on a tire vulcanizer, identifies a green tire to be conveyed, and automatically performs a positioning in transferring the green tire from the relevant pallet and a positioning in transferring the green tire to a tire vulcanizer in the conveyor system.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a center mechanism of a tire vulcanizing press, including a press frame; a guide member provided on the press frame, the guide member having a central hole and a peripheral hole formed around the central hole; a cylindrical member slidably guided in the central hole of the guide member in a vertical direction; a hub fixed to an upper end of the cylindrical member for holding a lower portion of a bladder, the hub having a central hole; a center post slidably inserted through the central hole of the hub for holding an upper portion of the bladder; and a cylinder unit provided between the hub and the center post so as to extend in parallel relationship to the center post, for vertically moving the center post relative to the hub, the cylinder unit having a cylinder body and a rod adapted to be advanced upwardly from an upper end of the cylinder body, the rod being inserted through the peripheral hole of the guide member.

Abstract: A bladder carrying and setting apparatus for tire vulcanizing press capable of automatically setting a bladder to a center mechanism of the tire vulcanizing press, wherein the setting apparatus is for setting a bladder assembly supported by a top ring and a bottom ring at the top and bottom of the bladder to the center mechanism, and comprises a closable chuck between the top end of a vertically movable center post of the center mechanism and the top ring, the chuck being operated by the vertical movement of a rod installed at center of the center post, and the rod being vertically moved by a hydraulic cylinder (a driving means) disposed on the bottom end of the center post; and in addition a releasable locking device between a hub located on the outer periphery of the center post of the center mechanism and the bottom ring.

Abstract: A die changer truck for use with a tire vulcanizer, including a self-propelled chassis adapted to halt in front of the tire vulcanizer, a swiveling table rotatably mounted on the self-propelled chassis, two mounting sections for respectively mounting two die assemblies, and two carrier units for respectively carrying two bladder assemblies. The two mounting sections and the two carrier units are provided as two sets on the swiveling table. The two sets are selectively positioned by rotation of the swiveling table. Accordingly, the carriage and change of not only the die assemblies but also the bladder assemblies with respect to the tire vulcanizer can be automated.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold setting apparatus for setting a vulcanizing mold assembly (21) on the platen (6) of a tire vulcanizing apparatus (1) comprises: a mold transfer mechanism (54) comprising a mold carriage (49) for horizontally moving the vulcanizing mold assembly (21) to and away from the tire vulcanizing machine (1), a pair of guide units (41) disposed respectively on the opposite sides of the platen (6), and a pair of mold supporting units (24) disposed respectively on the opposite sides of the platen (6) behind the guide units (41) to support the vulcanizing mold assembly (21) above the platen (6); a pair of lifting mechanisms (27) for vertically moving the mold supporting units (24) to place the vulcanizing mold on the platen (6); a centering mechanism (29) for centering the vulcanizing mold assembly (21) on the platen (6); and clamping members (26) for fastening the fixed mold (7) of the vulcanizing mold assembly (21 ) to the platen (6) after the vulcanizing mold assembly (21) has been centered on the pl

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing press is provided, which is of high accuracy, eliminates the adjustment for a guide member, and reduces the area to be machined. The tire vulcanizing press comprises a main body frame including a lower frame, and at least one side frame erected on the lower frame; a lower mold mounting member mounted on the lower frame for fixing a lower mold; an upper mold mounting member for fixing an upper mold in surface-contact with the lower mold; a guide member disposed on one side of the upper mold mounting member for supporting the upper mold mounting member on the side frame in a cantilever state, and which travels to be lifted/lowered; and a drive body for freely vertically lifting/lowering the upper mold mounting member relatively to the lower mold mounting member by traveling of the guide member.

Abstract: A slide falling prevention device in a tire vulcanizer including a vulcanizer frame, a fixed lower die fixedly located on the vulcanizer frame, a slide adapted to be lifted and lowered along the frame, a movable upper die retained to the slide and adapted to be vertically opened and closed relative to the lower die, a vertically moving member provided at a central position of the slide for opening and closing the upper die, a hollow pressure member provided at the central position of the slide for applying pressure to the upper die, said hollow pressure member being located diametrically outside the vertically moving member in such a manner as to be concentrical to and separate from the vertically moving member, a pressure device mounted to the vulcanizer frame in such a manner as to surround the hollow pressure member, an upper die height adjusting mechanism for connecting the slide with the hollow pressure member; and a movable pressure member provided in the pressure device and a locking member disengageab