Abstract: This invention relates to a tire curing system having a plurality of molds disposed in side by side relation, transporting means for transporting green tires to the tire curing system, loading means for loading a green tire into a bottom mold half of one of the molds, mold closing means for closing a top mold half over the bottom mold half, self-locking means for locking the top mold half to the bottom mold half, curing means for curing the green tires, mold opening means for opening the top mold half from the bottom mold half, unloading means for unloading the cured tire from the bottom mold half and take-away means for carrying the cured tires away from the curing system. The loading means and the unloading means include a movable robot and the mold closing means and the mold opening means include a movable manipulator. The robot and the manipulator move in straight lines.

Abstract: A segmented annular mold for forming a tread belt having a reinforcing belt structure, the belt structure having a radial thickness (t) is disclosed. The mold has a plurality of radially movable and outwardly expandable inner segments for forming the inner surface of the tread belt and a plurality of radially movable and contracting outer segments for forming the outer tread belt surface. The radially inner and radially outer segments form a mold parting line at a location radially outward of a midpoint of the belt reinforcing structure of the tread belt at a location greater than 50% (t) as measured from the radially innermost surface of the belt reinforcing structure. The radially inner segments have upper and lower lateral edge forming portions extending outwardly to the parting line. Similarly, the radially outer mold segments have upper and lower lateral edge forming portions extending inwardly to the parting line.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire curing system having a plurality of molds disposed in side by side relation, transporting means for transporting green tires to the tire curing system, loading means for loading a green tire into a bottom mold half of one of the molds, mold closing means for closing a top mold half over the bottom mold half, self-locking means for locking the top mold half to the bottom mold half, curing means for curing the green tires, mold opening means for opening the top mold half from the bottom mold half, unloading means for unloading the cured tire from the bottom mold half and take-away means for carrying the cured tires away from the curing system. The loading means and the unloading means include a movable robot and the mold closing means and the mold opening means include a movable manipulator. The robot and the manipulator move in straight lines.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire curing system (10) having a plurality of molds disposed in side by side relation, transporting means (91) for transporting green tires (20) to the tire curing system, loading means (71) for loading a green tire (20) into a bottom mold half (14) of one of the molds, mold closing means (34) for closing a top mold half (13) over the bottom mold half (14), self-locking means (15) for locking the top mold half to the bottom mold half, curing means (18) for curing the green tires, mold opening means (35) for opening the top mold half from the bottom mold half, unloading means (72) for unloading the cured tire (22) from the bottom mold half (14) and take-away means (17) for carrying the cured tires (22) away from the curing system (10). The loading means (71) and the unloading means (72) include a movable robot (40) and the mold closing means (34) and the mold opening means (35) include a movable manipulator (30). The robot and the manipulator move in straight lines.

Abstract: A tire mold heat transfer system in which heat pipes are enclosed in tubular passages in the tire mold to transfer heat to heated positions adjacent the tread and sidewall forming sections of the mold.