Abstract: A green tire building apparatus includes a plurality of bead locking segments arranged in a circle concentric with the main body of the shaping drum of the apparatus. A resilient annular member is mounted in an annular groove in the outer periphery of the bead locking segments, and the bead locking segments and annular member are moved radially outward for pushing a layer of tire material on the shaping drum against a bead which is disposed thereon. The movement is accomplished by a piston/cylinder and link mechanism. A turn-up bladder is arranged over, but separate from, the resilient annular member.

Abstract: The green tire manufacturing apparatus includes an unwinding apparatus for unwinding a tire component in web form wound on a reel; a transfer apparatus for transferring the unwound tire component longitudinally through a first conveyor located upstream and a second conveyor located downstream, wherein the first and the second conveyors are drivable independently; a cutter device located on the first conveyor and intended to cut the tire component at a predetermined angle slanted against the transferring direction; a separating apparatus located between the first and second conveyors and intended to separate the downstream cut portion of the tire component from the upstream subsequent tire component portions; a guide pan apparatus for guiding the cut component portion with giving widthwise positioning thereof; and a green tire building drum on which the tire component cut in a predetermined length is supplied from the guide pan apparatus and attached thereon.

Abstract: A tire building apparatus includes a former made of a plurality of segment units arranged in a circumference, an inner shaft extending through the former, an outer shaft and a sleeve mounted on the inner shaft, the outer shaft and the sleeve carrying a right guide mechanism, a left guide mechanism, a right slider, and a left slider respectively, a right link mechanism, and left link mechanism provided between the right slider and the right guide mechanism, a left link mechanism provided between the left slider and the left guide mechanism. Another tire building apparatus includes a former made of a plurality of segment units arranged having a center segment, a right side segment, and a left side segment, and a right moving device for moving the right side segment in axial and radial directions, a left moving device for moving the left side segment in axial and radial directions, and a center segment support device for supporting the center segment with radially inward biasing.

Abstract: An automatic spew trimming method wherein a tire is rotated while being supported from an inside to be trimmed by a knife and an apparatus used therefor. The apparatus includes a supply conveyer, a tire rotating section, a cutter for tire tread, a cutter for sidewall, and a discharge conveyer. According to the method and the apparatus of the present invention, even a tire such as a motor cycle tire having low rigidity, small tread width and nearly complete round cross section can be trimmed to cut off spew. Further, even if many kinds of tires of different sizes are supplied at random, they can be satisfactorily accommodated and treated.

Abstract: A method for buffing an annulation comprising a step of rotating the annulation while holding the annulation, a step of partially grinding a surface of the annulation with a grinder unit, and a step of applying blue paint to the ground surface of the annulation. A buff apparatus used therefor comprises an annulation holding section, a grinder unit having a rough grinder and a finishing grinder, and a paint unit. The rough grinder and the finishing grinder on the grinder unit are driven by one cooperating shaft, and the grinder unit is capable of pivoting by 180 degrees. The paint unit is a transfer-roller-type and applies blue paint only to the ground surface.

Abstract: An automatic rim replacing mechanism for a tire uniformity inspecting machine, the replacing mechansim comprising: an upper spindle having rotating means for rotation about an axis concentric with the axis of a tire to be inspected; an upper rim releasably fixed to the upper spindle by a lock means provided on the upper spindle; a lower spindle detachably connectible to a lift member of a rim lifter movable up and down in the axial direction of the tire; a lower rim assembled with and retained on the lower spindle; coupling means fittingly engageable in concentric relation with the axis of the tire for releasably coupling the upper and lower spindles; and rim retaining means provided on the lower rim or spindle for holding the upper rim when released from the upper spindle.