Abstract: A segmental drum (10) has a plurality of axially extending circumferentially spaced segments (36) with flexible connections (56) to shoulder pistons (32) at opposite ends of each segment (36). Wedge shaped bars (62) are positioned between the segments (36) and connected to center pistons (64) for urging tapered side faces (80) of the bars (62) into engagement with sloping side faces (78) of the segments (36). Elastic turnup bladders (42) are positioned outward of the segments (36) with nose portions (40) overlapping the ends of the segments (36) for resiliently returning the segments (36) and bars (62) to a retracted condition after expansion by radially outward movement of the shoulder pistons (32) and center pistons (64).

Abstract: Elastomer structures having exposed controlled surface release characteristics can be made by coating at least a portion of their surface with a releasing composition comprising (a) a chlorosulphonated polymer; (b) a reinforcing filler and (c) a green tackifying agent. Optionally, these compositions can also contain a chemical curing system and one or more volatile solvent/diluent viscosity-reducing vehicle. In a specific example, the coating are applied to flexible structures used in machines for the manufacture of articles having natural tack due to their rubber or elastomer content.

Abstract: A tire building machine having opposed support shafts for engagement with opposed ends of a tire building drum and opposed ply turn down and bead setting mechanisms movable axially along the support shafts toward and away from the drum. The machine includes parallel bearing rails extending substantially the length of the machine. The ply turn down and bead setting mechanisms are carried by opposed housings which are supported by bearings which ride on the bearing rails. The ply turn down and bead setting mechanisms also carry bearings which ride along the shafts during axial advancement thereof. Finally, the turn down mechanism is supported on the housing at multiple points about its periphery to insure correct alignment thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a tire in which an inner circumference of a tire carcass is wrapped around a tire bead by being grasped by an expanding air bladder against a stopper plate. The stopper plate, with the bladder still inflated is raised relative to the bead and main tire carcass and then moved into the annular portion of the tire carcass to encase the bead.

Abstract: A tire building machine and method employing a tire building drum for receiving at least one ply of tire material having an edge overhanging an axial end of the drum, a bladder turn-up mechanism extending axially outwardly from the drum, an annular array of radially contractible ply-down fingers movable axially to and from a position encircling the overhanging ply edge, and an axially movable ring device operative first to effect radial contraction of the ply-down fingers to turn the ply edge down over the end of the drum, then to set a tire bead against the turned down ply edge at the end of the drum, and then to push the bladder of the turn-up mechanism when inflated to cause the ply edge to be progressively wrapped around the bead and then over the drum.

Abstract: A tire building drum (10) has a central shaft (13) and a pair of end drum assemblies (12) mounted for axial movement along the shaft. The end drum assemblies (12) include a main sleeve (19) slideable on the shaft (13), and an annular housing (24) mounted on the sleeve to form an annular chamber (32) surrounding the sleeve (19) which houses an annular piston (31). There is an annular expansion means (bead seating segments) (27) mounted on the housing (24) which are moved radially by a ramp means (35) attached to the piston (31). This ramp means (35) have a cam surface (29) thereon comprising an inclined radially outer portion (29a) and a convex arcuate radially inner portion (29b). Further, the end drum assemblies have annular bladders (39), (41), (42), and (44) thereon that each have solid annular lip portions (51, 52) (61, 62), (63), (64 ) respectively, by which they are secured to the end drum assemblies.

Abstract: A tire building machine and method employing a tire building drum for receiving at least one ply of tire material having an edge overhanging an axial end of the drum, a bladder turn-up mechanism extending axially outwardly from the drum, an annular array of radially contractible ply-down fingers movable axially to and from a position encircling the overhanging ply edge, and an axially movable ring device operative first to effect radial contraction of the ply-down fingers to turn the ply edge down over the end of the drum, then to set a tire bead against the turned down ply edge at the end of the drum, and then to push the bladder of the turn-up mechanism when inflated to cause the ply edge to be progressively wrapped around the bead and then over the drum.

Abstract: A tire building machine and method characterized by the employment of a rigid annular bead support at each end of and coaxial with the axis of a tire building drum for holding a tire bead in round and centered to the drum axis during bead placement, after bead placement and during a subsequent ply turn-up operation. The bead support preferably is in the form of a precision machined register ring preferably supported independently of the drum and having a radially outer bead support surface which extends slightly axially beyond a shoulder end face of the drum in radially inwardly offset relation to such end face. During bead placement and/or limited axial outward movement of the register ring, the register ring serves to wipe and firmly stitch interposed ply material to the inner diameter of the tire bead. During such wiping action, the bead may be axially held in place by an inflating turn-up bladder or by a bead setter utilized to set the bead at the drum end.

Abstract: A method for forming tires by the use of a tire-forming machine having a drum bladder and a turnup bladder. An organic halogen compound having in the molecule thereof a ##STR1## bond, in which X represents a halogen atom, is applied to the surfaces of the drum bladder and turnup bladder of the machine to form a layer of the organic halogen compound, whereby unvulcanized rubber for tires is prevented from sticking to said bladders during the formation of tires form the unvulcanized rubber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in the manufacture of pneumatic tires, in which a pair of tire bead assemblies are held in accurately spaced relationship against opposite ends of a tube. Tire carcass material carried on an expansible former is located within the tube and expanded to engage the bead assemblies, projecting ends of the carcass material being turned radially outwardly around the bead assemblies while the bead assemblies are supported by the tube.

Abstract: A tire building drum is described as having, a plurality of radially movable bead lock segments at each end of the drum for holding the tire bead rings during the turn-up operation, a pair of turn-up bladders, and a pair of carriers which work in conjunction with the bead lock segments and turn-up bladders to tension the ply endings of the unvulcanized carcass ply or plies as the ply endings are turned up and reversely wrapped around the tire bead rings to anchor the rings to the unvulcanized tire carcass for further processing.

Abstract: A tire building drum is described as having a unique mechanism for controlling the radial movement of the bead lock segments which are designed to hold the tire bead rings firmly, in position, during the tune-up operation. The mechanism includes an annular support member which is disposed concentrically around the longitudinal center axis of the drum adjacent opposing ends of the drum, and which has a number of raceways that are radially oriented in relation to said center axis. The raceways are equally, angularly spaced about said axis and are designed to slidably receive a bead lock segment on which a cam roller is freely mounted for rotation. The mechanism also includes an annular scroll member which is disposed concentrically around said axis in side-by-side parallel relation with each of the support members.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the manufacture of pneumatic tires comprising a carcass formed of reinforcing plies and bead cores are disclosed. The tire carcass is built up around a first drum in cylindrical configuration and bead cores are applied to the carcass. The carcass is transferred telescopically to and around a second expandable drum. The carcass is then torically shaped and the ends of the plies turned-up around the bead cores.

Abstract: A tire building machine of the bead set, ply down, and dual bladder turn-up type includes a bladder clamping system which may be used greatly to broaden the size range capability of existing tire building machines without affecting or replacing a substantial portion of the bladder clamping system or adjacent machinery such as the ply down assembly. Thus, by maintaining an inventory of a reduced number of parts, a machine may more easily be converted to manufacture sizes of tires beyond its standard. This is accomplished by changing the configuration in clamping rings and front nose of the outer bladder only.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a bladder which is to be disposed on each of axially opposite end portions of a tire building machine having a tire building drum, respectively, and is employed for turning back a ply cord bound on the tire building drum of the tire building machine, comprising of the steps of binding a bladder material on a cylindrical member, the bladder material being reinforced with cords and unvulcanized, the cylindrical member having two annular grooves formed in the outer peripheral portion thereof, binding a cloth belt containing water around the outer peripheral surface of the bladder material so that the bladder material is shaped conformingly to the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical member and the two annular grooves, vulcanizing in a vulcanizing vessel the bladder material to form two annular ridges on the bladder material conformingly to the shape of the annular groove, and taking out the bladder material from the vulcanizing vessel and turning back the bladder material around

Abstract: A pneumatic tire which comprises:a tread portion; a breaker structure to brace the tread portion; two sidewalls each having an associated bead containing a bead core, and each sidewall containing a reinforcing ply of cords anchored around the bead core of the respective one of said associated beads and extending into the tread portion radially outwardly of the breaker structure to overlap at least part of the width of the breaker structure but terminating short of the other of said associated beads.

Abstract: A belt, band or other tire component folding machine and method are characterized by a rotatable and expandable drum comprising a substantially rigid cylindrical deck having a precisely formed peripheral deck edge and an inflatable bladder assembly positioned slightly axially and radially inwardly subjacent the deck edge which cooperate to define a precise fold line along the deck edge at which a ply or belt band or the like is precisely and sharply folded. Preferably, dual inflatable bladders are employed at each end of the deck, one bladder being contiguous to the other and arranged on inflation to walk up the precisely formed and contoured deck edge to turn up the overhanging band end, and the other arranged to push the first bladder axially inwardly to complete the fold of the band flat upon itself. A preferred form of deck comprises a plurality of readily replaceable segments which are mounted in a self-aligning manner on a radially expandable and rotatable hub.

Abstract: A tire forming drum provided with two half drums axially mobile relative to each other and arranged to support on their outer periphery tubular plies of a carcass to be formed, each half drum being arranged to produce automatic folding of the relative end of said tubular plies about a respective annular bead by means of a respective multiple air chamber element rigid at one end with an outer flange of the relative half drum, and at the other end with a tubular support member mobile under the thrust of said multiple air chamber element between a retracted rest position inside said flange and an extracted working position in which said tubular member projects axially outward from the relative half drum.

Abstract: A tire building machine utilizes a ply-down and bead set assembly in which an array of axially projecting spring fingers are used. The fingers are secured between two nested rings which are constructed to interfit with each other and with each finger so that each finger may be inserted or removed without affecting adjacent fingers. One of the rings has projections interfitting with the fingers in their normal position and one of the rings may be locally deformable to assist in the insertion and removal of the fingers.

Abstract: The tire building machine comprises a tire building drum or shaper, annular bladders adjacent each end and a bead setter and bladder pusher mechanism movable axially of the drum selectively to set a tire bead in proper position and to push and effectively roll the bladder when inflated to cause the ply edges of the tire to be wrapped about the bead without air entrapment and stitched securely. Such mechanism includes a bead setting and pushing ring mounted for axial movement and hydraulic actuators are provided for effecting such movement. The ring has a flat face, a short axially extending radially inner annular surface or shelf for restricting expansion of a portion of the bladder rearwardly of the face when inflated thereunder, and a rounded inner peripheral edge or bead projecting beyond the shelf which grips the bladder when inflated to prevent relative sliding movement of the bladder and ring during bladder push.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of setting a bead ring against the plies of a tire carcass on the shoulder of a building drum includes a carrier member with a retractable bead support flange. As the carrier member pushes the bead firmly against the carcass plies, the bead support flange is also pushed against the carcass plies, and the flange partly retracts under the pressure. Then, a fluid operated piston drives the support flange further away from the carcass plies, leaving the bead ring almost unsupported, but pressed firmly against the carcass plies on the building drum. The carrier member then retracts away from the building drum, leaving the bead ring in place on the building drum shoulder and ready to have the carcass ply end portions wrapped around it.

Abstract: A tire building machine has a dual bladder ply turn-up mechanism including radially inner and outer annular bladders mounted on a radially stepped annular support. Each bladder is fully contour molded and has imbedded in its radially inner wall a plurality of circumferentially spaced flanged inserts adapted for connecting and positioning the bladder on the support. Each bladder further includes position stabilizers in the form of inelastic cinch bands which include openings through which the inserts extend and the outer bladder may also include an annular girdle to improve bladder rolling characteristics. Also provided is a one-piece manifolded bladder support which includes a radially stepped cylindrical support surface for the bladders and internal porting means for bladder inflation.

Abstract: A tire building apparatus having two end drums disposed on respective opposite sides of an intermediate drum, with the intermediate drum embodying an expandable sleeve for pneumatically expanding and supporting the portion of a tire carcass to be disposed between the beads of a completed tire, and with the end drums carrying bead lock clamping members and ply turn-up bags that are movable inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the apparatus during the aforementioned expanding of the tire carcass, the bags being of dual-compartment construction, having inner compartments for effecting ply turn-up operations at air pressures greater than the air pressure for expanding and supporting the sleeve, and outer compartments for effecting additional sidewall-applying operations at internal air pressure less than the pressures in the inner compartments, and with the components of the intermediate drum and end drums being readily removable and replaceable for changing the size of the tire to be produced by the appara

Abstract: In the two-stage manufacture of radial ply tires, the sidewall stock is applied to the cylindrical tire body on a mandrel so as to overlie the turned over ply ends and extend beyond them, and while the mandrel is stationary, the sidewalls are bonded to the underlying plies by inflating bladder assemblies so as to cause them to press the sidewall stock against the underlying plies.

Abstract: The device comprises five concentric rings, the outer surfaces of which are contoured to form four circumferential split grooves in which the beads of the two bladders are clamped. The rings are assembled in proper angular position on dowels fixed to one end ring and extending through the three adjoining rings. Certain of the inner rings are clamped together as sub-assemblies by screws through their rims, and all five are clamped together by other screws extending through their rims.

Abstract: There is disclosed an inflatable bladder for axially folding a ply at the shoulder of a drum, the body of which bladder carries ply-lifting fingers, as well as a ply-folding wedge in its surface. Inflating means causes the fingers and wedge, after initial expansion of the bladder, to establish and maintain fixed positions against the ply, whereupon the wedge turns a corner carrying the fabric with it. The method of operation is similarly disclosed.

Abstract: A tire building machine of the expandable bead lock type employs an elastomeric specially shaped radially expanding bead lock including a shaping and turning bladder which includes an air passage system therethrough. The elastomeric bead lock is confined for radial expansion in an annular outwardly opening chamber in the form of an isosceles trapezoid in radial section with the elastomeric bead lock being of similar configuration and expanded by direct application of air pressure within the chamber. The configuration of the annular chamber and the bead lock compensate for stretching of the bead lock upon enlargement. The edges of the bead lock at the axial sides of the chamber are undercut for flexibility while the walls of the chamber are specially coated to maintain the seal. The bead lock incorporates interconnected metallic segment side plates which not only limit the stroke of the moving seal but insure stability axially of the bead and provide the desired concentricity.

Abstract: A flat cylindrical carcass band is built on a cylindrical surface provided by a unique shaping means and abutting turnup means. The shaping means has inner and outer walls the ends of which are juxtaposed solid elastomeric end rings so as to form an annular envelope. The outer wall has between its inner and outer layers an arrangement of spring blades of particular shape formed to control the toroidal shape of the expanded outer wall to a precisely determined contour. The turnup means each include an inner and an outer bladder the edges of each being also juxtaposed solid elastomeric end rings. The end rings of each turnup means are seated with the associated end rings of the shaping means in a common retaining groove formed in a circumferential set of radially extendable segments which expand the end rings and the overlying carcass to conform the carcass initially about prelocated bead cores.

Abstract: A tire building drum having radially expandable shoulder forming means and radially expandable bead seating means. The drum includes an independently operable pair of annular pistons associated respectively with the shoulder forming means and the bead setting means such that the shoulder forming means can be operated independently in time, in radial extent and in force applied, of the bead seating means. The latter is in like manner operable independently in time, in radial extent, and in force applied at the bead setting means. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description.

Abstract: The ply turn-down fingers are mounted between an inner and outer ring. One ring being formed of an elastomer having mechanical properties of those of rubber and plastic. To remove a finger, the mounting screws nearest the fingers turn-down each side thereof and are removed. The elastomer ring is then bent or distorted away from the finger a distance to free its toe and the finger is withdrawn. A replacement finger is inserted in the same way. The operation can be carried out without freeing the adjacent fingers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for assembling a tire carcass comprising a precarcass band and a pair of inextensible bead rings. The band is built and consolidated on a form having a rigid cylindrical surface. The band includes at least one cord or wire-reinforced ply and one or more tire liners of a rubbery gum, and may include additional tire components, in particular the components which will form the sidewalls of the tire. The band is removed from its building form and then moved axially freely over a shaping apparatus. An axially narrow central part of the band is expanded sufficiently to resist axial displacement of the band, which is then spread and smoothed outward from its central part by expanding and then moving outwardly a pair of expandable spreading elements.

Abstract: A tire building machine of the expandable bead lock type employs an elastomeric specially shaped radially expanding bead lock which includes an air passage system therethrough. The bead locks are expanded by a pneumatic tube which seats the bead lock against reentrant shoulder stops securing the bead locks in their expanded condition both precisely radially and axially with respect to the two centerlines of the machine. Such bead locks may be used in connection with an expandable axially fixed center deck for first stage operations or in connection with a substantially rigid axially expandable and contractible center deck for single stage operations. The bead locks may also be employed for second stage operations. For a single stage machine, the preferred form of center deck includes axially oppositely extending fingers which slide in respective slots in the center support forming a substantially rigid working surface.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for making a bead wire and bead zone filler for a vehicle tire. The apparatus has a rotatable drum and deformable tubular member disposed on the drum. The external surface of the tubular member is adapted to receive a strip of elastomeric material to be shaped into the bead zone filler. The tubular member is changed from tubular to annular shape with a fluid under pressure.

Abstract: A drum to build and form a belted tire, having a central support element, the central portion of which consists of radially slidable segments, and two bead retainers arranged at both sides of said support element, the spacing of said bead retainers being axially adjustable symmetrically with respect to the support element, the bead retainers having, at their circumference, radially expandable, integrally formed rings arranged to be brought into engagement with the tire in an air-tight manner, wherein the support element has an integrally formed rigid cases between the central portion and the bead retainers, the rigid cases being fixedly connected to the side of the bead retainers facing the central portion, the contact face of each rigid case facing the central portion being bevelled, the segments of the central portion which are arranged between the two cases engage the bevelled contact faces of the cases, are retained by springs and are similarly bevelled at the place of contact with the cases, whereby when

Abstract: A tire building apparatus is provided having an improved mechanism for turning up the plies of the tire carcass and wrapping them around each tire bead ring. The mechanism is designed so that it can also be used to apply the sidewall pads to the expanded carcass of a radial tire. The improved mechanism includes a bladder that has a molded conical portion in its outer fold adjacent the building drum. This conical portion extends very close to the bead ring positioned adjacent the carcass at the sides of the drum shoulders. The improved mechanism also includes a control ring insert placed inside said bladder and radially inwardly from the conical portion of the outer bladder fold. When the bladder is inflated to wrap the carcass plies around the bead ring, the control ring insert and the molded conical portion of the outer bladder fold combine to provide an improved, tighter wrapping of the carcass plies around the bead ring.

Abstract: An annular wedge suitable for use in a tire bead assembly preparation apparatus. The annular, resilient, flexible, compressible wedge has a generally T-shaped axial cross-section with an outer head portion, an inner trunk portion and an inner-connecting throat portion with a generally triangular cross-section therebetween, and a continuous reinforcing annular textile fabric strip integral with said head, throat and trunk portions, said wedge being of a continuous structure having a core of especially prepared microcellular polyurethane and an outer densified relatively smooth skin.

Abstract: A tire bead assembly of a bead core, apex and gum tie strip is made by laying the gum tie strip about a non-inflatable annular member of triangular cross-section and across the slant surface of the member. The apex is wrapped then about the tie strip and about the slant surface of an annular inflatable bag. After the core is pressed coaxially on the tie strip so as to indent the member and thus preform the tie strip, the bag is inflated to turn the apex and underlying tie strip about the core and against an annular forming member to shape the assembly suitably for the tire carcass in which it is to be inserted. A bladder is then inflated to wrap the tie strip on the second side of the core and apex. The member bridges the gap between the adjacent edges of the bag and the bladder. An apparatus for carrying out the steps is also described. The resulting bead assembly is tightly cohered and free of wrinkles and air pockets.

Abstract: A single section radially and axially expandable tire building drum having solid cylindrical building surface support for stitching and the like for cylindrical form tire carcass building. Radial expansion is independent of axial adjustment of width. Radially expanded condition of the cylindrical building surface is positively supported. The drum is particularly suitable for building passenger car tires. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the tehcnical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description.

Abstract: A process is provided for turning-up sidestrips and the ends of body plies on the sidewalls of a torus-shaped tire body. The body of the tire is expanded circumferentially, the ends are turned over and the sidewall strips are stitched simultaneously.An apparatus for practicing the process has a device provided with a support for the assembly which turns-up the sidestrips and ends of the body plies which permits insertion and removal of the assembly in the cavity of the tire.

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: An inflatable bladder for a tire building drum is adapted for mounting snugly on a cylindrical drum extension which has a circumferential groove accommodating a non-inflatable elastic ring secured integrally to the bladder. The bladder inner wall has a flangeless port between two circumferential sealing ribs integral with the bladder wall. The port is in air-flow communication with a channel in the outer surface of the extension.

Abstract: An annular bladder providing both circumferential expansion and rolling movement normal to its circumference in response to inflation thereof, said bladder having a cylindrical outer wall extending between a forward edge and a rearward edge and being turned radially and axially inward at the respective edges, the bladder comprising a first and a second circumferential zone and in said outer wall a transition zone, said first zone extending in a forward direction from said transition zone, said second zone extending in a rearward direction from said transition zone, said first zone having greater resistance to circumferential elongation relative to the second zone and said second zone having lesser resistance to circumferential elongation relative to the first zone, said transition zone being located a predetermined distance forward of the rearward edge of said bladder when the same is uninflated.

Abstract: A rubber, radially expansible ring in a tire building drum is provided for gripping the bead of a tire carcass. The ring is radially expansible in a continuous, circumferential channel of the drum. The ring has an outer surface suitably shaped for holding the bead of the tire carcass, and a pair of continuous, circumferential pressure sealing flaps extending inwardly from both sides of the ring. The flaps are adapted for sealing engagement with adjacent side members of the circumferential channel, so that the ring may be radially expanded without the use of an inflatable bladder. This abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention, however, the full nature and extent of the invention being discernible only by reference to and from the entire disclosure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for building a closed torus pneumatic tire in which the components of the tire, exclusive of the belt and tread structures, are wrapped about a cylindrical former, inextensible bead rings are positioned about the former in positions spaced axially apart substantially the same as the final desired axial spacing. The former is radially expanded and expands the carcass structure to clampingly engage the bead rings. Each axially outer end portion of the carcass structures is folded over toward the axial centerplane of the drum in a manner in which the carcass is free of internal restraint at the fold. Each axially outer end of the folded over end portion of the carcass structure freely contracts radially into position to be clamped by a pull-over ring and is pulled axially across the former to a predetermined position past the midcircumferential centerplane of the former and released. A sidewall restraint ring moves into position adjacent the fold to prevent roll back of each end portion.

Abstract: A simple low cost building drum, free of axially movable parts for building tires and cylindrical articles having inextensible beads of given diameter therein but spaced axially any selected distance apart, has a single axially and circumferentially continuous radial expandable membrane overlying a thick-walled cylinder of deformable rubbery material the full axial length of which is expandable radially to wrap the membrane against beads placed about the drum and to divide the membrane into a non-inflatable center section and two inflatable end sections each axially outboard of a respective bead. The thick-walled cylinder is expanded radially by inflating an axially extending cylindrical sleeve within control members in the form of four semi-cylindrical strips which prevent bulging outward of the central portion of the thick-walled cylinder and which engage cylindrical flanges of a pair of end rings spaced along the drum's center shaft.

Abstract: Two embodiments of a mandrel for fabricating an air spring are disclosed. Each has a fixed diameter cylindrical portion and a portion variable in diameter to provide an extension of the cylindrical surface expandable to conic form. An array of fingers are pivotally secured to swing in radial planes to provide the variable diameter portions and are actuated by inflatable sleeves. The fingers are notched to provide a locating groove for the wire ring at the end of the air spring. Ply endings are folded about the wire ring by a second inflatable sleeve or bladder.

Abstract: A tire building drum for assembling and shaping green tire carcasses toroidal includes a central drum and side drums with membranes capable of being blown up to shape the tire carcass. Supporting rings are located on opposite sides of the central drum. The invention is characterized in that the core supporting ring consists of an elastomeric material with a high E-modulus and is provided on the inner side with a disk-shaped flange supported in a groove, the flange having concentric collapsible grooves and being capable of extending radially under air pressure.

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 folding bag comprises an inflatable tube supported on a cylindrical support, the tube being secured on both sides to two cord ply arrangements consisting of at least two intersecting plies, the angle of intersection of the first cord ply arrangement being greater than that of the second cord ply arrangement. One end of the bag formed by the tube and the two cord ply arrangements terminating flush with one end of the support and being fixed relative to said end. The support side cord ply arrangement being restrained on the support at a predetermined distance from the support end, a restoring device being secured to the free end of the bag.

Abstract: Tire building machine includes a pair of carriages axially movable in unison toward and away from opposite ends of the tire building drum on which are mounted bead carriers for supporting tire beads radially outwardly of the drum ends. Suitable controls and adjustments are provided for moving the carriages symmetrically about the center line of the drum into precise positions for positioning the tire beads with precision over the ends of the drum and holding the tire beads in place during expansion of the drum. Pusher rings may also be provided on the carriages to assist in obtaining symmetrical movement of the ply turnup bladders for obtaining the same amount of stitching and turnup of the plies on both sides of the tire.