Abstract: A tire forming system includes a band forming machine, a shaping forming machine, a belt/tread forming machine, means for supplying a band member and means for supplying a belt/tread member. The means for supplying the band member include an inner liner supply means, carcass supply means, band rubber parts supply means and bead supply means. The means for supplying the belt/tread member include belt supply means and tread rubber parts supply means. The means for supplying the band member and the means for supplying the belt/tread member are operative to cooperate with one another to continuously in series form a plurality of tires having different tire sizes.

Abstract: A cutting device and method in which a reinforcement is guided to a cutoff point where it is cut by a knife driven by a rotary shaft and carried along a closed path which brings the knife into cutting relationship with the reinforcement during predetermined cycles.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for laying a strip for the manufacture of a tire by extruding uncured rubber through a die to form a rubber tube on a rotary support and flattening the tubular form to form a band which is adhered to a receiving surface on the rotary support.

Abstract: The present invention involves a carbon fiber-filled sheet molding compound and method of manufacturing the same. The invention comprises providing chopped automotive carbon fibers, a predetermined resin paste, a first carrier film, and a second carrier film. The method further involves coating substantially completely one side of one of the first and second carrier films with the predetermined resin paste to define a coated side, depositing the chopped automotive carbon fibers onto the coated side, and covering the deposited carbon fibers with the second carrier film to define a compactible carbon-filled laminate. The method further includes compacting the carbon-filled laminate to admix the resin paste with the carbon fibers between the films, whereby to form the automotive carbon fiber-filled sheet molding compound.

Abstract: An apparatus for retreading tires is disclosed. The apparatus has a rotatable hub for the mounting of a buffed tire casing. The apparatus also has a cushion gum applicator that is configured to stretch a length of cushion gum onto a tire casing. Further, the apparatus has a tread dispenser that is configured to automatically dispense a length of tire tread based on the circumference of at least one of the tire casing and the tire casing plus the cushion gum. Further still, the apparatus includes a tread applicator that is configured to stretch the length of tire tread onto the cushion gum. The entire apparatus including the cushion gum applicator, the tread dispenser, and the tread applicator are integrated into a single tire bench machine.

Abstract: At least first and second dissimilar tire components are placed on a false drum, and are subsequently transferred, en masse, to a building drum, in the following manner. The first tire component is placed on the false drum with the false drum stationary, using a vacuum device to pick up a free end of the first tire component and place it on the false drum. The vacuum in the false drum is turned on to grasp the first tire component, and the vacuum device is turned off to release the first tire component. A free end of the second tire component, previously picked up using a pickup device, is placed on the false drum. The step of placing the free end of the second tire component onto the false drum may be performed after the drum has been rotated slightly. The false drum is rotated to measure out the first and second tire components, and they are cut to a desired length. The at least two dissimilar tire components are then transferred to the building drum.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making a tread-belt assembly for a pneumatic tire using a supply ramp to supply green rubber tread stock for application on a substantially cylindrical green rubber belt package; advancing the tread stock along the supply ramp toward the belt package; positioning at least a final portion of the supply ramp substantially along a plane tangent to an outer circumference of the belt package; and applying the tread stock to the outer circumference by moving a leading cut end of the tread stock from the supply ramp to the belt package along the plane tangent to the outer circumference. The green rubber tread stock is held from above for moving by inserting a plurality of transfer pins downward into both edges of the green rubber tread stock such that each transfer pin is angled toward a closest laterally outside edge.

Abstract: An apparatus for retreading tires is disclosed. The apparatus has a rotatable hub for the mounting of a buffed tire casing. The apparatus also has a cushion gum applicator that is configured to stretch a length of cushion gum onto a tire casing. Further, the apparatus has a tread dispenser that is configured to automatically dispense a length of tire tread based on the circumference of at least one of the tire casing and the tire casing plus the cushion gum. Further still, the apparatus includes a tread applicator that is configured to stretch the length of tire tread onto the cushion gum. The entire apparatus including the cushion gum applicator, the tread dispenser, and the tread applicator are integrated into a single tire bench machine.

Abstract: A cutting segment for a False Drum (100,200,300) having a cylindrical outer surface (202,306) comprises a slot (204,224,330) extending generally axially from end-to-end of the cylindrical surface, a door panel (322) having substantially the same size and shape as the slot; and a mechanism (320) for opening and closing the door panel. The mechanism for selectively opening and closing the door panel includes an elongate lever (324), one end of which supports the door panel, the other end of which is pivotally attached to a stationary portion (point) of the drum, a spring (326) extending between an inner surface of the door panel and another stationary portion of the drum; and an inflatable pneumatic tube (328) disposed between the lever and yet another stationary portion of the drum. There is thereby provided a method of supporting material overlying the cutting slot of the False Drum, by opening the slot when cutting the material, and closing the slot when not cutting the material.

Abstract: A retreading method wherein a base composition and a cap composition are applied to a carcass (10) as two ribbons (14) and (16) extruded from separate extruders (18) and (20). The ribbons (14) and (16) can be layered and applied to a ready-to-retread carcass (10) simultaneously or, alternatively, the base ribbon (14) can be applied to the ready-to-retread carcass (10) first and the cap ribbon (16) applied thereafter. The carcass (10), with ribbons (14/16) applied thereto, is then inserted into an enclosed heated mold (22) and cured to complete the retread.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for laying a strip for the manufacture of a tire by extruding uncured rubber through a die to form a rubber tube on a rotary support and flattening the tubular form to form a band which is adhered to a receiving surface on the rotary support.

Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding device for strip-shaped tire components. The inventive device is situated in a conveying device for a tire construction drum. The feeding device comprises one or several storage means, feeding and cutting devices pertaining thereto as well as transport devices by means of which the cut tire components are transported to the tire construction drum. The transport devices which withdraw the tire component from the storage means and position said tire component under the cutting device and the transport devices which transport the cut tire component to the tire construction drum are configured as an interconnected one-piece transport system in a transport line. The transport system can be displaced between a rear cutting and feeding position and a support position that is moved to the front. The conveying devices are arranged in such a way that the one-piece transport system engages with the cutting devices in the rear position thereof.

Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing a belt structure of a green tire are described, wherein the belt strips (113a, 113b) which constitute the belt structure are produced in a substantially continuous manner immediately upstream of at least one assembly drum (13, 14). Such method and plant are integrated respectively in a method and in a plant for manufacturing a belt package and a crown structure incorporating the belt structure thus obtained. The method for producing the belt package provides for the subsequent formation on said belt structure of a rubber mixture layer incorporating a plurality of reinforcing cords (104), while the method for producing the crown structure provides for the subsequent assembly of a tread (105) on the belt package thus formed. The rubber mixture layer incorporating the reinforcing cords (104) and the tread (105) are both produced in a substantially continuous manner immediately upstream of at least one assembly drum (18).

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and apparatus for the coextrusion of rubber mixtures, comprising a main extruder (1) with an extrusion head (10) having at least two flow channels (14, 15), each for a rubber mixture (A, B), the channels opening into an extrusion orifice (18) through which the two rubber mixtures (A, B) are propelled. The extrusion orifice (18) is delimited by a first wall (111) and a second wall (161). The apparatus also comprises at least one micro-extruder (2) for a third rubber mixture (C), whose extrusion head (22) is provided at its end with a nozzle (23) passing through the two flow channels (14, 15) such that the third rubber mixture (C) is inserted into each rubber mixture (A, B) upstream from the extrusion orifice (18).

Abstract: Supply device for supplying rubber material (11) to a cutting device (3). In the direction away from the cutting device the supply device contains a supplying table (3) having a supplying mechanism (4), an unwinding trestle (7) containing a stock of rubber material, a space between the unwinding trestle (7) and the supplying table (3), which space is suitable for taking up a loop of rubber material forming a stock buffer. Between the unwinding trestle (7) and the supplying table (3), preferably at a distance above the supplying table, a first conveyor (5) having a drive is placed. Preferably at a distance above the unwinding trestle a second conveyor (8) having a drive is placed, in which the space for taking up the loop of rubber material is formed between the second (8) and the first (5) conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for making rubber component parts such as tire rubber parts comprises: a tape maker for making an unvulcanized rubber tape which comprises an extruder for extruding unvulcanized rubber; a winding drum around which the unvulcanized rubber tape is wound into a rubber component part; a conveyor for conveying the unvulcanized rubber tape toward the winding drum which comprises a conveyor belt winding around rollers and having a right side on which the unvulcanized rubber tape is put; and a traverser for moving the conveyor belt in the axial direction of the winding drum.

Abstract: Process and device for transporting a belt construction strip having parallel reinforcing members embedded in a belt construction material for forming a belt for a pneumatic vehicle tire.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for cutting to length a tread band which is to be subsequently built up onto a tire carcass. The apparatus includes a transport device for transporting an extent of tread band material from which a tread band is to be cut, and a cutting device for cutting to length a tread band from the extent of tread band material. The apparatus also includes a picture display device for registering and displaying simultaneously a picture of the front end of a tread band after the front end has been cut by the cutting device and a picture of an area of the tread band which lies shortly before and extends to the location at which the back end of the tread band is to be cut by the cutting device.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for highly efficiently forming a tire reinforcing layer, such as a carcass ply or belt ply, either directly or indirectly on a rubber member which is supported on a rigid core having a toroidal shape. According to the invention, a continuous strip of reinforcing material comprised of a plurality of single cords or twisted cords is cut into reinforcing elements having a predetermined length. The reinforcing elements are successively fed to the rubber member from one side of the core, synchronously with an indexing movement of the core about its center axis. The reinforcing elements are then urged against the outer surface of the rubber member on the core along their longitudinal direction and thereby progressively pressure-joined to the rubber member.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method of building a tire having at least one cord reinforced belt ply. The method is comprised of layering various tire components on a tire building drum. Prior to placing the belt ply on the building drum, at least one belt ply is longitudinally cut, forming a plurality of belt ply segments. The belt ply segments are placed onto the building drum and the cords in each belt ply segment are oriented in the same direction. Also disclosed is a longitudinal cutter for dividing belt ply material into the plurality of belt ply segments. The cutter has at least a pair of shear cutters and a cutting surface against which the shear cutters rotate to cut the continuous belt ply. The shear cutters are mounted on a rail and are moveable along the length of the rail.

Abstract: A re-treading method and an apparatus therefor, which are capable of winding a tread material on a base tire automatically and efficiently to realize an adequate joint condition of the leading and trailing edges of the tread material, are configured to take a photograph of a zone of the tread material including its cut position to compare the picture with a stored tread pattern image to detect a deviation amount between them, then moves the tread material or the cut position relative to each other by the deviation amount, next cut the tread material at the cut position after the relative movement, wind the tread material on a base tire, and unite the leading and trailing edges of the tread material.

Abstract: Forming a tubular tire ply from a flat sheet of wire reinforced material, cutting the ply to length and applying the ply to a drum.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for highly efficiently forming a tire reinforcing layer on an outer peripheral surface of a rigid core (13), in which ribbon pieces (33) each comprised of parallel rubber-coated cords (17) are successively adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the core (13) in a circumferential direction thereof, with the side edges of the ribbon pieces in close contact with those of adjacent ribbon pieces. A plurality of cords (17) can be set by one adhering operation, thereby reducing the number of adhering operations in forming a tire reinforcing layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus 200 for building a laminate 10A and in forming a subassembly 10 for a pneumatic tire from an assembly of reinforced or unreinforced tire components wherein the method has the steps of providing an apparatus 200 for simultaneously forming, positioning, attaching and conveying a plurality of continuous strips of elastomeric tire components and activating the apparatus simultaneously forming, positioning and attaching the plurality of continuous strips of elastomeric tire components to adjacent strips of tire components as they are conveyed thus forming a laminate 10A of reinforced or unreinforced tire components suitable for use as a subassembly for a pneumatic tire.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a bead filler which does not deteriorate the uniformity of a pneumatic tire are provided. The apparatus extrudes a rubber composition at a surface velocity V1 in a top portion 28 and at a surface velocity V2 in a base portion 26, while forming the rubber composition in the shape of a filler portion 24 in a forming portion 40 by a truncated cone shaped extruding roller 38. The filler portion 24 formed in a curved shape similar to a shape of a side portion of a tire is formed due to the difference in velocity between the surface velocities V1 and V2. The filler portion 24 is successively joined to and wound around an annular bead core from a winding start end, and is disposed in the side portion of the tire after forming the bead filler.