Resilient And/or Inflatable Core Patents (Class 156/416)
  • Patent number: 4853069
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1989
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Cleo M. Williams, Myron D. Sanders, William C. Cook
  • Patent number: 4780170
    Abstract: A tire building machine that allows for free axial movement of positioned beads towards a tire drum during expansion of the tire drum. The axial movement of the bead is effected by a rubber sleeve that envelops the tire drum and a pair of bead carrier assemblies, each one located axially outwardly of the drum. Subsequent to positioning the bead in a tire building process, the beads are locked into place by means attached to each of the bead carrier assemblies. Expansion of the drum causes the sleeve to effect inwardly axial movement of the bead carrier assemblies toward the drum carrying the tire beads towards the drum, and retraction of the drum causes outwardly axial movement of the bead carrier assemblies away from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Assignee: The Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Company
    Inventor: Clifford A. Landsness
  • Patent number: 4722379
    Abstract: A coloring agent, preferably metallic particles, is disposed in a solution that contains unvulcanized diene rubber(s) and a rubber vulcanization accelerator. Crosslinkable silicone and/or modified EPDM may also be disposed in the solution. The coating material is substantially free of free sulfur, and preferably is also substantially free of carbon black. The accelerator scavenges sulfur from a vulcanized rubber substrate to auto-vulcanize the rubber solids, and any crosslinkable silicone and/or modified EPDM present. Coating materials that do not contain any coloring agent are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Thomas J. Botzman
  • Patent number: 4683021
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Joseph F. Stalter, deceased, Gilbert M. Feller
  • Patent number: 4595448
    Abstract: A tire building apparatus comprising: an extruder having an extrusion die comprising a doughnut-shaped die member and an axially elongated die member to provide for consecutively extruding a cylindrical-shaped material downwardly from space between the doughnut-shaped die member and the axially elongated die member; a tire supporting unit for supporting a green tire into which the cylindrical-shaped material is to be inserted; an expanding unit adapted to hold the cylindrical-shaped material from the inside of the green tire and to expand radially and outwardly the cylindrical-shaped material to bond to an inner surface of the green tire; a severing assembly on the tire supporting unit for severing to a predetermined length the cylindrical-shaped material inserted into the green tire; and a drive unit adapted to drive the tire supporting unit to move with respect to the extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1986
    Assignee: Bridgestone Tire Company Limited
    Inventor: Michitoshi Sorioka
  • Patent number: 4584050
    Abstract: Apparatus for transferring a looped article to a cylindrical structure, comprising a collapsible ring structure having a center axis aligned with the center axis of the cylindrical structure and a centering plane parallel with the central plane of the cylindrical structure, the ring structure being radially deformable about the center axis thereof, a carrier supporting the ring structure and operative to move the ring structure toward and away from the cylindrical structure, and plural pairs of centering elements provided radially inside the ring structure. Each pair of centering elements are located on both sides of the centering plane of the ring structure and consist of centering elements located on both sides of the centering plane of the ring structure and movable toward and away from the centering plane of the ring structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: Bridgestone Tire Company Limited
    Inventors: Yuzo Kumagai, Yuichiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4534812
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: Zeon Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukui, Isamu Tuchiya, Shun Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4510002
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1985
    Assignee: W & A Bates Limited
    Inventor: Anthony G. Goodfellow
  • Patent number: 4508586
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: GenCorp Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Brown, William A. Jones, Daryl E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4486259
    Abstract: A bead lock device comprises mutually separable and engageable shafts, and a pair of left and right bead lock members consisting of a plurality of segments, each segment having one end pivoted to the shafts and the other end adapted to expand in diameter in the radial direction and to hold the bead portion of a green tire case in substantially circular form. A slide member capable of moving in the radial direction of the shafts is provided and is connected to the segments through a link member for expanding and contracting the diameter of the segments in the radial direction through a link mechanism. A mechanism for moving the slide member in the direction of an expansion in diameter is provided for the segments and also provided is a mechanism for moving the segments in the direction of contraction in diameter of said segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 4, 1984
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Irie
  • Patent number: 4474633
    Abstract: There is disclosed herein a method of manufacturing low aspect radial tires. The radial tires are mounted upon a bladder assembly during the time from the assembly of the tread reinforcing structure with the carcass until the vulcanization of the tire in a mold. Restrictor band material is wrapped around the tire to prevent circumferential growth of the tire beyond a predetermined diameter, so that the tire will not become too large to fit into the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: George T. Watts
  • Patent number: 4472233
    Abstract: A radial tire building drum for forming a radial tire green case having bead portions into a toroidal shape, includes a drive shaft rotatable about a center axis of rotation and movable in a fore-and-aft direction thereof, a pair of drum units carried on the drive shaft and having a common center axis of rotation which is in axially alignment with the center axis of the drive shaft, the drum units being axially movable toward and away from each other along the center axis of the drive shaft by driving at least one of the drum units to move along the common center axis of rotation, a plurality of arcuate drum segments each retained to the pair of drum units and formed with an annular groove circumferentially extending therethrough, each of the arcuate drum segments being radially movable toward and away from the common center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1984
    Assignee: Bridgestone Tire Company Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukamachi, Tsuneharu Nakajima, Jun Mizuno, Tadashi Maehara
  • Patent number: 4470867
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Societa' Pneumatici Pirelli Societa per Azioni
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Bruno Colombani
  • Patent number: 4416720
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Viscardo Baldoni
  • Patent number: 4402782
    Abstract: A tire building machine including a building drum for receiving a belt-tread assembly and a pair of coaxial shafts having disc members freely rotatable thereon for receiving and supporting a tire carcass. The disc members and shafts are pivotally movable as a unit and the disc members are also movable with respect to one another for engaging annular beads formed on said carcass to effect a seal therewith and permit the introduction of air to inflate said carcass to assume a toroidal shape. A radially expansible and contractable transfer ring, that is axially movable, engages the belt-tread assembly and transfers same from the drum to the carcass prior to the pivoting of the carcass, belts and tread stock into engagement with a rotatably driven stitcher apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Karl W. Klose, Gary H. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 4402783
    Abstract: A tire building machine including an axially contractible and expandable drum is characterized by an annularly continuous center deck for the drum having a rigid, axially segmented yet continuous, generally cylindrical deck surface. The center deck includes a center support, end supports, and two symmetrically arranged sets of telescoping rings extending respectively between the center support and opposite end supports. The telescoping rings are axially expandable as the end supports move away from each other to form such rigid, axially continuous deck surface and axially collapsible into or upon one another as the end supports move toward each other. Each ring of the set has flanged ends forming both a stop and an annular sliding bearing surface for the adjacent ring. The rings and their flanges may be precisely formed so that each intermediate ring of the ring set has four annular supporting and sliding surfaces, contributing to the overall rigidity of the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4349406
    Abstract: A contractible tire building drum having segmental cylindrical shoulder rings with flanges at the ends and a stretchable bladder positioned over and between the shoulder rings. Each of the shoulder rings has a primary set of segments and a secondary set of segments alternately spaced around the ring. The primary and secondary sets of segments are retractable from positions in the cylindrical shoulder ring to a nested position radially inward. Guide means are provided to displace the secondary segments in an axial direction during retraction of the segments so that the secondary segments are axially displaced from the primary segments with the flanges of the secondary segments overlapping the flanges of the primary segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Joseph F. Stalter, Gilbert A. Felten
  • Patent number: 4343671
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4325764
    Abstract: A radial tire carcass fabricated by a first stage process has bead portions which are placed over a pair of spaced-apart coaxial bead seats. The bead seats may be segmented radially expandable rings which are expanded by fluid pressure into engagement with the bead portions. The tire carcass is initially positioned on the drum with the bead seats at a spaced-apart distance so that upon expansion of the segments of the bead seats at a low pressure and axial movement apart of the bead seats the ply of the tire carcass is stretched and the bead portions moved into register on the bead seats. The fluid pressure expanding the segments of the bead seats is then increased to secure the bead portions on the bead seats at predetermined positions with a predetermined diameter. Annular sealing members may be mounted on the segments of the bead seats at the tire-supporting surfaces of the segments for compression upon application of high pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1982
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Appleby, Henry D. Broyles, John E. Hill, Arland A. Peck
  • Patent number: 4312696
    Abstract: A tire building apparatus having two end drums disposed on respective opposite sides of an intermediate drum, with the intermediate drum embodying a perforated sleeve for supporting the portion of a tire carcass to be disposed between the beads of a completed tire and for permitting air to flow therethrough into direct contact with the aforementioned tire carcass for pneumatically expanding the latter, 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 tire carcass, 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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1982
    Assignee: National-Standard Company
    Inventor: Emerson C. Bryant
  • Patent number: 4290472
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1981
    Assignee: National-Standard Company
    Inventor: Emerson C. Bryant
  • Patent number: 4288265
    Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing radial tires for a motor vehicle having a radial carcass, a reinforcing structure with at least two layers of criss-crossed symmetrically arranged metallic cords forming a belt, and a tread. The process involves a series of steps which comprise: building up a carcass in a cylindrical configuration on a first expandable building drum and shaping the carcass into a toroidal configuration. A reinforcing belt is also formed by winding two layers of metallic cords on an auxiliary expandable drum with a diameter equal to the external diameter of the toroidal shaped carcass. The belt is maintained in slidable contact on the drum and shaped toroidally by expanding the auxiliary drum. The belt is then removed from the auxiliary drum and transferred with a tread band to the carcass on the first drum. The carcass is toroidal shaped again to assemble the carcass and belt. The assembly is vulcanized under pressure in a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Industrie Pirelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Pacciarini, Giorgio Bertoldo
  • Patent number: 4270605
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: McCreary Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Kenneth C. Drew
  • Patent number: 4269649
    Abstract: A second stage building drum assembly (10) mounted on a rotatable drive shaft (15) for the application of belts and the like to a carcass includes a drum (12) rotatably carried by the drive shaft (15) for mounting a carcass (143) and first and second belt guide ply rings (13 and 14) reciprocably movable with respect to the drum. Further provided are means (30) for reciprocably moving one side (32) of the drum (12) with respect to the other (33) and, means (22, 23 and 96) for moving the first and second belt guide ply rings into engagement with the drum (12) for the application of at least one belt (154) to a carcass (143) mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Assignee: The Steelastic Company
    Inventor: Robert S. Vanderzee
  • Patent number: 4249979
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: George J. Burley
  • Patent number: 4247356
    Abstract: An expandable tire building drum has an improved bladder for expanding and contracting the drum segments. Instead of being a closed torus with a radially inwardly extending inflation stem, the bladder is completely open on its radially inward side and has beads that are clamped in an airtight seal to the bladder support. The bladder in its deflated condition rests in three folded layers within its storage cavity in the drum. This bladder construction allows a bladder having a relatively large surface area to be stored in a relatively small cavity. The space in the cavity for storing such bladders is often limited, particularly in drums for building radial passenger car tires. Putting a larger bladder in this cavity than allowed by prior constructions results in a greater surface contact between the bladder and the drum segments when the bladder is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1981
    Assignee: The General Tire & Rubber Co.
    Inventors: Richard N. Spach, Steve J. Kovalchik, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4244770
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1981
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Shichman, S. Edward Nold, George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4243451
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Jan C. Kortman
  • Patent number: 4239565
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a pneumatic tire and particularly a giant off-the-highway radial type pneumatic tire is provided preferably by first forming a tire carcass around a tire carcass building drum and transporting the tire carcass to a second stage tire building machine by a carcass transport support means. The second stage machine comprises a first rotatable detachable building drum on a first shaft preferably capable of vertical positioning for placing the tire carcass on the first drum. The first drum is adapted to expand the tire carcass to a substantially toric configuration. A second rotatable collapsible drum for building a breaker assembly is mounted on a second shaft coaxially of the first shaft. Breaker transfer means travels over and between the drums to transfer the breaker assembly from the second drum to the first drum. When the breaker assembly is positioned over the first drum, the carcass is expanded into a toric configuration and mates with the breaker assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1980
    Assignee: The General Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Virgil E. Henley, James R. Hineborg, Donald H. Nixdorf
  • Patent number: 4230517
    Abstract: A tire building machine comprises a number of modular packages which can be used interchangeably in single stage, or first stage tire component assembly. Some of the modular components are particularly useful in the manufacture of larger or truck type tires but can also be used in the automatic or semi-automatic production of smaller passenger size tires. One of the principal components is a carriage mounted device for transfer of components such as bands or belt and tread assemblies, or finished tires, which also functions as a bead setter and as a retractable two-position idle journal support for the non-driven end of the main shaft of the tire building drum or shaper. The shaft supports a wide variety of shapers or drums for single, first or second stage building. The device is mounted for movement to and from the shaper or drum and includes a support arm which moves in a circular arc to assume and maintain various positions during various periods in the machine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1980
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4226656
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Appleby, Denver C. Folden, Joseph F. Stalter, Jr., Harry R. Swanson
  • Patent number: 4214941
    Abstract: A rim for temporary support of a tire carcass in an inflated condition, and for slow rotation, during application of tread rubber, consists of two airtight discs adjustably mounted on a power driven shaft, one disc having a fixed bead seat and the other disc having a removable bead seat. The space between the bead seats is bridged by telescoping supports, and a safety lock is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich Company
    Inventors: Arthur N. Horr, Clifford A. Landsness
  • Patent number: 4214939
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4207133
    Abstract: An expandible tire-building drum for making toric shaped tire carcasses built in the form of cylindrical sleeves is provided. The cylindrical sleeves have at their extremities, annular bulges which are circumferentially inextensible and are radially developed towards the inside. These bulges form the beads on the carcass. The height of the bead is one-half the difference between the internal diameter of the said sleeve and the internal diameter of the said bead. The drum comprises two co-axial discs, constituted substantially by a hub and an annular flange fixed to the hub, axially slidable reciprocally and fixed with each other in rotation. The said discs are supported on a rotating shaft which projects in cantilever fashion from a driving device. The discs comprise a radially external surface having a first part, capable of receiving the beads of the sleeve, and being defined as "bead-seat".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1980
    Assignee: Industrie Pirelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Bottasso, Giorgio Bertoldo
  • Patent number: 4206010
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: VMI-Epe-Holland B.V.
    Inventor: Heinz Gutknecht
  • Patent number: 4192702
    Abstract: A fluid expandable drum for building portions of tires in a tire building machine includes an annular supporting drum and an expandable annular tube element having an inner peripheral surface supported on the annular drum. The tube element includes an outer peripheral surface upon which support means is secured for movement therewith. A plurality of shoe members are connected to the support means for movement therewith with the shoe members defining an annular building surface thereon which is movable in a radial direction toward and away from the annular support drum upon contraction and expansion, respectively, of the tube element. The tube element is expanded to expand the diameter of the building surface to enable a tire portion to be built thereon and retracted to decrease the diameter of the building surface to enable a build tire portion to be removed therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus H. Collins, John K. Smith
  • Patent number: 4148682
    Abstract: A fluid expandable drum for building portions of tires in a tire building machine includes an annular supporting drum and an expandable annular tube element having an inner peripheral surface supported on the annular drum. The tube element includes an outer peripheral surface upon which building means is secured for movement therewith. The building means define an annular building surface thereon which is movable in a radial direction toward and away from the annular support drum upon contraction and expansion, respectively, of the tube element. The tube element is expanded to expand the diameter of the building surface to enable a tire portion to be built thereon and retracted to decrease the diameter of the building surface to enable a built tire portion to be removed therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus H. Collins, Kiritkumar R. Patel
  • Patent number: 4144114
    Abstract: A tire building machine of the second-stage type includes a housing with a main shaft journaled in and projecting from the housing in cantilever fashion. Distal and proximal flanges are mounted on the shaft for axial movement toward and away from each other and for rotation with the shaft, each flange being supported on the shaft by an elongated sliding sleeve, the distal flange being secured to its sleeve by a readily removable nose piece supporting the flange axially offset from the distal end of its sleeve, the sleeve for the distal flange being slidably supported by an elongated bushing at its proximal end only while the sleeve for the proximal flange is slidably supported by bushings at each end, one riding on the shaft while the other rides on the sleeve for the distal flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1979
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Enders
  • Patent number: 4028169
    Abstract: A winding drum for producing belt inserts for pneumatic tires has a casing the diameter of which is variable. A characteristic feature of the drum is that its cylindrical casing at its radially inwardly located edges is changed--looking in cross-section--into V-shaped disks which are inwardly bent. These disks and the casing consist of polyurethane with an E-modulum of about 800. The edges of the disks are fixed air tightly in a drum. Supports adjustable radially in an axial direction lie against the V-shaped bent sections of the disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1977
    Assignee: Phoenix Gummiwerke AG
    Inventors: Werner Eichholz, Gerd Krebs
  • Patent number: 4011127
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1977
    Assignee: Phoenix Gummiwerke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Eichholz, Gerd Krebs
  • Patent number: 4011126
    Abstract: A drum for producing blanks for car tires of rubber with straps wherein the drum consists of coaxial rings movable axially relatively to each other and having supporting surfaces for the beads of tire blanks. According to the invention each ring has an annular groove containing a ring insert of an elastomeric material with a high E-modul. The insert is radially stretchable and consists of a cylindrical supporting part and a disk part firmly connected therewith. The disk part in cross-section has a toggle-like bend and is supported upon the base of the groove. The supporting part is fixed to a limiting flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1977
    Assignee: Phoenix Gummiwerke A.G.
    Inventors: Werner Eichholz, Gerd Krebs
  • Patent number: 3990930
    Abstract: A bladder for use in conjunction with a tire building drum, said bladder having cords extending substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the bladder and including two belt plies of square woven fabric extending circumferentially about the bladder. The bladder is manufactured by first providing an at least partially cured cylindrical membrane reinforced with cords extending substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the membrane. The membrane is then expanded to a toroidal configuration and an uncured belt structure is applied to the expanded membrane. The membrane is then contracted to the cylindrical configuration and the belt structure is cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1976
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Georges Schmit
  • Patent number: 3979249
    Abstract: An inflatable shaping bag or diaphragm for a tire building or shaping former. The bag is based on an elastomeric sheet radially expansible but has high lateral bending stiffness in part of its width owing to the presence of at least one pair of reinforcements of inextensible reinforcing elements, each element lying in a plane containing the axis of the bag. The reinforcement can consist, for example, of two layers of parallel steel cords, spaced apart by a layer of rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1974
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1976
    Assignee: Dunlop Limited
    Inventors: Ernest George Nicholls, Bernard Charles Allitt
  • Patent number: 3971694
    Abstract: Drum for manufacturing radial-carcass tires, characterized in that it comprises means acting in synchronism for transforming a plane cylindrical surface, on which the rubber layers are laid together with the radial plies and the bead wires, into a toroidal surface by producing a geometrical preformation both in development and in section, and by a positive turning of the fabric and layers after shaping same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1976
    Assignee: NRM Corporation
    Inventor: Georges Gazuit
  • Patent number: 3966536
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1976
    Assignee: Dunlop Limited
    Inventor: Otto Schmitt
  • Patent number: 3947312
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire building machine with a rotatable building drum adapted for forming thereon a tire carcass of rubberized plies and for expanding the formed carcass to a toric shape. A transfer mechanism positions a separately formed tread and belt assembly substantially concentrically around and spaced from the tire carcass disposed on the building drum. Annular guide means with rolling surfaces are also positioned substantially concentrically around and spaced from the tire carcass disposed on the building drum. When the tire carcass is expanded to a toric shape, the carcass contacts the guide means in rolling engagement and is guided to mate in precision alignment with the tread and belt assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1976
    Assignee: The General Tire and Rubber Company
    Inventor: Virgil E. Henley
  • Patent number: 3932255
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making sleeves or bladders for tire building machines for building bias angle tires, bias belted tires or radial ply belted tires by building the core of the sleeve of natural rubber, high cis polybutadiene, high cis polyisoprene, acrylonitrile-butadiene and butadiene styrene, and covering the outside of the core and at least part of the inside thereof with a layer of polyurethane elastomer, where the expose coat contains 0.5 to 10 percent by weight of silicone polycarbinol as slip agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1976
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey W. Saracsan