Stitching Elements, Per Se Patents (Class 156/421)
  • Patent number: 9027622
    Abstract: A stitcher apparatus for pressing a carcass ply sheet from its outer periphery as to be pressure-bonded onto a rubber sheet member after that the carcass ply sheet is pasted onto the rubber sheet member wound around a building drum, the stitcher apparatus including: a ring-shaped frame; and a plurality of pressure-bond rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Fujiki, Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Yu Hatayama, Taizo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20150101737
    Abstract: The needle (12) of the device for inserting a wire into a tire has: a piercing zone (18) having an axis of symmetry, and a duct (30) having a proximal opening and a distal opening (36) opening into the zone (18) and off-centre relative to the axis, the duct consisting of the proximal opening and of a rectilinear profiled section including the distal opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Jean-Marie DETTORRE
  • Publication number: 20150047770
    Abstract: The joint device for a tire forming machine comprises a joint device connection frame, composite part laminating device, and cord fabric stitching device, wherein the joint device connection frame axially slides along a portal frame through a connection frame drive device, and is located above the vertical direction of a tire body drum; the composite part laminating device is carried on a joint device connection frame through a composite part frame body; the composite part laminating device comprises an axial laminating drive device and a vertical laminating drive device for controlling and driving a compression roller component located on a composite workstation on the tire body drum; the cord fabric stitching device is carried on the joint device connection frame through a main stitching frame; the cord fabric stitching device comprises an axial stitching drive device and a vertical stitching drive device for controlling and driving a stitching wheel component located on a stitching workstation on the tire
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: MESNAC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiguo Cheng, Fude Zhou, Rui Shao, Chunhai Dai
  • Patent number: 8945323
    Abstract: The invention enables to pressure-bond a carcass ply sheet pasted onto a rubber laminating member wound around a periphery of a building drum firmly along a recessed and projected shape of the rubber laminating member without producing a deformation or a warp of a carcass cord, by using a stitcher apparatus constituted by arranging a plurality of pressure-bond rollers having axis centers in a tangential direction of a concentric circle having a diameter larger than that of a building drum in a peripheral direction by a plurality of rows and by a constant pitch by being respectively supported to be able to progressively displace to an inner side in a diameter direction, while moving the building drum in an axial direction relative to the pressure-bond rollers on an inner side of a circular arrangement of the pressure-bond rollers, a carcass ply sheet is pressed by a predetermined pressure to pressure-bond over an entire periphery and simultaneously by the respective pressure-bond rollers progressively displace
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Fujiki, Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Yu Hatayama, Taizo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8684058
    Abstract: A roller assembly for use during tire construction includes a telescoping tube arrangement and a roller positioned thereabout. The telescoping tube arrangement has an inner tube section and an outer tube section and which can be adjusted in length to accommodate the width of the tire component under construction. The roller includes a cylindrical surface of a desired hardness which is positionable into engagement with the outer surface of the tire component under construction and which includes a plurality of roller sections which are positionable about the telescoping tube arrangement and in a side-by-side relationship with one another. In addition, each roller section defines a peripheral surface so that when the roller sections are positioned in a side-by-side relationship along the tube arrangement, the peripheral surfaces of the roller sections collectively provide the cylindrical surface of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: BPS Engineering, LLC
    Inventor: Mark S. Byerley
  • Publication number: 20130112339
    Abstract: A method and machine for producing a tyre component part by gradually depositing a strip of elastomeric material on a toroidal surface of a support rotating about its axis; the machine incorporating an applicator roller and a pressure roller for respectively applying and pressing the strip on the surface, and which are moved simultaneously crosswise to a deposition path of the strip, so that a contact point between the applicator roller and the surface moves in a radial plane of the support, and a contact point between the pressure roller and the surface moves on a surface generally parallel to the radial plane; the pressure roller being mounted to oscillate about an axis, which is moved simultaneously with the two rollers so as to translate parallel to the radial plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Marangoni Meccanica S.p.A.
    Inventors: Edoardo Salaorni, Manuel Cont
  • Patent number: 8419873
    Abstract: The invention can surely accomplish lamination without the generation of voids in building a tire constructed to comprise a plurality of rubber members for a tire when a ribbon-shaped rubber strip (R) is spirally wound and laminated, and uses holding rolls (30) and two sets of stitching rolls (40a), (40b) arranged in parallel with a center of a rubber strip width (W) therebetween to enable performing of an independent pressing motion, such that the rubber strip (R) is pressed and bonded by the holding rolls (30) in a position, in which the rubber strip (R) is wound, and the stitching roll (40a) or (40b) positioned fore in an advancing direction of traverse movement, out of the two sets, is caused to perform a pressing motion in a regional part just after the press whereby a fore part of the rubber strip in the advancing direction is pressed and bonded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tatara, Yu Hatayama, Masami Tanabe, Taizo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8215361
    Abstract: A hand tool for closing splices and correcting flaws arising during tire fabrication includes an elongated body member having a butt end, a front end, a top, and at least one side at a substantially right angle to the top; and a handle member is disposed at the butt end of the body member. An arm is fixedly attached to the handle or an interior side of the elongated body member and a metal wheel is rotatably attached to a protruding portion of this arm. A gripping knob is disposed atop the front end of the elongated body member for enabling downward pressure on the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Gilbert L. Baughman
  • Patent number: 8210224
    Abstract: An apparatus for joining a carcass ply, which butt-joins a wind start end and a wind finish end of a carcass ply wound around a cylindrical drum, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a joining section for joining the ends of the carcass ply; and aligning sections for aligning the ends of the carcass ply during joining by the joining section, the joining section and the aligning sections being disposed below the cylindrical drum supported in a horizontal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Tachibana, Yoshinori Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20100108266
    Abstract: A hand tool for closing splices and correcting flaws arising during tire fabrication includes an elongated body member having a butt end, a front end, a top, and at least one side at a substantially right angle to the top; and a handle member is disposed at the butt end of the body member. An arm is fixedly attached to the handle or an interior side of the elongated body member and a metal wheel is rotatably attached to a protruding portion of this arm. A gripping knob is disposed atop the front end of the elongated body member for enabling downward pressure on the wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Gilbert L. Baughman
  • Publication number: 20100043949
    Abstract: The invention enables to pressure-bond a carcass ply sheet pasted onto a rubber laminating member wound around a periphery of a building drum firmly along a recessed and projected shape of the rubber laminating member without producing a deformation or a warp of a carcass cord, by using a stitcher apparatus (20) constituted by arranging a plurality of pressure-bond rollers (25) having axis centers in a tangential direction of a concentric circle having a diameter larger than that of a building drum (D) in a peripheral direction by a plurality of rows and by a constant pitch by being respectively supported to be able to progressively displace to an inner side in a diameter direction, while moving the building drum (D) in an axial direction relative to the pressure-bond rollers (25) on an inner side of a circular arrangement of the pressure-bond rollers (25), a carcass ply sheet (16) is pressed by a predetermined pressure to pressure-bond over an entire periphery and simultaneously by the respective pressure-bo
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Fujiki, Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Yu Hatayama, Taizo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6676789
    Abstract: A tire apparatus (14) having nozzles (32) for directing air steams against layers (34) of uncured tire components applied to a tire building drum (19) for stitching and ejecting air from the layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
    Inventors: Carl Trevor Ross Pulford, Martin Lamar Sentmanat
  • Patent number: 6105648
    Abstract: Pressure roll for a tire building apparatus for preparing pneumatic tire blanks with a building drum for receiving tire layers. The pressure roll cooperates with the building drum has a plurality of discs mutually slidable with respect to one another and on a shaft so as to extend radially with respect to the building drum, the discs being mutually uniformly shaped, and each disc having an interior part and an exterior ring surrounding the interior part and being rotatable about a ball bearing, the interior part having a recess whose sidewalls slide radially on the sidewalls of the shaft and whose length is greater than the corresponding size of the shaft. The shaft extends in the longitudinal direction of the pressure roll. The shaft is provided with a number of radially directed bores equal to the plurality of discs, and in each bore a piston is disposed that engages the interior part of the respective disc concerned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: VMI EPE Holland B.V.
    Inventors: Martin De Graaf, Pieter Wubbo De Vries
  • Patent number: 5975179
    Abstract: The present invention describes an improved pressing roller for a tire building machine. The roller comprises a cylindrical sleeve with each end attached to a housing. Inside the sleeve, and between the housings is a spring biased to separate the housings. A multiplicity of ring shaped inner bearings circumferentially surrounding the sleeve in a parallel arrangement and a multiplicity of ring shaped outer bearings circumferentially surrounding the inner bearings in parallel arrangement. The outer bearings are rotatable relative to the inner bearings. As the roller is moved into operating proximity of the tire the spring is displaced away from the rotating axis of the roller causing the outer bearings to press on the tire and provide the pressure necessary for a stitching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: James E. Kelly, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5693176
    Abstract: A tire building machine includes a tire forming drum which supports a plurality of tire component members, and a stitching device including a pair of stitching rollers for pressure-bonding the tire component members on the tire forming drum to form a green case or a green tire. The stitching device includes a carriage which is reciprocally movable in a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the tire forming drum. The carriage supports a pair of screw rods which are arranged in parallel with the center axis of the tire forming drum. The screw rods are divine into rotation with controlled rotation speeds. A pair of mounts are engaged with the screw rods through respective nuts. A pair of pneumatic cylinders are arranged on the mount, for rotatably supporting the stitching rollers and biasing it toward the tire forming drum. The rotation speeds of the screw rods are independently controlled relative to each other so that the mounts can be tilted about their respective tilting axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Teruhisa Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 5468319
    Abstract: A method of stitching component elements (5) of a radial tire, whereby an inner component element (5b) is placed inside an outer component element (5a) housed inside a toroidal body (7) mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis (8) on a saddle (31) adjustable in width and supported on a carriage (6). A stitching drum (58) is inserted inside the inner component element (5b) and toroidal body (7), and is moved radially upwards to compress the outer component element (5a) between the toroidal body (7) and the inner component element (5b). The saddle (31) is widened so that the toroidal body (7) weighs on the stitching drum (58), and the toroidal body (7) and stitching drum (58) are rotated in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Karl J. Siegenthaler
  • Patent number: 5417795
    Abstract: An apparatus for pressure-adhering a joint portion of a tire building component material comprising: a vertically movable table for placing thereon a first cover with its axis oriented vertically and in a state where a joint portion of the component material is provisionally secured; and a vertically movable roller assembly having a device for fixing the first cover, rollers for compressing the first cover from the inside and outside of the first cover, and an impeller device for causing the rollers to move vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Iseki, Youichi Endo, Masakazu Taguchi
  • Patent number: 5330609
    Abstract: A pressing roll for a tire building machine includes a shaft having a longitudinal axis; a plurality of discs inserted on the shaft in an axial series; a mounting arrangement for providing for an individual, radial displaceability of each disc relative to the longitudinal axis; and a force-exerting power arrangement for displacing the discs relative to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Krupp Maschinentechnik Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Hans Dreyer, Werner Wedekind
  • Patent number: 5312502
    Abstract: A tire fabricating method and apparatus for mounting a component assembly on a drum and applying a pressing force radially inward of the drum to thereby adhere a carcass, a breaker, and a tread constituting the component assembly to one another. Around the component assembly, first and second stitch roller members are arranged at positions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction. While the drum is rotating, a fluid cylinder is elongated so as to press the first and second stitch roller members against an outer circumferential surface of the tread, and roller elements of the respective stitch roller members are moved away from each other from a center portion of the outer circumferential surface of the tread to opposite ends thereof so as to widen a spacing between the roller elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Imai, Kenichi Masuda, Yoshinobu Miyanaga
  • Patent number: 5228941
    Abstract: A device (5) wherein, for splicing the facing edges (4a,4b) of a sheet (4) of unvulcanized rubber using a powered grip fixture (6) with a pressure member (11) and a counterpressure plate (36) for gripping the sheet (4) to a given pressure and imparting a given thrust on the edges (4a, 4b) of sheet (4) for bringing them together, the grip fixture (6) is moved back and forth along a route parallel to the edges (4a, 4b) of sheet (4) and defined by a guide (85) designed to move to and from an operating position wherein the counterpressure plate (36) and the edges (4a, 4b) of sheet (4) are substantially coplanar, and wherein lifting member (41, 64)(41, 65) cooperate with sheet (4) for lifting the respective edges (4a, 4b) onto the counterpressure plate (36) and into engagement with grip fixture (6 ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Marcello Panicali
  • Patent number: 5221409
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for splicing ply stock comprises structure (40) for splicing two strips of ply stock (24) in end to end relation whereby the edges (26,30) along opposed ends (36,38) of the strips are abutted against each other and the top and bottom surfaces (42,44 & 46,48) of the strips are stitched to each other across the junction (45) between the abutted edges. The structure includes first and second powered splicing units (50,52) disposed above the top surfaces (42,44) and below the bottom surfaces (46,48), respectively, of the stock strips for simultaneous movement across the edges extending the width of the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, whereby the opposed ends of the strips of stock are pressed into the splicing gears (54,56).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Mary Beth Hart, Richard B. Nash
  • Patent number: 5207849
    Abstract: A method and device (1) for stitching multilayer products (2) of green elastomeric material, whereby an annular multilayer product (2) of green elastomeric material, particularly a product forming at least components of a tire (2), is placed inside a hollow annular body designed to house the multilayer product (2) and forming a stitching mold (5) having a concave inner surface (5a) contacting a first convex surface (34a) of the multilayer product (2) and negatively reproducing the final shape to be imparted on the multilayer product (2); a stitching device (24) being brought into contact, at a given pressure, with a second concave surface (34) of the multilayer product (2); and relative motion being produced between the stitching device (24) and the multilayer product (2), so as to cause the stitching device (24) to stitch the multilayer product (2) in contact with the inner surface (5a) of the stitching mold (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl J. Siegenthaler
  • Patent number: 5169483
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a tire component member to a rotating toroidal green case includes support shafts whose axes are located substantially in a plane including a rotational axis of the green case. Stitching rollers are supported by the support shafts and rotatable about the axes of the support shafts, respectively. An urging device moves the stitching rollers toward the green case to urge outer circumferences of the stitching rollers against the tire component member. A swing device serves to swing the stitching rollers to continuously move contact points of the stitching rollers with the tire component member from an axially inside to an axially outside, to attach the tire component member to the outer surface of the green case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Tokunaga, Yasuhiro Hara, Tatsuo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5074949
    Abstract: A tire side member raising and pressure-joining apparatus includes two support shafts movable toward and away from each other and toward and away from a semi-produced tire, two raising rollers tapered toward their free ends and support by forward ends of the support shafts rotatably about center axes of the support shafts, respectively, and two pressure-joining rollers supported at distal ends of the forward ends of the support shafts rotatably about rotating axes perpendicular to the center axes of the support shafts, respectively. Parts of the pressure-joining rollers extend from free ends of the raising rollers. While the semi-produced tire is being rotated, side members are raised by the raising rollers and the raised side members are pressure-joined to sidewall portions of the semi-produced tire by the pressure-joining rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Kusakabe, Hiroki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4892608
    Abstract: An automatic splicing device (7) for splicing the opposed transverse edges (4, 5) of strip elements (2, 3) of uncured elastomeric sheet material, particularly used in the assembly of pneumatic tires, the splicing device (7) including a roller (51) designed to move, via an actuating device, along the splice (6) being formed, and in contact with the rear edges of a number of blades (62) grouped together into a pack (61) but axially displaceable in relation to one another; the blades (62) being arranged perpendicular to, and equally-spaced along, the splice (6), with their respective front edges (67) contacting the elastomeric sheet material for splicing, and being thrust successively thereagainst by the moveable roller (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventor: Roberto Lippa
  • Patent number: 4867823
    Abstract: For the purpose of carrying out the butt-end joining of two lengths of a rubberized fabric, particularly reinforced with cords disposed parallel at the edges to be joined, there is provided a stitching device which comprises two superimposed pairs of frusto-conical rollers, having their lateral surfaces tangent to a horizontal plane, and with opposing pairs of rollers to a vertical plane, their axes of rotation being symmetrically inclined with respect to the tern of planes comprised of a first horizontal plane, or the resting plane for the lengths to be joined, a second vertical plane that contains the seam-line of the lengths, and a third vertical plane, orthogonal to both the two above horizontal and vertical planes.Owing to the inclination of the axes, the pairs of vertically opposite rollers grasp each border of the length to be joined, on both of the surfaces, in correspondence with a narrow transverse portion of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Pirelli Coordinamento Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventor: Augusto Pizzorno
  • Patent number: 4812196
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for sticking a rubber sheet material to a building drum which comprises a presser to secure the forward end of the rubber sheet material, said presser being provided at both ends thereof with attracting means and being covered with a sponge material except end parts, and a means to move the presser to the forward end of the rubber sheet material and place the presser on the rubber sheet material while the rubber sheet material is being stuck to the building drum and finally separate the presser from the building drum after the sticking is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Ryutaro Ishii
  • Patent number: 4808257
    Abstract: A tread splicer (10) including two rows (60,64) of splicing blade assemblies (68) mounted with the blades (76) of one row (60) tilted toward and overlapping the blades (76) of the other row (64). Each of the blade assemblies (68) is operable independently to control the pressure applied to selected portions of the tread ends. Guide rollers (54,56,58) on the tread splicer (10) provide stitching of the tread (14) as well as positioning of the blades (76) relative to the tread (14) and tire building machine drum (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William A. Rex, Robert S. Riggs
  • Patent number: 4795522
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying a bead filler material to a bead wherein the bead filler material may be applied to the bead at an offset position to compensate for the stretching of the filler material as it is applied to the bead to afford a proper splice of the leading and trailing ends of the bead filler material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Daniel C. Orendorf, Andrew R. Green, Robert E. Bossick
  • Patent number: 4790899
    Abstract: For assembling tires on a tire building drum, the two opposite ends of at least some of the successive superimposed layers of elastomeric material constituting the tire are secured to the drum and spliced together by means of an automatic splicing device, a concave-surface roller of which is moved parallel with the axis of the tire building drum, by virtue of a driving device, and into contact with the outer surface of the tire building drum, by virtue of an actuating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Tommaso Sacco
  • Patent number: 4722132
    Abstract: An overlapping layer (24) of a first body of deformable material is pressed by an edge (78) of each of a plurality of blade members (42) into an overlapped layer (26) of a second body of resilient material forming slots (74) in the second body with ribs (88) of the first body displaced therein. The blade members (42) are removed while the ribs (88) are retained in the slots (74) and gripped by the surrounding resilient material. The blade members (42) may be adjustably clamped in a cartridge (40) which is removable from the splicing apparatus (10) for adjustment and replacement of the blade members (42) so that they conform to the surface profile (82) and splice interface line (80) of the bodies to be spliced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: John T. Ciolkevich
  • Patent number: 4617074
    Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein strip material is clamped to a shuttle finger slidably mounted in a shuttle casing which in turn is slidably mounted on a strip applier frame. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger are movable simultaneously from a retracted first position to a second position with the end of the shuttle casing adjacent an applicator roll. The shuttle finger is then movable by itself from the second position to a third position for transferring a tongue portion of the strip onto the applicator roll. The tongue portion may then be elevated into clamping engagement with the drum and the strip released from the shuttle finger. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger may then be returned to the first position, the drum rotated a predetermined amount to partially wrap the strip around the drum and the strip cut at a predetermined location whereupon the drum is rotated to fully wrap the strip of flexible material around the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Portalupi, Robert S. Riggs
  • Patent number: 4526647
    Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein strip material is clamped to a shuttle finger slidably mounted in a shuttle casing which in turn is slidably mounted on a strip applier frame. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger are movable simultaneously from a retracted first position to a second position with the end of the shuttle casing adjacent an applicator roll. The shuttle finger is then movable by itself from the second position to a third position for transferring a tongue portion of the strip onto the applicator roll. The tongue portion may then be elevated into clamping engagement with the drum and the strip released from the shuttle finger. The shuttle casing and shuttle finger may then be returned to the first position, the drum rotated a predetermined amount to partially wrap the strip around the drum and the strip cut at a predetermined location whereupon the drum is rotated to fully wrap the strip of flexible material around the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1985
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Portalupi, Robert S. Riggs
  • Patent number: 4478672
    Abstract: A device (5-120) for joining the plies (1-2) of tires in the green state, in which the plies (1-2) are joined together along adjacent edges (4) by the joint action of a first (87, 93) and a second (36, 42-126) plurality of pairs of rollers disposed one facing the other, the first being above and the second being below the said plies (1, 2) and having a V-disposition with vertex along a junction line of the said edges (4); the rollers of the first plurality of rollers (87, 93), which are externally serrated, being supported by a support body (7) which is adjustable both in height and about a horizontal axis with respect to the second plurality of rollers (36, 42-126), and being connected to an operating unit (101) carried by the said support body (7), with the rollers of each pair being rigidly connected angularly together and being disposed with their ends in contact along a generatrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Hans Precht
  • Patent number: 4470866
    Abstract: A rubber sheet bonding apparatus useable particularly in forming tires, for supplying an unvulcanized rubber sheet (11) to a forming drum (1) to bond it around the outer peripheral surface of the drum (1) and to form a joint at a portion along the periphery thereof so that the rubber sheet (11) is formed cylindrical, in which in order to prevent incomplete joints due to contraction of the rubber sheet (11), the front portion of the rubber sheet (11) is stretched by a given amount and after that, the rubber sheet (11) is supplied to the drum (1) and wound around a major portion of the entire periphery of the drum (1), and then the trailing rubber sheet portion is cut such that the trailing rubber sheet portion is equal in length to the remaining portion of the periphery of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Satoh, Tsutomu Nosaka
  • 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: 4371410
    Abstract: A tape-applying apparatus (10) is advanced toward a body (15) upon which a strip of tape (16) is to be applied to urge a plurality of stitching rollers (72,74) against the body (15). Further advancing of the apparatus (10) will move an applicator roller (42) and the end of the tape (16) into engagement with the body (15). As the body (15) is moved past the tape-applying apparatus (10), the tape (16) is pulled over the applicator roller (42) and is stitched to the body (15) by the stitching rollers (72,74). When sufficient tape (16) has been applied, the housing (20) of the tape-applying apparatus (10) is urged away from the body (15) which moves the applicator roller (42) out of contact with the body (15). A brake apparatus (94) on the housing (20) is activated by a cam recess (80) on the holders (50) for some of the stitching rollers (72). The brake apparatus (94) engages the applicator roller (42) to arrest further feeding of tape (16) to the body (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Samuel B. Stevens
  • Patent number: 4366019
    Abstract: To "set" the relative angular disposition of cords in plural inextensible belts on an inflated green tire carcass before it is cured in a mold, a roller is provided which momentarily presses a belt upon the carcass, thus "printing" the belt thereon at a fixed distance from the longitudinal axis of the carcass, and thereafter releases the belt. The carcass is inflated into a toroidal shape so that a point on the circumference of the carcass is at a predetermined inflated distance from the longitudinal axis of the carcass. The roller is placed on each belt to be "set" so that the roller contacts each belt prior to printing it on the carcass. The roller biases each belt on the carcass toward its (the carcass') longitudinal axis, and it is essential that the distance between the bottom surface of the roller and the longitudinal axis of the inflated carcass is maintained constant while each belt is in contact with the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich Company
    Inventor: Robert F. Jones
  • Patent number: 4361454
    Abstract: An automatic ply applying apparatus and method for forming an elastic annular body, such as a vehicle tire, by transporting each ply to a former, retaining a portion of the ply adjacent to the leading end of the former, applying the leading end portion of the ply to the peripheral surface of the former and applying the remaining portion of the ply to the peripheral surface of the former during rotation of the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakahama, Kazuo Kadomaru, Masuzo Okaniwa
  • Patent number: 4341584
    Abstract: A stitcher for a tire building machine having multiple discs disposed in concentric laminated relationship for relative movement in the radial and circumferential directions. The discs have a central opening in which a central supporting member is rotatably supported on a stitcher shaft. A plurality of circumferentially spaced cylindrical cushioning members are positioned between the central supporting member and the discs for resiliently accommodating relative radial movement of the discs when stitching tire surfaces of different radii. The central supporting member may have radially extending curved arms to separate and support the cylindrical cushioning members. The outer shell of the cushioning members may be of wear-resistant material in sliding engagement with the discs so that during relative rotational movement of said discs there will be a minimum amount of wear of the cushioning members and discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1982
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Krystian G. Czernichowsky
  • Patent number: 4306931
    Abstract: An apparatus for stitching the components of a pneumatic tire consisting of a left and right hand assembly both of which are capable of arcuate displacement toward and away from each other. Each assembly includes an arm having a rolling device or stitcher wheel thereon for engaging the material that is being consolidated in building the tire body. The arm of one of the assemblies has mounted thereon, as a slave member, a third arm which carries a different type of stitcher wheel for engaging and stitching the center area of the superimposed belts or plys of the pneumatic tire prior to the engagement of the body by the other stitcher wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Karl W. Klose
  • Patent number: 4295916
    Abstract: A tape-applying apparatus (10) is advanced toward a body (15) upon which a strip of tape (16) is to be applied to urge a plurality of stitching rollers (72,74) against the body (15). Further advancing of the apparatus (10) will move an applicator roller (42) and the end of the tape (16) into engagement with the body (15). As the body (15) is moved past the tape-applying apparatus (10), the tape (16) is pulled over the applicator roller (42) and is stitched to the body (15) by the stitching rollers (72,74). When sufficient tape (16) has been applied, the housing (20) of the tape-applying apparatus (10) is urged away from the body (15) which moves the applicator roller (42) out of contact with the body (15). A brake apparatus (94) on the housing (20) is activated by a cam recess (80) on the holders (50) for some of the stitching rollers (72). The brake apparatus (94) engages the applicator roller (42) to arrest further feeding of tape (16) to the body (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1981
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventor: Samuel B. Stevens
  • Patent number: 4278484
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1981
    Assignee: McCreary Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Robert S. McGaughey
  • Patent number: 4276105
    Abstract: The tread of a pneumatic tire is bonded to a toroidal shaped radial tire carcass and a reinforcing structure which has discontinuities in its thickness in two planes parallel to the equatorial plane of the tire by a stitching process wherein the annular central portion of the tread while unvulcanized is first rotated against a brush. The lateral portions of the tread which overlie the thickest edge portions of the reinforcing structure are also pressed by rotating brushes commencing while the central portion is being pressed and the annular areas of the tread intermediate the center and lateral areas are pressed with metallic discs. The lateral portions of the tread overlying the thickest parts of the reinforcing structure are then pressed with metallic discs. The process and apparatus having two sets of brushes to achieve the sequence of pressing steps adhere the unvulcanized tread to the underlying structure without air bubbles being trapped therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Industrie Pirelli S.p.A.
    Inventor: Rinaldo Gessaga
  • Patent number: 4238258
    Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US79/00449 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 26, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 26, 1979 PCT Filed Jun. 26, 1979An apparatus and method is provided for heat tacking of elongate material or cables (32) to a tire carcass (15) on both peripheral sides of a core opening (20), spreading the elongate material or cables (32) lying over the core opening (20) so as to position the elongate material or cables (32) on either circumferential side of the core opening (20), and heat tacking the spread elongate material or cables (32) to the tire carcass (15). The apparatus includes a frame (40) having locating pads (72,102) for positioning the heat-tacking and elongate material or cable-spreading subassembly (110) with respect to the core opening (20). The tacking members (120,125,120) are preheated to a tacking temperature so that when the frame (40) is clamped onto the carcass (15), and the elongate material or cables (32) are spread, the spread elongate material or cables (32) are tacked to the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1980
    Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co.
    Inventors: Michael H. Kraps, Samuel B. Stevens
  • Patent number: 4234371
    Abstract: An elongate elastomeric tread strip having a contoured tread face of at least two ribs and an intervening valley is applied to a peripheral tread supporting surface of a pneumatic tire carcass by laying the flat back of one end portion of at least one such strip against and generally tangent to the tread supporting surface of the carcass, and rotating the carcass to wrap the tread strip therearound while stitching the strip to the carcass by pressingly engaging the contoured face of the tread strip with a contoured roller defining a moving contoured surface whose contour at least substantially matches that of the tread strip. The method and apparatus also provide for subjecting the tread strip to a rapidly vibrating force to aid further in causing the strip to uniformly contact the tire carcass throughout the width of the tread strip being applied to the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Brad Ragan, Incorporated
    Inventor: Harold E. Christman
  • Patent number: 4231836
    Abstract: Apparatus for automatically joining and winding up cord strips for tires includes a stationary table with a joining device movably mounted above the stationary table. The joining device comprises a carriage carrying a spring loaded roller which is spring loaded in a downward direction toward the stationary table, and a pair of pulleys located behind the spring loaded roller, relative to the direction of movement of the carriage, the pulleys being obliquely mounted at an angle toward each other for engaging respective ends of cord strips to be joined to draw the respective ends together when the roller and pulleys are rolled over the ends of the cord strips to be joined during movement of the carriage. The spring loaded roller presses down the ends of the cord strips to be joined on the stationary table and the pulleys draw together the pressed down edges of the cord strips to join them by the adhesiveness of the strip edges combined with the pressure imparted thereto by the obliquely mounted pulleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Gislaved AB
    Inventors: Stig-Ove E. Ljungqvist, Bernth S. Hammarstrom, Sture F. E. Fritjofsson
  • Patent number: 4222810
    Abstract: Apparatus for application of a band of material onto the side of a circular body of revolution such as a tire. The apparatus includes a rotatable carrier for the body, means for rotating the body on the carrier and band application means adjacent the carrier. The band application means includes means for supplying a continuous band of material in the form of a two layer band which is made up of a first band of material for application to the side of the body and a protective foil covering a surface of the band. Guide means are provided to guide the two layer band from the supply means to the body for application of the first band onto a side of the body, and means are provided for pressing the first band onto the side of the body while the body is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Stabil Mekaniska Verkstad
    Inventor: Gunnar E. Ytterstrom
  • Patent number: 4170509
    Abstract: A simple compact apparatus for applying sheet material, e.g., gum liner or radial ply stock, to a tire building drum has a plurality of rings carried on flanged rolls on three shafts. The rings form a hollow cylinder in which a cylinder actuates shoes disposed respectively between adjacent rings to lift the sheet cut off by a pair of piercing blades (for ply stock) traversed oppositely each way from center or by a single blade (for gum liner stock). One flanged roll with the rings between respective pairs of flanges forms a continuous line nip with a tire building drum for transferring the sheet from the apparatus to the building drum. 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1979
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Donald C. Kubinski
  • Patent number: 4163685
    Abstract: A simple practical space saving device applies sidewall to a tire carcass on a building drum and cuts off the appropriate length from a supply of sidewall stock at an acute angle. A carrier has fingers supporting the leading end of the sidewall which fingers move a short horizontal distance from the site of a previous cut to a nip formed between an application roll surface and the carcass. The fingers are each accommodated in an annular slot in the application roll surface. This 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 drawings and the following detailed description.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1979
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Donald C. Kubinski