Abstract: A green tyre (2) for bicycles is built, comprising at least one carcass ply (4) having axially opposite end flaps (4a) engaged with respective bead cores (5) and a tread band (6) applied in a radially outer position around said at least one carcass ply (4). The green tyre (2) removed from the building drum, is profiled so as to translate the tread band (6) in a radially outer direction with respect to the bead cores (5), so as to impart a cross-sectional convex profile to the tyre (2) in a radially outer direction. The profiled tyre is engaged by means of a transfer member (31) while the tyre itself is mechanically restrained so as to maintain at least partly said cross-sectional convex profile in the radially outer direction.

Abstract: A carcass ply is applied around an outer surface of a building drum, according to an application diameter greater than the fitting diameter of the tyre. An annular anchoring structure defining the fitting diameter is coaxially engaged around each of the end flaps. An outer sleeve including at least one belt structure possibly associated with a tread band is disposed at a coaxially centred position around the carcass sleeve applied onto the building drum. Through axial approaching of two halves forming the building drum, the carcass sleeve is shaped into a toroidal configuration to determine application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve.

Abstract: A layup mandrel includes a shell having a tool surface on which plies may be laid up. The shape of the shell is changed by an actuator.

Abstract: A system for curing tires that does not require a traditional bladder is described. The system disclosed has top and bottom assembly rings that are coupled to modified mold rings. The bottom assembly ring has a curing medium delivery system, which has ports and a diverter that disperses the curing medium thereby reducing the momentum of the curing medium striking a liner of the tire being cured. The system is adapted for easy installation to existing center post presses.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping a green tire carcass is provided having a bladder mounted to a first and second support, a retractable support shaft mounted inside the bladder, and upper and lower bead ring for mounting the beads of the tire carcass thereon, wherein one of said bead rings has a channel in fluid communication with a pressurized source of fluid, wherein said channel has an outlet located between said bladder and said carcass for injecting pressurized fluid between the carcass and the bladder.

Abstract: The invention provides a tire vulcanizer having a vulcanizer body and a shaping unit and configured to be able to accurately mount a green tire in the shaping unit and shape it accurately when shaping the green tire in the shaping unit. As a result, the green tire can be placed and set accurately in a lower container of the vulcanizer body when the shaping unit is placed in a container of the vulcanizer body. In order to mount the green tire in the shaping unit (B) outside the vulcanizer body, the tire vulcanizer includes outside the vulcanizer body (A) a tire mounting device (D) which mounts the green tire in the shaping unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a tire vulcanizer having a vulcanizer body and a shaping unit and being able to accurately mount and shape a green tire in the shaping unit when shaping the green tire in the shaping unit as well as to accurately place a lower bead portion of the green tire in a lower container of the vulcanizer body when placing the shaping unit in the vulcanizer body. The tire vulcanizer with a vulcanizer body (A) and a shaping unit (B) is configured to include a lower bead support ring (23) to support a lower bead portion (C1) of the green tire (C) in a lower container (22) of the vulcanizer body.

Abstract: A method of highly efficiently producing pneumatic tires, wherein both bead portions (B) of a green tire (G) are supported by a pair of holders (24, 50) and opposite axial ends of a bladder (25) are tightly attached to the holders (24, 50), respectively. The holders (24, 50) are joined to each other and a fluid is supplied into the bladder (25), to preliminarily inflate the bladder (25) within the green tire (G). The green tire (G) is transferred into a vulcanizer, together with the holders (24, 50) and the preliminarily inflated bladder (25). A heat medium is supplied into the bladder (25), to vulcanize the green tire (G) and form a vulcanized tire (K). The preliminary inflation of the bladder (25) at a location outside of the vulcanizer eliminates or shortens the waiting time within the vulcanizer, thereby improving the overall work efficiency and productivity at a tire factory.

Abstract: A green tire or a tire component member is built by winding and laminating a rubber strip having a cross section in which at least one edge viewed in the width direction has a thickness that is substantially zero, and thickness of the rubber strip gradually decreases in a width direction from a maximum thickness position nearest to the edge to said edge, or a projection of a stepped portion of the green tire or the tire component member built by winding and laminating the rubber strip is flattened under pressure, so that the green tire is prevented from producing residual air and a saw blade like surface. Therefore, occurrences of residual air, bare, a flow crack or embedded contaminant in a product tire can be suppressed to enhance the durability of the tire.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire vulcanizing method for, using a bladder and a tire vulcanizing press, applying preheating and shaping to a green tire externally of the vulcanizing press, subsequently, applying vulcanizing and molding to the entire tire preheated by said vulcanizing press, whereby the time for restricting the tire by the tire vulcanizing press can be shortened, and the cycle time of the tire vulcanizing and molding can be shortened to improve the productivity.

Abstract: A metallic mold for tire curing is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of pieces for forming a tread pattern of a tire by sections, the pieces being fixed to a back block and arranged in an annular form. In this case, each piece is composed of a plurality of piece block layers laminated by performing a plurality of shots of die casting for metallic materials, and a very small gap is formed in a joined portion between the piece blocks by means of coagulation and contraction of the metallic materials. Because of this constitution, formation of a gap having necessary exhaust performance in an optional position of a molding surface can be facilitated. Accordingly, an appearance of a produced tire can be improved without preventing spew formation, and the production of defectives can be reduced during curing and molding.

Abstract: A method of producing a spliceless annular tread cap (2), whereby a portion (23) of an extruded tube (21) of green elastomeric material is fed inside an annular body (8), the inner annular surface (17) of which presents a diameter approximately equal to but no smaller than the outside diameter of the tubular portion (23), and negatively reproduces the pattern of the finished tread cap (2). The tubular portion (23) is expanded and calendered against the inner surface (17) of the annular body (8) by means of a roller (34) moved into a position coplanar with and eccentric in relation to the annular body (8).

Abstract: A green tire forming apparatus has a driving section (2) and a forming section (1) supported by a shaft extended from the driving section (2). A center former section (10) of the forming section (1) has a pair of first former elements (11A), (11B) and a pair of second former elements (12A), (12B) arranged at the outside of the first former elements so as to be movable in an axial direction. The total width of the center former section can be shortened to about one fourth of the maximum. According to the apparatus, during green carcass formation, the width of the center former section (10) can be set as the required one, and during toroidal shaping, the width can be shortened to about one fourth of the maximum, whereby a distance (BW.sub.3) between beads can be made close to that of a metal mold. As a result, generation of wrinkles during tire formation is largely decreased and tire quality can be improved.

Abstract: A method of making a prevulcanized tread particularly useful for the recapping of tires having, in stress-free condition, a constant curvature in its longitudinal direction whose radius corresponds substantially to that of the tires to be recapped, the sole of the tread being concave, is characterized by the fact that the tread has two ends in its longitudinal direction. The method includes feeding continuously a strip of raw rubber to an inner mold moving about an axis in a curved path, closing an outer mold for the tread pattern with the inner mold so that the closed molds form a continuous molding space within which the tread is completely molded and vulcanized as the closed molds move together about an axis of rotation, and opening the moving molds to discharge continuously in the longitudinal direction the prevulcanized tread of constant curvature.

Abstract: A hot tire forming method whereby at least some of the elements constituting each tire are formed starting from respective masterbatches, which are mixed with given chemical compounds inside respective continuous mixers to obtain respective final mixes, which are hot-fed to respective continuous production means, such as extruders, for obtaining semifinished products, which are hot-fed onto a green tire building drum, with the completed green tire then being transferred, hot, to a curing department; the transfer from the continuous mixers to the curing department being performed in such a manner as to preserve, inside each green tire entering the curing department, at least part of the initial mixing thermal energy and at least part of the initial continuous production thermal energy.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for preheating and preforming a green tire prior to final vulcanization of the tire. The method includes the steps of supporting the beads of a green tire between a pair of relatively cool discs to form a tightly closed space, moving the discs toward each other until the tire has a shape substantially the same as the final tire shape, supplying the space with a thermal medium, and heating the medium and the tire to a temperature substantially lower than that at which the vulcanization starts but high enough to preform the tire. A coolant is passed through the parts of the discs which engage the tire beads to prevent overheating of the beads.

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.

Abstract: A tire withdrawal arrangement for use in a green tire shaping process which includes a platform car arranged to be movable in a direction for withdrawing a tire from a tire shaping former, a rotating support stand provided on the platform car, and tire support arms of elevating and rocking type provided on the rotating support stand, with the tire withdrawn from the tire shaping former through the tire support arms being rotated on the rotating support stand so as to feed the tire onto a conveyor device through rocking motion of the tire support arms.

Abstract: Vulcanizer lock means for a vulcanizer of the type wherein a tire carcass is shaped and cured in a mold cavity defined between top and bottom mold sections which are respectively mounted on a vertically movable support member and a fixed support member characterized in the provision of a mold-embracing lock ring which at its lower end has a rotatable, but axially fixed, connection with said fixed support member and which at its upper end has radially inwardly extending lugs with bottom helical surfaces engaged with top helical surfaces of radially outwardly extending lugs of said movable support member when said lock ring is rotated to locking position, said lugs being circumferentially offset when said lock ring is rotated to unlocking position to permit vertical movement of said movable support member and top mold section for unloading of the cured tire and for loading of the next uncured carcass.