Abstract: In a tire mold press having a steam dome defining a chamber in which steam applies heat to the exterior of a tire mold, condensate which accumulates in the top center plate is simply and effectively removed after the end of the curing cycle and before the mold is opened by a passage through the top center plate controlled by a valve opened in response to a reduction of pressure acting on the lower surface of the plate as the tire cavity is emptied. The costs and hazards of removal of condensate or of operating and maintaining siphons are avoided. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description.

Abstract: An apparatus for the bellowless or bagless vulcanization of tire blanks comprising a tire vulcanization mold and a clamping mechanism for the tire bead provided for the mold. The clamping mechanism comprises the associated bead section of the vulcanization mold and a contact mechanism which can be moved towards such section in the axial direction and against the center of the mold. The contact mechanism comprises a ring formed of a number of segments, and such ring is provided at least at the region of the tire bead with a continuous layer of elastomeric material. According to a further improvement, the continuous layer possesses a lip member directed towards the tire bead.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for automatically disassembling and reassembling a mold for making a tire. Apparatus for automatically performing the entire tire-manufacturing operation is also disclosed.

Abstract: A trunnion type post cure inflator includes a pre-positioning platform and a loader to pick up a tire and bring it to a precise center and in parallelism with an open inside multi-stepped PCI ring, one of a pair capable of sealing different bead diameter tires. The loader works partly in conjunction with the PCI opening and closing mechanism so that the PCI is cleared for loading and the loader cleared for locking, each simultaneously. Tire holding devices are provided to permit cooling without inflation and dump unloading when the trunnion is rotated. Precision centering is obtained minimizing "no PCI" defects and enabling use of multi-step rings so that such rings do not require changing for different tire bead diameters.

Abstract: A device for simultaneously supporting a tire which is to be recapped and for applying hermetically against the sidewalls of said tire a flexible sheathing which is connected to a source of vacuum comprises support means for supporting the tire by its beads and for varying the distance between the beads; annular means intended to be applied against the flexible sheathing in the region of the sidewalls of the tire; bearing means supporting both said support means and said annular means, said bearing means facing each other with an adjustable axial distance between them; and connecting means connecting said bearing means to each other and making it possible to vary the distance between said bearing means.

Abstract: A mold is provided for injection molding a vehicle tire such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,868 having a bead of elastomeric material. The mold has an outer envelope and an inner body member having a core formed of radially collapsible sectors which combine to enclose a mold cavity. The inner body member has at least two annular elements, an upper and lower one, which are separable from one another and from the core along the direction of the core axis. The annular elements have surfaces which form axially inner surfaces of the tire's beads. The inner body member is also provided with members for blocking the annular elements with the core and with the envelope. The core of the mold is divided into two series of alternate collapsible sectors which are displaced radially inwardly when the tire is released from the mold. Apparatus is provided for actuating the mold parts to disassemble and assemble the mold.

Abstract: A flip-over PCI which includes a rotatable or oscillatable frame having pairs of tire engaging rims mounted thereon, the inner rim of each pair being fixed to the frame on opposite sides thereof and including an axially projecting and axially rotatable lock shaft, the outer rim of each pair including a housing for the lock shaft. The lock shaft and housing are constructed for alignment and safety so that the outer rim cannot rotate with respect to the inner rim and the lock shaft can rotate with respect to the outer rim only when the two rims are adjacent each other when the tire is not inflated. The rotation of the outer rim is precluded by an interference between the two rims when closely adjacent each other and by an interference between the shaft and housing when the rims are separated. One or the other of such interferences is always operative.

Abstract: A mold is provided for injection molding a vehicle tire such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,868 having a bead of elastomeric material. The mold has an outer envelope and an inner body member having a core formed of radially collapsible sectors which combine to enclose a mold cavity. The inner body member has at least two annular elements, an upper and lower one, which are separable from one another and from the core along the direction of the core axis. The annular elements have surfaces which form axially inner surfaces of the tire's beads. The inner body member is also provided with members for blocking the annular elements with the core and with the envelope. The core of the mold is divided into two series of alternate collapsible sectors which are displaced radially inwardly when the tire is released from the mold.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a novel retread mold which includes the usual matrices and bead wheels but additionally includes a cylindrical mandrel which forms an annular chamber adapted to receive a tire to be retreaded which when pressurized brings one of the bead wheels into forceful engagement with a locking arm carried by one of a pair of platens other than the platen carrying the last-mentioned bead wheel. Novel locking means include a threaded shaft carrying a nut to which is pivotally attached a plurality of locking arms cammed to a locking position with adjustment means being provided both relative to the locking means and to means which move the platens relative to each other to accommodate tires of different sizes.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an improvement in the "wide stance" method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire. In this method the space between the two annular wire bead bundles of the tire is substantially greater than the space between the beads in their operable condition, mounted on the recommended rim. The improvement comprises the steps of locating the bead areas of the uncured tire which contain the annular wire bead bundles in annular cavities in the tire mold which are adapted to receive the bead areas. This maintains the wire bead bundles in their proper location during the entire curing operation.

Abstract: The retaining rings for the bead formation of a green tire in a tire mould are variable in diameter to allow for increase in the bead diameter of the finished tire relative to its green state and to prevent damage caused by forcing the beads of a green tire over bead rings of too large diameter. Preferably the bead retaining rings expand to their maximum diameter in response to the application of curing pressure inside the tire and automatically retract when curing pressure is relieved.

Abstract: Device for centering and positioning the upper bead of a horizontally disposed crude tire around a bead ring provided centrally of the upper, vertically movable portion of the mold in a vulcanizing press of the type comprising a set of radial segments disposed in a central cavity in the upper mold portion, said segments having their operative ends shaped to constitute together a tapered centering member; a vulcanizing bladder is firstly inflated moderately in order to push said upper bead against said tapered centering member, whereafter said segments are allowed to retract radially and rise in said cavity under the bladder pressure until the upper bead is force fitted around the bead ring.

Abstract: A charging device for a vulcanizing press has a cylinder disposed concentrically with a vulcanizing mold, a movable piston vertically movable through the cylinder, a piston rod secured to the piston, and a gas-tight cylindrical bladder of a flexible material held between the upper end of the piston rod and the top of the cylinder.

Abstract: A curing press for tires having relatively movable upper and lower mold sections, a center mechanism, a housing in the center mechanism, a hub attached to the housing, a bead ring carried by the hub for engaging the lower bead of a tire, a lift mechanism operatively engaging the housing for moving the hub relative to the lower mold section, and mold blow out apparatus on the hub for directing pressurized fluid into contact with the lower mold section during the movement of the hub relative to the lower mold section to remove residual foreign matter therefrom.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to retread molds adapted for manual, semi-automatic, or full automatic operation particularly in bag or bladder retreading operations, and includes the following novel features:A. bead aligner wheels with circular continuous uninterrupted sealing ribs for forming annular chambers in conjunction with an associated bladder which upon pressurization of the latter results in a partial vacuum in the chambers such that the bladder will be maintained as desired during opening and closing of the matrices as well as relative movement between the bead aligner wheels;B. bladder locating means on the bead aligner wheels for centering the bladder and projections on the bead aligner wheels for preventing bladder pinching;C. cooperative means on the exterior surface of the bladder and the bead aligner wheels for venting air from between the bladder and an associated tire to atmosphere;D.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to retread molds adapted for manual, semi-automatic, or full automatic operation particularly in bag or bladder retreading operations, and includes the following novel features:A. bead aligner wheels with circular continuous uninterrupted sealing ribs for forming annular chambers in conjunction with an associated bladder which upon pressurization of the latter results in a partial vacuum in the chambers such that the bladder will be maintained as desired during opening and closing of the matrices as well as relative movement between the bead aligner wheels;B. bladder locating means on the bead aligner wheels for centering the bladder and projections on the bead aligner wheels for preventing bladder pinching;C. cooperative means on the exterior surface of the bladder and the bead aligner wheels for venting air from between the bladder and an associated tire to atmosphere;D.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to retread molds adapted for manual, semi-automatic or full automatic operation and specifically is directed to a pair of relatively movable platens carrying matrix means for receiving a tire therein with bead aligner wheels associated therewith, the bead aligner wheels being in axially opposed relationship to each other, an annular bladder disposed between the platens, the annular bladder having innermost peripheral marginal portions, the marginal portions being in overlying relationship upon the bead aligner wheels, and means for creating an annular gap between a terminal edge of each bladder peripheral marginal portion, an outboard portion of each of the bladder peripheral margins and the associated bead aligner wheel, the annular gap creating means being defined by an annular bead carried by each outboard portion and/or terminal end of each bladder peripheral marginal portion in sealing contact with its associated bead aligner wheel.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to retread molds adapted for manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic operation in either bag or bagless retreading operations, and includes a pair of bead aligner wheels which are retracted to permit tire beads to become self-adjusting or floating thereby seeking their own natural position permitting a wider range of tire sizes to be properly cured in the same matrix, the molds further including a seal in the form of at least a single O-ring seal contacting the exterior of each tire side wall to preclude pressurized fluid within the mold cavity from escaping to atmosphere, and in the automatic version means are provided for automatically inserting a bag in the tire, locking the mold, inflating the bag, and reversing these functions prior to the removal of the cured tire.

Abstract: A mold for vulcanizing tires includes an annular bead molding ring. The bead molding ring has a toe edge, a bead flat surface and a toe portion. The toe portion comprises a support which projects radially outwardly from the bead flat surface. The toe portion may comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially extending supports. The amount of radial projection of each support may progressively decrease or taper at axially spaced locations increasingly spaced from the toe edge of the bead molding ring.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a retread mold defined by a pair of relatively movable platens, means for imparting relative motion to the platens between spaced open and closed positions thereof, a matrix carried by each platen, biasing means between each platen and its associated matrix for biasingly urging the matrices and platens to a position of spaced relationship from each other in the open position of the platens, and the spaced relationship being reducible in opposition to the force of the biasing means upon movement of the platens to the closed position thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for the bellowless vulcanization of tire blanks, wherein the tire beads are pressed by a press or contact mechanism against the base region of the mold halves. The invention contemplates removing at least for a period of time the press mechanism from the tire beads before or during vulcanization.