Abstract: Provided is a rigid core for forming a tire, configured so that the intrusion of rubber into a gap between core segments is prevented and so that the lowering of roundness of a core body s prevented. The core body comprises a plurality of circumferentially divided core segments. Both circumferential end surfaces of each of the core segments are used as mating surfaces, and the mating surfaces adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are abutted against each other to form the core body. At least one of the mating surfaces adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction is formed as a stepped mating surface comprising a bordering surface region extending along an outer circumferential edge of the mating surface, and a recessed surface region surrounded by the bordering surface region and recessed in a step shape from the bordering surface region so that only the bordering surface region contacts with the adjacent mating surface.

Abstract: A rigid core for forming a tire is configured so that the non-uniformity of the amount of thermal expansion of the core body is reduced to improve the quality of the tire. The core body comprises divided core pieces (10i , 10o) divided inward and outward in a tire radial direction at a tire radial position (P) including a maximum width position (P0) of the tire forming surface. Outward divided core pieces (10o) disposed outward in the tire radial direction than the maximum width position (P0) and inward divided core pieces (10i) disposed inward in the tire radial direction than the maximum width position (P0) are respectively formed of metal materials different from each other in coefficient of thermal expansion. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the inward divided core piece (10i) is higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outward divided core piece (10o).

Abstract: A rigid core for forming a tire is configured so that the non-uniformity of the amount of thermal expansion of the core body is reduced to improve the quality of the tire. The core body comprises divided core pieces (10i , 10o) divided inward and outward in a tire radial direction at a tire radial position (P) including a maximum width position (P0) of the tire forming surface. Outward divided core pieces (10o) disposed outward in the tire radial direction than the maximum width position (P0) and inward divided core pieces (10i) disposed inward in the tire radial direction than the maximum width position (P0) are respectively formed of metal materials different from each other in coefficient of thermal expansion. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the inward divided core piece (10i) is higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outward divided core piece (10o).

Abstract: Provided is a rigid core for forming a tire, configured so that the intrusion of rubber into a gap between core segments is prevented and so that the lowering of roundness of a core body s prevented. The core body comprises a plurality of circumferentially divided core segments. Both circumferential end surfaces of each of the core segments are used as mating surfaces , and the mating surfaces adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are abutted against each other to form the core body. At least one of the mating surfaces adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction is formed as a stepped mating surface comprising a bordering surface region extending along an outer circumferential edge of the mating surface, and a recessed surface region surrounded by the bordering surface region and recessed in a step shape from the bordering surface region so that only the bordering surface region contacts with the adjacent mating surface.

Abstract: A green pneumatic tyre is built on a rigid toroidal support externally having a forming surface of a conformation corresponding to the inner shape of a tyre. The green tyre engaged on the expandable toroidal support is introduced into a vulcanisation mould and submitted to a vulcanisation cycle. During vulcanisation, axial moving apart of side portions of the toroidal support is caused so as to press the beads and sidewalls of the tyre against the vulcanisation mould.

Abstract: A device for separating and removing a rigid core when building a tire, including a slide table and positioning means which are provided on a support table of the separation/removal device. The slide table is slidable to convey the tire, whose inner surface is held by the rigid core body and a core holding mechanism, to a central position on the support table. An elevating device is provided on the central axis of the support table, and includes a clamping means to elevate the rigid core body and the tire from which the core holding mechanism is removed, to a position where the rigid core body and the tire do not interfere with the core holding mechanism. A pair of core separation/removal mechanisms are disposed below the center of the support table, capable of elevating movement, and radially contracting and removing each type of the segment groups.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the present invention include a progressive sipe mold member with scallops and a corresponding sipe formed within a tire tread. In a particular embodiment, the present invention includes a progressive sipe mold member for use in a mold, the mold member comprising: an upper mold member extending downwardly from a top end to a bottom end; and, a first lower projection member and a second lower projection member, each lower member extending downward from the upper mold member and having recesses on their inward and outward facing surfaces. The sipe mold member may also have a sweep axis along which the sipe mold member undulates in a desired path as well as an undulation in the upper mold member. The mold member creates a sipe in the tread of a tire that has the negative image of the shape of the mold member.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the present invention include a progressive sipe mold member with an undulation on its upper member and a corresponding sipe formed within a tire tread. In a particular embodiment, the present invention includes a progressive sipe mold member for use in a mold, the mold member comprising: an upper mold member extending downwardly from a top end to a bottom end with an undulation therebetween; and, a first lower projection member and a second lower projection member, each lower member extending downward from the upper mold member. The sipe mold member may also have a sweep axis along which the sipe mold member undulates in a desired path. Also, the lower projections may have scallops or recesses along their outward and inward facing surfaces. The mold member creates a sipe in the tread of a tire that has the negative image of the shape of the mold member.

Abstract: A core (N) defining at least partially a manufacturing form whose receiving surface (S), which is of essentially toroidal appearance, is designed to receive directly, by winding, profiles (B) in the form of contiguous bands forming the inside surface of a tire, comprising a plurality of segments (10, 10d, 10i), each having transverse faces (110d, 111d, 110i, 111i), said segments being circumferentially adjacent and located side by side, bearing against each other via their transverse faces, in which core the connecting radius (r) between the transverse face and the receiving surface (S) of a segment (10d, 10i) is between 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm, along all or part of the length of the edge formed by the intersection of these two surfaces.

Abstract: A tire building core manipulating apparatus for a segmented tire building core is provided, the core including a plurality of core segments extending generally radially from a central axis. The manipulating apparatus includes a support frame; a core latching mechanism mounted to the support frame for operatively engaging a mating mechanism on the core whereby suspending the tire building core in a preferred axial orientation and raises and lowers the core to engage one or more stations in a tire curing line. A transport mechanism relocates the support frame with the tire building core in the preferred axial orientation between a plurality of stations in the tire curing line.

Abstract: A tire building core assembly is provided including a segmented toroidal core formed by a plurality of core segments configured in a closely adjacent array defining an outer tire-building toroidal surface. The tire building surface is configured having tire tread and sidewall build locations. Adjacent core segments provide adjacent and opposed annularly directed peripheral edge surfaces, opposed edge surfaces having interlocking elements that selectively engage to operatively deter relative radial movement between the adjacent core segments. The interlocking elements selectively disengage to operatively facilitate a disassembly of the segmented toroidal core.

Abstract: A station apparatus method within a tire curing line is provided for assembling and disassembling a toroidally shaped core configured to carry a cured tire. The core includes a plurality of core segments assembling to form a core body and extending generally radially from a central core axis within a core central axial passage. The core further includes first and second locking spindle sections connecting to opposite sides of the core body.

Abstract: Process for molding and vulcanizing a tire, in which a tire blank is placed in a curing press including a mold intended to form the outer shape of the tire, and a pressing member for transmitting the molding pressure and the heat needed to vulcanize the internal portion of the tire blank. A removable elastic membrane, which includes perforations passing completely therethrough, is interposed, during the molding and the vulcanizing step, between the inner surface of the tire and the pressing member, so as to form, by the constituent material of the internal wall of the tire flowing into the perforations, noise-attenuating protuberances distributed over the internal surface of the tire.

Abstract: A green pneumatic tyre is built on a rigid toroidal support externally having a forming surface of a conformation corresponding to the inner shape of a tyre. The green tyre engaged on the expandable toroidal support is introduced into a vulcanisation mould and submitted to a vulcanisation cycle. During vulcanisation, axial moving apart of side portions of the toroidal support is caused so as to press the beads and sidewalls of the tyre against the vulcanisation mould.

Abstract: A method of forming a surfboard includes using a press to bend a flexible mold that contains a surfboard core, layed up with resin and reinforcing material. The layed up surfboard core is allowed to cure in the mold/press, at least partially, to set a desired degree of rocker to the surfboard. Common surfboard core blanks may be used to form surfboards with different degrees of rocker, and in this sense, may allow surfboard manufacturers to provide a greater variety of surfboard choices and/or to manufacture surfboards more efficiently. A surfboard may be formed with a core that includes a central portion and a separate rail portion. The rail portion may placed inside of a braided sleeve or reinforcing material and assembled to the central portion of the surfboard core to provide desired structure characteristics to the surfboard.

Abstract: A rigid core for manufacturing pneumatic tires includes a plurality of segments (2, 3), and a pair of retainer rings (5) engaging with a toroidal assembly (4) of the segments (2, 3) axially from both sides thereof, so as to hold the segments (2, 3) in the assembled state. The core defines the inner surface of the tire from formation of the tire up to the completion of the vulcanization thereof. The segments (2, 3) are each detachably divided into a center portion (2a, 3a) corresponding to the widthwise center portion of the tire and side portions (2b, 3b) corresponding to the widthwise side portions thereof. The core allows smooth removal of the segments even when the maximum inner surface width at the sidewall portion of the product tire is substantially larger than the minimum inner surface width at the bead portions thereof.

Abstract: A rubber track T has a plurality of guide lugs 50 arranged in two rows, one row being on each lateral edge. The guide lugs 50 of the first row are circumferentially offset from the guide lugs 50 of the second row. The track T is molded on an axially separating mold core D that is designed to form the radially inner guide lugs 50 without requiring a radially collapsible core.

Abstract: A tear resistant shield for a segmented tire mold. The shield is removably positioned within a cavity formed in the outer surface of each tread segment of the mold to prevent tearing of the outer surface of each tread segment relative to the inner surface of the bowl of such segmented mold.

Abstract: A rigid core at least partially defining a manufacturing form for the internal surface of a tire, the core including a plurality of circumferentially adjacent fractions disposed side by side in contact with one another by their transverse faces, the transverse faces of at least one fraction converging radially at the exterior of the core, each of the fractions including a portion for attachment to a rim, the attachment portion being arranged at the radially internal end of each of the fractions, the attachment portion being produced essentially from a first material, the core further including a main portion which is integrally connected to the attachment portion, is produced essentially from a second material different from the first material and is integrally connected to the attachment portion, the manufacturing form being essentially defined by said main portion.

Abstract: A method of making a segmented mold utilizing a first number of matrix sections employed with a second number of inserts which cannot be equally divided by the number of matrix segments.

Abstract: A tire including beads 2 without bead points. Each bead's inner edge 22 is, for instance, of rounded shape.

Abstract: A mold for molding a tire having beads of different diameters, ø0 being the minimum diameter of the tire area at the bead of smaller diameter, ø2 being the minimum diameter of the tire area at the bead of greater diameter. The mold has two shells for molding, respectively, the outer surface of the sidewalls and the outer portion of each bead up to a radially inner limit where the diameter of the tire area is ø0 and ø2, respectively, a continuous counter-molding ring to mold the bead of smaller diameter from the said radially inner limit where the diameter of the tire area is ø0 to an axially inner limit of diameter ø1, where ø1 is smaller than ø2, and a split counter-molding ring to mold the bead of greater diameter from the said radially inner limit where the diameter of the tire area is ø2 to an axially inner limit of diameter ø3. The split ring includes a plurality of retractable segments adjacent in molding position.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a machine for the manufacture of tires on a core 1 which is used for the manufacture of sa8d tires from the start of the assembling until the vulcanizing. The machine comprises, arranged adjacent to each other on a frame 5, a tire assembly station 2 comprising means for forming the raw tire by depositing the different compounds on the core 1 in the order and place required by the architecture of the tire, a vulcanization station 3, and a support handling station 4, as well as a crane 7 for transporting the core 1 between the different stations.

Abstract: An annular metal mold portion forming a tire tread is constructed by assembling a plurality of sector metal molds 2 severed in the circumferential direction, and all or some of the sector metal molds 2 are constructed of a plurality of smaller parts 3 severed in the axial direction as well as in the circumferential direction. Joining surfaces between the sector metal molds themselves each consisting of a plurality of smaller parts are formed of contour surfaces in arbitrary shape of the smaller parts. These contour surfaces are such curved surfaces that at every location a radius of curvature is 5 mm or larger and an inclination angle of a tangential plane with respect to a tire axis is 80 degrees or less.

Abstract: In a green tire charging apparatus for a tire vulcanizing machine according to the present invention, provision is made such that a vertically movable chuck body is inserted into a tire, chuck segments which are synchronously slidable in the radial direction are expanded to concentrically hold an upper bead portion by upper projections of centering rods, the chuck body is raised to insert the upper bead portion into an upper bead ring of a metal mold, subsequently the upper bead portion is held by holder arms of holders, the chuck body is lowered to hold a lower bead portion of the tire by lower projections of the centering rods, and the lower bead portion is inserted into a lower bead ring of the metal mold. Owing to the above-mentioned the upper and lower bead portion of provision, even a deformed green tire can be surely set on the upper and lower bead rings, respectively, of the metal mold.

Abstract: A tire mold having an upper half, a lower half, and a hinged segmented center ring mounted on the lower half. The center ring has an upper register between the ring and the upper mold half and a lower register between the center ring and the lower mold half to support the center ring during molding. The lower register is provided by engagement of an inclined surface on the center ring with a lower register surface on a ring flange positioned between the hinge axis of each center ring segment and the inclined surface of the segment. The hinge axis is positioned below a lower split plane between the lower mold half and center ring. The height of the ring flange and the inclination of the lower register surface is selected to provide for swinging movement of the center ring segments with the least interference between the center ring and the tire tread during opening of the mold and to provide the maximum support of the center ring segments during molding of a tire.

Abstract: A closing device (9) (52) for axially connecting two half casings (7, 8) of a tire curing mold (1), the closing device (9) (52) featuring a number of calibrated hydraulic cylinders (19), each rigidly connected to a peripheral outer flange (12) on one of the half casings (7, 8), and having a rod (37) extending through a respective opening (41) (54) formed axially through a flange element (18) (53) on the other of the half casings (7, 8); each rod (37) having a head (42) (56) movable in relation to the flange element (18) (53) to and from a position of axial engagement with the flange element (18) (53) itself.

Abstract: A bladderless tire-curing press has upper and lower pressing disks cooperating with upper and lower bead rings. The pressing disks have circumferentially continuous outer surfaces engaging the beads and bounded inwardly by axial projections with conical centering surfaces which engage in recesses in the bead rings. The bead rings have projections engaging in grooves between the projections of the disks.

Abstract: A mold for molding and vulcanizing a rubber tire comprises a rigid core defining an interior surface of the tire, two side parts and a peripheral ring divided into a plurality of segments. In order to be able to close the mold, all the members are designed to slide on each other during final phase of their closing movement.

Abstract: A split vulcanizing die comprising lower and upper molding rings with the upper ring movable relative to the lower molding ring. A side molding ring composed of a plurality of arc-shaped segments is movable in the radial direction of the die, so that when all the segments are moved to their radially innermost positions, the side molding ring is placed in tight contact with the outside circumferential surfaces of the upper and lower molding rings moved toward each other. An outer ring having an inside circumferential truncated-cone-shaped surface is provided outside the side molding ring so that said outer ring can be moved in the axial direction of said die. Oblique dovetail couplings conjoin the segments to the outer ring. The oblique planar surfaces are provided on the circumferential outside of the segments.

Abstract: An apparatus for consolidating an annular ring of uncured elastomeric material in a tread ring mould comprising a set of rigid segments in sliding end-to-end relationship to form a consolidation ring having a first small diameter for insertion of the segments into the elastomeric material in the tread mould and a second larger diameter at which the segments form a smooth, continuous consolidating surface, mechanical means for moving the segments from the first diameter substantially to the second diameter and a fluid pressure inflatable bag means which may be inflated behind the segments to apply consolidation force at the second diameter.

Abstract: A cavity having the shape of the tire to be produced is defined by a mold comprising an upper element, a lower element and a core element which are fittable to and releasable from one another. The core mold element comprises three divided segments, i.e., a segment for forming the inner surface of the tire tread, and a pair of segments for forming the inner surfaces of the tire sidewalls including tire beads. The core mold element has two pairs of nipping portions for holding the opposite ends of tire cords placed on the tread inner surface forming segment. The nipping portions in each pair are movable toward or away from each other. The tire cords nipped at their opposite ends by the core mold element are held in place within the cavity by the cooperation of the upper and lower mold elements, and a molding material composed of rubber or an equivalently elastic material is filled into the cavity and cured.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method of assembling a segmented tire mold core from core segments inside a tire mold, a method of splitting up and removing a segmented tire mold core from a tire mold and an apparatus comprising a tool which determines the outer contour of a tire and a segmented tire mold core which determines the internal contour of a tire, as well as the associated charging, conveying and control devices.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding tires of vehicles, especially motor vehicles, comprises support means on which a multi-part form is mounted defining a cavity for molding a tire, wherein the inner surface of the cavity is defined by a split core and the outer surface is in part defined by an upper and lower mold part arranged at opposite ends of and coaxially with the core to define with the latter bead and side wall regions of the tire, with at least one of the mold parts axially movable with respect to the core, a plurality of mold segments respectively carried by segment carriers in which the segments have inner surfaces formed to define the tread surface region of the tire, and means for moving the segment carriers and therewith the segments carried thereon toward, respectively away from the core.

Abstract: Apparatus casting for injection-molding car tires whose internal contour is determined by a core and whose external contour is established by mold shells which are, at least partially, provided with lateral shells movable in an axial direction, thereby the various regions of the tires being cast or injected in separate operations. The mold shells, in addition to lateral shells, are provided with external segments and at least two external segments of different shape are pivotedly attached to segment holders positioned around the tire being produced so that the segment holders are radially adjustable with respect to the tire under production.

Abstract: A casting or injection mold for vehicle tires comprises two separable half-shells together defining an annular cavity into which a segmented core is introduced, radially inwardly converging core segments alternating with parallel-sided or radially inwardly diverging core segments to facilitate extraction of the core from the molded tire. In operation, one or more of the non-converging segments are immobilized within the mold, with the aid of mating formations on these segments and on the two half-shells, while the converging segments are urged radially inwardly by resilient or fluidic forces. In a specific embodiment these forces are supplied by a contractile annular spring with projections received in axially extending undercuts of all the segments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in curing vehicle tires including a tire support rim possessing a first inlet to introduce an initial pressure into an inner tube to seat a tire on the rim. The curing rim further includes a second inlet for introducing a second pressure between the inner tube and the casing of the vehicle tire to deflate the inner tube and maintain the vehicle tire in proper position during a curing operation.