Patent ID: 7891962
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A tire building core manipulating apparatus for a segmented tire building core, the core including a plurality of core segments positioned in a circular array radially from a central axis, the manipulating apparatus comprising: a support frame; a core mating mechanism positioned within a core central opening on the core central axis of the core; a core latching mechanism mounted to the support frame for operatively engaging and disengaging from the core mating mechanism and operatively suspending the tire building core by the mating mechanism in a first axial orientation; the mating mechanism being axially removable from the core opening by axial movement of the core latching mechanism; a transport mechanism for relocating the support frame with the tire building core suspended from the core latching mechanism by the core mating mechanism in the first axial orientation between a plurality of stations in a tire curing line.