Patent ID: 6591885
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
A device for the substantially vertical suspension of generally cylindrical uncured blanks for tire carcasses, comprising:a handling plate having a substantially vertical longitudinal axis; a plurality of supports mounted on said handling plate at spaced angular positions about said longitudinal axis, each of said supports having (1) a radially outer, relative to said longitudinal axis, part defining a convex bearing surface of given length for bearing against the generally cylindrical inner surface of an uncured blank for a tire carcass, and (2) being movable to different angular positions about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation such that the radial distance between said longitudinal axis and the radially outermost point on said convex bearing surface can be varied over a range of distances by varying the angular position of said support about said axis of rotation to establish engagement between said radially outermost point with the inner surface of uncured blanks of different internal dimensions; said convex bearing surfaces on said supports extending radially outwardly and axially upwardly relative to said axes of rotation; and said axes of rotation of said supports are located vertically lower than the points of engagement of said convex bearing surfaces with the generally cylindrical inner surface of the uncured blank at least when the blank is in an axial position to be suspended on the device, such that forces tending to urge the blank vertically downward tend to cause said supports to rotate about said axes of rotation in a direction to increase the radial distance between said points of engagement and said longitudinal axis, thereby increasing the holding force of said supports on the blank.