Patent ID: 6630045
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
A method of making a tire carcass at a first stage tire building machine, the method comprising the steps of:a) cylindrically forming one or more strips of tire components around a first stage tire building drum, the first stage tire building drum having an axis of rotation; while simultaneously forming two annular bead apex subassemblies at a location in proximity to and spaced from the building drum, the subassemblies being formed by applying an elastomeric apex strip to a radially outer surface of an annular bead core having an axis of rotation; the apex strip when applied to the bead core being oriented parallel to the axis of the bead core relative to the width (W) of the strip; b) aligning the axis of rotation of each bead-apex subassembly with the axis of rotation of the tire building drum; c) transferring each bead-apex subassembly onto the tire building drum; d) applying any additional tire components to form the tire carcass prior to toroidally shaping the carcass.