Patent ID: 7892376
Filing Date: 2011-02-22
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A tire molding apparatus with folding mechanisms comprising: a main shaft of a drum; folding fingers fitted with folding members on the ends, the fingers swinging between a closed position and an open position on axes of swing on said main shaft of the drum, for folding edges of a toroidally-transformed tire component disposed outside of the circumference of said main shaft of the drum with said folding members in response to the swing of the folding fingers from said closed position to said open position, and a means for changing opening speed and pressing force of said fingers capable of changing the pressing force applied to the tire component and folding speed of said fingers; wherein said means for changing opening speed and pressing force of the fingers comprises: first cams or cam followers integrally fitted to said fingers at their ends and rotated in response to the swing of the fingers; and second cam followers or cams pressing said first cams or cam followers, respectively, to open said fingers and slidable along said main shaft of the drum; wherein said cams have irregular cam faces that change the opening speed of said fingers from low, at the beginning of opening, to high in cooperation with said cam followers.