Patent ID: 6292993
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: B29D,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of exchanging a segmented mold of a vulcanizing machine for producing pneumatic tires, wherein the segmented mold comprises a plurality of tread mold pieces for defining an outer contour of a tire tread portion, said tread mold pieces each having an outer peripheral surface, and upper and lower side mold members engaged with said tread mold pieces, for defining outer contours of respective tire sidewall portions, and wherein said vulcanizing machine further comprises a plurality of connector segments detachably connected to said outer peripheral surfaces of the respective tread mold pieces, said connector segments each having a tapered portion on back sides thereof, a container ring having a tapered surface slidably engaged with said tapered portions of the connector segments such that a vertical movement of the container ring in the axial direction of the machine causes a radial movement of said connector segments relative to said tread mold pieces, and a top plate detachably connected to said upper side mold member, said method comprising the steps of:removing a first segmented mold for tires of a first size, which is comprised of first tread mold pieces, a first upper side mold member and a first lower side mold member, from the machine in its non-operative condition, by disconnecting said connector segments from the respective first tread mold piece while moving the container ring upwards so that the connector segments are moved radially outwards and disconnected from the respective first tread mold pieces, and disconnecting said top plate from the first upper side mold member; andinstalling into the machine a second segmented mold for tires of a second size, which is comprised of second tread mold pieces, a second upper side mold member and a second lower side mold member, by placing and centering the second mold with reference to the vulcanizing machine, moving the container ring downwards so that the connector segments are moved radially inwards relative to the second tread mold pieces and are connected to the respective second tread mold pieces, and connecting the top plate to said second upper side mold member.