Patent ID: 7785061
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: B29D,B65G,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for reorienting a toroidally shaped core configured to carry a green tire, the apparatus comprising: first and second oppositely facing tapered recesses within opposite ends of the core along a major axis and respectively including within each tapered recess first and second locking mechanisms, a core support structure including a base and a reorientation member connected for movement relative to said base; a core coupling member connected for movement with said reorientation member, said core coupling member comprising a tapered outer structure complementary to the respective first and second oppositely facing tapered recesses of the core for alternatively mating to the tapered core recesses at either of the core opposite ends; a core locking mechanism coupled with said core coupling member and configured to lock alternatively with the first and second locking mechanisms of either of the core first and second recesses at the core opposite ends when said tapered outer structure is received in a selected one of the first or second tapered recesses of the core; and a drive system coupled with said reorientation member and operative to move said reorientation member so as to change the orientation of the core major axis from a first orientation to a second, different orientation transverse to the first orientation, wherein in the second orientation an uncoupled one of the first and second core recesses opposite to the selected core recess is operatively exposed for coupling with a secondary like-configured coupling member.