Patent ID: 8684058
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A roller assembly for use during tire construction and which is positionable about a shaft which is supported along the width of a tire component under construction, the roller assembly comprising: a telescoping tube arrangement having an outer tube section defining a cylindrical outer surface and an inner tube section, defining a cylindrical outer surface, which is positioned within the outer tube section for sliding movement therealong and which includes one portion which is positioned within the outer tube section and another portion which extends from the outer tube section and which arrangement is positionable about the shaft which is supported along the width of the tire component under construction and which can be adjusted in length to accommodate the width of the tire component under construction wherein the length of the arrangement includes the combined length of the outer tube section and the another portion of the inner tube section; and a roller having a cylindrical surface which is positionable into engagement with the outer surface of the tire component under construction and which includes a plurality of roller sections which are positionable about the cylindrical outer surfaces of the outer and inner tube sections of the telescoping tube arrangement and in a side-by-side relationship with one another, and each roller section defines a peripheral surface so that when the roller sections are positioned in a side-by-side relationship along the tube arrangement, the peripheral surfaces of the roller sections collectively provide the cylindrical surface of the roller and wherein the plurality of roller sections includes one roller section which is positioned about the outer tube section and another roller section which is positioned about the another portion of the inner tube section and wherein the one roller section includes a body having a central through-opening which is adapted to be closely accepted about the outer tube section and the another roller section includes a body having a central through-opening and further includes a ring-like tube section which is fixedly secured within the central opening of the body of the another roller section, and the ring-like tube section includes an inner diameter which is adapted to be closely accepted about the another portion of the inner tube section so that the ring-like tube section acts as a spacer which fills any spacing which would otherwise be present between the another roller section and the cylindrical outer surface of the inner tube section when the another roller section is positioned about the another portion of the inner tube section and so that the peripheral surfaces of each of the one roller section and the another roller section is stably supported by the inner and outer tube sections; and so that the one roller section and the another roller section are permitted to rotate about the cylindrical outer surfaces of the outer and inner tube sections respectively and relative to one another so that when the peripheral surfaces of the one and another roller sections are positioned in engagement with the outer surface of the tire component under construction, the one roller section and the another roller section are free to rotate about the cylindrical outer surfaces of the outer and inner tube sections respectively at speeds which are different from one another.