Vehicle tire rim core remover

An apparatus for removing the wire-reinforced inside rim cores of automobile tires and the like so as to permit shredding for fuel or other use of the remaining carcass, such apparatus principally featuring axially aligned reciprocative action tubular cutters, associated tire positioning and centering mechanism including conjointly actuated centering arms, an annular tire support platform that yieldably supports the tire at a level initially above the lower cutter, and a centering cone member that precisely centers the tire as the upper cutter approaches cutting engagement with the tire, and further featuring an upper cutter assembly that carries a stripper that presses the severed or partially severed cores through the interior of the lower cutters and in the process thereof completes the severance of tire wall material over the edge of the lower cutter.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for removing the inner 
peripheral reinforcing rim cores of used automobile and truck tires and 
the like which are otherwise difficult to salvage because of the 
reinforcing steel cables embedded in such rim cores. The term "rim core" 
is herein applied to the thickened body of rubber and cord usually 
incorporating a reinforcing wire or cable that extends around the interior 
edge of each side wall of a tire opposite the tread surface of the tire. 
The invention is herein illustratively described by reference to the 
presently preferred embodiment thereof; however, it will be recognized 
that certain modifications and changes therein with respect to details may 
be made without departing from the essential features involved. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A number of different efforts have been made heretofore to remove the 
reinforcing core cable from vehicle tires in conjunction with salvage 
operations. Most, if not all, of these have been complex, inefficient and 
slow to operate considering the necessary economics of mass processing 
huge stockpiles of used tires, such as for shredding as fuel at reasonable 
cost. Examples of prior art mechanisms are represented in the following 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,746,998; 1,781,398; 2,298,685; 3,364,526; 3,838,492; 
3,922,942; and 4,090,670. 
A broad object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable, 
fast-acting and safe rim core remover efficient in operation and suitable 
for the mass production applications, such as those of the type mentioned. 
A related object is to provide a rim core remover mechanism adaptable to 
operating on tires of different sizes and not requiring engaging and 
driving the tire in rotation relative to a cutter, nor of rotating a 
saw-type or rotable blade-type cutter during the rim core removal 
procedure. 
Still another object hereof is to provide such an apparatus which has long 
life, is not especially sensitive to degree of sharpness of the cutters 
and lends itself to automated or semi-automated operation, with or without 
manual infeed of tires. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a novel mechanism for 
cutting out a tire rim core with its reinforcing wire with minimum loss of 
surrounding wall rubber. 
Still another objective is to provide such a rim core remover with 
automatic and reliable tire centering means making it unnecessary for a 
human operator to risk physical injury by placing his or her hands within 
the operating field of the dangerous moving parts of the apparatus. The 
mechanism itself is self-centering once the tire is placed on the infeed 
conveyor and the tire carcass and severed rim cores are automatically 
thereafter discharged on conveyors for disposal without human attention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Each tire to be processed is placed in turn upon an input conveyor which 
advances the tire into position adjacent the cutter mechanism where it is 
pressed laterally into a holder means located between mutually opposed 
axially aligned annular cutters. The holder means includes a tire support 
platform, sets of normally retracted conjointly actuated arms that grip 
the tire tread surface from different directions to center the tire 
approximately, and means for more precisely centering the tire thereafter 
by the wedging action of an axially tapered conical member inserted into 
the central space within the tire. Such centering action occurs in advance 
of the upper cutter descending into cutting engagement with the upper tire 
wall. 
Downward pressure of the upper cutter against the tire continues with the 
cutter edge teeth penetrating the rubber initially, followed by yielding 
of the support platform under the downward force of the upper cutter to 
permit contact of the tire with the lower cutter. As the upper cutter's 
teeth approach contact with those of the lower cutter, the support 
platform is retracted downwardly. 
A sleeve-like stripper advanced downwardly behind the upper cutter 
continues its advance after the upper cutter reaches its full descent 
position of interengagement with the teeth of the lower cutter. In so 
doing, it presses the severed rim cores through the lower cutter. In the 
process of doing this it severs any remaining uncut webs of rubber and/or 
fabric or fine belting wires still connecting the rim cores in the tire 
walls and deposits the rim cores upon an off-bear conveyor. 
Thereupon, retraction of the upper cutter, stripper and centering cone (the 
latter's retraction may occur earlier) occurs. Stop means are provided 
preventing the upper cutter frictionally gripped by the tire from lifting 
the tire off the support platform. Once the upper cutter is retracted, the 
tire still resting on the now reelevated support platform is ready to be 
expelled by the next incoming tire which undergoes a similar positioning 
process preparatory to cutting. 
Automatic switching mechanisms, valves and pressure controls associated 
with the apparatus carry out the sequence of operations in timed, 
controlled manner based on movement and pressures as appropriate so that 
all an operator need do is place the tires to be processed on the infeed 
conveyor and monitor the ongoing operation of the machine. 
These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will 
become more fully evident from the following description by reference to 
the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention 
.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In general terms, tires T successively delivered by infeed conveyor 10 for 
rim coring are in turn laterally inserted into the corer on an annular 
support platform 12. There each tire is slidably supported lying 
horizontally to be approximately centered in coaxial alignment with the 
vertically aligned coring cutters by means of conjointly actuated first 
and second pairs of gripping arms 14,16 and 18,20. These arms cooperably 
grip the tread surface of the tire at points in quadrature, spaced 
symmetrically about the central cutter axis A--A of the corer machine. 
Next, before or as cutter actuator cylinder 21 causes the upper tubular 
shaped cutter 22 to start its descent toward the cooperable similar lower 
cutter 24, more precise axial centering of the tire is achieved. This is 
accomplished by an axially movable centering cone 26 that advances ahead 
of the upper cutter and that wedges itself down into the center opening of 
the tire, the degree of penetration through the tire opening depending 
upon its size in relation to cone dimensions. In so doing, the centering 
cone, urged with a force that is limited by preestablished air pressure in 
cylinders 28 and 30, also presses the tire down against the centrally open 
support platform 12. The cone thereby holds the tire firmly centered to be 
engaged thereafter first by the descending upper cutter 22. In order for 
the tire to be pressed down into cutting engagement with the lower cutter, 
the increasing downward pressure exerted by the upper cutter 22 must first 
overcome the more moderate force of air pressure in the cylinders 32 and 
34 normally maintaining the tire support platform 12 in its upper tire 
receiving support level. Also, as the teeth of the opposing cutters are 
approaching mutual contact, a switch is engaged by the descent position of 
the upper cutter to initiate retraction of the centering core and downward 
retraction of the support platform, the latter motion thereby allowing 
full utilization of the lower cutter teeth. At the point where the upper 
cutter reaches its lowermost position, increase of pressure in cylinder 21 
is sensed, thereby initiating action of cylinder 56 to advance the 
stripper sleeve 36, the latter being slidably mounted between the 
cylindrical upper portion of the centering cone body 26 and the upper 
cutter 22. Thus, the stripper continues its downward movement after the 
upper cutter 22 reaches the lower limit of its cutting stroke. In so 
doing, the stripper sleeve forces completion of severence of the rim cores 
T.sub.c (FIG. 4) from the tire walls and forces the severed rim cores 
T.sub.c from the cutters and down through the chute opening 41 from which 
they drop onto the off-bear conveyor 45. 
Thereafter tubular stripper 36, and the upper cutter 22 are retracted 
upwardly to their respective starting positions. Platform 12 is reelevated 
by air cylinders 32 and 34, thereby releasing the tire from the lower 
cutter 24. Annular stop 80 prevents rise of upper cutter 22 from lifting 
the tire from platform 12 more than momentarily. The decored tire carcass 
is thus in position to be shoved onto the delivery chute 46 by the next 
oncoming tire received on the platform from the infeed conveyor 10 (FIG. 
7). 
These and related functions and the elements that perform them, together 
with associated portions of the machine and aspects of its control, will 
now be further described with continuing reference to the same drawings. 
The base frame of the machine includes a pedestal 40 with upright H section 
columns 42 at opposite sides interconnected at the top by a beam member 
44. An annular footing member 43 rests upon the pedestal 40 and includes a 
tubular sleeve 43a over which the guide sleeve 12a of the tire support 
platform member 12 fits slidably. Pneumatic jacks or cylinders 32 and 34 
interposed in upright positions between base 43 and platform 12 are 
continuously supplied with air under preestablished pressure sufficient to 
maintain platform 12 in its normally upraised position to receive and 
support a tire for rim coring. 
Beam 44 serves as the support for dependent axially mounted hydraulic 
cylinder 21, the piston rod of which is connected to the cutter carrier 
crosspiece 35 in order to raise and lower the upper cutter assembly and 
associated components vertically along central axis A--A. Principal 
guidance for such movement of the cutter assembly is derived from 
parallel, opposing V-shaped vertical tracks 50 and cooperating V-shaped 
sliders 52 engaging those tracks and interconnected by crosspiece 35. 
Tracks 50 are rigidly supported by side arms 51 cantilevered inwardly from 
the columns 42. 
Upper cutter 22 has a hardened lower cutting edge of annular shape which is 
externally chamfered around its periphery and which is serrated in a 
sawtooth configuration with tooth edges beveled. Cutter 22 is mounted on a 
support sleeve 22a that in turn is fastened to the V-section sliders 52 to 
be guided for positive downward and upward actuation by upper hydraulic 
cylinder 21. 
Within the upper cutter sleeve 22 is reciprocatively mounted a hollow 
downwardly tapered centering cone member 26. This member forms a downward 
extension of an upper tubular cylindrical sleeve 26a supported to be 
raised and lowered by the connecting rods 31 extending downwardly from the 
piston rods of air cylinders 28 and 30. The upper ends of air cylinders 28 
and 30 are mounted on carriage bar 35. Thus, the centering cone 26 can be 
lowered by operation of the pneumatic cylinders 28 and 30 with the 
carriage bar 35 still elevated and can be elevated with the carriage bar 
35 lowered. 
In the annular gap between the centering cone member 26-26a and the upper 
cutter 22 there is a tubular stripper 36, as previously described. 
Stripper 36 is raised and lowered in relation to the centering cone member 
and the cutter 22 by a second hydraulic cylinder 56 mounted dependingly 
from the underside of crossbeam 35 in coaxial alignment with the cylinder 
21. The casing of cylinder 56 is connected to the stripper 36 by means of 
a T-shaped member 58, such that the stripper may be forcibly moved 
downward during or after the upper cutter 22 is completing its downward 
stroke by action of the primary upper cylinder 21, as previously 
indicated. 
Of the three main operating components of the upper carriage assembly, 
including centering cone 26, cutter 22 and stripper 36, the stripper is 
maintained retracted above the other two and is preferably retained there 
during descent motion of the upper cutter. The centering cone itself, of 
course, is moved downward in advance of the cutter and may in fact 
normally project below the lower edge of the cutter as shown in FIG. 1. It 
is advanced ahead of the cutter for the purpose of assuring that the tire 
to be rim-cored is precisely centered in alignment with the cutter system 
on the axis A--A before cutter 22 firmly engages the tire. The controls 
effecting this action and the subsequent steps in the sequence will be 
further described below. 
While on the subject of precise centering of the tire on the platform 12 
before cutting starts, it has been mentioned that the centering arms 14,16 
and 18,20 serve the initial or approximate centering function that occurs 
upon insertion of the tire laterally from infeed conveyor 10. To this end, 
the centering arms are formed in pairs. Arms 14 and 16 are supported near 
their upper ends on horizontal pivots 60 and 62 to swing about parallel 
axes spaced equally from and perpendicular to the central axis A--A. The 
arm pivots are supported by cantilevered mounting brackets 60a and 62a, 
respectively. Preferably, the swinging arms 14 and 16 are of tubular form, 
such as sections of pipe. In order that these arms may be actuated to move 
in unison equally and oppositely, arm 16 has a crank lever 64 projecting 
laterally from it and arm 14 has a similar crank lever 66 of equal length 
projecting laterally from it. These crank levers are rigid with their 
respective arms and have free ends pivotally interconnected by links 68 
and 70 to the outer ends of a rigid straight lever 72 which is pivoted on 
a cantilevered support 74 midway between its ends. An air cylinder 76 
connected to one of the arms, such as arm 14, is directed horizontally so 
as to swing that arm toward and from the arm 16, hence into and from 
contact with the tread surface of a tire T placed on platform 12. Because 
of the interconnections, however, arm 16 is constrained to swing equally 
and oppositely with arm 14. By similar mechanism, the pair of arms 18 and 
20 are interconnected and actuated so as to operate equally and oppositely 
in unison. While the obvious options are not shown, this may be done (and 
preferably is done) with a single actuator 76 and a shaft interconnecting 
the arm sets, or by similar pneumatic jacks or cylinders 76 actuating the 
two pairs of arms through synchronously operated pneumatic control valves 
and a common source of pressurized air in order to center a tire 
approximately on the platform 12. 
Platform 12 itself has been described briefly as a flanged sleeve member 
having a flat platform (flange) surface upon which a deposited tire can be 
slid around in order to center it on the axis A--A. The guide sleeve 
portion 12a of the platform 12 is slidably guided over a support tube 14a, 
as previously described, which tube also serves as a support for the lower 
annular cutter 24. Cutter 24 has a hardened upper cutting edge that is 
externally chamfered and that is bevel-toothed in the same manner and form 
as the upper cutter 22. Preferably, the teeth of the two cutters have the 
same pitch distance and the cutters are rotatively oriented such that the 
teeth of one register with the valleys of the other, that is, so that the 
teeth interdigitate to some extent in the completion of the cutting 
stroke. 
However, because clearances are necessary and because wear can occur in the 
operation of such apparatus, also because some tires are more difficult to 
core cut than others, reliance is not placed upon complete severance of 
the tire cores by action of the cutters themselves. For this reason, and 
also to serve as an ejector of the severed cable reinforced tire rim 
cores, the stripper sleeve 36 also plays multiple roles. First, it 
reliably completes severance of the tire walls by its continued downward 
motion to a level below the level of the teeth of the lower cutter after 
the upper cutter has reached its lowermost cutting position. This breaks 
off any connective cord, belting wires or rubber tendons remaining uncut. 
Secondly, this continued downward motion of the stripper presses the 
severed rim cores downwardly to the point they are discharged down through 
the interior 42 of member 43a so as to drop onto the off-bear conveyor 45 
as shown (FIGS. 1 and 4). 
It will be observed in the operation of the machine that the stripper goes 
into action as the main upper cylinder 21 has reached or approaches the 
limit of its downward action on the upper cutter 22. The upper cutter 22 
is at that point pressing at near its maximum cutting force against the 
walls of the tire being clamped and cut between the upper cutter and the 
lower cutter in the process of attempting to complete the severance of the 
rubber walls of the tire. In this effort, a rise of pressure develops in 
the upper cutter cylinder 21 due to cutter 22 coming to a virtual stop. 
This pressure increase is rather abrupt, is readily sensed by means (not 
shown) and is used as a trigger to valve hydraulic pressure into the lower 
cylinder 56 so as to start the stripper on its downward motion under the 
force of the hydraulic pressure within that cylinder. This is one means 
(others will be obvious) to time the stripper so that its action is caused 
to lag that of the upper cutter. The hydraulic system (not shown) is 
preferably one in which the same hydraulic pressure source is utilized to 
service cylinders 21 and 56. Conveniently it is preferred to use 
conventional bypass sequency valves in regular manner to expedite 
piston/cylinder actuation movement by transferring fluid from one end of 
the cylinder directly without necessity of all of the fluid passing 
through the system hydraulic pump. This and other conventional hydraulic 
and pneumatic design practices are optional in the control and operation 
of the systems involved, so will not be described nor illustrated in 
further detail. 
The infeed conveyor 10 may, as shown, be either of the belt or chain type. 
Its framework includes side supports 100 and 102, each of which carries 
sets of shafts 104 and 106, the set nearest the cutter mechanism being 
shown and the other being omitted from the illustration. Each of these 
shafts supports a belt pulley or chain gear 108 and 110, depending upon 
whether the endless conveyor members 112 and 114 are endless belts or 
chains. These, in any case, are mounted in parallel relationship and carry 
sets of pusher brackets 116 designed to bear against the tread surface of 
a tire and advance it along the conveyors with the tire resting on the 
endless conveyor elements. As the tire approaches the support platform 12, 
its associated pushers 116 actuate a switch SW2 which in turn operates the 
hydraulic or pneumatic circuit that energizes a fluid cylinder 120 
pivotally mounted on a transverse support member 122 mounted midway 
between the conveyor members 112 and 114. The piston rod of the fluid 
cylinder 120 is connected to a slider 124 guided by a member 124a in a 
track 126 that includes an initial upwardly sloped ramp and followed by a 
horizontal extension leading to the infeed side of the support platform. 
As the piston rod of the fluid cylinder 120 extends and the member 124 
engages the tire and presses the tire forwardly, the tire advances at the 
level of the platform 12 until switch SW3 is actuated, whereupon the fluid 
circuit controlling the cylinder 120 reverses pressure in the ends of the 
cylinder and causes the cylinder to retract. The end of the retraction 
stroke is marked by actuation of switch SW6 at which the pusher member 124 
lies below the plane of advance of the next tire moving toward the support 
platform 12 on the conveyors 112 and 114. 
A switch SW1 senses the presence of a tire in position succeeding that next 
ready to be advanced onto the platform 12 from the supply deck 136. As a 
matter of preference in controlling operation of the system, the system 
will not operate unless switch SW1 is actuated by the presence of a tire 
overlying it. 
To summarize the operating sequence and control functions of the 
illustrated embodiment of the invention, the support plate 12 is normally 
maintained in its upwardly extended position by preestablished air 
pressure maintained in the pneumatic cylinders 32 and 34 in order to 
receive and discharge tires. In order to start an operating cycle with the 
parts initially positioned as in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8, switches SW4 and SW5 
must be closed (complete retraction of hydraulic cylinders 21 and 56 
achieve this). A tire must be placed on conveyor 10 in space 2 for 
original start-up. Then, by placing a tire in space 1, activating switch 
SW1 (with switches SW5 and SW6 closed), the conveyor operates to advance 
the first tire into space 3, whereupon switch SW2 is actuated and stops 
the conveyor drive; also initiates actuation of air cylinder 120 to press 
the tire onto platform 12 until switch SW3 is actuated. A previously cored 
tire lying on platform 12 is discharged by this same action, the incoming 
tire forcing it onto discharge chute 46. 
Actuation of SW3 also activates air cylinder 76 to roughly center the tire 
on platform 12; also to retract air cylinder 120 until switch SW6 is 
actuated, whereupon retraction of this air cylinder is stopped and the 
cutting cycle is started. If necessary, a time delay in retraction of air 
cylinder 120 may be introduced through use of a flow restrictor in its 
operating air line in order to allow more time for the arm pairs to center 
the tire. 
Cutting action is started by switch SW6 advancing air cylinders 28 and 30 
and starting pressurization of upper cylinder 21. As a cam surface or 
other projection C on the side of upper cutter 22 engages switch SW8 
(after about halfway through the upper carriage stroke), air cylinder 76 
is retracted to retract the centering arms. The centering cone member 26 
presses downwardly against the tire with limited pressure sufficient to 
center the tire. It therefore stops at whatever position it occupies in 
achieving that function, despite ongoing descent of the upper cutter 
carriage. 
When the teeth of upper cutter 22 start cutting through the top wall of the 
tire, downwardly acting pressure is at first resisted by the air pressure 
in cylinders 32 and 34 holding the support plate 12 and thereby the tire 
above the lower cutter teeth. However, as downward cutter pressure builds 
up, the platform 12 yields downwardly and the teeth of the lower cutter 24 
start penetrating the bottom side wall of the tire. As the opposing sets 
of teeth approach mutual contact, switch SW7 is actuated, causing the 
centering cone 26 retraction by reversal of pressures in air cylinders 28 
and 30. Also, switch SW7 causes reversal of pressure in air cylinders 32 
and 34 so as to retract the platform 12 downwardly and thereby permit full 
utilization (cutting action) of lower cutter 24. 
Cutting by descent of upper cutter 22 continues until the cutter teeth are 
meshed, at which point there is an abrupt rise in pressure inherently 
occurring in upper cylinders 21. This rise of pressure (above a preset 
level) is sensed and utilized to pressurize stripper cylinder 56 so as to 
advance the stripper downwardly against the partially severed rim cores of 
the tire and presses the rim core material downwardly past the lower 
cutter teeth through the space within the lower cutter 24. In so doing, 
the stripper assures completion of the severance and it also presses the 
severed rim cores T.sub.c down onto the discharge conveyor 45. Preferably 
the lower edge of stripper 36 is nonplanar, i.e., is shaped as a double 
sinusoid or with opposite edge portions in one longitudinal axial plane 
more advanced than those in a perpendicular longitudinal axial plane so as 
to reduce the force required to actuate the stripper. 
Hydraulic cylinders 21 and 56 continue to extend in their composite tandem 
cutting stroke until switch SW9 is actuated, and which thereupon reverses 
the pressures in both cylinders and initiates their conjoint retraction. 
At the interim point during such retraction, SW7 is allowed to reopen 
which causes reversal in air pressure in cylinders 32 and 34, thereby 
reelevating support platform 12 and freeing the tire casing from the lower 
cutter 24. The upper cutter carriage continues its retraction until 
switches SW4 and SW5 are reclosed, preparatory to starting a succeeding 
cycle of operation. 
It will be evident to those skilled in the art that a number of the design 
details described and depicted in the illustrative and preferred 
embodiment of this invention are subject to variation depending upon 
designer's choice or the particular requirements of specific applications. 
In each case, however, the principles of the invention set forth in the 
claims that follow are not to be limited by specific details except as the 
claims themselves expressly require.