Vehicle tire loading-unloading device

Abstract: A vehicle tire loading-unloading device (9) having a mobile loading-unloading unit (23) designed to penetrate inside a curing unit (5) for receiving a cured tire (6) on an upper supporting unit (24) and, at the same time, releasing on to the curing unit (5) a green tire (3) suspended on a suspension unit (25) located beneath and integral with the upper supporting unit (24); the mobile loading-unloading unit (23) being rotatable for unloading the cured tire (6).

Description: The present invention relates to a vehicle tyre loading-unloading device. In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle tyre loading-unloading device for a tyre processing unit, the device being substantially of the type disclosed in FR-A-2370574 and comprising a mobile tyre-handling unit in turn comprising a lower unit having gripping means for releasably suspending a first tyre, and activating means for moving said mobile tyre-handling unit in relation to said tyre-processing unit. The device of the present invention may be employed to advantage for loading/unloading tyres on/off a curing unit comprising an upper half mold, a lower half mold and a device for parting the two half molds at the end of each curing cycle; and wherein the two half molds are so formed that, when parted, the cured tyre remains integral with the upper half mold. It is an object of the present invention to provide a loading-unloading device designed to minimize the downtime involved on a tyre manufacturing machine, particularly a curing unit of the aforementioned type, for loading and unloading the unprocessed and processed tyres respectively. According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle tyre loading-unloading device for a tyre processing unit, the device comprising a mobile tyre-handling unit in turn comprising a lower unit having gripping means for releasably suspend a first tyre, and activating means for moving said mobile tyre-handling unit in relation to said tyre-processing unit; the device being characterized in that said mobile tyre-handling unit further comprises an upper unit having plate means for supporting a second tyre; and by further comprising fixed supporting mean for said mobile tyre-handling unit; said activating means being designed to move said mobile tyre-handling unit through the processing unit and between a loading station, wherein said first tyre is gripped by said gripping means, and an unloading station, wherein said second tyre is unloaded. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 shows a schematic view in perspective of a system comprising a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Fig.2 shows an axial section of a detail in Fig.1; Fig.3 shows a schematic view of a variation of a detail in Fig.1, with parts removed for simplicity. Number 1 in Fig.1 indicates a tyre curing system comprising a conveyor 2 for successively feeding green tyres 3 to a loading station 4; a curing unit 5 for receiving tyres 3 and producing cured tyres 6; a conveyor 7 for transferring tyres 6 from an unloading station 8; and a device 9 for transferring both tyres 3 from loading station 4 to curing unit 5, and tyres 6 from curing unit 5 to unloading station 8. Curing unit 5 is of known type as described, for example, in US Patent n.4,747,765, the content of which is fully incorporated herein. Unit 5 comprises a lower portion 10 and an upper portion 11 designed to move in relation to each other, by virtue of hydraulic lifting devices 12, between a closed curing position (not shown) and an open position (Fig.1) for unloading tire 6 and loading tire 3. Device 9 comprises two guide columns 13 extending upwards from a fixed base 14 and connected by an upper crosspiece 15 designed to move parallel to a vertical axis 16 in relation to base 14 by virtue of a hydraulic actuator 17. Crosspiece 15 is connected to a coupling 18 coaxial with axis 16 and connected to an actuator 19 so as to turn in relation to crosspiece 15 about axis 16. From coupling 18, there extends radially outwards an arm 20 having an axis 21 perpendicular to axis 16, and comprising a first fixed portion integral with coupling 18, and a second portion 22 designed to turn in relation to coupling 18 about axis 21 by virtue of an angular actuator (not shown) housed inside the fixed portion of arm 20. Device 9 also comprises a mobile loading and unloading unit 23 connected integral with the free end of portion 22 of arm 20. As shown in Fig.2, unit 23 comprises an upper unit 24 for supporting tire 6, and a lower unit 25 for suspending tire 3 coaxially with tire 6. Unit 24 comprises a cylindrical body 26 integral with the free end of portion 22 of arm 20 and having a vertical axis 27. The top end of body 26 is fitted with a plate 28 defined externally by an upward-tapering, substantially truncated-cone surface 29 coaxial with axis 27. The bottom end of plate 28 presents an outer flange 30 defining a support for the bead portion 31 of tire 6. Unit 25 is connected integral with the bottom end of body 26, and comprises a known device 32 for gripping tire 3. Device 32 comprises, in known manner, a central actuator 33 integral with the bottom end of body 26 and having a number of output rods 34 moving substantially radially between a withdrawn position (not shown) and an expanded position (as shown in Fig.2). Each rod 34 is fitted on its free end with a pin 35 parallel to axis 27 and fitted on its bottom end with a substantially T-shaped bracket 36 designed to support and grip the bead portion of tire 3 and suspend tire 3 beneath body 26. Operation of system 1 will be described commencing from the startup stage wherein curing unit 5 and device 9 are empty, and a green tire 3 is fed by conveyor 2 to loading station 4. At this point, actuator 19 is operated for positioning unit 23 over tire 3 in loading station 4; and actuator 17 is operated for lowering unit 23, gripping tire 3 via gripping device 32, and raising unit 23 with tire 3 suspended on unit 25. Actuator 19 is then operated once more for moving arm 20 towards curing unit 5 and positioning unit 23 between upper and lower portions 11 and 10 already opened by hydraulic devices 12. Once unit 23 is coaxial with portions 10 and 11 of curing unit 5, gripping device 32 is operated so as to withdraw rods 34 and drop tire 3 inside lower half mold 37 on lower portion 10 of unit 5. Unit 23 is then withdrawn from unit 5, which is closed for curing tire 3 and producing cured tire 6. During the curing process, unit 23 is moved into station 4 for picking up another tire 3 and transferring it to unit 5. Upon completion of the curing process, portions 10 and 11 are parted by devices 12, which results, in known manner, in tire 6 being detached from lower portion 10 and remaining attached to upper portion 11. Unit 23 is then inserted once more between portions 10 and 11, so that unit 24 is located beneath tire 6 attached to portion 11, and unit 25, to which the next tire 3 is suspended, is located over lower half mold 37. At this point, tire 6 is detached from portion 11 by a known extracting device 38 and dropped on to plate 28 with its bead portion 31 substantially resting on flange 30, and the next tire 3 is dropped on to half mold 37 by withdrawing rods 34 on device 32. By means of actuators 19 and 17, unit 23 is then withdrawn from curing unit 5; moved over to unloading station 8; turned over, by rotating portion 22 of arm 20, so as to unload tire 6 on to conveyor 7; restored to the normal position with unit 24 upwards; and, finally, returned to loading station 4 to pick up the next tire 3 via device 32 and await the next unit 5 unloading-loading cycle. According to the variation shown in Fig.3, instead of being supported independently, arm 20 is supported directly on curing unit 5. For this purpose, a vertical guide 40 having the same function as columns 13 in Fig.1 is connected to an apron 39 fitted to lower portion 10 of unit 5 for connecting lifting devices 12. Guide 40 is defined, at its opposite ends, by two transverse plates 41 between which is mounted for rotation a screw 42 which, together with its drive motor 43, constitutes an actuator, similar to 17 in Fig.1, for moving along guide 40 a slide 44 similar to crosspiece 15 and connected in sliding manner to guide 40. Slide 44 is connected integral with a fork 45 supporting a rotary pin 46 extending along an axis 47 corresponding with axis 26 in Fig.1, and powered (in a manner not shown) so as to turn about axis 47. Pin 46 is connected integral with the outer casing of an angular actuator 48 constituting a first portion of arm 20, the second portion 22 of which is connected to loading-unloading unit 23, extends along axis 21, and is designed to turn about axis 21 by virtue of actuator 48.

Claims: A vehicle tyre loading-unloading device for a tyre processing unit (5), the device comprising a mobile tyre-handling unit (23) in turn comprising a lower unit (25) having gripping means (32) for releasably suspending a first tyre (3), and activating means (17, 19, 15, 20) for moving said mobile tyre-handling unit (23) in relation to said tyre-processing unit (5); the device being characterized in that said mobile tyre-handling unit (23) further comprises an upper unit (24) having plate means (28) for supporting a second tyre (6); and by further comprising fixed supporting means (14)(5) for said mobile tyre-handling unit (23); said activating means (17, 19, 15, 20) being designed to move said mobile tyre-handling unit (23) through the processing unit (5) and between a loading station (4), wherein said first tyre (3) is gripped by said gripping means (32), and an unloading station (8), wherein said second tyre (6) is unloaded. A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised by the fact that said upper (24) and lower (25) units are coaxial. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised by the fact that said activating means comprise guide means (13)(40) extending from said supporting means (14)(5) along a first axis (16); slide means (15)(44) mounted in sliding manner along said guide means (13)(40); and an arm (20) extending along a second axis (21), supported on said slide means (15)(44) so as to turn in relation to the same about said first axis (16), and connected to said mobile loading-unloading unit (23). A device as claimed in Claim 3, characterised by the fact that it comprises rotation means (22) for turning said mobile loading-unloading unit (23) about said second axis (21). A device as claimed in Claim 4, characterised by the fact that said supporting means consist of said processing unit (5). A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterised by the fact that said processing unit (5) is a curing unit comprising an upper portion (11), a lower portion (10), and means (12) for parting said two portions (11, 10) at the end of each curing cycle; and wherein said two portions (11, 10) are so formed that, when parted in use, the cured tyre remains integral with said upper portion (11); said cured tyre constituting said second tyre (6), and said first tyre (3) being a green tyre.

Inventors: SIEGENTHALER KARL J, SIEGENTHALER, KARL J.
Applicants: BRIDGESTONE CORP, BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B29D30
IPC codes: B29L30, B29D30, B29C35, B29C33, B29K105, B29K21