Patent GB-774455-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to machines for building vehicle wheel pneumatic tyres
IPC: B29D30/28
Filed: 1955-05-31
Abstract: 774,455. Tyre building machines. PIRELLI SOC. PER AZIONI. May 31, 1955 [June 4, 1954], No. 15615/55. Class 144 (1). A tyre building machine comprising a flatband building drum having rounded shoulders, has associated with each shoulder a ply-folding and turning unit consisting of a stitching roller 9 rotatably mounted on an arm 8 which is swingable about a horizontal axis 11 on a carrier member 12 for movement towards and away from the drum surface, which carrier member is in turn rotatable about a vertical axis b-b having a fixed position on a supporting structure 20, the supporting structure being guided for forward and reverse traverse movement in a horizontal plane both axially of, and normal to, the building drum, and the corresponding rotary, swinging and traverse movements of the two units being effected simultaneously in each case by power-operated means. The various movements of the units may be controlled as desired so that the stitcher 9 effects any plyfolding operation, from the initial ply turndown, Fig. 5, to the final ply wrapping about twin bead cores on a recessed-ended drum as shown in Fig. 6. As shown, each arm 8 is swung about its axis 11 to bring its stitcher 9 into resilient contact with the plies by pressure fluid admitted to a cylinder 13 on the arm to depress a spring-return piston 14 linked to the carrier member 12. The bodily rotation of the carrier 12, to effect the stitching movements II-III, Fig. 5, and II<SP>1</SP>-III<SP>1</SP>, IV<SP>1</SP>-V<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 6, is effected by a worm wheel 22 keyed to a vertical shaft 17 which is fixed to the carrier and is journalled in the housing 20 forming the supporting structure. The worm wheel is driven by a worm 23 slidably keyed, for movement with the housing 20, on a shaft 24, common to each unit, which is journalled in a saddle 6 on which the housings 20 are slidably guided, and is driven by a motor 27. Axial traverse of the drum by each housing 20, to effect the stitching movements I-II, Fig. 5, and I<SP>1</SP>-II<SP>1</SP>, V<SP>1</SP>-VI<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 6, is effected by a common shaft 31 driven by a motor 35 and having oppositely handed screw-thread portions driving corresponding nuts 34 secured to the respective housings 20. The traverse normal to the drum axis, to bring the units to operative position and to carry out the stitching movements III-IV, Fig. 5, and III<SP>1</SP>-IV<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 6, is effected by a motor 42 which drives a screwed shaft 40 journalled in the saddle 6 and operative in a nut 41 fixed to a base 7, the saddle 6 with the units and drive motors thereon being thus movable bodily. In use the particular sequential operation of the various motors may be controlled by pushbuttons and selector switches, in conjunction with limit switches appropriately positioned to cut out the drive at the desired point and to prevent inappropriate relative operation of the motors. The positioning of the units relative to the drum is such that when operatively sited for the rotation of the stitchers 9 about the drum shoulders (II-III, and II<SP>1</SP>-III<SP>1</SP>), or about the bead cores (IV<SP>1</SP>-V<SP>1</SP>), the axis b-b of the shaft 17 is aligned with the respective centres of curvature X, Y of the drum sections at the zone of operation of the stitchers. The stitching of the plies on the main part of the cylindrical surface of the drum may be effected by separate known stitching units.