Patent GB-1285304-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for making a cord reinforced reversible sleeve forming a rolling lobe diaphragm
IPC: B29C65/00
Filed: 1971-06-08
Abstract: 1285304 Making tubes GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO 8 June 1971 [13 July 1970] 19405/71 Heading F2P A cord reinforced eversible sleeve is manufactured by mounting a precut tube of uncured curable rubbery material on a rigid cylindrical mandrel, placing a band of cord material upon a carrier with the cords and the edges at an acute angle to the mandrel longitudinal axis, and rotating the mandrel to helically wind the band on the tube and to place the opposite edges of the band in mutually adhesive contact along the helix. Two extruded tubes T are slightly expanded and slipped into a mandrel 30 to abut a central ring 32. The mandrel 30 and successive such loaded mandrels are fed by means of transfer devices to a carrier belt 35 which carries two cord bands L, L<SP>1</SP> at equal and opposite acute angles, e.g. 36 degrees, to the mandrel longitudinal axis, and a liner C of moved curable rubbery material. The transfer devices comprise (1) two spaced loops with laterally opposed pockets for accommodating mandrels 30 leading to (2) a synchronized star wheel transfer system of three wheels leading to (3) a ramp down which each mandrel 30 rolls until it is arrested by a roller which allows chucks to be inserted at each end of the mandrel to hold it in position on the belt 35, the roller than being retracted. The positioned mandrel 30 lies between an upwardly inclined portion of the belt 35 from a roll 88, and a horizontal portion carrying the cord bands L, L<SP>1</SP> and liner, C ensuring that the belt covers a small arcuate portion of the mandrel. Each cord band L, L<SP>1</SP> is applied to the belt 35 from a roll of band, interspersed with a separating liner, the liner being subsequently wound off, via a twin roll nip which drives the band, and a transfer arm. The twin drive rolls feed the band L vertically downwardly on to the vertical transfer arm until the end of the band passes a photo-cell which stops the rotation of the rolls and also opens the nip by lateral displacement of one of the rolls. The band L is then held to the arm by suction and is clamped just above a shearing device comprising a fixed cutter and a movable cutter which cuts the band to the required length and angled ends for the ends to be perpendicular to the mandrel axis. The transfer arm swings down to position the band length L just above and parallel to the belt 35 at the required helix angle, the band length being blown on to the belt by a pressure increase acting through perforations in the arm. Two such band applying devices are used. The belt 35 is driven so that the bands L, L<SP>1</SP> are wrapped successively around the tubes T, followed by the liner C. After further rotations to consolidate the layers of the sleeve, during which, heated cutters mounted above the mandrel trim the ends of the sleeve and the bands L, L<SP>1</SP> are sealed by overlap of the tubes T and liner C, the positioning roller is brought into contact with the sleeve to allow removal of the chucks, and the roll 88 is lowered so that the sleeve with the mandrel 30 rolls down a shoot for subsequent curing. Finally the sleeve is cut at the ring 32 to produce two sleeve lengths. The sleeves are used as rolling lobe diaphragms in automotive suspensions.