Patent GB-1472668-A (GB)
Title: Tyre building apparatus and method
IPC: B29D30/26
Filed: 1975-04-28
Abstract: 1472668 Building tyres GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO 28 April 1975 [24 May 1974] 17596/75 Heading B7C A tyre carcass C and a breaker 8, built with their respective axes horizontal, are positioned coaxially and with their axes vertical prior to the carcass being shaped and expanded into engagement with the breaker. As illustrated, the carcass C is built on a collapsible drum (30) (Fig. 1, not shown) and the breaker is built on the inner surface of a cylinder 50 (Fig. 20). When removed from the drum, the carcass is retained in its cylindrical form by inflatable tubes 41 and a plate 42 placed therein and is transported by a trolley 46 (Fig. 2), including a telescopic support 44 for plate 42, to a location where the carcass can be removed from the trolley by a crane 60. (As illustrated the crane has fingers which engage the inner surface of the upper bead. Alternatively the carcass may be grasped about its outer surface.) The tubes and plates are removed prior to the carcass being positioned with its axis coaxial with axis 100 of a vertically movable shaping drum 70. The drum 70 is moved upwardly into the carcass by cylinders (87) (Fig. 23, not shown) and is radially expanded, by an inert gas or air preferably air from which the oxygen has been removed and axially contracted, by movement of end rings 72, 73 together by cylinders (88) (Fig. 23, not shown) to grip the carcass. The crane is then released from the carcass and is moved to a location at which the cylinder 50 is positioned with its axis vertical. The cylinder is attached to the crane which transports the cylinder to a position coaxial with the carcass (which has been further radially expanded) in which the cylinder is supported by three support arms 126 (Fig. 12) adjusted as described below to ensure coincidence of the midcircumferential planes of the cylinder and carcass. After further radial expansion of the carcass into contact with the breaker, the cylinder is removed from the carcass breaker assembly to permit final shaping of the assembly accompanied by latching of end rings 72, 73 of the shaping drum 70 to define a closed chamber containing gas under pressure. After removal of pressure retaining dome 105 and a spider 107, and disconnection of ring 73 from platen 84, the assembly, and rings 72, 73 and sleeve 71 are removed by the crane, mounted on an arbor (140) (Fig. 15, not shown) and mounted on a trolley 160 which transports the assembly to a stitching station (Fig. 16), to a tread applicating apparatus, and to the stitching station again. At the stitching station the ends of the arbor are engaged by the ends of shafts of a head and a tail stock to lift the arbor by a small amount away from the trolley 160. Preferably the assembly is rotated at about one revolution per minute before the assembly is vulcanized in a mould. The moulded assembly is positioned on beams (182) (Fig. 17, not shown) and the drum 70 is reassembled and axially expanded (i.e. radially contracted) and moved vertically downwardly. The completed tyre can then be removed by the crane. The crane includes a boom 61 vertically movable by a chain and sprocket mechanism and carrying a post 61b which carries eight arms 64a each having a depending arm 65 slidable thereon in response to rotation of a cam plate 66. Fine vertical adjustment of the post 61b relative to the boom is achieved by a nut and screw mechanism 61d. The support arms 126 are each vertically adjustable by a manually operable screw mechanism (125a) (Fig. 24, not shown), and a position gauge (110) is fixed relative to each arm. The stand (121) supporting each arm may be movable radially of the drum axis 100. With the drum 70 raised, the gauges (110), e.g. light line projectors or pointers are adjusted into coplanar relation with the indicated plane 70a (Fig. 5). The carcass C, which has a line 35 (Fig. 21) at its mid circumferential plane, is, when coaxial with drum axis 100, lowered until line 35 is coincident with a reference plane 130 defined by the gauges. When the crane is released from the carcass, the latter may move with or relative to sleeve 71 of drum, and in this event the support arms 126 are adjusted to render the gauges coincident with line 35. Consequently the cylinder 50 when supported on the arms will have its mid-circumferential plane coincident with line 35.  Because the line 35 may alter its vertical position after the cylinder has been placed therearound due to further expansion, it is preferred to adhere gauge strips (S) (Fig. 11, not shown) on the carcass at the location of each support arm. Each strip has a zero mark at line 35 and has a mark for register with one of the upper and lower edges of the cylinder. The support arms are thus adjusted vertically to bring the one edge and marks into register. The cylinder 50 is formed from an elongate steel plate whose ends are locked together by turnbuckles. To increase the diameter of the cylinder an extension plate may be accommodated between the ends. Surfaces on the cylinder which engage surfaces of the support arms are coincident with the mid circumferential plane of the cylinder, although the former surfaces could be offset from that plane.