Patent GB-757674-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to tire finishing machine and method
IPC: B29B17/02
Filed: 1954-09-24
Abstract: 757,674. Finishing tyres. GOODRICH CO., B. F. Sept. 24, 1954 [Oct. 1, 1953], No. 27642/54. Class 60 . A method for finishing the side wall 12, Fig. 2, and curb rib 13 of a tyre 11 comprises the steps of simultaneously abrading away an outer layer of the curb rib and brushing the sidewall and curb rib while the tyre is inflated and rotating, and stopping abrasion of the curb rib while continuing to brush the sidewall and abraded curb rib whereby more material is removed from the curb rib than from the sidewall but both have substantially the same final finish. The tyre is inflated through pipes 30, 31, 32 to a pressure of 30 p.s.i. and is mounted on a low flange rim 29 rotated at 35 r.p.m. by an electric motor 55, a speed reducer 56, belt drives 60, 63, a pulley 62 and a shaft 25. The connection between the last two members permits the shaft 25 to be displaced axially by a pneumatic cylinder 70 and a yoke 73 to move the tyre 11 towards or away from a pair of brushes 15, 15<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 3, and an abrasive belt 16. The brushes 15, 15<SP>1</SP> are provided with Tampico fibres. have a diameter of 14 inches and a width of 4 inches and are rotated at 1800 r.p.m. by motors 130. 130<SP>1</SP> each of which is mounted on a compound slide 125, 123 supported by a base member 120 having a post 113 arranged for angular adjustment in a clamping sleeve 112 supported from the frame 110 of the machine. Brush 15 cleans the radially inner zone of the sidewall 12 while the brush 15<SP>1</SP> cleans the radially outer zone, the axis of each brush being adjusted to lie parallel to the chord of the section being treated so that the variation in the radial deflection of the brush fibres is reduced to a minimum and the cleaning is accomplished by the tips of the fibres. The belt 16 is 3 inches wide and may be laterally offset by, say, 2¢ inches with respect to the tyre axis so that wear is distributed. It is driven by an electric motor 80 and passes over a tensioning roller 97 loaded by a pneumatic cylinder 100 and a back-up roller 93 which may be vertically adjusted by a screw 102. The rollers and the motor are supported on a carriage which may be moved towards or away from the tyre by a pneumatic cylinber 81, an adjustable stop 83a limiting the movement towards the tyre. Automatic operation. A foot switch 223, Fig. 5, is depressed and held closed by a latch 261 to rotate a solenoid-actuated valve 225 and allow air to flow from a source 250 through two reducing valves 251, 254 to the pipe 32 to inflate the tyre. A second foot switch 226 is then depressed, and, providing a safety switch P is closed by the tyre reaching its full inflation pressure, a timer T1 is energized to close a switch 229 for the time necessary to clean the tyre sidewall after the brush and belt motors have reached operating speed. The switch 229 closes a circuit 230 to energize a solenoidactuated switch 210 to start the tyrerotating motor 55, shift a valve 236 to cause the cylinder 70 to bring the tyre into contact with the brushes, and energize a second timer T11 which closes a switch 239 for a predetermined interval. This switch controls a valve 246 for the cylinder 81 and thus causes the belt 16 to be held in contact with the tyre for the period controlled by the second timer. A switch 238 allows the cylinder 81 to be controlled by the timer T1, or, alternatively to remain idle so that only the brushes 15, 15<SP>1</SP> are operative. The motors 80, 130 and 130' are controlled by solenoidactuated switches 207. 208 and 209 which are in turn controlled by start and stop switches 215 and 216.