Patent ID: 8261800

Claim:
An apparatus for building a pneumatic tyre, comprising: a support drum conveniently shaped for supporting at least one carcass ply; at least one device for laying said at least one carcass ply on said support drum so as to form at least one projecting portion with respect to the support drum; at least one device for applying at least one annular reinforcing structure close to an inner radial edge of said support drum; at least one turning-up device comprising an annular continuous presser element in coaxial relationship with a central axis of said support drum and axially translatable along said axis and radially expandable relative to the axis of the support drum between a contracted position and an expanded position to turn up said projecting portion around one said annular reinforcing structure; and means for adjusting the contracted position of said annular continuous presser element depending on the size of the tyre to be manufactured, wherein said annular continuous presser element comprises a plurality of contact elements disposed along a circumference concentric to the central axis of said support drum, and wherein said plurality of contact elements comprises a first set of male rollers comprising two axially opposite ends, and a second set of female rollers comprising two axially opposite cavities, said male and female rollers being disposed in such a manner that each male roller is followed by a female roller, each end of a male roller being engaged in a cavity of a female roller thereby forming a closed loop.