Patent ID: 7740788

Claim:
A method of correcting the shape of a green tire, said method comprising the steps of: placing the green tire on a green tire support table, provided with a lower tire bead correcting unit attached thereon, at a predetermined position in horizontal attitude so as to surround the lower tire bead correcting unit; engaging a plurality of radially movable pressing members included in the lower tire bead correcting unit and arranged on a circle coaxial with the lower tire bead correcting unit with a lower tire bead of the green tire placed on the green tire support table; inserting an upper tire bead correcting unit inside an upper tire bead of the green tire placed on the green tire support table; engaging a plurality of radially movable pressing members included in the upper tire bead correcting unit and arranged on a circle coaxial with the upper tire bead correcting unit with the upper tire bead of the green tire placed on the green tire support table; moving the plurality of pressing members included in the lower tire bead correcting unit radially outward to shape the lower tire bead into a completely round shape of a predetermined diameter while the green tire is supported on the green tire support table; moving the plurality of pressing members included in the upper tire bead correcting unit radially outward to shape the upper tire bead into a completely round shape of a predetermined diameter; and vertically moving at least either of the lower and the upper tire bead correcting unit relative to the other to adjust an axial distance between the upper and the lower tire bead to a predetermined axial bead spacing.