Patent ID: 7833374

Claim:
A method of building an uncured tire assembly onto a toroidally expanded building drum core, the method comprising the steps of: forming a toroidally shaped uncured tire carcass by applying the carcass components onto a cover of the toroidally expanded building drum core at a first diameter D 1 , the first diameter D 1 of the cover dimensioned less than a final inner diameter of the tire carcass while rigidly supporting the sides of the cover with a pair of internal side support mechanisms; expanding the cover radially into an expanded cover by an amount less than five (5) percent greater than the diameter D 1 ; and subsequent to expanding the cover radially by an amount less than five (5) percent greater than the diameter D 1 , applying a belt reinforcing structure or a tread and belt reinforcing structure onto the carcass component on the expanded cover to form an uncured tire assembly.