Patent ID: 8105061

Claim:
A container mold exchanging apparatus for exchanging tread molds of a substantially cylindrical container, the container including an upper sidewall mold which molds a sidewall as one side of a tire, a lower sidewall mold which molds a sidewall as the other side of the tire, a plurality of tread molds which mold a tread of the tire, a top plate which is formed in a disk shape and to which the upper sidewall mold is fixed, a lower plate which is formed in a disk shape and to which the lower sidewall mold is fixed, a jacket which is substantially formed in a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of segments which are arranged in the inside of the jacket and to which the plurality of tread molds are respectively fixed, the container mold exchanging apparatus comprising: a container support body which supports the jacket of the container from which the lower sidewall mold is separated; a gripping mechanism which includes upper and lower gripping members and grips each tread mold so as to be interposed between the upper and lower gripping members in the vertical direction; first and second driving mechanisms which respectively elevate the upper and lower gripping members; a third driving mechanism which expands or contracts the upper and lower gripping members in the radial direction of the container; and a fourth driving mechanism which moves the gripping mechanism along the axis of the container relative to the container support body.