Patent ID: 7320580

Claim:
A tire press, comprising: a lower mold supported by a bottom plate; an upper mold supported by a top plate; the lower and upper molds being adapted for relative vertical movement; at least one guide rod for guiding vertical movement between the upper and lower molds; at least one locking mechanism connected to one of the top and bottom plates and having a split lock ring and a locking cylinder, the split lock ring including first and second ring arms connected for pivotal relative movement about a hinge joint, and the locking cylinder being adapted to pivot at least one of the first and second ring arms about the hinge joint to open and close the split lock ring; and at least one lock rod for holding the upper mold in engagement with the lower mold, each of the lock rods being separate from each of the guide rods, each lock rod having a first lock rod end connected to one of the top and bottom plates and a second lock rod end spaced longitudinally from the first lock rod end and adapted for clamping engagement with a respective one of the split lock rings.