Tire contouring lathe

Claim 1

A TIRE CONTOURING LATHE COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A TIRE HAVING A TRANSVERSE ARC, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE TIRE, A CARRIER ROD MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL AND AXIAL DISPLACEMENTS, A TOOL CARRIER NON-ROTATABLY SECURED TO THE CARRIER ROD, THE TOOL CARRIER BEING WEIGHTED TO PRODUCE A GRAVITATIONAL ROTARY TURNING MOMENT OF THE CARRIER AND THE CARRIER ROD IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TIRE, A ROTATABLE DISC POSITIONED ON THE TOOL CARRIER FOR CUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TIRE, A FEED SCREW, A SOURCE OF MOTIVE POWER COUPLED TO THE FEED SCREW FOR ROTATION OF THE FEED SCREW, MEANS ENGAGING THE CARRIER ROD AND THE FEED SCREW TO PRODUCE AXIAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE CARRIER ROD RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF THE FEED SCREW, AN ARCUATE CAM CONTOURED TO THE SHAPE OF THE TRANSVERSE ARC OF THE TIRE, MEANS FOR VARYING THE ARCUATE SHAPE OF THE CAM, A BAR CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE TOOL CARRIER, A CAM FOLLOWER JOINED TO THE OTHER END OF THE BAR, THE CAM FOLLOWER BEING POSITIONED ON THE BAR TO MOVE ALONG THE CONTOUR OF THE CAM AND TO PRODUCE BY A ROTARY TURNING MOMENT OPPOSITE TO THE GRAVITATIONAL TURNING MOMENT OF THE TOOL CARRIER A CURVILINEAR DISPLACEMENT OF THE TOOL CARRIER SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH AXIAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE CARRIER ROD, AND MEANS JOINED TO THE TOOL CARRIER FOR ENGAGING THE FEED SCREW TO STOP TURNING OF THE TOOL CARRIER AND CARRIER ROD WHEN THE CAM FOLLOWER IS MOVED TO THE END OF THE CAM, THEREBY LIMITING FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THE TOOL CARRIER TO LINEAR AXIAL DISPLACEMENT.