Semiautomatic liner inserting machine and method

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A LINER TO A TIRE CARCASS COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL DRUM OVER WHICH THE LINER AND THE CARCASS ARE ADAPTED TO BE PLACED WITH THE CARCASS SURROUNDING THE LINER, MEANS SPACED RADIALLY FROM SAID DRUM FOR SUPPORTING THE CARCASS, MEANS INCLUDING SAID DRUM FOR FORCING THE LINER RADIALLY OUTWARDLY AGAINST THE CARCASS TO ADHERE THE LINER TO THE CARCASS, AND MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT AN END OF SAID DRUM AND MOVABLE GENERALLY AXIALLY THEREOF AND HAVING AN ANNULAR CUTTING EDGE MOVABLE OVER THE LINER TO SURROUND THE LINER, SAID DRUM BEING INFLATABLE IN THE REGION OF SAID CUTTING EDGE TO FORCE THE LINER AGAINST SAID CUTTING EDGE TO CUT THE EXCESS PORTION OF THE LINER. 4.THE METHOD OF APPLYING A LINER TO A TIRE CARCASS COMPRISING APPLYING A LINER OVER AN INFLATABLE DRUM, INFLATING THE DRUM TO PRESS THE LINER AGAINST THE INNER WALL OF A TIRE CARCASS AND AGAINST A CUTTING MEMBER TO TRIM THE EXCESS PROTION OF THE LINER AND TO ADHERE THE EXCESS PORTION OF THE LINER TO THE CUTTING MEMBER, REMOVING THE CUTTING MEMBER WITH THE EXCESS PORTION OF THE LINER ADHERENT THERETO, AND FURTHER INFLATING THE DRUM TO PRESS THE LINER AGAINST THE BEAD PORTION OF THE TIRE CARCASS.