Tire curing press and loader therefor

Claim 1

A CARCASS LOADER FOR A TIRE CURING PRESS OF THE TYPE HAVING A STATIONARY MOLD SECTION, A MOVABLE MOLD SECTION ARRANGED FOR MOVEMENT AWAY FROM AND THEN LATERALLY OF SAID STATIONARY MOLD SECTION, AND A FORMING BLADDER IN SAID STATIONARY MOLD SECTION SAID LOADER COMPRISING A CARCASS HOLDER AND A VERTICALLY EXTENDING HOLDER GUIDE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SUCH PRESS, MEANS OPERATIVE TO MOVE SAID HOLDER VERTICALLY ALONG SAID GUIDE TO AND FROM A CARCASS RECEIVING POSITION, MEANS OPERATIVE LATERALLY TO SHIFT SAID GUIDE AND THUS SAID HOLDER VERTICALLY TO ALIGN SAID HOLDER WITH SUCH STATIONARY MOLD SECTION WHEREUPON FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAID HOLDER ALONG SAID GUIDE WILL PLACE SUCH CARCASS ON SUCH STATIONARY MOLD SECTION PREPARATORY TO SHAPING AND CURING SUCH CARCASS WHEN SUCH PRESS IS CLOSED, SAID HOLDER COMPRISING RADIALLY MOVABLE CHUCK SEGMENTS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE BENEATH THE UPPER BEAD OF SUCH CARCASS, A FIXED SUBSTANTIALLY ANNULAR PLATE SUBJACENT SAID SEGMENTS, AND A CENTRAL PROTUBERANCE ON SAID PLATE, SAID PLATE AND PROTUBERANCE COOPERATING WITH SUCH BLADDER WHILE SAID SEGMENTS HOLD SUCH CARCASS ON SUCH STATIONARY MOLD SECTION.