Tire building former having cylindrical and toroidal configurations

Claim 2

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the lateral segments in each set of segments are freely mounted for pivotal movement about the central segment, adjustable limit stops being provided to limit the axially inward degree of such pivotal movement of the lateral segments.

Claim 3

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a plurality of cover plates are secured to the radially outer surfaces of some at least of the lateral and central segments to provide a substantially continuous peripheral surface circumferentially of the former.

Claim 4

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein an annular elastic diaphragm is secured to the segments radially outwardly of said cover plates to provide a continuous circumferential surface extending axially across the full overall width of each set of segments.

Claim 5

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said operating means is operably connected to the central segments of each set.

Claim 6

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said operating means comprises a pair of cooperating links associated with each set of segments, an axially inner end of each link being secured to the central segment and an axially outer end of each link being mounted for movement axially of the former and the links being so arranged that axial movement of the axially outer ends thereof produces a substantially radial movement of the axially inner ends.

Claim 7

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the axially outer end of each link is pivotally connected to a nut engaged upon a common screw-threaded shaft provided with two screw-threaded portions, the pitches of each of which are equal but are in an opposed sense whereby rotation of the shaft causes symmetrical axial movement of the nuts along the shaft either towards or away from one another.

Claim 8

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the axially inner ends of each pair of links are formed with a plurality of cooperating gear teeth set along an arcuate path of each link.

Claim 9

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a plurality of support flanges are provided arranged in circumferentially spaced-apart relationship adjacent the axially outer ends of the lateral segments, said flanges being movable radially inwardly and outwardly relative to the central longitudinal axis of the former.

Claim 10

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said flanges are detachably mounted upon a plurality of associated support bars extending axially of the former, one such flange being mounted adjacent each end of each associated bar.

Claim 11

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein an annular elastic diaphragm is secured around the radially outer peripheral surfaces of said flanges at each end of the former to urge the flanges radially inwardly.

Claim 12

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein inflatable means are provided to act upon the support bars to move them in a radially outward direction.

Claim 13

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein said inflatable means comprises an annular inflatable chamber located adjacent each end of the support bars radially inwardly thereof.

Claim 14

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the support bars are engageable with the operating links whereby radially outward movement of the support bars assists, at least partially, in the radially outward movement of the axially inner ends of the links.

Claim 15

Tire-building apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein stops are provided to limit the degree of radially outward movement of the support bars.