Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said tire bead setting means comprises a plurality of bead segment members disposed circumferentially outwardly of said end assemblies having inner ends for holding tire beads in concentric spaced relation with and against said tire bead shoulders.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which said end assemblies include inflatable bag means supporting opposite end portions of said tire carcass material, and in which said inflatable bag turnup means upon initial admission of fluid under pressure therein radially displace the carcass material thereon around a major portion of said tire beads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in which said bead segment members are pivotally mounted at their outer ends, and characterized by said inflatable bag turnup means upon further admission of fluid under pressure therein effecting pivoting of said bead segment members about their pivot axes to move the inner ends thereof outwardly away from said tire beads, and means for moving said bead segment members axially toward each other to bias said inflatable bag turnup means to turn up the ends of said carcass material thereon to encase said tire beads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said tire bead shoulder forming means comprise a plurality of shoulder members supported circumferentially upon said end frames, and bead shoulder inflatable bag means adapted upon admission of fluid under pressure therein to outwardly displace said shoulder members to form the tire bead shoulders in the carcass material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means for axially adjusting the positions of said end frames with respect to each other for positioning said tire bead shoulder forming means in predetermined axially spaced-apart relation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 6 in which said end frames comprise annular supporting portions extending axially inwardly away from said tire bead shoulder forming means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 7 comprising gap shield frame means disposed between said end frames and said intermediate assembly, and gap shield means carried by said gap shield frame means together with said annular supporting portions of said end frames defining, in part, said cylindrical supporting surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 8 comprising means for effecting axial movement of said gap shield frame means between said intermediate assembly and said end frames.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which said intermediate assembly comprises a plurality of circumferentially arranged intermediate sections each of which comprise a plurality of said intermediate supporting members disposed in spaced-apart side-by-side relation with the intermediate supporting members of said intermediate sections being disposed in the spaces between the intermediate supporting members of adjacent intermediate sections.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 10 comprising rotatable drive shaft means, screw means connected to each of said intermediate sections, and gear means between said drive shaft means and said screw means for effecting radial inward and outward movement of said intermediate sections, respectively, by rotation of said drive shaft means in opposite directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 10 comprising means for detachably associating at least one of said intermediate supporting members for each of said intermediate sections to adjust the width of said intermediate assembly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
The apparatus of claim 1 comprising gap shield frame means mounted for movement between said end frames and said intermediate assembly, gap shield means carried by said gap shield frame means having the outer periphery thereof lying substantially in said cylindrical supporting surface, and gap shield moVing means between said intermediate assembly and said gap shield frame means for moving the latter axially away from said intermediate assembly upon movement of said intermediate supporting members from their inner end position to their outer end positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 13 comprising spring means for biasing said gap shield frame means towards said intermediate assembly.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 13 in which said gap shield moving means includes means for permitting movement of said gap shield frame toward said intermediate assembly by said spring means at a predetermined position of said intermediate supporting members outwardly of the inner end positions of the latter.