Tire building apparatus

Claim 2

A tire building machine including a rotatable tire building drum comprising a tubular elastic membrane including a cylindrical portion the outer surface of which forms a tire building surface, said cylindrical portion terminating in an opposed pair of radially fixed end portions each mounted for movement coaxially of the other, means for effecting movement of said end portions toward and away from each other, and a pair of separate circumferentially integral expandable members axially fixed relative to said end portions radially inwardly of said cylindrical portion and respectively in circumferentially extending contact therewith next said end portions, said members being expandable radially and biased relatively with respect to said end portions and cooperable with said end portions for effecting radial expansion and predetermined shaping of said cylindrical portion to develop a crown and a shoulder extending radially outwardly and axially inwardly from said end portions.

Claim 3

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said expandable member is annular and is disposed concentrically next to a respective fixed end within said membrane, each said member having a continuous membrane eNgaging surface extending about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 4

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said expandable member is an elastomeric inflatable bladder, and a rigid generally cylindrical member affixed to each of said end portions is disposed concentrically and radially inwardly of each bladder supporting the bladder and providing a rigid reaction surface against which the bladder acts during displacement thereof.

Claim 5

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 3, further comprising means anchoring each bladder near the next end of said cylindrical portion with the bladder extending a distance from the anchoring means toward the other bladder, whereby upon inflation each bladder will move in a direction radially and axially outwardly of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 6

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means mounting the ends of said membrane in fixed relation radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion associated with said means for movement toward and away from each other, at least said cylindrical portion of said membrane being inextensible in a direction axially thereof and being circumferentially expansible.

Claim 7

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said expandable member is annular and is disposed concentrically within said membrane and close to the respectively associated fixed end thereof, each said member having a continuous membrane engaging surface extending entirely about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 8

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein each said expansible member is an inflatable elastomeric bladder.

Claim 9

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means anchoring each bladder near the next fixed end of said cylindrical portion with the bladder extending a distance from the anchoring means toward the other bladder, whereby upon inflation each bladder will move in a direction radially and axially outwardly of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 10

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein each bladder has a fixed cross-sectional contour length, each bladder being expansible in a direction circumferentially about the axis of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 11

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a rigid generally cylindrical member disposed coaxially within each bladder and radially supporting the same, each said cylindrical member providing support for said cylindrical portion of said membrane when the respectively associated bladder is deflated and providing a reaction surface against which the bladder acts during inflation thereof.

Claim 12

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 10, in which each bladder when deflated has an overall width as measured in a direction axially of said cylindrical member which is much greater than the overall thickness of the bladder as measured radially of said cylindrical member, each bladder having a fixed cross-sectional contour length, each bladder being expansible in a direction circumferentially of said cylindrical member.

Claim 13

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 11, further comprising means anchoring each bladder near the next end of said cylindrical portion with the bladder extending a distance from the anchoring means toward the other bladder, whereby upon inflation each bladder will move in a direction radially and axially outwardly of said cylindrical portion.

Claim 14

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein each bladder is cylindrical in its uninflated condition, and means disposed next to the ends of said cylindrical portion of said membrane for anchoring the bladders radially with respect to said cylindrical members.

Claim 15

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means mounting each cylindrical member and the bladder respectively associated therewith and the next end of said cylindrical portion of said membrane for simultaneous moVement coaxially toward and away from the other end of said membrane.

Claim 16

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 14, in which said membrane is inextensible in a direction axially thereof and is expansible circumferentially thereof, each bladder being inextensible in a direction axially of said membrane and being expansible in a direction circumferentially of the membrane.

Claim 17

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein each bladder when deflated has a first extended cylindrical portion coaxially engaged with and within said membrane with one end thereof being disposed near the next end of said cylindrical portion of said membrane, said first cylindrical portion of said bladder terminating at the other end thereof in one end of a bight portion the other end of which terminates at one end of a reentrant second cylindrical portion engaging coaxially with and within said first cylindrical portion of said bladder, and means anchoring said one end of said first cylindrical portion of said bladder axially relative to the respectively associated fixed end of said membrane and the other end of said second cylindrical portion thereof radially with respect to the respectively associated cylindrical member and both ends continuously about the circumference of said cylindrical member.

Claim 18

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said one end of said first cylindrical portion of said bladder and the other end of said second cylindrical portion thereof are spaced apart axially of the respectively associated cylindrical member a distance less than one-fourth of the cross-sectional contour length of said bladder.

Claim 19

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for introducing pressurized fluid within said membrane during movement of the ends of said cylindrical portion of said membrane toward each other to radially expand the membrane from a generally cylindrical first condition of a first diameter to a generally cylindrical second condition of a larger diameter than said first condition.

Claim 20

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pair of radially expandable members are spaced apart on opposite sides of the central portion of said membrane, and means engageable with the interior surface of said central portion of said membrane while the membrane is in an unexpanded cylindrical state, the last mentioned means including a plurality of rigid segments having parti-cylindrical outer surfaces, and means mounting said segments for limited movement radially of said membrane and into and out of supporting engagement with the central portion of said membrane.

Claim 21

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a bead setting device movable into coaxial nearby relation with each end portion of said membrane, said membrane being radially expandable from a first generally cylindrical condition to a second generally cylindrical condition of greater diameter than said first condition, means mounting the ends of said cylindrical portion of said membrane for movement toward and away from each other, and drive means for moving the bead setting devices in timed relation with movement of the ends of said cylindrical portion toward each other and while said membrane is being expanded from said first condition to said second condition.

Claim 22

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a ply turn-up bladder operatively associated with and positioned outwardly of and adjacent an end of said membrane, a pressing member movable to and from a position remote from said drum and into cooperative engagement with the turn-up bladder to urge the same axially inwardly toward said membrane and freely away therefrom, a shaft extending coaxially of said membrane, and air-actuated lock means for releasably connecting the pressing member and said shaft whereby force exerted axially between said turn-up bladder and said pressing member is opposed by the force exerted axially between said lock means and said shaft.

Claim 23

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 21, wherein said air-actuated lock means includes a plurality of levers pivotally mounted for limited movement about axes fixed relative to said pressing member, said levers having hooks engageable with means comprising an annular groove formed in said shaft, and actuating means movable coaxially of said shaft in a first direction to engage a first portion of said levers to cause said levers to move pivotally into engagement with said annular groove and in the second direction to engage a second portion of said levers to cause the same to move out of engagement with said groove.

Claim 24

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 5, further comprising means for introducing pressurized fluid within said membrane during expansion of said radially expandable means, said membrane being expandable from a generally cylindrical first condition to a generally cylindrical second condition of at least 6 inches larger diameter than said first condition, said radially expandable means providing said membrane in said second condition thereof with a pair of annular axially outwardly facing surfaces at the end portions thereof.

Claim 25

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a generally cylindrical and radially expandable building sleeve the outer surface of which forms a tire building surface, the axially outward terminal ends of said sleeve being fixed radially and movable axially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, circumferentially integral first means separably disposed inwardly of the innermost surface of said sleeve between and respectively associated with said ends, for rollably engaging and exerting radially and axially outwardly directed forces on said innermost surface over two portions thereof spaced apart on opposite sides of the central portion of the sleeve to expand said two portions of the sleeve to provide an extended cylindrical central portion and an opposing pair of annular radially extending and axially outwardly facing shoulder surfaces at the ends of the expanded sleeve, and second means for exerting over the interior of the central portion of the sleeve and between said two portions thereof a radially directed force of lesser magnitude than the forces exerted by said first means.

Claim 26

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a generally cylindrical and radially expandable building sleeve the outer surface of which forms a tire building surface, the axially outward terminal ends of said sleeve being fixed radially and movable axially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve, circumferentially integral first means separably disposed inwardly of the innermost surface of said sleeve between and respectively associated with said ends, for rollably engaging and exerting radially and axially outwardly directed forces on said innermost surface over two portions thereof spaced apart on opposite sides of the central portion of the sleeve to expand said two portions of the sleeve to provide an extended cylindrical central portion and an opposing pair of annular radially extending and axially outwardly facing shoulder surfaces at the ends of the expanded sleeve, and second means for exerting over the interior of the central portion of the sleeve and between said two portions thereof a radially directed force of lesser magnitude than the forces exerted by said first means.

Claim 27

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 24, further comprising means for moving the ends of said sleeve toward and away from each other, said first means comprising an annular radially expansible member disposed concentrically within said sleeve next to each end thereof, each said member having a continuous sleeve engaging surface extending along and about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve.

Claim 28

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 25, wherein each said expansible member is an elastomeric inflatable bladder.

Claim 29

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 26, further comprising a rigid cylindrical member disposed coaxially within each inflatable bladder and supporting the same radially of the said axis and providing a reaction surface against which the bladder acts during the expansion thereof, means anchoring each bladder relative to its respectively associated cylindrical member and the next end of said sleeve, each bladder extending from its anchoring means a distance toward the opposite end of the sleeve, whereby upon inflation the bladder will be expanded radially outwardly of said axis and will tend to move axially outwardly relative to the next end of said sleeve.

Claim 30

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 27, wherein said sleeve is inextensible in a direction axially thereof and is extensible circumferentially thereof, each bladder being inextensible in the direction of said axis and being extensible in a direction circumferentially of said sleeve.

Claim 31

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a flexible cylindrical building sleeve the axial ends of which are fixed radially with respect to the drum axis and tHe outer surface of which forms a tire building surface, a pair of coaxially arranged rigid cylindrical tubular members received within the opposite end portions respectively of said building sleeve, said cylindrical members being of equal outer diameter and being spaced apart axially of said sleeve, said cylindrical members each providing a rigid outer cylindrical surface for the radial support of said building sleeve, means mounting said cylindrical members for movement toward and away from each other between a first position wherein said members are spaced apart axially of said sleeve and a second position wherein said members are disposed closer to each other, and central support means within said sleeve for providing rigid radial support of the central portion of said sleeve at a radial height equal to the radial height of the portions of said sleeve overlying said rigid cylindrical tubular member disposed between said cylindrical members when said cylindrical members are in said first position, said central support means being retractable independently of the movement of said members and radially inwardly of said sleeve to permit movement of said cylindrical members from said first position to said second position.

Claim 32

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a flexible cylindrical building sleeve the axial ends of which are fixed radially with respect to the drum axis and tHe outer surface of which forms a tire building surface, a pair of coaxially arranged rigid cylindrical tubular members received within the opposite end portions respectively of said building sleeve, said cylindrical members being of equal outer diameter and being spaced apart axially of said sleeve, said cylindrical members each providing a rigid outer cylindrical surface for the radial support of said building sleeve, means mounting said cylindrical members for movement toward and away from each other between a first position wherein said members are spaced apart axially of said sleeve and a second position wherein said members are disposed closer to each other, and central support means within said sleeve for providing rigid radial support of the central portion of said sleeve at a radial height equal to the radial height of the portions of said sleeve overlying said rigid cylindrical tubular member disposed between said cylindrical members when said cylindrical members are in said first position, said central support means being retractable independently of the movement of said members and radially inwardly of said sleeve to permit movement of said cylindrical members from said first position to said second position.

Claim 33

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein said central support means includes a plurality of segments having arcuate sleeve engaging surfaces disposed coaxially within said sleeve, and means mounting said segments for movement radially relative to said sleeve between a first outer position and a second inner position, said cylindrical members being arranged telescopically over said segment when said cylindrical members and said segments are in a second position thereof.

Claim 34

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 30, wherein said segments have axially facing end portions engageable with means mounted for movement with said cylindrical members to limit the movement of said cylindrical members toward each other.

Claim 35

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a shaft extending coaxially of said building sleeve, said means mounting said cylindrical members comprising a pair of tubular members disposed coaxially over said shaft and each terminating at its axially inner end in a radially outwardly extending web means the outer end of which terminates in one of said cylindrical members, said central support means comprising means carried by said shaft and providing a plurality of cylinders spaced about and extending radially of the shaft axis, a plurality of pistons respectively within said plurality of said cylinders and a plurality of segments respectively associated with and mounted for movement with said pistons, said pistons being movable radially outwardly to locate said segments in a first position, each segment having an outer parti-cylindrical surface having a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the cylindrical surfaces provided by said cylindrical members, said outer surface of each segment being aligned with said cylindrical surfaces in said first position of said segment, said pistons being movable radially inwardly of said shaft to locate said segments in a second position wherein said segments are spaced radially inwardly of said cylindrical members.

Claim 36

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a flexible cylindrical building sleeve the axial ends of which are fixed radially with respect to the drum axis and the outer surface of which forms a tire building surface wherein said building sleeve includes a cylindrical portion the ends of which terminate in portions extending radially inwardly toward the axis of said shaft, a pair of bladders disposed within said cylindrical portion of said sleeve and respectively adjacent the opposite ends of said cylindrical portion, each bladder comprising a first cylindrical portion disposed coaxially of said sleeve and terminating at one end in a portion extending radially inwardly of the shaft axis along side the next adjacent rAdially inwardly extending portion of said sleeve, means fixed with respect to the next adjacent one of said web means for clamping the next adjacent radially inwardly extending portions of said bladder and sleeve relative to each other and said one of said web means, said first cylindrical portion of said bladder terminating at the other end thereof in a bight portion connecting to a second reentrant cylindrical portion of said bladder disposed coaxially within said first cylindrical portion of said bladder and engaged coaxially over the respectively associated cylindrical member, the axially outer end of said reentrant cylindrical portion being anchored to said cylindrical member in axially spaced relation to the radially inwardly extending portion of said bladder.

Claim 37

A tire building machine including a tire building drum comprising a flexible cylindrical building sleeve the axial ends of which are fixed radially with respect to the drum axis and the outer surface of which forms a tire building surface wherein said building sleeve includes a cylindrical portion the ends of which terminate in portions extending radially inwardly toward the axis of said shaft, a pair of bladders disposed within said cylindrical portion of said sleeve and respectively adjacent the opposite ends of said cylindrical portion, each bladder comprising a first cylindrical portion disposed coaxially of said sleeve and terminating at one end in a portion extending radially inwardly of the shaft axis along side the next adjacent rAdially inwardly extending portion of said sleeve, means fixed with respect to the next adjacent one of said web means for clamping the next adjacent radially inwardly extending portions of said bladder and sleeve relative to each other and said one of said web means, said first cylindrical portion of said bladder terminating at the other end thereof in a bight portion connecting to a second reentrant cylindrical portion of said bladder disposed coaxially within said first cylindrical portion of said bladder and engaged coaxially over the respectively associated cylindrical member, the axially outer end of said reentrant cylindrical portion being anchored to said cylindrical member in axially spaced relation to the radially inwardly extending portion of said bladder.

Claim 38

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein each of said segments has end portions engageable with said web means when said segments are in said second position thereof to limit movement of said cylindrical members toward each other, and means releaseably connecting said segments to said pistons to permit interchangeability of said segments with segments of different lengths as measured parallel to said shaft axis.

Claim 39

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 33, wherein said building sleeve is reinforced so as to be inextensible in a direction parallel to said shaft axis, said building sleeve being expansible in a direction circumferentially thereof, each of said bladders being reinforced so as to be inextensible in a direction parallel to said shaft axis and being expansible in a direction circumferentially about said axis.

Claim 40

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 35, further comprising a pair of auxiliary drums disposed coaxially of said shaft and axially outwardly of the opposite ends respectively of said building sleeve, and a pair of turn-up bladders respectively mounted on said pair of auxiliary drums.

Claim 41

A tire building machine as claimed in claim 36, further comprising fluid pressure sealing means between said tubular sleeves and said shaft whereby said sleeves and shaft in part provide a sealed chamber, means for introducing pressurized fluid within said chamber, and means for introducing pressurized fluid within each bladder disposed within said building sleeve.