Breaker-tread assembly transfer ring size changing mechanism

Claim 2

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: support means; annular cam means mounted on said support means for relative rotation therebetween; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coupled to said cam means and slidably mounted on said support means in a circular arrangement having a central axis, each of said segments being constrained to radially inward and outward movements relative to said central axis in response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam means and said support means and having respective radially inwardly directed surfaces for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assembly; drive means interconnected between said support means and said cam means for effecting said relative rotation between said cam means and said support means; and adjustable control means coupled between said support means and said cam means for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments.

Claim 3

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: support means; annular cam means mounted on said support means for relative rotation therebetween; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coupled to said cam means and slidably mounted on said support means in a circular arrangement having a central axis, each of said segments being constrained to radially inward and outward movements relative to said central axis in response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam means and said support means and having respective radially inwardly directed surfaces for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assemblY; drive means interconnected between said support means and said cam means for effecting said relative rotation between said cam means and said support means; and adjustable control means coupled between said support means and said cam means for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments; said control means comprising: a tongue rigidly connected to said cam means for movement therewith, said tongue extending through an arcuate slot formed in said support means; arresting means movably carried by said support means in alignment with said tongue and adapted to be positioned at a selected point along at least a portion of the length of said arcuate slot; and placement means coupled to said arresting means for positioning said arresting means a selected distance from said tongue.

Claim 4

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: support means; annular cam means mounted on said support means for relative rotation therebetween; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coupled to said cam means and slidably mounted on said support means in a circular arrangement having a central axis, each of said segments being constrained to radially inward and outward movements relative to said central axis in response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam means and said support means and having respective radially inwardly directed surfaces for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assemblY; drive means interconnected between said support means and said cam means for effecting said relative rotation between said cam means and said support means; and adjustable control means coupled between said support means and said cam means for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments; said control means comprising: a tongue rigidly connected to said cam means for movement therewith, said tongue extending through an arcuate slot formed in said support means; arresting means movably carried by said support means in alignment with said tongue and adapted to be positioned at a selected point along at least a portion of the length of said arcuate slot; and placement means coupled to said arresting means for positioning said arresting means a selected distance from said tongue.

Claim 5

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 2 wherein said arresting means includes a blocking bracket; wherein said placement means includes a screw rotatably mounted on said support member and in threaded engagement with said bracket for reciprocatingly moving said bracket in response to rotation of said screw; and wherein said control means further includes indicia means responsive to the rotation of said screw for indicating the diameter of the breaker-tread assembly for which the transfer ring is set.

Claim 6

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence about said cam means, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; and a plurality of cam followers, one connected to each of said segments and in sliding engagement with one of said races, for moving said segments in said radial direction in response to said relative rotation.

Claim 7

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 4 further comprising: a plurality of guide recesses formed in said support means; and a plurality of guide means connected to said segments and radially movably positioned in said recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radial movement relative to said central axis.

Claim 8

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises: a power cylinder pivotally coupled to one or the other of said support means and said cam means; a piston maintained within said cylinder; and a piston rod connected to said piston pivotally coupled to the remaining one of said support means and said cam means.

Claim 9

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 1 wherein each of said segments comprises: a substantially tee shaped member having an arcuate base; and a plurality of prongs extending radially inwardly from said base adapted to securely grip said breaker-tread assembly.

Claim 10

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a breaker building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: a front ring disposed about a central axis having a pair of annular flanges at the inner and outer peripheries thereof thereby forming a recess between said flanges, a cam ring supported in said recess for relative rotation between said front ring and said cam ring, the latter having a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence thereabout, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; a back ring maintained in fixed spaced relation with said front ring, said back ring having a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced, guide recesses formed therein; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coUpled to said cam ring and slidably mounted on said back ring in a circular arrangement about said central axis, each of said segments including a cam follower in engagement with one of said races for moving said segments in a response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam ring and said front ring and having a radially inward directed surface for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assembly; a plurality of guide means coupled to said segments and slideably positioned in said guide recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radially inward and outward movement relative to said central axis; drive means interconnected between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for effecting said relative rotation between said cam ring and said front and back rings; and adjustable control means coupled between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments.

Claim 11

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a breaker building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: a front ring disposed about a central axis having a pair of annular flanges at the inner and outer peripheries thereof thereby forming a recess between said flanges, a cam ring supported in said recess for relative rotation between said front ring and said cam ring, the latter having a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence thereabout, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; a back ring maintained in fixed spaced relation with said front ring, said back ring having a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced, guide recesses formed therein; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coUpled to said cam ring and slidably mounted on said back ring in a circular arrangement about said central axis, each of said segments including a cam follower in engagement with one of said races for moving said segments in a response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam ring and said front ring and having a radially inward directed surface for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assembly; a plurality of guide means coupled to said segments and slideably positioned in said guide recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radially inward and outward movement relative to said central axis; drive means interconnected between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for effecting said relative rotation between said cam ring and said front and back rings; and adjustable control means coupled between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments.

Claim 12

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a breaker building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: a front ring disposed about a central axis having a pair of annular flanges at the inner and outer peripheries thereof thereby forming a recess between said flanges, a cam ring supported in said recess for relative rotation between said front ring and said cam ring, the latter having a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence thereabout, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; a back ring maintained in fixed spaced relation with said front ring, said back ring having a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced, guide recesses formed therein; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coupled to said cam ring and slidably mounted on said back ring in a circular arrangement about said central axis, each of said segments including a cam follower in engagement with one of said races for moving said segments in response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam ring and said front ring and having a radially inward directed surface for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assembly; a plurality of guide means coupled to said segments and slideably positioned in said guide recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radially inward and outward movement relative to said central axis; drive means interconnected between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for effecting said relative rotation between said cam ring and said front and back rings; and adjustable control means coupled between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments; said control means comprising: a tongue rigidly connected to said cam ring for movement therewith, said tongue extending through an arcuate slot formed in said front ring; arresting means movably carried by said front ring in alignment with said tongue and adapted to be positioned at a selected point along at least a portion of the length of said arcuate slot; and placement means coupled to said arresting means for positioning said arresting means a selected distance from said tongue.

Claim 13

An expansible and contractible transfer ring for conveying a breaker-tread assembly from a breaker building drum in a tire building machine to a tire carcass mounted on a tire shaping mechanism spaced apart from said drum, said transfer ring comprising: a front ring disposed about a central axis having a pair of annular flanges at the inner and outer peripheries thereof thereby forming a recess between said flanges, a cam ring supported in said recess for relative rotation between said front ring and said cam ring, the latter having a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence thereabout, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; a back ring maintained in fixed spaced relation with said front ring, said back ring having a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced, guide recesses formed therein; a plurality of arcuate ring segments coupled to said cam ring and slidably mounted on said back ring in a circular arrangement about said central axis, each of said segments including a cam follower in engagement with one of said races for moving said segments in response to corresponding relative rotational movements between said cam ring and said front ring and having a radially inward directed surface for engagement with the outer surface of a tread constituting a part of a breaker-tread assembly; a plurality of guide means coupled to said segments and slideably positioned in said guide recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radially inward and outward movement relative to said central axis; drive means interconnected between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for effecting said relative rotation between said cam ring and said front and back rings; and adjustable control means coupled between said cam ring and one or the other of said front ring and back ring for adjustably limiting the extent of said relative rotation and of the resultant radial movements of said segments; said control means comprising: a tongue rigidly connected to said cam ring for movement therewith, said tongue extending through an arcuate slot formed in said front ring; arresting means movably carried by said front ring in alignment with said tongue and adapted to be positioned at a selected point along at least a portion of the length of said arcuate slot; and placement means coupled to said arresting means for positioning said arresting means a selected distance from said tongue.

Claim 14

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 9 wherein said arresting means includes a blocking bracket; wherein said placement means includes a screw rotatably mounted on said support member and in threaded engagement with said bracket for reciprocatinglY moving said bracket in response to rotation of said screw; and wherein said control means further includes indicia means responsive to the rotation of said screw for indicating the diameter of the breaker-tread assembly for which the transfer ring is set.

Claim 15

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 2 further comprising: a plurality of arcuate cam races disposed in an annular spaced sequence about said cam means, the distance from said central axis to each of said races progressively changing from one portion to another of each of said races; and a plurality of cam followers, one connected to each of said segments and in sliding engagement with one of said races, for moving said segments in said radial direction in response to said relative rotation.

Claim 16

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 11 further comprising: a plurality of guide means connected to said segments and radially movably positioned in said recesses for constraining the movement of said segments to radial movement relative to said central axis.

Claim 17

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises: a power cylinder pivotally coupled to one or the other of said support means and said cam means; a piston maintained within said cylinder; and a piston rod connected to said piston pivotally coupled to the remaining one of said support means and said cam means.

Claim 18

An expansible and contractible transfer ring according to claim 2 wherein each of said segments comprises: a substantially tee shaped member having an arcuate base; and a plurality of prongs extending radially inwardly from said base adapted to securely grip said breaker-tread assembly.