Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for building a giant tire; comprising band building means on which a running length ply is formed to endless cylindrical band form of predetermined circumferential length; endless belt means for receiving a plurality of successive individual panels of ply stock thereon to form said running length ply and for transferring directly said ply to said band building means; bridge means spanning said belt means; at least one supply roll truck mounted on said bridge means for to and fro movement longitudinally thereof across said belt means; means for dispensing from a supply roll carried by said truck a single panel of said ply stock during said movement of said truck across said belt means; and means for advancing said belt means stepwise toward said band building means a distance determined according to the width of said single panel after such panel is received on said belt means whereby successive such panels can be spliced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for building a giant tire; comprising band building means on which a running length ply is formed to endless cylindrical band form of predetermined circumferential length; endless belt means for receiving a plurality of successive individual panels of ply stock thereon to form said running length ply and for transferring directly said ply to said band building means; bridge means spanning said belt means; at least one supply roll truck mounted on said bridge means for to and fro movement longitudinally thereof across said belt means; means for dispensing from a supply roll carried by said truck a single panel of said ply stock during said movement of said truck across said belt means; and means for advancing said belt means stepwise toward said band building means a distance determined according to the width of said single panel after such panel is received on said belt means whereby successive such panels can be spliced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said band building means comprising a band building drum mounted for rotation about its own axis and for movement longitudinally of said axis, whereby successiVe plies constituting a single band can be offset axially of each other, said drum being adjustable in circumferential length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said means for dispensing including a core beam rotatably supporting a supply roll of panels interwound on a separating liner and rewind means for rewinding said separating liner as the same is unwound from said beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a tire carcass building drum, means for maintaining said drum in coaxial alignment with said band building drum while the band is transferred from said band building drum to said carcass building drum, and transfer means including a ring having a multiplicity of clamps spaced circumferentially about an axis common to the two drums to grip a circular edge of said band and to move the same from said band building drum onto said tire carcass building drum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said bridge means comprising a plurality of support legs supporting the bridge means independently of said belt means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said bridge means being swingable about a vertical axis to dispose said bridge means in the direction of movement of said truck at selected angles across said belt means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, each said leg having a wheel rolling on a track and drive means connected to drive at least one said wheel to swing said bridge about said vertical axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said endless belt means comprising a pair of belt supported rolls extending parallel to the rotation axis of said belt building means, a flat endless looped belt having a horizontal upper reach trained about said rolls and movable in a direction normal to the rotation axis of said band building means to a position close to and beneath said band building means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, including means for elevating one of said rolls and a portion of said belt thereon relative to the other of said pair of rolls to move said belt into ply transferring relation with said band building means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, said reach being at least equal in its length to the circumference of said band building means and in its width to the face width of said band building means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, said endless belt means further comprising a conveyor table having bearing means rotatably supporting said rolls and mounted for movement toward and away from said band building means, and drive means operable to effect said movement of said table.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a ply engaging roller mounted swingably toward and away from said belt means on said truck for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement of said truck on said bridge means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, including means mounting said building drum for movement into a second position for removing the tire.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, including beadsetting means movable coaxially of said tire carcass building drum.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein one of said tire carcass building drum and said beadsetting means is movable relatively of the other into and out of coaxial alignment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising means mounting said tire carcass building drum for pivotal movement to align said building drum coaxially with said band building drum in one position and with said beadsetting device in another position of such carcass building drum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising means mounting said beadsetting means for movement between such aligned position and a remote position.