Method of operating a fire mold

Claim 1

A method of operating a tire mold having two tire sidewall mold plates, a plurality of tread mold segments, and means for moving said segments radially while in sliding contact with and between said plates during a final phase of mold closing movement and during a first phase of mold opening movement, an improvement in said method comprising, in an additional phase of mold operation while said mold is open after said first phase of mold opening operation and before said final phase of mold closing opeRation, separating axially of the mold each said segment from each of said sidewall plates to prevent during said additional phase a said sliding contact therebetween, and then moving said segments radially inwardly while said segments are spaced apart from both said plates.

Claim 2

A method of operating a tire mold having two tire sidewall mold plates, a plurality of tread mold segments, and means for moving said segments radially while in sliding contact with and between said plates during a final phase of mold closing movement and during a first phase of mold opening movement, an improvement in said method comprising, in an additional phase of mold operation while said mold is open after said first phase of mold opening operation and before said final phase of mold closing opeRation, separating axially of the mold each said segment from each of said sidewall plates to prevent during said additional phase a said sliding contact therebetween, and then moving said segments radially inwardly while said segments are spaced apart from both said plates.

Claim 4

A method of operating a tire curing mold having a pair of sidewall mold plates and a plurality of radially movable tread molding segments which are moved radially with respect to the mold axis by the cooperation of relatively movable pairs of surfaces oblique with respect to the axis and wherein at least a portion of the heat supplied to effect the curing of a tire within the mold is transmitted by conduction from one to the other of the respective pairs of oblique surfaces, the method comprising first moving said plates axially apart and moving the respective oblique surfaces of said pairs axially in a first direction to effect radially outward movement of the respective segments to permit the removal of a first tire from said mold, then during the interval between said movement of the segments and the placement into said mold of a second tire and while each said plate and the respective axial ends of said segments are spaced apart from and out of contact with each other effecting relative movement between the respective said oblique surfaces in a direction axially opposite of the first said direction, whereby the area of heat transfer contact between said oblique surfaces is increased with respect to the area of heat transfer contact therebetween while said segments are in their radially outwardmost position.

Claim 5

A method of operating a tire curing mold having a pair of sidewall mold plates and a plurality of radially movable tread molding segments which are moved radially with respect to the mold axis by the cooperation of relatively movable pairs of surfaces oblique with respect to the axis and wherein at least a portion of the heat supplied to effect the curing of a tire within the mold is transmitted by conduction from one to the other of the respective pairs of oblique surfaces, the method comprising first moving said plates axially apart and moving the respective oblique surfaces of said pairs axially in a first direction to effect radially outward movement of the respective segments to permit the removal of a first tire from said mold, then during the interval between said movement of the segments and the placement into said mold of a second tire and while each said plate and the respective axial ends of said segments are spaced apart from and out of contact with each other effecting relative movement between the respective said oblique surfaces in a direction axially opposite of the first said direction, whereby the area of heat transfer contact between said oblique surfaces is increased with respect to the area of heat transfer contact therebetween while said segments are in their radially outwardmost position.

Claim 6

A method of operating a tire mold having two sidewall mold plates and a plurality of radially separable tread mold segments comprising moving said mold to an open position facilitating removal of a tire therefrom by moving each segment in a first direction in a plane normal to the axis of the mold while said segment is in sliding contact with each of and between said sidewall mold plates, moving said segment and one of said sidewall plates axially away from the other of said sidewall plates, then moving said one sidewall plate a predetermined distance axially away from said segment, and while continuing to move said one sidewall plate effecting radially inward movement of said segments a predetermined distance short of the radially inward movement thereof which corresponds to the closed condition of said mold.

Claim 7

A method of operating a tire mold having two sidewall mold plates and a plurality of radially separable tread mold segments comprising moving said mold to an open position facilitating removal of a tire therefrom by moving each segment in a first direction in a plane normal to the axis of the mold while said segment is in sliding contact with each of and between said sidewall mold plates, moving said segment and one of said sidewall plates axially away from the other of said sidewall plates, then moving said one sidewall plate a predetermined distance axially away from said segment, and while continuing to move said one sidewall plate effecting radially inward movement of said segments a predetermined distance short of the radially inward movement thereof which corresponds to the closed condition of said mold.