US4527946A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tire curing press with pop-up, rotating nozzle
Assignee: NRM Corp
•
Filing: 1984-01-23
•
Granted: 1985-07-09
•
Expires: 2004-01-23
Abstract
Abstract A pop-up, rotating nozzle in a tire curing press provides for dispersed and uniform introduction of fluid media into the upper containment portion of a curing and shaping bladder during tire cure and cooling, and yet allows for relatively close spacing of upper and lower bladder clamps such as during bladder insertion and stripping operations. The nozzle has an outlet head in communication with the interior of the bladder and a supply stem mounted in a lower bladder clamp and porting assembly of the press for both axial and rotational movement. The nozzle is movable against a spring biasing force by the upper bladder clamp to a lowermost retracted position which allows the bladder clamps to be axially spaced apart a distance substantially less than their axial spacing during cure. As the bladder clamps move apart to their respective positions for cure, the spring urges the nozzle to an elevated dispensing position locating the outlet head thereof in the upper containment portion of the bladder and closely adjacent the upper bladder clamp for more uniform circulation of fluid media with the drain located at the bottom of the bladder. The outlet head is provided with a plurality of tangentially arranged outlets or jets such that the nozzle will rotate causing a uniform and dispersed flow of fluid media throughout the interior of the bladder. The outlet head may also serve to locate the bladder clamps with respect to one another when engaged therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Anand P. Singh
- 👤 Virgil Y. Blosser
- 👤 Thomas A. Crumbacher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:41
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D30/00; B29D30/06; B29D30/0601; B29D30/0662; B29D2030/0666; B29D2030/0667
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
In a tire curing press, a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass in the press, nozzle means for introducing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for movement between relatively retracted and extended positions in said chamber, said means for mounting including a porting member in said center mechanism, and said nozzle means being mounted in said porting member for extension and retraction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
In a tire curing press, a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass in the press, nozzle means for introducing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for movement between relatively retracted and extended positions in said chamber, said means for mounting including a porting member in said center mechanism, and said nozzle means being mounted in said porting member for extension and retraction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for resiliently urging said nozzle means to such relatively extended position thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein said chamber, during cure, has a horizontal center plane coincident with that of the tire carcass, and said nozzle is mounted for vertical movement between such relatively retracted and extended positions thereof, said nozzle means having an upper fluid media outlet end locatable in the upper center portion of said chamber upon movement of said nozzle means to such extended position thereof for cure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 3, comprising drain means for such fluid media opening to the lower center portion of said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein said chamber, during cure, has a center plane coincident with that of the tire carcass, and said nozzle means is movable axially at a right angle to such center plane, said nozzle means including fluid media outlet means operative to direct fluid media exiting therefrom into said chamber circumferentially with respect to the movement axis of said nozzle means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 5, wherein said nozzle means also is mounted in said center mechanism for rotation about such movement axis and means are provided to rotate said nozzle means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means to rotate includes a plurality of tangentially arranged fluid media outlets in said nozzle means whereby fluid media tangentially exiting from said nozzle means through said outlets will cause said nozzle means to rotate for effecting dispersed and uniform flow of fluid media within the interior of said chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein said porting member includes a fluid media inlet passage terminating at a riser, and said nozzle means includes a supply stem retained in said riser for telescopic movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 8, wherein said supply stem is rotatable in said riser, and said nozzle means further includes fluid media outlet means connected to said supply stem operative to direct fluid exiting therefrom into said chamber tangentially with respect to the rotational axis of said supply stem whereby said nozzle means will be caused to rotate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nozzle means is concentrically mounted in said center mechanism.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 10, wherein said riser and supply stem are both amnular and concentrically disposed in said center mechanism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 1, wherein said supply stem is rotatable in said riser, and said nozzle means further includes annular fluid media outlet means concentrically connected to said supply stem operative to direct fluid exiting therefrom into said chamber tangentially with respect to the rotational axis of said supply stem whereby said nozzle means will be caused to rotate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a tire curing press, a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass in the press, nozzle means for introducing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for movement between relatively retracted and extended positions in said chamber, said center mechanism including a shaping and curing bladder and upper and lower clamps therefor which are relatively vertically movable to a relatively close vertical spacing less than their vertical spacing for cure, and said nozzle means being mounted in said lower bladder clamp for vertical movement from such retracted position accommodating such relatively close vertical spacing of said bladder clamps to such extended position upon vertical separation of said bladder clamps to their respective positions for cure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a tire curing press, a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass in the press, nozzle means for introducing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for movement between relatively retracted and extended positions in said chamber, said center mechanism including a shaping and curing bladder and upper and lower clamps therefor which are relatively vertically movable to a relatively close vertical spacing less than their vertical spacing for cure, and said nozzle means being mounted in said lower bladder clamp for vertical movement from such retracted position accommodating such relatively close vertical spacing of said bladder clamps to such extended position upon vertical separation of said bladder clamps to their respective positions for cure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 13, wherein said nozzle means includes a fluid outlet head interposed between said bladder clamps, said fluid outlet head being locatable adjacent said lower bladder clamp upon movement of said nozzle means to such retracted position thereof and remote from said lower bladder clamp upon movement of said nozzle means to such extended position thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fluid outlet head is engageable between said upper and lower bladder clamps thereby precisely to locate said bladder clamps with respect to one another.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 13, wherein means are provided to resiliently urge said nozzle means to such extended position thereof, and said nozzle means is engageable with and movable by said upper blader clamp to such retracted position thereof against such means to resiliently urge upon relative vertical movement of said bladder clamps to such relatively close vertical spacing thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a tire curing press, nozzle means for introducing heat transfer fluid media into the cavity of a tire for shaping and cure of the tire in the press, and means for rotating said nozzle means to effect uniform and dispersed flow of fluid media within such cavity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a tire curing press, nozzle means for introducing heat transfer fluid media into the cavity of a tire for shaping and cure of the tire in the press, and means for rotating said nozzle means to effect uniform and dispersed flow of fluid media within such cavity.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 17, wherein the rotational axis of said nozzle means is normal to the transaxial center plane of the tire.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 18, wherein said nozzle means includes a plurality of fluid outlets extending generally in a plane normal to the rotational axis of said nozzle means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 19, wherein said fluid outlets are angled in relation to such plane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 17, wherein the rotational axis of said nozzle and the axis of the tire are coaxial.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 17, wherein said nozzle means is mounted for rotation in a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which such heat transfer fluid media may be circulated under pressure to shape and cure the tire in the press, and said nozzle means includes fluid media outlet means operative to direct fluid media exiting therefrom into said chamber tangentially with respect to the rotational axis of said nozzle means whereby said nozzle means will rotate causing uniform and dispersed flow of fluid media within the interior of said chamber.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A press as set forth in claim 22, wherein said outlet means includes at least one fluid media outlet tangentially arranged with respect to the rotational axis of said nozzle means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
A press as set forth in claim 22, wherein said chamber during shaping and cure has an axis coincident with the axis of the tire carcass, and such axis and rotational axis of said nozzle means are parallel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A press as set forth in claim 24, wherein such axis of said chamber and rotational axis of said nozzle means are radially offset.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
A press as set forth in claim 22, wherein said nozzle means includes an axially extending supply stem, and said center mechanism includes a porting member, said porting member having a fluid media inlet passage terminating at an axial riser, and said supply stem being retained in said axial riser for rotational movement.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
A press as set forth in claim 26, wherein said supply stem is additionally retained in said axial riser for telescopic axial movement.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
A tire press as set forth in claim 26, further comprising means to position said nozzle means in the uppermost center region of such cavity when the tire is in its final toroidal shape.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
A press as set forth in claim 28, wherein said nozzle means includes a plurality of fluid media outlets angled upwardly in relation to the transaxial center plane of the tire.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
A press as set forth in claim 29, wherein said fluid media outlets are arranged circumferentially with respect to the axis of such cavity.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
A press as set forth in claim 28, wherein said nozzle means includes a plurality of fluid media outlets arranged circumferentially with respect to the rotational axis of said nozzle means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
57 words
A press as set forth in claim 28, comprising a center mechanism operative to define in the tire cavity a fluid chamber in which such heat transfer fluid media is circulated, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for movement relative to said center mechanism between upper and lower positions in said chamber.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
28 words
A press as set forth in claim 32, wherein said means to position includes means for resiliently urging said nozzle means to such upper position in said chamber.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
A press as set forth in claim 28, comprising drain means for said fluid media opening to the lowermost center region of such cavity when the tire is in such final toroidal shape.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a tire curing press including a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated under pressure to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass; nozzle means for directing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for both axial and rotational movement.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
60 words
In a tire curing press including a center mechanism operative to define a fluid chamber in which heat transfer fluid media is circulated under pressure to shape and cure an uncured tire carcass; nozzle means for directing such fluid media into said chamber, and means for mounting said nozzle means in said center mechanism for both axial and rotational movement.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2736059A
Cited
US2997740A
Cited
US3170011A
Cited
US3443280A
Cited
GB1210880A
Cited
US3632712A
Cited
US4029447A
Cited
US3887313A
Cited
US4029449A
Cited
US4140447A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-07-08 | 1989-01-07 | 1989-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-07-08 | 1993-01-07 | 1993-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-07-08 | 1997-01-07 | 1997-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |