Split ply tires and bead area monocomponents
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsDouglas Raymond Weaver, Steven Leonard Kitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intermediate article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass is disclosed. The bead area subassembly has an annular bead core; a bead apex; a ply strip; and preferably a sidewall affixed to the ply strip. The subassembly is formed into a disk-shaped bead area monocomponent. The ply strip is wrapped about the bead core and the apex to form a ply turnup and both the ply strip and the ply turnup extend radially outwardly from the bead core. The bead area subassembly when formed into the disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is placed on an annular holder device.
Claims6
A method of forming an article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first stage building drum having a single inflatable turnup bladder, one set of bead locks and one expandable set of drum center segments and a separate molded hub for delivering a bead core and removing and storing the finished subassembly;
- applying a gum chafer strip cylindrically onto the inflatable turnup bladder adjacent the one expandable set of drum center segments;
- applying a ply strip cylindrically over the gum chafer strip;
- delivering the bead core held by separate molded hub and positioning the bead core overlaying the gum chafer strip and the ply strip over the single set of bead locks;
- clamping the bead core and removing the molded hub;
- expanding the set of expandable center segments turning radially upwardly a portion of the ply strip;
- applying a bead apex against the bead core and the turned up portion of the ply strip;
- inflating the turnup bladder moving a remaining portion of the ply strip about the bead core and bead apex and ply strip turnup to form the first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply tire carcass configured as a radially extending disk-shaped bead area monocomponent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.