Apparatus and method for manufacturing green tyres

An apparatus (10) for manufacturing green tyres (13) consisting of a carcass or inner section (13′) coupled with a belt package or outer section (13″), comprising:

• a first tyre processing assembly (12) for manufacturing the carcass or inner section (13′), the first tyre processing assembly (12) including a first guide (30);
• a second tyre processing assembly (14) for finishing said carcass or inner section (13′), the second tyre processing assembly (14) including a second guide (37) positioned adjacent to the first guide (30);
• a third tyre processing assembly (16) for manufacturing the belt package or outer section (13″) and for coupling said carcass or inner section with said belt package or outer section (13′, 13″) to form a tyre (13), the third tyre processing assembly (16) including a third guide (46) extending from the second guide (37);
• and
• an unloading station (60) for unloading said tyre (13),
• the first tyre processing assembly (12) comprising a drum slave station (26) movably coupled to the first guide (30) and configured to engage a drum (20) upon translating along the first guide (30) toward a drum support and transfer station (27), the drum support and transfer station (27) is configured for transferring the drum (20) from the first guide (30) of the first tyre processing assembly (12) to the second guide (37) of the second tyre processing assembly (14) upon the drum slave station (26) disengaging the drum (20);
• the second tyre processing assembly (14) comprising a transfer element (36) movably coupled to the second guide (37) and configured to surround the drum (20) within the transfer element (36) upon translating along the second guide (37) toward the drum support and transfer station (27), and position the carcass or inner section (13′) onto a transfer device (38) upon translating along the second guide (37) towards the third tyre processing assembly (16), and
• said third tyre processing assembly (16) comprising the transfer device (38) movably coupled to the third guide (46) and configured to move the carcass or inner section (13′) toward the belt package or outer section (13″) upon translating along the third guide (46), the transfer device (38) comprising a movable arm (44) that rotates the carcass or inner section (13′) as the transfer device (38) translates between the second tyre processing assembly (14) and the third tyre processing assembly (16) for transferring the carcass or inner section (13′) of the tyre (13) from the second tyre processing assembly (14) to the third tyre processing assembly (16) and to the unloading station (60), said drum support and transfer station (27), transfer element (36), and transfer device (38) co-operating for a fully automatic handling of said tyre (13) being processed internally to said individual tyre processing assemblies.