Pressure roll and method for pressing a tire layer on a tire building drum

A method for pressing a tire layer on a tire building drum in a pressing direction, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• providing pressure roll which comprises a shaft that defines a roll axis extending in an axial direction and a plurality of discs juxtaposed in the axial direction on said shaft, wherein each disc comprises an interior part that is non-rotatably supported on the shaft and an exterior part that is rotatable with respect to the interior part about the roll axis, wherein each interior part extends from side surface to side surface of the respective disc in the axial direction, wherein each interior part is provided with a recess for receiving the shaft in the axial direction through the respective disc, wherein the recess is larger than the shaft in the pressing direction for allowing movement of the respective disc with respect to said shaft in the pressing direction, wherein the pressure roll comprises for each disc one or more actuators for individually moving the respective disc with respect to the other discs, wherein one of the one or more actuators is arranged for moving the respective disc with respect to the shaft in the pressing direction and wherein the same or another one of the one or more actuators is arranged for moving the respective disc with respect to the shaft in a retraction direction opposite to the pressing direction, wherein at least one of the one or more actuators is provided with a coupling element for coupling said at least one actuator to the interior part of the respective disc in the pressing direction, wherein the interior part of the respective disc is provided with a mounting element for mounting the coupling element, wherein the mounting element is a slot extending from side to side completely through the interior part in the axial direction;
• assembling pressure roll by sliding the respective disc onto the shaft in the axial direction such that the coupling element engages the slot for detachably coupling said at least one actuator to the interior part of the respective disc in the pressing direction;
• using one of the one or more actuators for moving the respective disc with respect to the shaft in the pressing direction;
• and
• using the same or another one of the one or more actuators for moving the respective disc with respect to the shaft in the retraction direction.