Apparatus and method for automatic tire ply stitching

An automatic splicing apparatus for splicing together two ends of a sheet of tire material on a tire building drum, the drum having a rotational axis defining a longitudinal direction relative to the drum, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame configured to support the apparatus relative to the tire building drum;
• a splicer foot assembly longitudinally translatable relative to the frame, the splicer foot assembly including:
• a splicer foot including a plurality of forward lower preparation rollers and a plurality of rearward lower splicer rollers;
• and
• a plurality of upper preparation rollers configured to operate in coordination with the plurality of forward lower preparation rollers to pull the two ends of the sheet of tire material toward each other over the splicer foot as the splicer foot assembly advances in a forward longitudinal direction;
• and
• a splicer roller assembly longitudinally translatable relative to the frame independently of the splicer foot assembly, the splicer roller assembly including:
• a pair of truncated conical upper splicer rollers configured to operate in coordination with the plurality of rearward lower splicer rollers such that the two ends of the sheet of tire material are engaged between the pair of truncated conical upper splicer rollers and the plurality of rearward lower splicer rollers to splice together the two ends of the sheet of tire material as the splicer roller assembly and the splicer foot assembly advance together in the forward longitudinal direction.