Method for verifying the correct formation of the beads in a process and a plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels

An apparatus for controlling the management of annular anchoring structures in a process and a plant for building a tyre for vehicle wheels, comprising:

• a storage framework having a main horizontal extension direction and comprising a plurality of storage baskets organized in a first group of storage baskets and in a second group of storage baskets, wherein each storage basket is configured to house a plurality of annular anchoring structures arranged next to each other at a short distance and coaxial with a common horizontal main axis perpendicular to the main horizontal extension direction of the storage framework,
• the storage framework having a first free side and a second free side placed on opposite sides of said main horizontal extension direction, wherein the first free side comprises a walking area in which an operator can freely move;
• and
• a tyre bead-forming machine arranged adjacent to the second free side of the storage framework,
• wherein the tyre bead-forming machine includes an upper area for retaining and supporting one pair of annular anchoring structures at a time and a lower area;
• wherein each storage basket is mounted on a respective load bearing structure slidably coupled with a respective load bearing guide integral with the storage framework, wherein the load bearing guide is parallel to the common horizontal main axis,
• wherein each load bearing structure and its respective load bearing guide are configured so that the respective storage basket slidably moves parallel to the common horizontal main axis, from a loading position at the walking area of the first free side in which each storage basket is configured to be extracted from its respective first group of storage baskets or second group of storage baskets, to a work position in which each storage basket faces the second free side of the storage framework and projects beyond the storage framework, to the loading position and
• a handling device arranged between the second free side and the tyre bead-forming machine, the handling device comprises a gripper that is moveable between a position for picking up the annular anchoring structures from the storage framework and a position for releasing the annular anchoring structures in the tyre bead-forming machine,
• wherein the storage framework has at least one opening between the first group of storage baskets and the second group of storage baskets, wherein the opening is opened both on the first free side and on the second free side placing such sides in communication, faces the tyre bead-forming machine, and is adapted for visual inspection of the tyre bead-forming machine and for access to the tyre bead-forming machine through the storage framework from the first free side by an operator passageway that is suitable for passage of an operator in an upright freestanding position.

A method for verifying correct formation of beads in a plant for building a tyre for vehicle wheels, comprising:

• loading a plurality of annular anchoring structures in a storage framework, the storage framework having a main horizontal extension direction and comprising a plurality of storage baskets organized in a first group of storage baskets and in a second group of storage baskets, wherein each storage basket is configured to house the plurality of annular anchoring structures arranged next to each other at a short distance and coaxial with a common horizontal main axis perpendicular to the main horizontal extension direction of the storage framework, the storage framework having a first free side and a second free side on opposite sides of the main horizontal extension direction, wherein the first free side comprises a walking area in which an operator can freely move;
• wherein each storage basket is mounted on a respective load bearing structure slidably coupled with a respective load bearing guide integral with the storage framework, wherein the load bearing guide is parallel to the common horizontal main axis,
• wherein each load bearing structure and its respective load bearing guide are configured so that the respective storage basket slidably moves parallel to the common horizontal main axis, from a loading position at the walking area of the first free side in which each storage basket is configured to be extracted from its respective first group of storage baskets or second group of storage baskets, to a work position in which each storage basket faces the second free side of the storage framework and projects beyond the storage framework, to the loading position and
• wherein the storage framework has at least one opening between the first group of storage baskets and the second group of storage baskets, wherein the opening is opened both on the first free side and on the second free side placing such sides in communication, disposing the plurality of annular anchoring structures in at least the first group of storage baskets and the second group of storage baskets separated by the at least one opening;
• positioning a building drum provided with a carcass structure with a carcass sleeve in a tyre bead-forming machine arranged adjacent to the second free side of the storage framework, wherein the tyre bead-forming machine includes an upper area for retaining and supporting one pair of the plurality of annular anchoring structures at a time and a lower area;
• picking up two of the plurality of annular anchoring structures from the storage framework and loading the two annular anchoring structures on the tyre bead-forming machine;
• and
• in a work area of the tyre bead-forming machine, fitting on each of two axially opposite zones of the carcass sleeve a respective annular anchoring structure and turning up each of said zones around a respective annular anchoring structure to form the beads,
• wherein the at least one opening faces the tyre bead-forming machine and is adapted for visual inspection of the tyre bead-forming machine and is adapted for access to the tyre bead-forming machine through the storage framework from the first free side by an operator passageway that is suitable for passage of an operator in an upright freestanding position.