Transfer ring shoe and transfer ring with reduced air entrapment features

A transfer ring for use in a system for the manufacture of vehicle tires, the transfer ring comprising:

• a radially expandable and collapsible segmented generally cylindrical gripping surface defined by a plurality of inwardly-facing surfaces mounted for movement toward and away from a central axis of the cylindrical gripping surface, each inwardly-facing surface having first and second side edges, each side edge having a central portion configured to be substantially parallel to a central portion of the other side edge and forming a mid-portion therebetween, and each side edge having first and second tapered portions on opposite respective ends of the central portion, each tapered portion of each side edge extending in a direction outward from the corresponding central portion and toward a tapered portion of the other side edge-;
• wherein the first tapered portions of the first and second side edges cooperate to form a first end portion, and the second tapered portions of the first and second side edges cooperate to form a second end portion, the first and second end portions decreasing in width in a direction away from the mid-portion.