Heating press and method for vulcanizing a vehicle tire in said heating press under vacuum

A heating press for vulcanizing a vehicle tire, the press comprising:

• a heating press upper part;
• a heating press lower part;
• the heating press upper part having a hood upper part mounted thereon and a container, the hood upper part has a first circular ring arranged on the heating press upper part and a second circular ring that adjoins the first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction, the second circular ring configured to be telescopically retracted and extended on the outside of the first circular ring in the axial direction (P1);
• the heating press upper part and the heating press lower part are connected to the container so when the heating press upper part is lowered through a total stroke (GH) that takes place in the axial direction (P1), during which an open end of the hood upper part moves onto the heating press lower part, mold parts of a vulcanizing mold are closed in a radial direction (P2);
• vacuum-tight seals are arranged between the first and second circular rings, the second circular ring, and the heating press lower part;
• the total stroke (GH) can be travelled in a first partial stroke (TH1) and a second partial stroke (TH2);
• after the first partial stroke (TH1), the hood upper part is moved to rest on the heating press lower part by the second circular ring as extended to thereby enclose an interior space, and the interior space is closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals while the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner;
• a pump and a vacuum tank are provided to generate a vacuum in the interior space after the first partial stroke (TH1);
• after the second partial stroke, the hood upper part is moved in such a way to permit the second circular ring to be retracted further relative to the first circular ring and the vulcanizing mold is completely closed under vacuum conditions of the interior space.