Tire belt machine
AssigneeThe Steelastic Company
InventorsJeffrey Bull, Evan Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of controlling a tire belt machine having a cutting station that receives a strip of material cuts it into plural lengths that are spliced together on a belt conveyor, the method including establishing a belt conveyor index distance; receiving signals representing a width of the strip entering a cutting station; and automatically adjusting the belt conveyor index distance based on the strip's width such that uniform splice characteristics are attained.
Claims19
A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of controlling a tire belt machine, the method comprising:
- establishing a belt conveyor index distance;
- receiving signals representing strip width entering a cutting station;
- and
- automatically adjusting said belt conveyor index distance based on the belt material width such that uniform splice characteristics are attained.
A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of controlling a tire belt machine, the method comprising:
- monitoring the length of a strip extending between a cutting station and a cooling drum;
- automatically slowing said cooling drum if said strip is too long;
- and
- automatically speeding up said cooling drum if said strip is too short relative to a pre-selected strip length.
A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of controlling a tire belt machine, the method comprising:
- receiving signals representing the speed of cords traveling through an extruder;
- and
- sending signals to said extruder adjusting an extruder pressure set-point as a function of the cord speed, wherein said extruder pressure set-point increases as the cord speed increases and said extruder pressure set-point decreases as said cord speed decreases.
A computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of controlling a tire belt machine, the method comprising:
- sending an activation command from a central control unit to an extruder pressure controller;
- receiving said activation command by said extruder pressure controller, wherein said activation command directs said extruder pressure controller to start said extruder at a selected extruder screw speed;
- and
- monitoring the extruder pressure and when extruder pressure is within a selected pressure range for said selected extruder screw speed setting, said central control unit directs said extruder pressure controller to enter an automatic operation mode, wherein the extruder pressure controller maintains pressure control over said extruder.
A tire belt machine comprising:
- an extruder adapted to form a strip having a width;
- a cooling drum located downstream of said extruder adapted to carry said strip while it cools;
- a cutting station including a belt conveyor, cutter and strip vacuum transport is located downstream of said cooling drums, wherein said strip is drawn into said cutting station by said strip conveyor;
- said cutting station being adapted to cut said strip into plies that are laid on said belt conveyor, where said belt conveyor is adapted to advance an index distance after operation of said cutter such that successive plies are lain substantially adjacent to each other on said belt conveyor forming a splice between said successive plies;
- a central control unit in communication with said extruder, said cutting station, and said conveyor assembly;
- a strip width sensor located upstream of said cutting station, said strip width sensor being adapted to monitor the width of said strip and communicate with said central control unit, wherein said central control unit adjusts operation of at least one of said extruder or said cutting station and conveyor to maintain a selected strip width;
- a strip tracking system adapted to monitor the amount of said strip available for said cutting station and communicate with said central control unit, wherein said central control unit adjusts operation of at least one of said extruder or cooling drum to enable cutting station to operate at maximum speed;
- a strip temperature sensor to monitor the temperature of said strip downstream of said extruder and communicate with said central control unit, wherein said central control unit adjusts operation of at least one of said extruder or said cooling drum to maintain said strip temperature below a predetermined value.
A method of controlling a tire belt machine having a cutting station that receives a strip of material cuts it into plural lengths that are spliced together on a belt conveyor, the method including establishing a belt conveyor index distance;
- receiving signals representing a width of the strip entering a cutting station;
- and
- automatically adjusting the belt conveyor index distance based on the strip's width such that uniform splice characteristics are attained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.