Locking Spacer and Method

An improvement in a tire building drum having first and second sets of segments, the segments of each set having arcuate outer surfaces disposed in an end-to-end cylindrical configuration about a central axis of the tire building drum to collectively define an outer circumferential surface of the tire building drum, each segment of the first set being aligned along an axial dimension of the tire building drum with a segment of the second set to define a pair of axially-aligned segments having opposing inner surfaces, each of the first and second sets of segments being repositionable with respect to one another along the central axis of the tire building drum, wherein separation of the first and second sets of segments defines a void between each pair of axially-aligned segments, the tire building drum further having at least one connector bracket disposed proximate each void between and radially inwardly of each pair of axially-aligned segments, the improvement comprising:

• a plurality of locking spacers, each said locking spacer having an arcuate outer surface sized to extend between opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments to provide a continuous outer working surface of the tire building drum between the pair of axially-aligned segments, each said locking spacer further having opposite first and second end surfaces extending between the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments and first and second side surfaces extending along the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments;
• a first connector configured to secure said first side surface adjacent a first of the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments;
• and
• a second connector configured to secure said second side surface adjacent a second of the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments;
• whereby said first and second connectors limit movement of said first and second side surfaces in relation to the pair of axially-aligned segments along a radial direction of the tire building drum.

A method for mounting a spacer on a tire building drum having first and second sets of segments, the segments of each set having arcuate outer surfaces disposed in an end-to-end cylindrical configuration about a central axis of the tire building drum to collectively define an outer circumferential surface of the tire building drum, each segment of the first set being aligned along an axial dimension of the tire building drum with a segment of the second set to define a pair of axially-aligned segments having opposing inner surfaces, each of the opposing inner surfaces defining a groove extending along a length thereof, each of the first and second sets of segments being repositionable with respect to one another along the central axis of the tire building drum, wherein separation of the first and second sets of segments defines a void between each pair of axially-aligned segments, the tire building drum further having at least one connector bracket disposed proximate each void between and radially inwardly of each pair of axially-aligned segments, the method comprising:

• providing a locking spacer having an arcuate outer surface sized to extend between the opposing inner surfaces of a pair of axially-aligned segments at a given separation distance of the pair of axially-aligned segments to provide a continuous outer working surface of the tire building drum between the pair of axially-aligned segments, the locking spacer having opposite first and second side surfaces, each of the side surfaces defining a tongue sized to be received within and engaged by one of the grooves of the opposing inner surfaces of the pair of axially-aligned segments;
• separating the first and second sets of segments beyond the given separation distance;
• mounting an inner surface of the locking spacer to the connector bracket to position the locking spacer outer surface in axial alignment between the pair of axially-aligned segments with each tongue facing one of the grooves;
• and
• repositioning the first and second sets of segments to the given separation distance to allow each tongue to be slidably received within and engaged by one of the grooves.