# US 2018/0022048 A1 · Center deck assembly for tire building drum > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022048 A1 - Document ID: US20180022048A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/218,164 - Filed: 2016-07-25 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25 - Assignees: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company - Applicants: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company - Inventors: Dennis Alan Lundell; Douglas Raymond Weaver; Mark John Montgomery; Kenneth Dean Conger; Kristian Daniel Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022048A1 ## CPC - B29D 30/20: by the flat-tyre method, i.e. building on cylindrical drums - B29D 30/0016: {Handling tyres or parts thereof, e.g. supplying, storing, conveying (B29D30/2607 takes precedence; loading and unloading vulcanizing presses B29D30/0603)} - B29D 30/24: Drums - B29D 30/245: {Drums for the single stage building process, i.e. the building-up of the cylindrical carcass and the toroidal expansion of it are realised on the same drum (expansion to a toroidal shape B29D30/36)} - B29D 30/10: on round cores, i.e. the shape of the core is approximately identical with the shape of the completed tyre - B29D 2030/0631: {Means for forcing adjacent mould sectors away one from another, e.g. using springs or the like, to create repulsive forces} - B29D 2030/265: {Radially expandable and contractable drum comprising a set of circumferentially arranged elastic, flexible elements, e.g. blades or laminas, with or without expandable annular sleeve or bladder} - B29D 2030/2657: {Radially expandable and contractable drum comprising a set of circumferentially arranged rigid elements, e.g. fingers or arms} - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) ## Abstract The invention is directed to a center deck assembly for a tire building drum. The tire building drum is rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and includes a center section. The center deck assembly is disposed in the center section of the drum and includes a hub that seats on and is secured to the central drive shaft. At least one piston extends circumferentially in the tire building drum about the hub and a plurality of segment bars are disposed about the circumference of the center deck assembly. The at least one piston is operably connected to the segment bars by a plurality of linkages, in which each of the linkages includes a scissor-lever mechanism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A center deck assembly for a tire building drum, the tire building drum being rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and including a center section, the center deck assembly being disposed in the center section of the drum, the center deck assembly comprising: a hub seating on and being secured to the central drive shaft, the hub cooperating with a frame to form at least one cylinder; at least one piston extending circumferentially in the tire building drum about the hub, the at least one piston seating in the at least one cylinder and being contained in the at least one cylinder; a plurality of segment bars being disposed about the circumference of the center deck assembly; and the at least one piston being operably connected to the segment bars by a plurality of linkages, wherein each of the linkages comprises a scissor-lever mechanism, each of the linkages including a radially inward link and a radially outward link that are pivotally interconnected; and a roller disposed on each linkage at the pivotal interconnection between the radially inward link and the radially outward link, wherein the roller engages a bearing surface formed on an axially outward surface of the at least one piston. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein the central drive shaft is formed with at least one axially-extending port, the port being in fluid communication with the at least one piston. ### Claim 3 (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein a cavity is formed between the at least one piston and the at least one cylinder adjacent a portion of the frame, whereby when compressed air flows into the cavity the at least one piston is urged axially outwardly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein the linkages are disposed axially outwardly of the at least one piston. ### Claim 6 (canceled) ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein: an axially outward end of the radially inward link is pivotally attached to a thrust block; an axially inward end of the radially inward link is formed with aligned openings; a shaft is received in the openings; and the radially outward link includes a pair of parallel link segments, each one of which includes a radially inward end that is pivotally attached to the shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The center deck assembly of claim 7, wherein each link segment includes a radially outward end that is pivotally connected to a portion of one of the segment bars. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The center deck assembly of claim 7, wherein the roller rotatably seats on the shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The center deck assembly of claim 9, wherein the bearing surface formed on the axially outward surface of the at least one piston angles axially inwardly as it extends radially outwardly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one piston includes two pistons that are spaced apart from one another and the at least one cylinder includes two cylinders, in which each piston seats in a respective cylinder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The center deck assembly of claim 11, wherein a guide post is disposed between the pistons. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The center deck assembly of claim 12, wherein the guide post is pivotally connected to a center of one of the segment bars. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein each segment bar includes opposing axially outward ends, and a pair of springs are operably connected to each of the segment bar axially outward ends and to a selected linkage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein a mechanical stop is rigidly secured to an axially outward end of the hub, wherein the mechanical stop sets a crown height of the center deck. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the linkages is disposed at least partially axially and radially within the at least one cylinder formed by the hub and the frame when the center deck assembly is in a retracted state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The center deck assembly of claim 16, wherein the radially outward link of each linkage is formed with a curved shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The center deck assembly of claim 1, wherein the axially outward surface of the bearing surface formed on the at least one piston includes an angle, the angle being under about thirty degrees relative to a radial plane extending perpendicular to a central axis of rotation of the center deck assembly.