# US 2018/0022049 A1 · Center mechanism 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 2018/0022049 A1 - Document ID: US20180022049A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/230,546 - Filed: 2016-08-08 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company - Applicants: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company - Inventors: Mark John Montgomery - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022049A1 ## CPC - 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 30/24: Drums - B29D 30/36: Expansion of tyres in a flat form {, i.e. expansion to a toroidal shape independently of their building-up process}, e.g. of tyres built by the flat-tyres method or by jointly covering two bead-rings - B29D 30/00: Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof (producing inner tubes B29D23/24; constructional form of tyres or parts thereof B60C; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; testing of tyres G01M17/02) - B29D 30/08: Building tyres - B29D 30/244: {for manufacturing substantially cylindrical tyre components with cores or beads, e.g. carcasses (mechanisms for folding layers around cores or blads per se B29D30/32)} - 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 A tire building drum is rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and includes a center portion. A center mechanism for the drum is disposed in the center portion and includes a hub that seats on and is secured to the central drive shaft. An axially-extending piston seats on and extends circumferentially about the hub. A cylinder cooperates with the hub and the piston to form a pneumatic chamber. A plurality of links are connected to the piston and a plurality of segment bars are disposed about the circumference of the center mechanism. Each one of the segment bars is connected to selected links and seats between a lip of the cylinder and a distal end plate. When compressed air is introduced into the pneumatic chamber, the piston moves in an axial direction, actuating movement of the links and in turn actuating radial movement of the segment bars. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A center mechanism for a tire building drum, the tire building drum being rotatably mounted on a central drive shaft and including a center portion, the center mechanism being disposed in the center portion of the drum, the center mechanism comprising: a hub seating on and being secured to the central drive shaft; a single axially-extending piston seating on and extending circumferentially about the hub; a cylinder being disposed about the piston and cooperating with the hub and the piston to form a pneumatic chamber; a plurality of links being operatively connected to the piston; and a plurality of segment bars being disposed about the circumference of the center mechanism, each one of the segment bars being operatively connected to selected links and seating between a lip of the cylinder and a distal end plate, whereby upon the introduction of compressed air into the pneumatic chamber, the piston moves in an axial direction, thereby actuating movement of the links which in turn actuate radial movement of the segment bars. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the cylinder is formed with a radially-extending wall that is formed with a pneumatic port to enable the introduction of compressed air into the pneumatic chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of linkage mounts being rigidly connected to the piston. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 3, wherein the plurality of links includes pairs of links, in which a first link of each pair includes a first end being pivotally connected to a selected one of the linkage mounts, and a second link of the pair includes a first end being pivotally connected to the selected linkage mount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 4, wherein the first link of each pair includes a second end being pivotally connected to a radially-extending wall of a selected one of the segment bars, and a second link of the pair includes a second end being pivotally connected to the radially-extending wall of the selected segment bar. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 4, wherein each pair of links includes a first link formed with a Z-shaped configuration and a second link being formed with a C-shaped configuration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the distal end plate is removably connected to a distal end of the hub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 7, wherein at least one proximal roller is rotatably connected to a radially-extending wall of a selected one of the segment bars adjacent the lip of the cylinder, and at least one distal roller is rotatably connected to the radially-extending wall of the selected segment bar adjacent the distal end plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, further comprising a collar being disposed about a distal end of the hub adjacent the distal end plate to form a positive mechanical stop for the piston. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the hub is formed with at least one opening that aligns with an opening formed in the central drive shaft of the tire building drum, and the aligned hub opening and drive shaft opening receive a deformable mechanical fastener. ### Claim 11 (depends on 11) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 11, wherein the hub is formed with a pair of openings, each one of the hub openings aligning with a respective opening formed in the drive shaft of the tire building drum, each of the aligned hub openings and drive shaft openings receiving a deformable mechanical fastener. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the piston includes an inner diameter of about 141 millimeters. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the piston includes an outer diameter of about 258.8 millimeters. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the center mechanism requires an air pressure of about 50 pounds per square inch to produce a piston force of about 2,860 pounds. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the center mechanism requires an air pressure of about 80 pounds per square inch to produce a piston force of about 4,570 pounds. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 1, wherein the plurality of segment bars being disposed about the circumference of the center mechanism includes about sixteen segment bars. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The center mechanism for a tire building drum of claim 16, wherein the plurality of links being operatively connected to the piston includes about two links for each segment bar.