Modular tire turn-up apparatus
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsNikolas R. Tomassoni, Phillip T. Brasher, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire turn-up apparatus for selectively engaging a cylindrical tire building drum may include a base and a first plurality of finger assemblies. The tire building drum may be a selected drum from a group of drums of different drum diameters. Each finger assembly may have a backstop connected to the base and a finger pivotally connected to the backstop. Each finger may be moveable between a radially retracted and extended position to turn-up the tire carcass. Each finger may be radially adjustable on its respective backstop to align with different drum diameters.
Claims26
A tire building system comprising:
- a tire building drum including a cylindrical outer drum surface, an inner drum surface, a first drum end, a second drum end, and a lengthwise direction defined between the first and second drum ends, each of the first and second drum ends including a plurality of guide slots disposed between the inner drum surface and the outer drum surface and extending parallel to the lengthwise direction, the guide slots being open at the respective drum end, the guide slots being spaced equally circumferentially around the first and second drum ends;
- and
- a tire turn-up device configured to selectively engage and disengage the drum, the tire turn-up device including a first plurality of fingers configured to be received through the plurality of guide slots, the first plurality of fingers being movable between a radially retracted position and a radially extended position.
A tire turn-up apparatus for selectively engaging a cylindrical tire building drum, the tire turn-up apparatus comprising:
- a base centered on a longitudinal axis, the base being movable along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a first plurality of finger assemblies, each finger assembly including:
- a backstop connected to the base;
- and
- a finger pivotally connected at a pivotal connection to the backstop, the finger being movable between a radially retracted position and a radially extended position, the finger having a free end.
A method of turning up an end of a tire carcass, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) engaging a first drum of a first diameter with a separable turn-up device, the first drum having a first tire carcass disposed thereon;
- (b) turning up an end of the first tire carcass with the turn-up device;
- (c) disengaging the turn-up device from the first drum;
- (d) adjusting a diameter of the turn-up device;
- (e) engaging a second drum of a second diameter with the adjusted turn-up device, the second drum having a second tire carcass disposed thereon;
- and
- (f) turning up an end of the second tire carcass with the adjusted turn-up device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.