Rotary clamp arm
AssigneeBridgestone Bandag, LLC
InventorTroy A. Kost
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tread extractor assembly for removing a molded article from a mold is provided. The tread extractor assembly includes a chassis, a first spindle rotatably coupled to the chassis, and a second spindle rotatably coupled to the chassis. The first spindle is configured to rotate in a first direction and the second spindle is configured to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The first spindle and the second spindle are disposed to extend substantially in parallel to one another and are separated by a gap. The gap is configured to receive a portion of the molded article such that the portion of the molded article is clamped between the first spindle and the second spindle during extraction of the molded article from the mold.
Claims20
A tread extractor assembly comprising:
- a chassis;
- a first spindle rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to rotate in a first direction;
- and
- a second spindle rotatably coupled to the chassis and configured to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction,
- the first spindle and the second spindle being disposed to extend substantially in parallel to one another;
- and
- the first spindle and the second spindle being separated by a gap, the gap being configured to receive a portion of a tire tread.
A method of extracting a tire tread from a tread mold using a tread extractor assembly, the method comprising:
- positioning the tread extractor assembly above the tire tread positioned within the tread mold;
- rotating a first spindle and a second spindle;
- extracting a portion of the tire tread from the tread mold using a tab ejector;
- translating the tread extractor assembly toward the portion of the tire tread while the first spindle and the second spindle are rotating;
- clamping the portion of the tire tread between the first spindle and the second spindle;
- stopping rotation of the first spindle and the second spindle;
- pivoting the tread extractor assembly to a tilted position relative to the tread mold;
- and
- translating the tread extractor assembly along a length of the tread mold to extract the tire tread from the tread mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.