System for automatic joining and rolling up of cord strips

Apparatus for automatically joining cord strips (42,43) for tires, such as vehicular tires, comprising:

• a stationary table (12);
• conveying means (2) for conveying a cord strip (42) to said stationary table (12);
• guide means (16) mounted above said conveying means;
• and
• a joining device (4) movably mounted above said conveying means (2) and being movable into and out of registration with said stationary table (12), said joining device comprising a movable carriage (17) movably mounted on said guide means so as to move in a line above the joining line of said cord strips to be joined;
• said joining device further comprising a spring loaded roller (21) on said movable carriage which is spring loaded in a downward direction toward said stationary table;
• and a pair of pulleys (18) located behind said spring loaded roller (21) in the direction of movement of said joining device during a joining operation, said pulleys being obliquely mounted at an angle toward each other and each having a circumferential bearing surface for engaging respective ends of cord strips to be joined to draw said respective ends together substantially when said roller and pulleys are rolled over the ends of said cord strips to be joined during movement of said carriage (17) on said guide means, said obliquely mounted pulleys having substantially conical shaped circumferential portions on the inner facing adjacent surfaces thereof such that the inner parts of said pulleys have an extended common contact surface (18a), said spring loaded roller (21) pressing down said ends of said cord strips to be joined on said stationary table (12) and said trailing pair of pulleys (18) drawing together said pressed down edges of said respective cord strips to join said respective edges by the adhesiveness of said strip edges combined with the pressure imparted thereto by said obliquely mounted pulleys (18).