US 4,263,083 A · Building and curing an inextensible belt structure for a tire assembly

Abstract

The apparatus incorporates a rigid cylindrical form or mandrel on the outer surface of which a belt structure is built, between a pair of end dams. The radially inward surface of the mandrel is cylindrical and provides a large unobstructed cylindrical opening therethrough. The mandrel is constructed of a multiplicity of axially extending segments which are rigidly locked to and extend between a pair of end rings which provide the edge dams. Upon completing the belt structure, the belt structure together with the rigid mandrel are inserted freely into an annular channel between an outside and an inside curing assembly. The inside curing assembly includes a single cylindrical diaphragm expandable radially into contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the mandrel solely to apply curing heat thereto. The outside curing assembly includes a multiplicity of segments which are moved radially inwardly to engage the outer surface of the belt structure in response to an increase in pressurized heating fluid in a chamber defined by a cylindrical elastomeric diaphragm engageable with the cylindrical outer surface of the multiplicity of segments. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this application, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be made to the accompanying drawing and the following detailed description.

Claims26

Dependent claims

Apparatus for building and curing an inextensible belt structure intended to be used in a pneumatic tire assembly, the apparatus comprising:

a rigid building mandrel for building said belt structure, said mandrel including a pair of end rings and having between said end rings a cylindrical surface and a pattern of circumferential and transverse grooves sunk radially inward from the cylindrical surface for forming the radially inner face of the belt structure, said mandrel comprising:
a multiplicity of pairs of segments disposed to form a rigid hollow cylinder extending axially between and locked to said end rings;
curing means for receiving said mandrel with said belt structure built thereon in an uncured state, said curing means comprising a rigid cylindrical wall, a cylindrical elastomeric diaphragm disposed coaxially of and radially inward of said wall, the axial ends of the diaphragm being secured adjacent to the respectively associated ends of the wall, a first and a second plurality of axially extending arcuately spaced segments disposed for movement radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall in response to movement of said diaphragm, each segment of said second plurality of segments having at least one circumferentially extending portion lapping slidably on the radially inward circumferential surface of the next associated one segment of said first plurality of said segments.

Apparatus for building and curing an inextensible belt structure for an inflatable tire, the apparatus comprising:

curing means for applying heat and pressure to said belt structure including a plurality of sets of centripetally movable segments extending coaxially of and arranged about a central axis, each segment of one set thereof having at least one axially and laterally extending portion engaging slidingly in a circumferential direction a portion of the radially inward face of at least one of the respectively adjacent segments of the other set thereof, means for applying heat and pressure to the outward circumferential and axial surface of said plurality of sets of segments and mandrel means for positioning and rigidly supporting said belt structure in an uncured state in said curing means for curing said belt structure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Building and curing an inextensible belt structure for a tire assembly

Life of this patent

Building and curing an inextensible belt structure for a tire assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26