Apparatus for continuous tread production
AssigneeThe Firestone Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsGeorge G. A. Bohm, Stanley S. Gross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for the production of a continuous rubber strip which is molded with surface designs, such as tire treads, in the uncured state and then cured, after removal from the mold, by heat or radiation is disclosed. In the apparatus the extruded rubber strip is passed between cooperating mold segments carried by respective endless belts which, along with related components, apply suitable temperatures and pressures to the strip to product the surface designs. The molded uncured rubber strip is removed from the molds and then completely cured by radiation and/or heat.
Claims18
Apparatus for producing a continuous rubber strip molded with a surface design comprising:
- 1. means for extruding uncured rubber at a temperature below the curing temperature into a continuous moving rubber strip;
- 2. molding means for receiving and impressing a surface design on said strip comprising:
- 3. a first moving endless belt means, having block mold segments which during a portion of their travel butt together, for forming a continuous design pattern into which the strip is received;
- 4. a second moving endless belt means, having flat-plate segments which during a portion of their travel cooperatively move with said block mold segments for pressing the strip into the design pattern after it has been received in the block mold segments;
- 5. means for applying a high pressure of about 1000 psi to said strip while pressed in the block mold segments;
- said high pressure applying means comprising;
- A. frame means for moving reciprocatingly along the path of travel of said first and second endless belt means within said molding means;
- B. press means mounted on said frame means for engaging and urging successive flat-plate segments to press the strip into the design pattern during successive movements of the frame means in the direction of travel of sad first and second endless belt means;
- 6. means for maintaing a lower pressure on said strip after the imposition of said high pressure while said strip remains in the molding means;
- 7. means for releasing said maintaining means to remove all external pressure from the molded strip upon its moving out of the molding means;
- and
- 8. means for removing the molded strip from said block mold segments after moving out of the molding means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.