Segmented mold for tire casing

A segmented mold for molding tire casings which comprises a fixed lower mold part for molding one side wall of the tire, a series of molding segments for molding the tread movably mounted on said lower mold part to be slidable and swingable along radial planes, an axially movable upper mold part for molding the other side wall of the tire, and means cooperating with the segments to engage and move said segments toward each other along said radial planes, said mold further comprising in combination:

• (a) elastic means interposed between the fixed lower mold part and the segments for continuously urging each of said segments toward an open position in which the segments are radially retracted and swung upward and to the outside of the mold to free a passage for the tire when the upper mold part is lifted off, said elastic means including first spring means for pulling each segment radially outward and second spring means for tilting each segment vertically upward toward an open position, and
• (b) means for axially moving the upper mold part operating independently of the means for moving the segments toward each other along said radial planes, thereby allowing the upper mold part to be lowered into a molding position before the operation of said means for radially moving the segments toward each other, and being removed after disengagement of said means for effecting movement of said segments toward each other.