Ply applying apparatus and method for forming an elastic annular body

A ply applying apparatus for forming an elastic annular body which comprises a former supported for rotation in one direction for forming an elastic annular body on the peripheral surface thereof;

• a ply transporting means for intermittently transporting plies having a leading end and a trailing end to said former;
• an engaging means positioned on said peripheral surface of said former for causing said former to carry one of said plies which has been brought in direct contact with said former;
• a ply applicator means for applying said leading end portion of each ply, with respect to the direction of transportation of the plies, to the peripheral surface of said former wherein the ply applicator means comprises a ply pressing roller, for applying the leading end portion of each ply to the peripheral surface of said former, said pressing roller being of a double-construction including a motor-driven inner roller mounted about a shaft and an outer roller mounted coaxially on and externally of said inner roller for rotation independently of said inner roller, said inner roller having a sprocket wheel rigidly mounted on each end thereof and being rotatable independently of said outer roller and movable between upper and lower positions together with said outer roller;
• a pair of guide plates each provided with an arcuate slot of the same curvature as that of the peripheral surface of the former, said slots slidably receiving each end of said shaft;
• means for reciprocally moving said pair of guide plates between projected and retracted positions;
• a pair of chains fixedly supported by said respective guide plates and extending in parallel to said slots, said sprocket wheels being engaged in the respective chains such that, when said inner roller rotates, said inner roller moves along said slots with said sprocket wheel drivingly engaged in said chains, whereby, when said inner roller rotates and moves along said chains from the upper position towards the lower position after said guide plates have been moved to the projected position, the outer roller presses the leading end portion of each ply to the peripheral surface of the former and relatively rolls over the former with the leading end portion of each ply engaged to the peripheral surface of the former;
• and a ply retainer means for retaining each ply transported to a predetermined position relative to said former, at a portion adjacent said leading end thereof in cooperation with the peripheral surface of said former before the leading end portion of each ply is applied by the ply applicator means, said retainer means also operating to retain the remaining portion of each ply during the rotation of the former.