Belt folding machine and method

A tire component folding machine comprising:

• a cylindrical deck having a cylindrical support surface and an end face forming with said surface a rigid shouldered peripheral edge, said end face being convexly curved from said peripheral edge, first annular expandable bladder means having its axially inner end positioned slightly radially and axially inwardly of said peripheral edge and being expandable to walk up said curved end face and wrap around said peripheral edge, and second annular expandable bladder means positioned radially inwardly of said first bladder means and so arranged when inflated to urge said first bladder means axially inwardly.

A belt folding drum for folding an endless belt or tire component comprising:

• a cylindrical center deck having unyielding axial edges defining fold lines for the belt overhanging said edges, and a radially inner and outer bladder at each axial end of said deck, each radially outer bladder being operable on inflation to purchase to said deck adjacent said deck edge and the overhanging belt to said bladder as it walks around said deck edge flatly to fold the belt along the fold line independently of any inextensible element located at such fold line and axially outside of said deck.

A belt folding drum for folding endless belts of tire components comprising a cylindrical centered deck having unyielding axial edge means for defining fold lines for the belts, radially inner and outer bladder means at each axial end of said deck, each radially outer bladder means having a portion thereof located radially and axially inwardly of the respective adjacent axial edge means of said deck for cooperating when inflated with said edge mean to fold flatly the belts along such fold lines independently of any inextensible element located at such fold lines and axially outside of said deck, means to expand and contract said drum, and means operative to form a continuous edge on said deck upon expansion, said last mentioned means including an elastic gap spanning band circumscribing said center deck at each axial end thereof, and said band including a serpentine metal spring.

A belt folding drum for folding endless belts of tire components comprising a cylindrical center deck having unyielding axial edge means for defining fold lines for the belts, radially inner and outer bladder means at each axial end of said deck, each radially outer bladder means having a portion thereof located radially and axially inwardly of the respective adjacent axial edge means of said deck for cooperating when inflated with said edge means to fold flatly the belts along such fold lines independently of any inextensible element located at such fold lines and axially outside of said deck, means to expand and contract said drum, and means operative to form a continuous edge on said deck upon expansion, said last mentioned means including an elastic gap spanning band circumscribing said center deck at each axial end thereof, and said band including a solid rubber band.

A belt folding drum for folding endless belts of tire components comprising a cylindrical center deck having unyielding axial edge means for defining fold lines for the belts, radially inner and outer bladder means at each axial end of said deck, each radially outer bladder means having a portion thereof located radially and axially inwardly of the respective adjacent axial edge means of said deck for cooperating when inflated with said edge means to fold flatly the belts along said fold lines independently of any inextensible element located at such fold lines and axially outside of said deck, means to expand and contract said drum, and means operative to form a continuous edge on said deck upon expansion, said last mentioned means including an elastic gap spanning band circumscribing said center deck at each axial end thereof, and said center deck at said axial ends being recessed to receive said elastic gap spanning band with a flush fit.

A tire building apparatus including a segmented drum for building a tire or tire component, said drum comprising a plurality of deck segments cooperable to define a cylindrical building surface, a radially inner deck support for each segment, each segment including a pair of outer deck sections adjustable toward and away from each other to expand and contract said deck axially, each deck section having an axially outer portion defining said building surface and a radially inner portion interfitting with the inner portion of the other as the same are adjusted axially with respect to each other, and clamping means coextensive with said inner portions of said pair of outer deck sections for securing the latter to said deck support.

A tire building drum comprising a plurality of expandable segments, each segment including an inner portion and three outer portions, the latter forming the working deck, the outer portions including a center portion and two edge portions on each side thereof, the edge portions extending partially beneath the center portion and being adjustable axially therebeneath to adjust the edge-to-edge width of the deck and the center portion adjustably clamping the edge portions to the inner portion.

A method for folding a tire component comprising the steps of:

• (a) arranging the component around a cylindrical deck having a relatively rigid peripheral edge with a cylindrical edge portion of the component extending axially outwardly beyond such peripheral edge of the deck, and then
• (b) expanding an annular bladder to cause the same to walk along the underside of the deck adjacent such peripheral edge thereof and then wrap around such peripheral edge to effect folding of the component edge portion along a fold line defined by such peripheral edge of the deck independently of any inextensible element located at such fold line and axially outside of the deck.

A tire building drum comprising a rotatable hub, a plurality of hub segments secured to said hub for rotation therewith and mounted thereon for radial expansion and contraction, and removable spokes having the general configuration of an I in radial section secured to said hub segments and supporting deck segments forming the working surface of the drum, the feet of the I providing a broad base support therefor and the head providing support for the deck segments.

A tire reinforcement component folding machine having a segmented cylindrical drum which when expanded forms a cylindrical work surface of uniform width with gaps between adjacent segments not exceeding three-quarter-inch (1.9 centimeters), and dual bladder assembly means subjacent each edge of said drum for cooperating therewith for folding such component at the respective edge flatly along a fold line defined by such cooperation of said bladder assembly means and respective edge, such folding being effected independently of any inextensible element located at the fold line and axially outside of the respective drum edge.

A method for folding a tire component comprising the steps of:

• (a) arranging the component around a cylindrical deck having a relatively rigid peripheral edge with a cylindrical edge portion of the component extending axially outwardly beyond such peripheral edge of the deck,
• (b) locating an annular inflatable bladder partially radially underlying the deck adjacent such peripheral edge thereof, and
• (c) expanding the bladder to fold the cylindrical edge portion of the component along a fold line defined by such peripheral edge of the deck, and causing the bladder to move axially inwardly to fold the cylindrical edge portion of the component axially inwardly along such fold line to overlie the adjacent circumferential portion of the component, the bladder when expanding walking up the underside of the deck adjacent such peripheral edge thereof and around such peripheral edge to effect folding of the component edge portion independently of any inextensible element located at the fold and axially outside of such peripheral edge.