Method of and apparatus for applying looped rubber member onto tire building drum

A method of applying a looped rubber member from a looped member forming machine onto a collapsible tire building drum having grooves formed in the periphery thereof, comprising the steps of

• inserting at least two pairs of retaining members in a first direction into said looped rubber member depending from the looped member forming machine;
• retaining said looped rubber member on said retaining members from the looped member forming machine;
• rotating said retaining members with said looped rubber member retained thereon toward the collapsible tire building drum to a second direction which is opposite to said first direction;
• forming said looped rubber member on said retaining members into a substantially circular configuration;
• transferring said substantially circular looped rubber member toward the collapsible tire building drum into a first position in which the center of the looped rubber member is in axial alignment with the longitudinal center axis of the collapsible tire building drum;
• further transferring said substantially circular looped rubber member from said first position into a second position in which said looped rubber member surrounds the periphery of the collapsible tire building drum radially contracted;
• receiving said retaining members in the grooves in the periphery of the collapsible tire building drum;
• applying said substantially circular looped rubber member onto the periphery of the collapsible tire building drum;
• and
• withdrawing said retaining members from the grooves in the periphery of the collapsible tire building drum.