Method and apparatus for grooving tire tread

The method of forming grooves across the circumferential surface and sidewall of a tire, comprising:

• rotating a tire about an axis;
• laterally moving a carriage bearing a hot cutting knife in parallel and orthgonal directions with respect to said axis, bringing said knife into cutting engagement with said tire;
• rotatably moving said knife about a pair of intersecting orthogonal axes, said lateral and rotational movement of said knife effecting a groove across the tire from the sidewall and across the tread surface thereof;
• and
• regulating the temperature of said knife between pre-established temperature levels in accordance with said lateral and rotational movement of said knife and the rotation of said tire.

The method of forming grooves across the circumferential surface and sidewall of a tire, comprising:

• rotating a tire about an axis;
• concurrently laterally moving a carriage bearing a hot cutting knife in parallel and orthgonal directions with respect to said axis, bringing said knife into cutting engagement with said tire;
• concurrently rotatably moving said knife about a pair of orthogonal axes, said lateral and rotational movement of said knife effecting a groove across the tire from the sidewall and across the tread surface thereof;
• and
• wherein the temperature of said hot cutting knife is regulated in accordance with said lateral and rotational movement of said knife and the rotation of said tire.