Tire curing press mechanism

An operating mechanism which provides for fast, easy and automatic changing of a bladder assembly on a curing press comprising an annular support body (21) with a support axis associated with said curing press, a stem (22) coaxial with said annular support body, axially slidable therein, an annular ring nut coaxially rotatable around said annular support body, means to axially displace said stem with respect to said annular support body, and means for the automatic engagement and disengagement of said operating mechanism with said bladder assembly, said engaging and disengaging means comprising a head integrally associated with a free end of said stem, said head comprising at least one peg housed in a corresponding hole provided in said head, which can be radially moved with respect to an axis of said stem, between an expanded position in which said at least one peg protrudes from a radial surface of a lateral wall of said head and a collapsed position in which said at least one peg is completely contained within said lateral wall of said head, and a coaxial cam means to move said at least one peg from said collapsed position to said expanded position, and at least one peg housed in a corresponding hole provided in said support body which is radially displaceable with respect to an axis of said support body, between a work position in which said at least one peg protrudes from said corresponding hole housing said respective peg and a rest position in which said at least one peg does not protrude from said corresponding hole housing said respective peg, said annular ring nut being provided to move said at least one peg from said rest position to said work position.

A bladder assembly and operating mechanism for providing fast, easy and automatic changing of said bladder assembly on a curing press, including in combination:

• a bladder assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical, flexible and elastically deformable sleeve (10) provided with first and second beads on first and second ends of said sleeve, a movable clamp (13) to block said first end of said sleeve and a fixed clamp (14) to block said second end of said sleeve, said movable clamp comprising a disc (131) provided with a coaxial hub (132) and a first fastening ring (133) secured to said disc, said disc and said first fastening ring each having a peripheral portion which can be associated with said first bead of said sleeve, and connecting means to block said first bead on said movable clamp between said disc and said first fastening ring, said fixed clamp comprising a tube portion (141) having a flanged end and a pair of distinct coaxial elements including a second fastening ring (142) integrally associated with a flange edge (143), each element having an annular portion of its surface which can be associated with said second bead of said sleeve, and connecting means to block said second bead on said fixed clamp, and means for the automatic engagement and disengagement of said movable and fixed clamps with respect to a corresponding support and operating mechanism, said means comprising at least one coaxial annular groove provided on said coaxial hub of said movable clamp and at least one coaxial annular groove provided on said tube body, and
• an operating mechanism comprising an annular support body (21) with a support axis associated with said curing press, a stem (22) coaxial with said annular support body, axially slidable therein, to be associated with said movable clamp of said bladder assembly, an annular ring nut coaxially rotatable around said annular support body, means to axially displace said stem with respect to said annular support body, and means for the automatic engagement and disengagement of said movable and fixed clamps of said bladder assembly, said engaging and disengaging means comprising a head integrally associated with a free end of said stem, said head comprising at least one peg housed in a corresponding hole provided in said head, which can be radially moved with respect to an axis of said stem, between an expanded position in which said at least one peg protrudes from a radial surface of a lateral wall of said head and a collapsed position in which said at least one peg is completely contained within said lateral wall of said head, and a coaxial cam means to move said at least one peg from said collapsed position to said expanded position, said at least one peg in an expanded position at least partially protruding from said radial surface of said head facing a corresponding surface of said coaxial hub of said movble clamp, and at least one peg housed in a corresponding hole provided in said support body which is radially displaceable with respect to an axis of said support body, between a work position in which said at least one peg protrudes from said corresponding hole housing said respective peg and a rest position in which said at least one peg does not protrude from said corresponding hole housing said respective peg, said annular ring nut being provided to move said at least one peg from said rest position to said work position, said at least one peg in a work position at least partially protruding from said radial surface of said support body facing a corresponding surface of said tube portion of said fixed clamp.