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US 5,073,226 AGranted
Cylindrical member forming apparatus
AssigneeBridgestone Corporation
InventorsShoujyu Suzuki, Yutaka Takasuga
Life of this patent
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AssigneeBridgestone Corporation
InventorsShoujyu Suzuki, Yutaka Takasuga
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for forming a cylindrical member includes a forming drum having a cylindrical unit formed with a slit extending in an axial direction of the cylindrical unit and around which a belt-shaped member is wound wherein a slight clearance between both ends of the belt-shaped member are aligned with the slit of the cylindrical unit. The cylindrical unit of the forming drum is composed of a plurality of arcuate segments radially movable and having suction devices on their outer circumferences for holding the belt-shaped member by suction. The cylindrical unit includes clearance regulating members capable of penetrating into tghe clearance of the belt-shaped member, a first joining unit arranged in the forming drum aligned with the slit, and a second joining unit arranged on an outer side of the forming drum and movable toward and away from the first joining unit. When the first and second joining units embracing the belt-shaped member are pushed toward each other, the both ends of the belt-shaped member wound around the forming drum are pulled together and butt joined.
An apparatus for forming an endless or cylindrical member from a belt shaped member, comprising a forming drum having a cylindrical unit composed of a plurality of arcuate segments radially movable for changing the outer diameter of the cylindrical unit, having a slit in the cylindrical unit extending in an axial direction of the cylindrical unit between two adjacent arcuate segments, wherein each of the said two adjacent segments are rockably hinged to respective other arcuate segments, means for winding the belt-shaped member around the cylindrical unit such that a slight clearance between the ends of the belt-shaped member is aligned with the slit of the cylindrical unit, a first joining unit arranged inside the forming drum and aligned with the slit, a second joining unit arranged outside the forming drum and movable toward and away from the first joining unit when the second joining unit is in alignment with the slit for pulling closer together the inside and outside of the ends of the belt-shaped member wound around the cylindrical unit and butt joining the ends in cooperation with the first joining unit, and diameter changing means for moving the arcuate segments in the radial direction of the cylindrical unit to increase and decrease its diameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.