Process and apparatus for the manufacture of an automotive tire bead
AssigneeBridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
InventorKarl J. Siegenthaler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing an automotive tire bead (1), whereby an annular element (2) having a substantially circular section and consisting of a coiled metal wire (3) is formed by winding the wire (3) about a mandrel (17) defining a duct (9) coiling about the annular element (2). One end of a flexible packing member (5) of heat-shrinkable material is then inserted inside duct (9), blown along the whole length of the same, cut to size, and the two ends joined to form a loop.
Claims13
A process for manufacturing an automotive tire bead of the type having a substantially circular-section annular element consisting of a number of coils packed according to a predetermined program or sequence and formed from a portion of a bare wire, and having a portion of an outer flexible packing member which forms a loop wound about said annular element;
- said process comprises the steps of:
- a) forming said annular element by coiling said portion of the bare wire in the form of a circle;
- b) providing a helical duct extending about substantially the whole of said annular element, said duct having an inlet and an outlet facing each other, and a slot extending along an inner generating line of said duct and facing said annular element;
- c) feeding a first end of said portion of said outer flexible packing member into said duct inlet;
- d) blowing said first end along said duct and out through said outlet of the duct;
- and
- e) connecting said first end to a second end of said portion of said flexible packing member projecting from said inlet of the duct, so as to form said loop.
An apparatus for manufacturing an automotive tire bead of the type having a substantially circular-section annular element consisting of a number of coils packed according to a predetermined program or sequence and formed from a portion of a bare wire, and having a portion of an outer flexible packing member with opposite ends forming a loop which is wound about said annular element;
- said apparatus comprises a mandrel defining both an annular seat for winding said portion of said bare wire, and a duct extending helically about said annular seat terminating in an inlet and an outlet, and having a slot extending between said inlet and said outlet providing communication between said duct and said annular seat;
- supply means for feeding a jet of compressed air into said duct through said inlet;
- and connecting means for joining the opposite ends of said portion of said flexible packing member to form said loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.