Method of molding tires

A method of molding tires comprising the steps of providing a plurality of pitches collectively defining a precure cavity of a length corresponding to at least two generally identical circumferences each adapted for molding generally identically diametered tires;

• the plurality of pitches being in abutting face-to-face relationship with a mold configuration which mates across all abutting pitch faces, including mating across mold portions at angles to the length of the precure irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches;
• molding a precure in the cavity;
• performing one of the steps of (a) selectively transversely cutting the precure into at least two generally equal lengths across the precure in a plane corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces generally half the distance from ends of the precure and (b) selectively removing a minor length of the precure between the ends thereof along at least one plane corresponding to a plane through adjacent pitches to reduce the precure length to at least two generally identical lengths each less than one of the first-mentioned two generally identical circumferences for molding generally identically diametered tires less than the diameters of the first-mentioned diametered tires;
• and selectively encircling a tire with one of the precure lengths of steps (a) and (b) by bringing opposite edges thereof into intimate adjacent relationship whereby the precure mold configuration imparted to the precure will mate across the opposite edges of the precure.

A method of molding tires comprising the steps of providing a plurality of pitches collectively defining a precure cavity of a first length corresponding to an odd number of generally identical circumferences each adapted for molding generally identically diametered first tires;

• the plurality of pitches being in abutting face-to-face relationship and defining a precure cavity mold configuration which mates across all abutting pitch faces, including mating across mold portions at angles to the length of the precure irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches;
• molding a length of precure in the cavity;
• performing one of the steps of (a) selectively transversely cutting the precure into an odd number of generally equal lengths across the precure in planes each corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces and numbering one less than the odd number and (b) selectively removing a minor length of the precure between ends thereof along at least one plane corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces to reduce the precure first length to second precure lengths shorter than the first precure length and of the same odd number of generally identical though shorter circumferences for molding generally identically diametered second tires less than the diameters of the first diametered tires;
• and selectively encircling a tire with one of the precure lengths of steps (a) and (b) by bringing opposite edges thereof into intimate adjacent relationship whereby the precure mold configuration imparted to the precure will mate across the opposite edges of the precure length.

A method of molding tires comprising the steps of providing a plurality of pitches collectively defining a precure cavity of a first length corresponding to an even number of generally identical circumferences each adapted for molding generally identically diametered first tires;

• the plurality of pitches being in abutting face-to-face relationship and defining a precure cavity mold configuration which mates across all abutting pitch faces, including mating across mold portions at angles to the length of the precure irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches;
• molding a length of precure in the cavity;
• performing one of the steps of (a) selectively transversely cutting the precure into an even number of generally equal lengths across the precure in planes each corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces and numbering one less than the even number and (b) selectively removing a minor length of the precure between ends thereof along at least one plane corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces to reduce the precure first length to second precure lengths shorter than the first precure length and of the same even number of generally identical though shorter circumferences for molding generally identically diametered second tires less than the diameters of the first diametered tires;
• and selectively encircling a tire with one of the precure lengths of steps (a) and (b) by bringing opposite edges thereof into intimate adjacent relationship whereby the precure configuration imparted to the precure will mate across the opposite edges of the precure length.

A method of molding annular precures of different diameters comprising the steps of providing a plurality of pitches collectively defining a generally annular cavity of a first tire diameter when the pitches are in generally radially abutting face-to-face relationship in a closed position with at least one group of the pitches being defined by several pitches of different circumferential lengths, closing the pitches about an annulus by effecting radial inward and circumferential contracting movement to bring the pitches into radially abutting face-to-face relationship to form a closed mold, molding the annulus into a precure tread in the closed mold by imparting a mold configuration thereto corresponding to the annular cavity as defined by the mold configuration of the individual pitches thereof which mate circumferentially across the radially abutting faces including mating across mold portions at angles to the circumference of the annulus irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches opening the mold by effecting radial outward and circumferential expanding movement to move at least selected pitches out of radially abutting face-to-face relationship, removing the annular precure from the open mold, changing at least one pitch of the plurality of pitches with another pitch of different circumferential length but with generally the same mold configuration which mates circumferentially across the radially abutting faces of adjoining pitches including mating across mold portions at angles to the circumference of the annulus to thereby change the mold to a second precure mold diameter different than the first precure mold diameter when the pitches are again in generally radially abutting face-to-face relationship, closing the changed mold about another annulus by effecting radial inward and circumferential contracting movement to bring said last-mentioned plurality of pitches and another pitch into radially abutting face-to-face relationship, molding the another annulus in the changed closed mold to the second precure mold diameter by imparting thereto the generally same mold configuration which mates circumferentially across the radially abutting faces of the another and adjoining pitches including mating across mold portions at angles to the circumference of the annulus irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches, opening the changed mold by effecting radial outward and circumferential expanding movement to move the last-mentioned plurality of pitches and another pitch out of radially abutting face-to-face relationship, and removing the last-mentioned molded annular precure from the open mold.

The method of molding tires comprising the steps of providing a plurality of pitches collectively defining a precure cavity of a length corresponding to a selective plurality of different tire circumferences adapted for molding generally different diameter tires;

• the plurality of pitches being in abutting face-to-face relationship and defining a precure mold configuration which mates across all abutting pitch faces, including mating across mold portions at angles to the length of the precure irrespective of the location of said pitches relative to each other and irrespective of the number of said pitches;
• molding a precure in the cavity;
• selectively transversely cutting the precure across the precure in a plane corresponding to a plane through abutting pitch faces to reduce the precure length into at least two lengths of which one defines a precure segment of a length sufficient to retread one of said selective plurality of different tire circumferences;
• and selectively encircling a tire with said precure segment by bringing opposite edges thereof into intimate adjacent relationship whereby the precure mold configuration imparted to said precure segment will mate across the opposite edges of the precure segment.