Vulcanizing mold

A vulcanizing mold comprising a first mold half, a second mold half, a tread mold sector and a tapered ring disposed radially outwardly of the thread mold sector;

• said first mold half and said second mold half being disposed vertically relative to one another;
• said tapered ring including a first tapered ring half and a second tapered ring half both vertically movable relative to the tread mold sector, a space being provided between said first tapered ring half and said second tapered ring half when the tapered ring halves are vertically separated, the tapered ring halves being vertically movable into engagement with each other, the tapered ring halves each being generally ring shaped and each having a tapered inner face;
• said tread mold sector including a first tread mold sector half and a second tread mold sector half, the first and second mold sector halves each having a tapered outer face, the tapered outer face of the first tread mold sector half being engaged with the tapered inner face of the first tapered ring half and the tapered outer face of the second tread mold sector half being engaged with the tapered inner face of the second tapered ring half, said first tread mold sector half being slidable radially to open and close the tread mold sector with a slide movement in contact with the first tapered ring half in response to a relative vertical movement of the first tapered ring half, said second tread mold sector half being mounted on the second mold half to be slidably and vertically unmovable relative to the second mold, the second tread mold sector half being slidable radially to open and close the tread mold sector without causing a vertical self-displacement relative to the second mold half and with a slide movement in contact with the second tapered ring half in response to a relative vertical movement of the second tapered ring half.