Tire former capable of expanding and contracting in an axial direction

A tire former for use in a tire building apparatus, the tire former comprising:

• a shaft;
• a center ring provided coaxially around the shaft and radially expandable, wherein the center ring includes a plurality of ring segments separatable from one another in a circumferential direction of the center ring;
• a pair of side rings provided coaxially around the shaft, the side rings being movable closer to and away from each other along the shaft to selectively provide:
• an axially expanded state where the side rings are positioned on opposite sides of the center ring and an outer circumferential surface of the side rings is flush with an outer circumferential of the center ring;
• and
• an axially contracted state where the side rings are positioned radially inside of the center ring;
• a pair of sliders slidably mounted on the shaft for supporting the pair of side rings respectively;
• and
• guide means provided between the pair of sliders for guiding the axial movement of the pair of side rings, wherein the guide means is provided for each ring segment, and the guide means includes:
• a stationary rod extending in parallel with the shaft and having a first block and a second block on opposite ends thereof;
• a first rod attached on one slider and extending in parallel with the shaft, the first rod passing through the first block for slidably supporting the first block;
• and
• a second rod attached on the other slider and extending in parallel with the shaft, the second rod passing through the second block for slidably supporting the second block.