Tire mold and tire molding process

A mold for a tire having a tread with a tread pattern, comprising a plurality of molding elements which in a retracted open position of the mold are spaced apart from each other and arranged circumferentially in a ring, actuating means to which the elements are connected and in which the elements are individually guided for carrying the elements and moving the elements radially toward and away from the axis of the mold between a retracted open position and a closed molding position and, after molding, from the closed position back to the open position, all of the molding elements being supported by and movable with respect to the actuating means and to each other at least during the final molding stroke toward closed molding position, said plurality of elements defining in said closed molding position a continuous annular molding surface on their radially inner faces, said continuous molding surface having a relief for the molding of a tread pattern on the radially outer surface of said tread and having a plurality of pattern units in the circumferential direction, each of said molding elements having a circumferential length corresponding to one of said pattern units, each pattern unit consisting of either one full pitch or two full pitches and not more than two full pitches.