Manufacturing system for pneumatic tires

An apparatus for manufacturing pneumatic tires, comprising:

• a first drum for forming a green case in which a carcass ply member and a pair of bead core members are joined together:
• a second drum for forming a green tire in which the green case is joined to a belt member, a tread rubber member and sidewall rubber members;
• a transfer device for holding and moving the green case to a position around the second drum;
• a pair of centering elements which are expandable radially outwards from the second drum and adapted to be positioned with reference to opposite inner sides of a pair of bead portions located at stepped regions of said green case while on said second drum, said bead portions being folded radially inward relative to bead core members of the green case held by the transfer device, and also adapted to be moved axially in opposite directions and thereby urged against the opposite inner sides of the bead portions;
• said centering elements being radially expandable between the second drum and the respective side bladders, and axially movable in opposite directions, and wherein said centering elements are adapted to be expanded so that a clearance is always formed between radially outer most ends of the centering elements and an inner peripheral surface of the green case;
• a pair of lock elements situated on an axially outer side of the centering elements and adapted to be urged against inner peripheral surfaces of the bead portions so as to fixedly secure the green case to the second drum;
• means for causing the second drum to expand and undergo a width reduction after the green case has been released from the transfer device, thereby expanding the green case into a toroidal shape;
• means for joining sidewall rubber members to said toroidal green case to thereby form a green tire, said sidewall rubber members being wound on a pair of side bladders on the outer side of the lock elements and joined to said toroidal green case inflating said side bladders.