Tire building core latching and transport mechanism

A tire building core assembly comprising:

• a shell assembly configured to provide an external tire-building toroidal surface and a central shell assembly throughbore having a central axis;
• and
• an elongate spindle assembly comprising first and second spindle units configured for extension into the shell assembly throughbore, wherein the spindle units are configured to couple within the shell assembly throughbore to maintain the shell assembly in an assembled configuration;
• wherein at least one of the spindle units includes a latching mechanism moveable between latched and unlatched positions for releasably coupling the first spindle unit to the second spindle unit, the latching mechanism including
• a piston cylinder extending from a forward end of the first spindle unit;
• a piston residing within the cylinder and moving reciprocally therein between a forward and a rearward position, said piston having a first end, a second end, and a central axis coaxial with the central axis of the throughbore;
• at least one latching finger coupled to the piston by a pivot at a location between the first and second ends, the latching finger including a latching end movable inwardly toward the piston into an engaged position with the second spindle unit and movable outwardly away from the piston into a disengaged position responsive to a location of the piston within the piston cylinder, wherein the first end of said piston may be engaged by an actuator to change the location of said piston within said piston cylinder and thereby move the latching finger between the engaged and disengaged positions;
• and
• a spring positioned at the second end of said piston and operative to bias the latching finger into the engaged position.