Loading apparatus for assembly and disassembly of a tire curing mold

Loading apparatus for positioning a green tire and core assembly into a toroidally shaped mold, the mold formed by a plurality of segments including upper and lower sidewall forming segments and tread forming segments, the mold segments combining in an assembled configuration to enclose a green tire mounted on a toroidal tire building core and having an axial core spindle assembly in which first and second spindle ends project from the first and second sidewall mold segments, respectively, the loading apparatus comprising:

• a stand assembly having a support surface operatively receiving a first mold sidewall forming segment thereon, the surface having a central opening;
• a spindle engagement assembly projecting upwardly through the support surface central opening and including a coupling mechanism at a forward end operatively mating with a first spindle end of a tire building core;
• and
• said coupling mechanism operatively suspends a sidewall of a green tire on the tire building core a distance above the first mold sidewall forming segment positioned on the stand support surface.