Method and apparatus for manufacturing tyres

An apparatus for manufacturing tyres, comprising:

• a building support comprising an inflatable bladder having coaxially spaced apart circumferential edges and axially opposite anchoring flanges engaging the circumferential edges of the inflatable bladder, wherein each circumferential edge of the inflatable bladder is slidably engaged with a radial abutment surface defined in a respective one of the anchoring flanges so that each circumferential edge of the inflatable bladder is movable in a radial direction while in anchoring engagement with a respective one of the anchoring flanges;
• inflating devices associated with the inflatable bladder to bring said bladder to an inflated condition so that said bladder has a substantially toroidal shape with an outer surface thereof conforming in shape to the inner surface of a carcass structure of a tyre;
• devices for forming the carcass structure by laying elementary components of said carcass structure on the building support;
• and
• devices for applying an annular belt structure to the carcass structure at a radially external position,
• said devices for applying the belt structure comprising:
• positioning devices operating on the belt structure to support said belt structure at a coaxially centered position around the carcass structure formed on the building support;
• and
• devices for expanding the inflatable bladder from the inflated condition at which the carcass structure formed thereon has a maximum diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the belt structure to a radial-expansion condition at which the carcass structure is applied against the belt structure.