Molded article extractor and method
AssigneeBridgestone Bandag, LLC
InventorsJason Len Gridley, Troy Allen Kost
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads includes a frame, a first nip roller rotatably associated with the frame, and a second nip roller rotatably associated with the frame. The first and second nip rollers are adapted to engage a tire tread at least partially resident in a mold. A driving mechanism associated with the first and/or second nip rollers operates to impart rotational motion thereto. The frame is configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the mold while maintaining the first and second nip rollers in a spaced relation to the mold.
Claims16
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first nip roller rotatably associated with the frame;
- a second nip roller rotatably associated with the frame, wherein the first nip roller and the second nip roller are adapted to be capable of engaging a tire tread that at least partially resides in a mold;
- and
- a driving mechanism associated with at least one of the first and second nip rollers and operable to impart rotational motion thereto;
- wherein the frame is configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the mold while maintaining the first and second nip rollers in a spaced relation to the mold;
- and
- a mold engagement mechanism associated with the frame and permitting the longitudinal movement between the frame and the mold;
- wherein the mold engagement mechanism further includes at least three engagement wheels, the at least three engagement wheels adapted to engage at least one surface of the mold and at least one surface of the tire tread;
- wherein at least one of the three engagement wheels is rotatably driven in at least partial synchronization with the rotation of the first or second nip rollers and wherein such engagement wheel is adapted to engage a track formed on either side of the mold;
- wherein a third engagement wheel of the at least three engagement wheels is connected to an end of an inclination arm cantilevered away from the frame at an inclination angle, and wherein such third engagement wheel of the at least three engagement wheels is adapted to engage a surface of the tire tread.
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first nip roller rotatably associated with the frame;
- a second nip roller rotatably associated with the frame, wherein the first nip roller and the second nip roller are adapted to be capable of engaging a tire tread that at least partially resides in a mold;
- and
- a driving mechanism associated with at least one of the first and second nip rollers and operable to impart rotational motion thereto;
- wherein the frame is configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the mold while maintaining the first and second nip rollers in a spaced relation to the mold;
- and
- a robot arm connected to the frame and configured to traverse, in spaced relation, the substantial portion of the longitudinal length of the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.