CA1056113A - Tire building apparatus for large tires - Google Patents
Tire building apparatus for large tiresInfo
- Publication number
- CA1056113A CA1056113A CA303,337A CA303337A CA1056113A CA 1056113 A CA1056113 A CA 1056113A CA 303337 A CA303337 A CA 303337A CA 1056113 A CA1056113 A CA 1056113A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- carcass
- belt
- tire
- breaker
- axis
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Abstract
TIRE BUILDING APPARATUS FOR LARGE TIRES
Abstract of the Disclosure A first stage radial ply carcass and an endless breaker belt are built conventionally about horizontal axes. Carcass and belt separately are upended, to axis-vertical positions. The respective mid-circumferential planes of the carcass and the belt are made coplanar and coincident about the vertical axis of a shaping and curing core, without fixed reference to the vertical axis. The core is raised, into and through the carcass and expanded, first to support the carcass without significant radial deformation due to gravity, and then to expand the carcass to adhere the belt therearound. The assembly of core and belted carcass is then returned to horizontal orientation to receive tread therearound. The tire is cured conventionally while the shaping core remains in the tire, still inflated, preferably with an inert gas.
Abstract of the Disclosure A first stage radial ply carcass and an endless breaker belt are built conventionally about horizontal axes. Carcass and belt separately are upended, to axis-vertical positions. The respective mid-circumferential planes of the carcass and the belt are made coplanar and coincident about the vertical axis of a shaping and curing core, without fixed reference to the vertical axis. The core is raised, into and through the carcass and expanded, first to support the carcass without significant radial deformation due to gravity, and then to expand the carcass to adhere the belt therearound. The assembly of core and belted carcass is then returned to horizontal orientation to receive tread therearound. The tire is cured conventionally while the shaping core remains in the tire, still inflated, preferably with an inert gas.
Description
~05~1~3 The present inven-tion is related -to building tires and particularly to building tires of grea-t size and welght as compared to, for example, relatively much sma~ler tires for road vehicle use.
In brie~ the invention lies in a method comprising bullding in cylindrical form about a horizontal axis a carcass including at least one tire carcass reinforc-ing ply and axially spaced apart tire beads enfolded in the respective ends of such ply; building apart from said carcass a circumferentially endless tire breaker-belt also about a horizontal axis; and then before unit-ing said carcass and said breaker-belt, turning each said axis from horizontal to vertical orientation, dis-posing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass into adherent contact with said breaker-belt, whereby radial deformations of said carcass due to gravity tend to be eliminated; thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
Because of the comparatively great size and weight of the tires of the class described herein, such tires in the uncured state are readily deflected and deformed from their designed shape by only their own weight.
This is particularly true in such tires wherein the reinforcing cords of the ply or plies cross the mid-circumferential plane of such tire at, or very nearly at, 90 degrees, as in radial ply tires. In such radial ply tire, the carcass comprises a single or at most few "
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~LOS~ 3 carcass plies and, in -the uncured state is limp and flaccid, in con-trast to the large number of carcass pJ.ies used in massive tires of the prior art. In tires hav:Lng a large number of bias plies disposed in success-lvely alternating bias angles across the mid-circum-ferential plane of the tire, the resulting carcass, even in its uncured state, is less subject to deformation due to its relatively greater multiple ply construction stiffness. As used in the present specification including the appended claims, the term, tire of the class described, refers ~`
particularly to tires of great section width, diameter, and relatively large section periphery from bead to bead, coupled with a relatively thin section wall due ~;
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_lA -~ 5~ ~3 -to the presence of a single or at most relatively few plies, usually of metallic cable or filament constructlon. Such tires of the class descrlbed are also characterizea by always including in or ben~ath the tread th~reof a circumferentially restrictive breaker bel~ of relatively inextensible circumferential length greater than the circumference of the flat band carcass as built for such tire. Tires of the class described are represented by tires for large earth-moving machines, for example, of sizes of 18~00 x 24 and larger In the heretofore practiced construction of tiresof the class described by classic methods about horizontal axes~ a deflection due to the weight of the uncured carcass, éven without a tread, occasioned a sag or deformation radially inwardly above the horizontal axis and radially outwardly below the axis This sag is believed to have contributed sometimes to a displacement of portions of the carcass with respect to the mid-circumferential plane~ relative to a desired symmetry of the construction with respect to suoh plane A principal object of the present invention~
therefore~ is to provide methods and apparatus by which ~ ~
tires of the class described can be built more accurately as well as more economically Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of preferred embadiments of the invention and from reference to the attached drawings in which:
--~5~ ~3 Figures 1-19 illustra-te steps of a preferred method of bullding a tire of the class described, In particular, Flg~ 1 shows schematlcally a conventional horlzontal tirc carcass and building drum. Fig, 2 illus-tratcs moans for and a step of transferring the non-sel~-supporting carcass from -the carcass building step of Fig, 1 to subsequent operations. Fig, 3 shows schematically means for and the step of constructing an inextensible breaker-belt later to be combined : :
with the carcass in accordance with the invention, Figs, ~-8 illustrate means for and successive steps o~
lifting the carcass and inserting a shaping core into the carcass of Fig, 1 in accordance with the invention, Figs, 9-13 illustrate the steps of and means for placing the breaker belt of Fig, 3 about the carcass of Fig, 1, Figs, 14-16 show ~urther steps of handling : .
the combined carcass and breaker-belt, Figs, 17-19 illustrate removal of the core from the tire after curing therèof, .
20 Figs, 20-25 illustrate in more detail features of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, Fig, 20 shows the breaker-belt building means of Fig, 3, Fig, 21 illustrates the carcass lifting means, as well as the tire shaping and curing core, shown sGhematically in Figs, 5-87 10-13~ and 17-19, Figs, 22-23 show the core inserting apparatus acco~ding to the invention, . .
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Fig. 24 shows apparatus according to the invention for posi-tioning the breaker-belt rela-tive to the carcass and the core, and Fig. 25 illustrates apparatus of the lnven-tion for consolida-ting the breaker-belt and carcass, as well a~ a tread thereon, -to complete the uncured tire.
Practice of the method o~ the invention, in the presently preferred mode, begins with the building of a tire carcass C illustrated schematically in Fig. 1.
The carcass C is also commonly referred to as a first-stage carcass and can be built in any known or preferred manner by winding, about a rigid cylindrical surface of a collapsible tire building drum 30, a ply or plies preferably including radial wire cord reinforcement into an endless cylindrical form coaxial about the horizontal axis 32' of the drum. The usual tire beads 33, 33' are placed on or adjacent the respective axial ends of the cylindrical ply and the axial ends of the ply are wrapped abou-t the beads in any known manner. This first-stage carcass C can include also any of the circumferentially expandable components, such as sidewalls, shoulder wedges, and like components of a complete tire of the class described. As is commonly done, the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass is determined and represented on the carcass by a visible line 35lbefore the carcass is removed from the drum.
After completing such first-stage carcass C, the car-cass is removed from the building drum 30 and . - , . . .
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~5~ 13 upended by rotating the carcass and i-ts own central axis 32 from its hori.zon-tal orientation to a vertical orienta-tion~ as is indicated in Fig 2 In its vertical orienta-tion~ the carcass is placed on the carcass transporter . The upending ~tep can be carried out in any suitable manner. ~re~erably, the first-stage carcass~ as it is beinK removed from the drum, is immediately supported by fluid pressure acting outwardly symmetrically of its axis 32 by placing a plurality of in~latable tubes such as the innertubes 41 of suitable size inside the carcass In the carcass transporter 40~ vertical support is pro-vided by inserting a rigid plate ~2 and one of the tubes 41~ the tube 41a~ into the interior of the carcass in such manner that when the carcass is upended the plate 42 supports the uppermost innertube 41a which is urged by inflation air pressure within, both upwardly toward the upper bead 33 of the upended carcass and radially outwardly uniformly toward the adjacent sidewall and shoulder portion of the carcass C As an equally useful alternative~ the tube 41a can be omitted and the peripheral edge of the`plate 42 can be provided with a rounded or toroidal protective cover such as a length of suitable ;~
hose fastened to and about the plate In turn9 the plate 42 is supported on a post ~4 which is carried erect ~ .
on a platform ~6 The post 44 is made telescopically .
adjustable so as to be lowered when the carcass C is later removed as well as to accommodate different sizes of first-stage carcasses For further support against undesirable deformation, additional inner-tubes are placed, as shown, in the interior of the ~ ~5~ ~3 carcass and suitably inflated ko form a regular and coaxial stack of tubes between the lower bead 33' and ~he plate L~2, The height of the pos-t l~4 supporting the plate ls adjusted to carry all or very nearly all o:~ the weight, of the carcass and of the tubes 41, The plat~orm 46 can be provided wlth wheels 1~6a for mobility, or be transported otherwise if desired, Turning to Fig, 3, a circumferentially endless breaker-belt B is constructed, while the first-stage carcass C is being constructed~ and at a location independent of and apart from the location where the carcass C is built, The breaker-belt B can be con-structed by any known method and apparatus, In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention~ the breaker-belt B is assembled inside a cylindrical ring 50 provided with a ring liner 52 comprislng a substantially continuous circum~erential length of flexible material, such as a length or a plurality of lengths of conveyor belting removably secured :
to the inner cylindrical surface o~ the ring 50, The ends of the belting composing the ring liner 52a .:
when in place~ meet but do not overlap, The ring is mounted on supports shown schematically at 54 enabling the ring to be rotated about its own axis 56 while an operator positions successive plies such ;
as B-l~ B-2 of the breaker belt B, splicing each of the several plies one at a time until ~., , , . . , . , ............ , , ~ ., . . - : ' , ,., . . . . . - - , .
~ ~5~i ~3 the se~ected number of plies have been assembled.
As will be appreciated, each of khe ~uccassive p~ies~
for example~ plies B-l and B-2, will be located symmetrically with respect to the mid-circumferential planes 58 of the belt and 58' oE the ring 50 The ring 50 ser~es not only as a form in which the breaker belt is constructed but also serves, as will presently be shown, to transport the breaker-belt B and to co-operate, with apparatus to be described~ to apply such breaker-belt B to the first-stage carcass C at a later stage in the operation being described Turning to Fig 4, the carcass transporter l~o is mo~ed with the carcass C thereon to a position adjacent ..
the carcass lifting means~ provided by the crane 60~
such that the boom 61 of the crane can be moved to locate its lifting axis 62 in at least approximate collinear allgnment with the axis 32 of the carcass C The carcass is then grasped by the fingers 63 at uniformly spaced ~;~
coplanar locations within the upper bead 33. The fingers -~
63 can readily displace the yieldable innertube 41 su~ficiently not to interfere with lifting the carcass The carcass can~ i~ desired, be grasped about the outer surface o~ the carcass instead of the inner surface of the bead.
The boom 61 is then elevated~ lifting the carcass C
keeping its axis 32 vertical The boom and carcass are s~ung to a position above a safety stand 65 whero an ~ :
~ 3 operator can remove tubes 41 and the plate ~2 through the lower bead 33' and open end of the carcass. To avoid the need for excessive height of the li~t o~ the carcass~ the telescoping post 1~l~ is lowered.
In Fig l~ the first-stage carcass C as illustratedis then supported only by the grasp o~ the eight lifting fingers 63 spaced uniformly about the inner circumference of the bead 33~ and while so supported the carcass is ~.
moved to the position shown in Fig 5.
The carcass shaping and curing core 70 is moved upwardly by the core inserter 80 to a suitable height above the operating floor 90, along its own vertical axis 100. Three height gauges 110~ one of which is shown in Fig ~ are disposed at equal angles about the axis 100 and are adjusted into a coplanar relation with the mid-circum~erential plane 70a of the core sleeve 71 of the core 70. The actual mid-circumferential plane of the core need not be exactly level or exactly perpendicular to the vertical axis 70~ as will be noted later herein. The gauges 110 are each fixed respectively on one of three independently adjustably elevated support stands 120 The height gauges~ having been so adjusted, define a first reference plane 130. The height gauge 110 can be a light line projector by which ~.
a narrow horizontally extending light beam can be pro-~ected to coincide with a line or mark placed on the ~ .
sleeve 71 at its mid-circum~erential plane 70a. Al-ternatively~ a height gauge in the form of a pointer ~`
~C~5~ i3 can be moved radially normal to the axis 100 to approach closely or to -touch the line or mark on -the sleeve 71.
The respective s-tands 120 are -thereby adjusted to the reference plarle 130 represen-ting the mid-circumferential plane of the core 70 in accordance with the se-t~ings of three height gauges.
The core 70 is next lowered sufficiently into the pit 95 to permit the carcass C to be moved to position its own now vertical axis 32 in substantial alignment with the vertical axis 100 as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the core 70. The boom 61 and carcass C are lowered to locate the line 35 in the reference plane 130 as deter-mined by the previously set height gauges 110. The car-cass continues to be supported only by the fingers 63.
Turni~g to Fig. 7; after the carcass C has been positioned above and in vertical alignment with the core 70, the core is again elevated into and through -the sus~
pended carcass to a height which repositions the mid-circumferential plane 70a of the sleeve 71 in coplanar alig~ment again with the previously established reference plane 130 and, therefore, with the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass.
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Also, or alternatively, the core 70, which at this step is extended to a length greater than the axial ~
25 length of the carcass, can be visually observed to be ~-located in correct axial registry with the carcass with-in satisfactory limits.
Before the fingers 63 are moved clear of the carcass ~ ~
C, the core 70 is expanded to support the carcass by ad- ~ - i 30 mission of air into the core chamber 74. Air, preferably ~ ~ ~
air from which the oxygen has been removed, or an equivalent inert gas, is admitted to the cavi-ty at an above a-t~ospheric pressure of about 1/2 atmosphere, which pressure is then maintained without decrease until the tire is placed in the mold.
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1~5~ ~3 As illus-trated in Fig, 8, the sleeve ends 71a and 71b, which are coaxially and airtightly attached~
r~specti~ely~ to the rlgid core ends 72 and 73~ are then m~v~d toward each other and toward the reference plane 130 while the sleeve 71 is expanded radially to an extent su~.~icient to bring the sleeve into circumferential engagement with the inner surface of the carcass C
in an axially central zone thereof extending across the plane of the mid-circumferential line 35 but spaced inwardly from the respectively upper 33 and lower 33' beads, The beads of the carcass are not at this time engaged by the core, Engagement of the expanded sleeve 71 with the carcass is sufficient alone to support the weight of the carcass and to permit the ~ingers 63 to be disengaged and moved away, While the carcass C is supported only by the sleeve 71, Fig, 8, an upper bead mold ring 75 is lowered : `' around the pressure dome 105 and secured concentrically ;~
on the upper core end 72, Both the ring 75 and the ~ .
lower bead mold ring 77 form parts of the mold (not shown) in ~hich the tire is to be cured~ as well as of the core 70~ and like the core~ remain with the carcass C
throughout the sequence of operations from the initial shaping o~ the carcass as seen in Fig, 8~ until the ~ .
tire has been molded and curedO
At this point, it should be noted that the weight of the carcass in a tire o~ the class described can tend to deform the sleeve 71 sufficiently to shift the -10- , .- ~ - .. , .- . ,:
... . :. . : . . ., : -~35~ 3 actual or true mid-circum~erential plane 70a of the sleeve and/or line 35 of the carcass C a small but measur-able amount downwardly with respect to the reference planc 130 ~n advantage of the present invention is t;hal; such de~ormation has no appreciable effect on the sgmmetrical relation of the carcass to its own axis 32.
~Iowever, in the event that the mentioned deEorming of the sleeve or possible movement of the carcass relatively of the sleeve tends to shift the actual mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass out of parallel with the reference plane~ according to the invention such misalignment can readily be dealt with, as will presently appear.
Turning now to Fig. 9; while the carcass C is supported alone by the core 70~ the previously described 15 ring 50 together with the breaker-belt B therein is upended, rotating the axis 56 of the ring and belt from horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by employing~ for example, a strong back or beam 50a having two lifting cables 50b which engage the trunions 50c 20 and an overhead crane or hoist (not shown) to lift and then to rotate the ring. With its axis vertical, the ring 50 together with the breaker-belt B are disposed adjacent the crane 60. To locate the ring and breaker-belt suitably in relation to the crane~ a target may 25 be painted on the floor and~ as seen in Fig. 10, the carcass lifting boom 61 is moved to position its lifting axis 62 collinear with the now vertical axis 56 of the belt and ring.
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10~ 3 The upper 72 and lower 73 core ends are moved equally closer toward each other and toward the reference plane 130 while additional gas is introduced into the cavity 7L~ so that the carcass is expanded to a diameter slightly less -than the inside diameter of the breaker belt B to be appliad Because of the possible movement of the actual true mid-circumferen-tial line 35 of the carcass as previously discussed, the support s-tands 120 can be again adjusted vertically as necessary to accord with the actual position of the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass . :
itself, independently of the previously established reference plane~ so as to locate the ring 50 and the belt B in suit-able coplanar relatlon with the actual position of the line 35 This relation can be accomplished by using the height gauges 110 to adjust as may be required after the partial expansion of the carcass the respective elevations ;
of the support stands 120 before placing the ring thereon .
It will be apparent that radial space between the circum- :
ference of the partially expanded carcass and the inner surface of the belt must be provided to allow the ring and belt to move into the required coplanar rèlation, and .~
further that the line 35 will then be inaccessible to -~ ~ -direct view and measurement. Moreover, some additional movement of the carcass can occur during its further expansion toward contac-t with the belt. As a preferred alternative to the above step, we temporarily attach or -adhere to the carcass, in at least approximate alignment . -with each of the support stands 120~ a gauge strip S, :;
as illustrated in Fig. 10. Each strip S is a straight ~ 5~ 3 length of thin metal about 3/~ inch in width having a zero mark placed at the line 35 Each gauge strap is so attached as to extend parallel to the axis 32 beyond the respecti~re upper and lower edges o:E the ring 50 and has l su:Ltable alignment mark to which an edge o:E the ring c~n be reglstered visually The ring 50 and the belt are then moved by the crane 60, first to align the axis 56 with the axis 100 then to place the ring on the support stands The stands 120 can then be ad~usted individually 10 as required to register one~ or both~ edges of the ring with the alignment marks on the gauge strips when the :
carcass has been expanded almost to touch the belt The true mid-circumferential plane 58 of the belt B
is thereby disposed in coplanar relation with the actual true position of the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass~ independently of the previously discussed reference plane As may be seen in Fig 12~ the carcass C is then further expanded into adherent contact with the breaker-belt B while the core ends 72 and 73 are moved equally closer toward each other and toward the mid-circumferential plane 58 The gauge strips S can then be easily removed When the carcass and the belt are adhered to each other~ ~ :
the flexible connectors 63b are attached to three of the lifting fingers 63 and to the eyes 50d to lift the ring ~ -vertically from the assembled carcass and belt The ring liner 52 remains adhered to the belt while the ring 50 is being removed The belting forming the liner 52 can then :
easily be peeled from the assembled breaker-belt and car-cass~ and subsequently be replaced in the ring for reuse ~ 3 Fig. 13 illustrates a further stage in which the core ends 72,73 and the bead mold rings 75,77 fixed r0spectivel~ the:reon are moved closer together to their final~ axiall~ spaced~ relation wherein the beads 33~33' o~ the carcass are spaced apart by the di.stance there-between at which the tire is to be cured Then the core ..
ends are locked to one anot~ler rigidly fixing such distance. :
The cooperation of the vertically adjustable support ~.`
stands with the breaker belt ring ~0 yields a further and important advantage in that the core inserter 80 can be less complex and expensive than the classic horizontal . `
axis tire building apparatus In the latter~ complex ` .
and expensive mechanism is required for aligning a breaker belt and a carcass in reasonably accurate coaxial relatlon . : .
In contrast, a core inserter oriented along a verticalaxis according to the present invention can readily accommo-date some tilting of the axis from the true vertical such that the mid-circumferential plane of the core and of the carcass may not be exactly level but by appropriate readily ; ~ .
20 made adjustment of the support stands 120 to the actual .
mid-circumferential plane, the belt can be applied to the carcass in symmetrical alignment with the mid-circumferential . ~ .
plane of the carcass within limits at least as small as -~
could be obtained by horizontal axis apparatus of com-parable size. The core inserter of the invention~ there-~ore, does not require closely fitted slide ways and the like to obtain very satis~actory accuracy in shaping the carcass and applying the breaker-belt :
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~5~ 13 Moving on to Figs. 1~ and 15~ the now united carcass and belt with -the core 70 expanded and secured therein are next li~ted as a unit from the core ~nserter ~0 and low~red coaxially onto an arbor 1~0 which is 5 accommodated in coaxial open bores in the core ends 72~73 The core, carcass and belt assembly~ including the arbor are then turned from the axis-vertical to an axis-horizontal position aided by the tilting device 150 From the tilting device, the assembly on its arbor is transferred to a trans~er truck 160 in which the arbor is supported by the semi-cylindrical saddles 161 in which the arbor 1~0 is supported with the core between the two saddles The truck 160 is then moved to a tire rotating stand 170~which is located apart from the core inserter 8~ in which stand the breaker-belt B and carcass C are ;
rotated in stitching contact with conventional stitching ~ :
mechanism (not shown) and further consolidated me stitching mechanism is not~ as in the prior art hereto- ;~ .
fore~ associated immediately with the tire building drum on which assembly of carcass and breaker belt are performed After the breaker-belt has been consolidated with the carcass~ the shaped and belted carcass is transported by the truck 160 to a ~urther station (not shown) whereat a circumferentially endless tread is applied~ pre~erably in the ~orm of a continuing plural~ty o~ revolu~ions .
~V~ 3 of a cord, ribbon, or ~lat band of tread compound wound continuously about -the belted carcass to ~orm the full depth o:~ tread desir~d A~ter the tread apply.ing operation~ the t:Lre is returned to the stand 170 and the so-applied tread is also stitched and consolidated to the belted carcass~ after which the assembled uncured tire on the core is placed as a unit in a curing mold It should be noted here that~ ~ ;
as previously mentioned, the upper and lower bead mold rings 75~77 form parts of the mold in which the ~cured tire is placed and which mold then is subjected to heat and to internal pressure for molding and curing the tire The gas pressure introduced into the core 70 during the initial shaping of the carcass is not decreased therein throughout the operations following the first introduction of pressure into the carcass After the tread has been applied to the belted carcass and before the uncured tire is placed in a . mold for curing9 the assembled carcass~ core~ and arbor are slowly rotated~ at about one revolution per minute to avoid radial distortion of the uncured tire which can otherwise result from the weight of the tread applied to the carcass. The saddles 161 . of the truck 160 provide bearing support for rotation of the arbor 1~0 After the in-mold curing of the tire has been accomplished~ the tire with the core 70 remaining (see Fig 17) ~ . . . . . .
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therein is removed from the mold and carried back ~ ~
to the core inserter 80 and placed upon a parallel ~ -pair of beams 182 placed across the pit 95 to support the tire, The upper and lower core ends 72~73 are disengaged from each other, The lower core end 73 .
is again secured to the platen 84 and the upper core end 72 is again secured to the shaft 85 by the spider 107 and the pressure retaining dome 105 is reaffixed9 whereupon the core ends 72~73 are moved away from each other which movement operates to withdraw the sleeve 71 from the tire, As seen in Fig, 18~ after the core ends have ~ . .. .: .
been moved apart to the maximum extent and the sleeve extended therebetween to assume its minimum diameter~ the core 70 is lowered into the pit 95 to the position illustrated in Fig, 19 whereupon the boom 61 may be swung over the pit and lowered ~ :
to pick up the tire and to carry it away from the inserter, The boom is then ready to return with a first-stage uncured carcass C to repeat the sequence of operations described~ :~
APparatu~ ~ :
The invention ~urther includes apparatus about to be described which is particularly suited to the . ..
practice of the method hereinbefore descri.bed, : -17-: ::
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Breaker-Belt AssemblY, TransPort~ and AP~lYin~ Me3~s The ring 50 shown but sche~atically in Fig, 3 i9 illustrated ~n greater de-tail in Fig, 20, This ring so~ves as a bui~ding ~orm providing means ~or building a breaker belt from a plurality of plies in a conventional manner. In accordance with the invention, the bel-t building ring 50 is provided with means which cooperate to serve also for handling the breaker~belt~ particularly for turn-ing the belt from an axis-horizontal position as built to an axis-vertical position, and for transporting the belt.
The ring serves further for positioning the break~r-belt relative to the carcass and for applying the breaker-belt to the carcass as the latter is expanded~ which operations have been described hereinabove, The ring 50 comprises an arcuate steel plate formed as a cylinder, The respective ends of the plate are clamped together to form the complete cylindrical ring or released by a pair of turnbuckle clamps 51 or the like, In contrast to belt-transferring devices of the prior 20 art, the ring 50 is~ in the present embodiment~ an endless ~-ring not sub~ect to radial enlargement during the practice of the invention, We have found~ however, that by pro-vlding a single cylindrical plate with a separation or parting line 55 which is held closed in rigid endless form .- ...
during use, a further advantage can be obtained, The oppos-ing ends of the plate can be separated sufficiently to accommodate an extension plate 50x which is inserted and held fixedly to the opposing ends of the cylindrical plate so as to enlarge the circumference of the ring 50 as much - . . ~ . ~ . . -, . . . .
, . . , ~ ., l~S~13 as about s~x inches and thereby economically acco~nodate minor di:Eferences in the belt circumferences of different tires without altering the rigid endless character oP
t;he ring 50 while assembl:1ng any single tire, . The ends O:e the plate are retained in alignment by slldable llnks 53 attached to one end O:e the plate to extend across the parting li:ne 55 into engagement respectively wlth a pair of slides 57 attached to the matching other end of the plate. For lifting the ring 50 to and from its position surrounding the carcass~ flexible connectors~ such as the short~ and equal, lengths of chain 63b~ are removably attached to the crane arms 65 ad~acent the fingers 63, Each chain 63b has a hook engageable in a respective one of the lifting eyes 50d secured on the ring 50, Although equivalent means of connecting the ring 50 to the boom 61 may be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art~ we have found the use of the chains 63b to be quick and.simple, To position the ring and the breaker-belt therein in a coplanar relation with the mid-circum~erential line on the carcass~ three support lugs 59 are fixed on the ring at three e~ual angular intervals about the axis, - Each of the ~lugs has a surface 59a located in precise parallal relation with the mid-circumferential plane of the ring with which the breaker-belt has been aligned, In the present embodiment the surfaces 59a are provided by the :.
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~lat ends of the cylindrical bores in ths respeotive lugs, The oylindrical wall 59b of the bore protects the surface 59a against damage and provides a secure engagement with :
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the support stand 120 which will be described presently, ;~
3 It will be evident that other support surfaces for engage- ~ .
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~S~ ~3 ment with support stands could be provided and it will further be evident that the support sur~aces can as well be parallel to but o~set from the mid-circumferential plane oP the ring as well as coplanar therewith.
To ~acilitate release o~ the breaker-belt and r~ng ~rom each other~ the ring liner 52~ previously rePerred to~ is provided by a flexible strip or strlps of conveyor belting attached to the inner cylindrical sur-face of the ring in any convenient manner In the present embodiment the strips extend the full circumference of the ring so that the open ends meet but do not overlap Carcass Liftin~ Means Turning now to Fig. 21~ the carcass lifting means~
the ~unctions o~ which have been made apparent throughout the successive stages of the method already described~ is illus-trated more completely in Fig 21, While the functions described can be accomplished by alternative means~ for example~ by suitably equipped gantry crane or the like, in the present embodiment~ the pre~erred lifting means is pro-~ , vided by the jib crane 60 which includes the vertical column 60a mounted for rotation about its own vertical axis on a base 60b fixed to the operating ~loor 90 adjacent to the pit 95 A traveler 60c mounted for vertical movement up and down the column 60a carries the boom 61 which extends -radially outwardly of the column. In its radially outward end 61a~ the boom supports a center post 61b in line vertically with the lifting axis 62. A spreader 64 comprising beam 6~a extending at equal angular intervals radially of the lifting axis are fixed to and carried by the center post 61b. One of the carcass supporting 1~5~ 3 arms 65 is mounted on each of the beams 64a to move radially inwardly and outwardly of the lifting axis.
A lifting finger 63, fixed on each of the arms 65~
ls shaped suitably to 0ngage the upper baad portion 33 of the carcass C These fingers can be removed ~rom the arms 65 or interchanged with fingers particularly adapted for carcasses of other climensions as the need arises The arms 65 can also be employed to support a firs~-stage carcass by engaging the axially inter-10 mediate and radially outward surface of the carcass ratherthan within the upper bead of such carcass.
A scroll 66 is mounted rotatably coaxially of the center post 61b immediately above the spreader beams 64a and has a plurality of spiral ~rooves each of which acccmmodates a cam follower (not visible in the ;
~igure) associated respectively with one of the arms 65 such that rotation of the scroll controls the radial movement of the arms toward and away from the axis 62.
The scroll, spiral grooves, and cam followers~ are of 20 well-lmown construction, hence the details thereof~ not being within the scope of the invention claimed, are not further described.
The major movements of the boom 61 upward and downward along the column 60a are effected by a major 25 lift drive including a chain 60d which passes at its upper end about a sprocket 60e driven by a drive 60f lV56~1~
:Eixed at the upper end of the co:lumn. The chain extends downward about an idler sprocket 60b fixed near the lower 0ncl o~ the column, The respective ends o:~ the chain are ~olned to th0 traveler 60c. In addition to the ma~or ll:et drive~ an inching or vernier drive 61c is mounted on the boom 61 to facilitate the precise vertical location o~ the lift fingers 63, Screw threads on the upper end o:f the post 61a engage a rotatable nut 61d held in its axial position on a thrust bearing (not.
shown), The nut 61d is rotated relatively o~ the post 61b by the vernier drive 61c to raise or lower the center post 61b and thereby the arms 65 and fingers 63 to ef~ect minor adjustments of the vertical elevation o~
the ~ingers.
The column is rotated by a drive 66 and is con-trolled to locate the li~ting axis 62 in alignment with the axi 5 100 0~ the core inserter 80~ about to be described in greater detail, by conventional means well understood in the arts, .
Vertical movement of the boom 61 relative to the column 60a is controlled by conventional limit switches, Carcass ShaPin~ and Tire CurinÆ Core ~he core 70 itself as illustrated in Fig, 21 comprises a radially expansible elastomeric sleeve 71 . .
. . - . .
~ 3 the axial ends 71a~71b of which are fluidly tlghtly connected respectlvely to a rigid upper core end 72 and a rigld lower core end 73 which latter is removably secured coaxially on the platen 84 of the corc ln~erter 80~ presentl~ to be more fully described, The lower core end includes the integral lower bead mold ring 77, The upper core end 72 is provided with a seat 72a on which is removably affixed the upper bead mold ring 75 which can be removed to permit the upper core end 72 to pass axially through the open center of the first-stage carcass after which the bead ring 75 can be secured on the core end 72, An open cylindrical bore 78 extends through each of the core ends to accommodate the central shaft 85 as well as an arbor 140 on which the core 70 and uncured belted carcass can be mounted, me further details of the core 70 are con-ventional and not wlthin the scope of the present invention~ hence do not appear to require further :~ .
description, Core Insertin~
me core inserting means provided by the core inserter 80 in the illustrative embodiment of the -~
present invention is shown in Figs, 22 and 23, Movements of the core inserter 80 have been discussed in connection with the stages of the method set forth hereinabove, The core inserter comprises a rigid elevator 82 mounted -for straight line movement vertically up and down, The .: .
~3 ~tructure 82 is provided with downwardly extending stabilizing legs 82a rigidly secured to the elevator, Each of the legs carries a wheel 82b which rolls on a vertical xail 96 rigidly mounted on a vertical wall 97 o~ the plt 95 in which the inserter is housed, An upwardly extending yoke 86a secured integrall~ to the elevator 82 is connected to the elevating ram 86 parmitting the elevator 82 to move downwardly below the upper end 87a of the elevating cylinder 87, The elevator ls raised and lowered by the ram 86 in the hydraulic elevating cylinder 87 which is fixed on and extends vertically upward from the floor 98 o~ the plt 95 , In the present embodiment a pair of such cylinders 87 are disposed equally and oppositel~
relatively of the vertical axis 100~ as shown in Fig, 22.
A pair of shaping cylinders 88 are rigidly fi~ed to the structure 82 for movement upwardly and downwardly together therewith, The two shaping cylinders 88 are also disposed equally and oppositely relatively of the vertlcal axis 100 as shown in Fig, 22, Each of the ~`
shaping cylinders 88 contains a ram 89 which is fixed at its upper end to the platen 84 to which the lower core end 73 is removably attached, The shaping cylinders are each supported in a saddle 88a secured integrally to the elevator 82, me ver-tical center sha~t 85 extends slidably through the platen 8~. A spider 107 removably secured to the sha~t upper end by a C-ring .... .
:, ' - ., , , .~, ..... .
3L~)5t:i~'13 is locked to and released from the upper core end by a conventional serrated ring lock, The lower end portion 85a of the center sha~t 85 has a plurality o~
gear rackg 8~b ~ixed on or made integral therewith, The racks 85b extend vertically parallel to the axis 100, Each o:E the racks 85b is in meshing engagement with a pinion 83 mounted for rotation about a pinion axis 83a fixed in the elevator in a plane normal to the vertical axis 100, Fixed to the platen 84 and 10 extending downwardly therefrom parallel to the axis 100 are a plurality of racks 84a each of which is held in meshing engagement with one of the pinions 83 by a backing roller 84b mounted in the elevator for rotation about an axis parallel to and suitably spaced from the 15 respective pinion axis 83a so that the roller bears rollably on the plain back surface 84c of the rack, It will be seen in Fig, 23 that as the rams 89 of the shaping cylinders 88 are extended to move the platen 84 upwardly the racks 84a move upwardly therewith and 20 cause rotation of the respective pinions 83 which in turn exert downward force on the center shaft 85 by virtue o~ the engagement of the pinions 83 wlth the racks 85~ on that shaft, In this way~ the upward movement of the platen 84 is accompanied by an equal 25 and opposite downward movement of the upper core end 720 In like manner~ downward movement of the platen 84 as the rams 89 retract results in equal and opposlte upward movement of the upper core end 72, Both of the described shaping movements are independent of the 3 position o~ the elevator 82 which is itself raised or lowered by the elevator rams 86, -25- :
~()S ~ ~3 ~u~ort Stand~
The support stands 120 shown schematically in ~igs, 5 and 11-13 are illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 24, The plurality o~ support stands 120~
pre~erably three~ are equally spaced about the axis 100 Since these support stands are ldentical~ a description of one will suffice for all three Each stand comprises a hollow post 121 extending upwardly ~rom the floor 90. An elevating screw 122 is disposed telescopically within the post and extends upwardly~
being engaged in an internally screw-threaded worm wheel 123. The worm wheel ~s carried on a thrust bearing 124 on the upper end of the post A hand-wheel shaft 12~ mounted ln a suitable bracket fixed on the post 1~ carries a worm 125a which meshes with the worm wheel 123 The worm 125a is turned by the hand-wheel 125b to rotate the worm wheel which moves the screw 122 upward or downward in the post 121 A hollow support beam 126 is fixed horizontally on a swivel housing 126a mounted on the upper end of the screw 122~ the ~:
beam 126 extending as a cantilever outwardly therefrom.
A beam extension 126b slidable within the hollow beam 126 can be ~xtended toward the axls 100 ma~ually or moved into the hollow beam away from the axis as Z5 required in the operation described The distal end of the extendable and retractable beam extension 126b carries the support sur~ace 126c on which the -26- ;
~V5~L3 respective surface 59a of a lug 59 of the ring 50 are placed to position the ring in the above-described coplanar relation with the mid-circumferential line 35 o:~ the carcass C As has been mentioned~ the support stand 120 also carries a height gauge 110 by which the true actual position of the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass C is determined. The height gauge~
illustrated by a light beam projector~ is mounted on the housing 126a in ad~ustably fixed relation to the support surface 126c so that by vertical adjustment of the screw 122 the projected ~ight beam or equivalent height gauge can be aligned with the mid-circumferential plane of the core 70 or of the carcass C as has been described hereinbefore In this manner~ the support surface 126c of each beam 126 defines one point o~ a plane parallel to or coplanar with the desired mid-circumferential plane and the three support stands together cooperate to place the ring 50 and belt B
in the desired plane~as has been described Means for ad~usting the position of each of the stands radially of the axis to accommodate larger or smaller diameter tires as is also shown in Fig 2L~ can be provided if desired Truck and S~h~a~LArran~ement :~
Turning to Fig 25~ apparatus for the practice ;~
of the method described includes the truck 160 adapted to transport the uncured belted carcass or the tire -27- ;
.: . . . . . . . . . . .
., . I
~ ~5 ~1 ~ 3 and the core as wall as to enable rotation of the tire and core assembly about the axis 32. In addition to a conven-tional truck frame 162 and wheels 163 th0reon~ a pair of uprights 16L~ ~ixed on the frame support the pair of saddles 161 previously described, which are half bearings on which the arbor lL~o previously referred to can be supported for rotation about the tire axis The truck7 as has been mentioned, serves to transport the core with the carcass and belt assembly thereon, to a conventional stitching mechanism located apart from the tire drum 30 and from the inserter where the carcass and bel-t have been assembled. The saddles 161 are at such elevation~ relative to the operating floor 90 that the tire axis 32 is supported a fraction of an inch below the rotation axis 171 of the headstock 172 and cooperating tailstock 173 of the tire rotating stand 170 A freely rotatable coned center 173a mounted on the tailstock non-rotating spindle 173b cooperates .
with a driving coned center 172a mounted corotatably on a hollow driving shaft 172b on the headstock not only to mount the core and tire thereon ~or rotation :
during stitching o~ the belt to the carcass~ and later the tread to the belt and carcass~ but also to :.
lift the arbor 1~0 with the tire and core assembly ; ...
the aforesaid small fraction of an inch~ sufficient -28- :: :
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l~St;1~3 only to separate the arbor from the saddles 161 A push rod 17~c mounted coaxially in the hollow shaft 172b connects the driving center 172a with the plston 171~a of a power cylinder 171~b mounted at th~ d~stal ~nd of the shaft and which is operable to move the driving center 172a toward and away from the tailstock 173 The arbor 140 has coned centers 140a formed coaxially and in each of its ends, into which the headstock and tailstock centers can be first freely entered and then~ by additional fluid pressure ~ .
in the cylinder 17~b~ forced into full engagement with the arbor thereby lifting the arbor with the core and tire thereon into coaxial alignment with the rotation axis 171 A drive motor 176 in the headstock is con~
nected~ by the chain 176aand sprockets 176b~176c to the shaft 172b to rotate the tire at a speed or speeds suitable for stitching the belt and/or the tread To adjust the location of the mid-circumferential plane of the belted carcass~ the tailstock spindle 173b is slidable in the tailstock tube 173c and is moved axially by a screw 173d engaged with internal threads formed coaxially within the spindle. The screw extends outwardly from the tube and is supported for rotation but axially fixed in the tube. A drive .:-chain 173~ connects the screw drivably with an air motor 177 fixed on the tailstock frame 178 ~he motor .
and screw can move the core and arbor toward or away :~
-29- ~ ;
~ 3 from the headstock 172 while the piston 174a maintains thrust axially on the arbor.
When the stitching has been completed~ the c~nter 172a 1~ moved axially awa~ from the arbor so as to lower the arbor to rest again in the saddles To mlnimize radial distortion of the tire~
particularly after a tread has been placed around the belt and carcass~ it has been found advantageous to rotate the uncured tire slowly~ for example~ at about one revolution per minute, until the tire is trans~erred to a curing mold The truck 160 and ln particular the saddles 161 allow the tire to be so rotated by any suitable motor drivingly connected to the arbor 140.
By assembling a tire of the class described while the axes of the carcass, of the breaker-belt~
and of the tire shaping and curing core~ are vertical and coincident~ the weight of the uncured tire-acts parallel to and generally in line with the common axis so that any sag or distortion of such a tire has no harmful effect on the radial uniformity of the tire about its operating axis ~his is contrary to the classic method of assembling tires about a horizontal axis.
By locating the mid-circumferential plane of the breaker-belt variably to suit the actual position of the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass just ~ s ~` ` ' ' -30- . .
1~35~1~L3 prior to uniting the belt and carcass, thus com-pensating for the somewhat unpredictable vertical sag or deformation due to the weight o~ the carcass~
and of the shaping-curing bladder if used~ the aocuracy of the position o~ the breaker-bel-t relative to the mid circumferential plane of the tire can be improved. Again, this is contrary to the classic procedure in ~uilding tires about a horizontal axis, in which no compensation for angular misalignment has been provided by the prior art.
By shaping the tire from its cylindrical to its toroidal shape and applying an inextensible breaker-belt on a curing core having a central open coaxial bore isolated from the tire cavity~ less time and effort are expended in subsequent operations and quality is improved.
Capital expenditure for equipment is made less than heretofore incurred by utilizing apparatus capable both: of shaping a carcass and applying an inextensible breaker belt; and of mounting and dismounting the uncured carcass and tire on and from a curing core;
as contrasted with the prior art practice of providing~
for smaller tires than tires of the class described, one apparatus for shaping and applying a breaker to a carcass~ and other apparatus for mounting and dis-mounting a tire on and from a curing bag or bladder.
This advantage is particularly enhanced in providing for manufacture of tires of the class described~
. : :
... ~ . . .
-31- ; ~
~ 3 It is no longer required to dismolmt and remount a partially completed tire on successi~e different buildlng or shaplng forms, yielding an advantage in both accuracy and in cost of manufacturing ~dditionally, 5 by shaping the carcass initially wi-th air, or preferably an inert gas~ and maintaining such pressure within the core throughout the building process, less undesirable deformation of the carcass occurs during its manufacture While the foregoing description relates, as to utility~ primarily to radial ply tires, neither the practice of the invention nor the subject matter expressed in the claims are intended in any way to exclude any tire of the class described as large and having a breaker-belt in or beneath the tread While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention~ it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
.:
In brie~ the invention lies in a method comprising bullding in cylindrical form about a horizontal axis a carcass including at least one tire carcass reinforc-ing ply and axially spaced apart tire beads enfolded in the respective ends of such ply; building apart from said carcass a circumferentially endless tire breaker-belt also about a horizontal axis; and then before unit-ing said carcass and said breaker-belt, turning each said axis from horizontal to vertical orientation, dis-posing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass into adherent contact with said breaker-belt, whereby radial deformations of said carcass due to gravity tend to be eliminated; thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
Because of the comparatively great size and weight of the tires of the class described herein, such tires in the uncured state are readily deflected and deformed from their designed shape by only their own weight.
This is particularly true in such tires wherein the reinforcing cords of the ply or plies cross the mid-circumferential plane of such tire at, or very nearly at, 90 degrees, as in radial ply tires. In such radial ply tire, the carcass comprises a single or at most few "
.
,~;, ~ . . ,.~ . . ~ .
.
~LOS~ 3 carcass plies and, in -the uncured state is limp and flaccid, in con-trast to the large number of carcass pJ.ies used in massive tires of the prior art. In tires hav:Lng a large number of bias plies disposed in success-lvely alternating bias angles across the mid-circum-ferential plane of the tire, the resulting carcass, even in its uncured state, is less subject to deformation due to its relatively greater multiple ply construction stiffness. As used in the present specification including the appended claims, the term, tire of the class described, refers ~`
particularly to tires of great section width, diameter, and relatively large section periphery from bead to bead, coupled with a relatively thin section wall due ~;
'` "- ' .
_lA -~ 5~ ~3 -to the presence of a single or at most relatively few plies, usually of metallic cable or filament constructlon. Such tires of the class descrlbed are also characterizea by always including in or ben~ath the tread th~reof a circumferentially restrictive breaker bel~ of relatively inextensible circumferential length greater than the circumference of the flat band carcass as built for such tire. Tires of the class described are represented by tires for large earth-moving machines, for example, of sizes of 18~00 x 24 and larger In the heretofore practiced construction of tiresof the class described by classic methods about horizontal axes~ a deflection due to the weight of the uncured carcass, éven without a tread, occasioned a sag or deformation radially inwardly above the horizontal axis and radially outwardly below the axis This sag is believed to have contributed sometimes to a displacement of portions of the carcass with respect to the mid-circumferential plane~ relative to a desired symmetry of the construction with respect to suoh plane A principal object of the present invention~
therefore~ is to provide methods and apparatus by which ~ ~
tires of the class described can be built more accurately as well as more economically Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of preferred embadiments of the invention and from reference to the attached drawings in which:
--~5~ ~3 Figures 1-19 illustra-te steps of a preferred method of bullding a tire of the class described, In particular, Flg~ 1 shows schematlcally a conventional horlzontal tirc carcass and building drum. Fig, 2 illus-tratcs moans for and a step of transferring the non-sel~-supporting carcass from -the carcass building step of Fig, 1 to subsequent operations. Fig, 3 shows schematically means for and the step of constructing an inextensible breaker-belt later to be combined : :
with the carcass in accordance with the invention, Figs, ~-8 illustrate means for and successive steps o~
lifting the carcass and inserting a shaping core into the carcass of Fig, 1 in accordance with the invention, Figs, 9-13 illustrate the steps of and means for placing the breaker belt of Fig, 3 about the carcass of Fig, 1, Figs, 14-16 show ~urther steps of handling : .
the combined carcass and breaker-belt, Figs, 17-19 illustrate removal of the core from the tire after curing therèof, .
20 Figs, 20-25 illustrate in more detail features of the apparatus in accordance with the invention, Fig, 20 shows the breaker-belt building means of Fig, 3, Fig, 21 illustrates the carcass lifting means, as well as the tire shaping and curing core, shown sGhematically in Figs, 5-87 10-13~ and 17-19, Figs, 22-23 show the core inserting apparatus acco~ding to the invention, . .
~ ~ .
Fig. 24 shows apparatus according to the invention for posi-tioning the breaker-belt rela-tive to the carcass and the core, and Fig. 25 illustrates apparatus of the lnven-tion for consolida-ting the breaker-belt and carcass, as well a~ a tread thereon, -to complete the uncured tire.
Practice of the method o~ the invention, in the presently preferred mode, begins with the building of a tire carcass C illustrated schematically in Fig. 1.
The carcass C is also commonly referred to as a first-stage carcass and can be built in any known or preferred manner by winding, about a rigid cylindrical surface of a collapsible tire building drum 30, a ply or plies preferably including radial wire cord reinforcement into an endless cylindrical form coaxial about the horizontal axis 32' of the drum. The usual tire beads 33, 33' are placed on or adjacent the respective axial ends of the cylindrical ply and the axial ends of the ply are wrapped abou-t the beads in any known manner. This first-stage carcass C can include also any of the circumferentially expandable components, such as sidewalls, shoulder wedges, and like components of a complete tire of the class described. As is commonly done, the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass is determined and represented on the carcass by a visible line 35lbefore the carcass is removed from the drum.
After completing such first-stage carcass C, the car-cass is removed from the building drum 30 and . - , . . .
.. .. . - , . ~ .
. .,, , ~ : ` ~
~5~ 13 upended by rotating the carcass and i-ts own central axis 32 from its hori.zon-tal orientation to a vertical orienta-tion~ as is indicated in Fig 2 In its vertical orienta-tion~ the carcass is placed on the carcass transporter . The upending ~tep can be carried out in any suitable manner. ~re~erably, the first-stage carcass~ as it is beinK removed from the drum, is immediately supported by fluid pressure acting outwardly symmetrically of its axis 32 by placing a plurality of in~latable tubes such as the innertubes 41 of suitable size inside the carcass In the carcass transporter 40~ vertical support is pro-vided by inserting a rigid plate ~2 and one of the tubes 41~ the tube 41a~ into the interior of the carcass in such manner that when the carcass is upended the plate 42 supports the uppermost innertube 41a which is urged by inflation air pressure within, both upwardly toward the upper bead 33 of the upended carcass and radially outwardly uniformly toward the adjacent sidewall and shoulder portion of the carcass C As an equally useful alternative~ the tube 41a can be omitted and the peripheral edge of the`plate 42 can be provided with a rounded or toroidal protective cover such as a length of suitable ;~
hose fastened to and about the plate In turn9 the plate 42 is supported on a post ~4 which is carried erect ~ .
on a platform ~6 The post 44 is made telescopically .
adjustable so as to be lowered when the carcass C is later removed as well as to accommodate different sizes of first-stage carcasses For further support against undesirable deformation, additional inner-tubes are placed, as shown, in the interior of the ~ ~5~ ~3 carcass and suitably inflated ko form a regular and coaxial stack of tubes between the lower bead 33' and ~he plate L~2, The height of the pos-t l~4 supporting the plate ls adjusted to carry all or very nearly all o:~ the weight, of the carcass and of the tubes 41, The plat~orm 46 can be provided wlth wheels 1~6a for mobility, or be transported otherwise if desired, Turning to Fig, 3, a circumferentially endless breaker-belt B is constructed, while the first-stage carcass C is being constructed~ and at a location independent of and apart from the location where the carcass C is built, The breaker-belt B can be con-structed by any known method and apparatus, In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention~ the breaker-belt B is assembled inside a cylindrical ring 50 provided with a ring liner 52 comprislng a substantially continuous circum~erential length of flexible material, such as a length or a plurality of lengths of conveyor belting removably secured :
to the inner cylindrical surface o~ the ring 50, The ends of the belting composing the ring liner 52a .:
when in place~ meet but do not overlap, The ring is mounted on supports shown schematically at 54 enabling the ring to be rotated about its own axis 56 while an operator positions successive plies such ;
as B-l~ B-2 of the breaker belt B, splicing each of the several plies one at a time until ~., , , . . , . , ............ , , ~ ., . . - : ' , ,., . . . . . - - , .
~ ~5~i ~3 the se~ected number of plies have been assembled.
As will be appreciated, each of khe ~uccassive p~ies~
for example~ plies B-l and B-2, will be located symmetrically with respect to the mid-circumferential planes 58 of the belt and 58' oE the ring 50 The ring 50 ser~es not only as a form in which the breaker belt is constructed but also serves, as will presently be shown, to transport the breaker-belt B and to co-operate, with apparatus to be described~ to apply such breaker-belt B to the first-stage carcass C at a later stage in the operation being described Turning to Fig 4, the carcass transporter l~o is mo~ed with the carcass C thereon to a position adjacent ..
the carcass lifting means~ provided by the crane 60~
such that the boom 61 of the crane can be moved to locate its lifting axis 62 in at least approximate collinear allgnment with the axis 32 of the carcass C The carcass is then grasped by the fingers 63 at uniformly spaced ~;~
coplanar locations within the upper bead 33. The fingers -~
63 can readily displace the yieldable innertube 41 su~ficiently not to interfere with lifting the carcass The carcass can~ i~ desired, be grasped about the outer surface o~ the carcass instead of the inner surface of the bead.
The boom 61 is then elevated~ lifting the carcass C
keeping its axis 32 vertical The boom and carcass are s~ung to a position above a safety stand 65 whero an ~ :
~ 3 operator can remove tubes 41 and the plate ~2 through the lower bead 33' and open end of the carcass. To avoid the need for excessive height of the li~t o~ the carcass~ the telescoping post 1~l~ is lowered.
In Fig l~ the first-stage carcass C as illustratedis then supported only by the grasp o~ the eight lifting fingers 63 spaced uniformly about the inner circumference of the bead 33~ and while so supported the carcass is ~.
moved to the position shown in Fig 5.
The carcass shaping and curing core 70 is moved upwardly by the core inserter 80 to a suitable height above the operating floor 90, along its own vertical axis 100. Three height gauges 110~ one of which is shown in Fig ~ are disposed at equal angles about the axis 100 and are adjusted into a coplanar relation with the mid-circum~erential plane 70a of the core sleeve 71 of the core 70. The actual mid-circumferential plane of the core need not be exactly level or exactly perpendicular to the vertical axis 70~ as will be noted later herein. The gauges 110 are each fixed respectively on one of three independently adjustably elevated support stands 120 The height gauges~ having been so adjusted, define a first reference plane 130. The height gauge 110 can be a light line projector by which ~.
a narrow horizontally extending light beam can be pro-~ected to coincide with a line or mark placed on the ~ .
sleeve 71 at its mid-circum~erential plane 70a. Al-ternatively~ a height gauge in the form of a pointer ~`
~C~5~ i3 can be moved radially normal to the axis 100 to approach closely or to -touch the line or mark on -the sleeve 71.
The respective s-tands 120 are -thereby adjusted to the reference plarle 130 represen-ting the mid-circumferential plane of the core 70 in accordance with the se-t~ings of three height gauges.
The core 70 is next lowered sufficiently into the pit 95 to permit the carcass C to be moved to position its own now vertical axis 32 in substantial alignment with the vertical axis 100 as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the core 70. The boom 61 and carcass C are lowered to locate the line 35 in the reference plane 130 as deter-mined by the previously set height gauges 110. The car-cass continues to be supported only by the fingers 63.
Turni~g to Fig. 7; after the carcass C has been positioned above and in vertical alignment with the core 70, the core is again elevated into and through -the sus~
pended carcass to a height which repositions the mid-circumferential plane 70a of the sleeve 71 in coplanar alig~ment again with the previously established reference plane 130 and, therefore, with the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass.
~:,...
Also, or alternatively, the core 70, which at this step is extended to a length greater than the axial ~
25 length of the carcass, can be visually observed to be ~-located in correct axial registry with the carcass with-in satisfactory limits.
Before the fingers 63 are moved clear of the carcass ~ ~
C, the core 70 is expanded to support the carcass by ad- ~ - i 30 mission of air into the core chamber 74. Air, preferably ~ ~ ~
air from which the oxygen has been removed, or an equivalent inert gas, is admitted to the cavi-ty at an above a-t~ospheric pressure of about 1/2 atmosphere, which pressure is then maintained without decrease until the tire is placed in the mold.
-9A- ~.
.. . . : . . :
.. .. ;
1~5~ ~3 As illus-trated in Fig, 8, the sleeve ends 71a and 71b, which are coaxially and airtightly attached~
r~specti~ely~ to the rlgid core ends 72 and 73~ are then m~v~d toward each other and toward the reference plane 130 while the sleeve 71 is expanded radially to an extent su~.~icient to bring the sleeve into circumferential engagement with the inner surface of the carcass C
in an axially central zone thereof extending across the plane of the mid-circumferential line 35 but spaced inwardly from the respectively upper 33 and lower 33' beads, The beads of the carcass are not at this time engaged by the core, Engagement of the expanded sleeve 71 with the carcass is sufficient alone to support the weight of the carcass and to permit the ~ingers 63 to be disengaged and moved away, While the carcass C is supported only by the sleeve 71, Fig, 8, an upper bead mold ring 75 is lowered : `' around the pressure dome 105 and secured concentrically ;~
on the upper core end 72, Both the ring 75 and the ~ .
lower bead mold ring 77 form parts of the mold (not shown) in ~hich the tire is to be cured~ as well as of the core 70~ and like the core~ remain with the carcass C
throughout the sequence of operations from the initial shaping o~ the carcass as seen in Fig, 8~ until the ~ .
tire has been molded and curedO
At this point, it should be noted that the weight of the carcass in a tire o~ the class described can tend to deform the sleeve 71 sufficiently to shift the -10- , .- ~ - .. , .- . ,:
... . :. . : . . ., : -~35~ 3 actual or true mid-circum~erential plane 70a of the sleeve and/or line 35 of the carcass C a small but measur-able amount downwardly with respect to the reference planc 130 ~n advantage of the present invention is t;hal; such de~ormation has no appreciable effect on the sgmmetrical relation of the carcass to its own axis 32.
~Iowever, in the event that the mentioned deEorming of the sleeve or possible movement of the carcass relatively of the sleeve tends to shift the actual mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass out of parallel with the reference plane~ according to the invention such misalignment can readily be dealt with, as will presently appear.
Turning now to Fig. 9; while the carcass C is supported alone by the core 70~ the previously described 15 ring 50 together with the breaker-belt B therein is upended, rotating the axis 56 of the ring and belt from horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by employing~ for example, a strong back or beam 50a having two lifting cables 50b which engage the trunions 50c 20 and an overhead crane or hoist (not shown) to lift and then to rotate the ring. With its axis vertical, the ring 50 together with the breaker-belt B are disposed adjacent the crane 60. To locate the ring and breaker-belt suitably in relation to the crane~ a target may 25 be painted on the floor and~ as seen in Fig. 10, the carcass lifting boom 61 is moved to position its lifting axis 62 collinear with the now vertical axis 56 of the belt and ring.
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10~ 3 The upper 72 and lower 73 core ends are moved equally closer toward each other and toward the reference plane 130 while additional gas is introduced into the cavity 7L~ so that the carcass is expanded to a diameter slightly less -than the inside diameter of the breaker belt B to be appliad Because of the possible movement of the actual true mid-circumferen-tial line 35 of the carcass as previously discussed, the support s-tands 120 can be again adjusted vertically as necessary to accord with the actual position of the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass . :
itself, independently of the previously established reference plane~ so as to locate the ring 50 and the belt B in suit-able coplanar relatlon with the actual position of the line 35 This relation can be accomplished by using the height gauges 110 to adjust as may be required after the partial expansion of the carcass the respective elevations ;
of the support stands 120 before placing the ring thereon .
It will be apparent that radial space between the circum- :
ference of the partially expanded carcass and the inner surface of the belt must be provided to allow the ring and belt to move into the required coplanar rèlation, and .~
further that the line 35 will then be inaccessible to -~ ~ -direct view and measurement. Moreover, some additional movement of the carcass can occur during its further expansion toward contac-t with the belt. As a preferred alternative to the above step, we temporarily attach or -adhere to the carcass, in at least approximate alignment . -with each of the support stands 120~ a gauge strip S, :;
as illustrated in Fig. 10. Each strip S is a straight ~ 5~ 3 length of thin metal about 3/~ inch in width having a zero mark placed at the line 35 Each gauge strap is so attached as to extend parallel to the axis 32 beyond the respecti~re upper and lower edges o:E the ring 50 and has l su:Ltable alignment mark to which an edge o:E the ring c~n be reglstered visually The ring 50 and the belt are then moved by the crane 60, first to align the axis 56 with the axis 100 then to place the ring on the support stands The stands 120 can then be ad~usted individually 10 as required to register one~ or both~ edges of the ring with the alignment marks on the gauge strips when the :
carcass has been expanded almost to touch the belt The true mid-circumferential plane 58 of the belt B
is thereby disposed in coplanar relation with the actual true position of the mid-circumferential line 35 of the carcass~ independently of the previously discussed reference plane As may be seen in Fig 12~ the carcass C is then further expanded into adherent contact with the breaker-belt B while the core ends 72 and 73 are moved equally closer toward each other and toward the mid-circumferential plane 58 The gauge strips S can then be easily removed When the carcass and the belt are adhered to each other~ ~ :
the flexible connectors 63b are attached to three of the lifting fingers 63 and to the eyes 50d to lift the ring ~ -vertically from the assembled carcass and belt The ring liner 52 remains adhered to the belt while the ring 50 is being removed The belting forming the liner 52 can then :
easily be peeled from the assembled breaker-belt and car-cass~ and subsequently be replaced in the ring for reuse ~ 3 Fig. 13 illustrates a further stage in which the core ends 72,73 and the bead mold rings 75,77 fixed r0spectivel~ the:reon are moved closer together to their final~ axiall~ spaced~ relation wherein the beads 33~33' o~ the carcass are spaced apart by the di.stance there-between at which the tire is to be cured Then the core ..
ends are locked to one anot~ler rigidly fixing such distance. :
The cooperation of the vertically adjustable support ~.`
stands with the breaker belt ring ~0 yields a further and important advantage in that the core inserter 80 can be less complex and expensive than the classic horizontal . `
axis tire building apparatus In the latter~ complex ` .
and expensive mechanism is required for aligning a breaker belt and a carcass in reasonably accurate coaxial relatlon . : .
In contrast, a core inserter oriented along a verticalaxis according to the present invention can readily accommo-date some tilting of the axis from the true vertical such that the mid-circumferential plane of the core and of the carcass may not be exactly level but by appropriate readily ; ~ .
20 made adjustment of the support stands 120 to the actual .
mid-circumferential plane, the belt can be applied to the carcass in symmetrical alignment with the mid-circumferential . ~ .
plane of the carcass within limits at least as small as -~
could be obtained by horizontal axis apparatus of com-parable size. The core inserter of the invention~ there-~ore, does not require closely fitted slide ways and the like to obtain very satis~actory accuracy in shaping the carcass and applying the breaker-belt :
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~5~ 13 Moving on to Figs. 1~ and 15~ the now united carcass and belt with -the core 70 expanded and secured therein are next li~ted as a unit from the core ~nserter ~0 and low~red coaxially onto an arbor 1~0 which is 5 accommodated in coaxial open bores in the core ends 72~73 The core, carcass and belt assembly~ including the arbor are then turned from the axis-vertical to an axis-horizontal position aided by the tilting device 150 From the tilting device, the assembly on its arbor is transferred to a trans~er truck 160 in which the arbor is supported by the semi-cylindrical saddles 161 in which the arbor 1~0 is supported with the core between the two saddles The truck 160 is then moved to a tire rotating stand 170~which is located apart from the core inserter 8~ in which stand the breaker-belt B and carcass C are ;
rotated in stitching contact with conventional stitching ~ :
mechanism (not shown) and further consolidated me stitching mechanism is not~ as in the prior art hereto- ;~ .
fore~ associated immediately with the tire building drum on which assembly of carcass and breaker belt are performed After the breaker-belt has been consolidated with the carcass~ the shaped and belted carcass is transported by the truck 160 to a ~urther station (not shown) whereat a circumferentially endless tread is applied~ pre~erably in the ~orm of a continuing plural~ty o~ revolu~ions .
~V~ 3 of a cord, ribbon, or ~lat band of tread compound wound continuously about -the belted carcass to ~orm the full depth o:~ tread desir~d A~ter the tread apply.ing operation~ the t:Lre is returned to the stand 170 and the so-applied tread is also stitched and consolidated to the belted carcass~ after which the assembled uncured tire on the core is placed as a unit in a curing mold It should be noted here that~ ~ ;
as previously mentioned, the upper and lower bead mold rings 75~77 form parts of the mold in which the ~cured tire is placed and which mold then is subjected to heat and to internal pressure for molding and curing the tire The gas pressure introduced into the core 70 during the initial shaping of the carcass is not decreased therein throughout the operations following the first introduction of pressure into the carcass After the tread has been applied to the belted carcass and before the uncured tire is placed in a . mold for curing9 the assembled carcass~ core~ and arbor are slowly rotated~ at about one revolution per minute to avoid radial distortion of the uncured tire which can otherwise result from the weight of the tread applied to the carcass. The saddles 161 . of the truck 160 provide bearing support for rotation of the arbor 1~0 After the in-mold curing of the tire has been accomplished~ the tire with the core 70 remaining (see Fig 17) ~ . . . . . .
~5~ 3 ~ .
therein is removed from the mold and carried back ~ ~
to the core inserter 80 and placed upon a parallel ~ -pair of beams 182 placed across the pit 95 to support the tire, The upper and lower core ends 72~73 are disengaged from each other, The lower core end 73 .
is again secured to the platen 84 and the upper core end 72 is again secured to the shaft 85 by the spider 107 and the pressure retaining dome 105 is reaffixed9 whereupon the core ends 72~73 are moved away from each other which movement operates to withdraw the sleeve 71 from the tire, As seen in Fig, 18~ after the core ends have ~ . .. .: .
been moved apart to the maximum extent and the sleeve extended therebetween to assume its minimum diameter~ the core 70 is lowered into the pit 95 to the position illustrated in Fig, 19 whereupon the boom 61 may be swung over the pit and lowered ~ :
to pick up the tire and to carry it away from the inserter, The boom is then ready to return with a first-stage uncured carcass C to repeat the sequence of operations described~ :~
APparatu~ ~ :
The invention ~urther includes apparatus about to be described which is particularly suited to the . ..
practice of the method hereinbefore descri.bed, : -17-: ::
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~)S ~i ~ 3 `
Breaker-Belt AssemblY, TransPort~ and AP~lYin~ Me3~s The ring 50 shown but sche~atically in Fig, 3 i9 illustrated ~n greater de-tail in Fig, 20, This ring so~ves as a bui~ding ~orm providing means ~or building a breaker belt from a plurality of plies in a conventional manner. In accordance with the invention, the bel-t building ring 50 is provided with means which cooperate to serve also for handling the breaker~belt~ particularly for turn-ing the belt from an axis-horizontal position as built to an axis-vertical position, and for transporting the belt.
The ring serves further for positioning the break~r-belt relative to the carcass and for applying the breaker-belt to the carcass as the latter is expanded~ which operations have been described hereinabove, The ring 50 comprises an arcuate steel plate formed as a cylinder, The respective ends of the plate are clamped together to form the complete cylindrical ring or released by a pair of turnbuckle clamps 51 or the like, In contrast to belt-transferring devices of the prior 20 art, the ring 50 is~ in the present embodiment~ an endless ~-ring not sub~ect to radial enlargement during the practice of the invention, We have found~ however, that by pro-vlding a single cylindrical plate with a separation or parting line 55 which is held closed in rigid endless form .- ...
during use, a further advantage can be obtained, The oppos-ing ends of the plate can be separated sufficiently to accommodate an extension plate 50x which is inserted and held fixedly to the opposing ends of the cylindrical plate so as to enlarge the circumference of the ring 50 as much - . . ~ . ~ . . -, . . . .
, . . , ~ ., l~S~13 as about s~x inches and thereby economically acco~nodate minor di:Eferences in the belt circumferences of different tires without altering the rigid endless character oP
t;he ring 50 while assembl:1ng any single tire, . The ends O:e the plate are retained in alignment by slldable llnks 53 attached to one end O:e the plate to extend across the parting li:ne 55 into engagement respectively wlth a pair of slides 57 attached to the matching other end of the plate. For lifting the ring 50 to and from its position surrounding the carcass~ flexible connectors~ such as the short~ and equal, lengths of chain 63b~ are removably attached to the crane arms 65 ad~acent the fingers 63, Each chain 63b has a hook engageable in a respective one of the lifting eyes 50d secured on the ring 50, Although equivalent means of connecting the ring 50 to the boom 61 may be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art~ we have found the use of the chains 63b to be quick and.simple, To position the ring and the breaker-belt therein in a coplanar relation with the mid-circum~erential line on the carcass~ three support lugs 59 are fixed on the ring at three e~ual angular intervals about the axis, - Each of the ~lugs has a surface 59a located in precise parallal relation with the mid-circumferential plane of the ring with which the breaker-belt has been aligned, In the present embodiment the surfaces 59a are provided by the :.
~ `
~lat ends of the cylindrical bores in ths respeotive lugs, The oylindrical wall 59b of the bore protects the surface 59a against damage and provides a secure engagement with :
.. . :
the support stand 120 which will be described presently, ;~
3 It will be evident that other support surfaces for engage- ~ .
-19- ~ :
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~S~ ~3 ment with support stands could be provided and it will further be evident that the support sur~aces can as well be parallel to but o~set from the mid-circumferential plane oP the ring as well as coplanar therewith.
To ~acilitate release o~ the breaker-belt and r~ng ~rom each other~ the ring liner 52~ previously rePerred to~ is provided by a flexible strip or strlps of conveyor belting attached to the inner cylindrical sur-face of the ring in any convenient manner In the present embodiment the strips extend the full circumference of the ring so that the open ends meet but do not overlap Carcass Liftin~ Means Turning now to Fig. 21~ the carcass lifting means~
the ~unctions o~ which have been made apparent throughout the successive stages of the method already described~ is illus-trated more completely in Fig 21, While the functions described can be accomplished by alternative means~ for example~ by suitably equipped gantry crane or the like, in the present embodiment~ the pre~erred lifting means is pro-~ , vided by the jib crane 60 which includes the vertical column 60a mounted for rotation about its own vertical axis on a base 60b fixed to the operating ~loor 90 adjacent to the pit 95 A traveler 60c mounted for vertical movement up and down the column 60a carries the boom 61 which extends -radially outwardly of the column. In its radially outward end 61a~ the boom supports a center post 61b in line vertically with the lifting axis 62. A spreader 64 comprising beam 6~a extending at equal angular intervals radially of the lifting axis are fixed to and carried by the center post 61b. One of the carcass supporting 1~5~ 3 arms 65 is mounted on each of the beams 64a to move radially inwardly and outwardly of the lifting axis.
A lifting finger 63, fixed on each of the arms 65~
ls shaped suitably to 0ngage the upper baad portion 33 of the carcass C These fingers can be removed ~rom the arms 65 or interchanged with fingers particularly adapted for carcasses of other climensions as the need arises The arms 65 can also be employed to support a firs~-stage carcass by engaging the axially inter-10 mediate and radially outward surface of the carcass ratherthan within the upper bead of such carcass.
A scroll 66 is mounted rotatably coaxially of the center post 61b immediately above the spreader beams 64a and has a plurality of spiral ~rooves each of which acccmmodates a cam follower (not visible in the ;
~igure) associated respectively with one of the arms 65 such that rotation of the scroll controls the radial movement of the arms toward and away from the axis 62.
The scroll, spiral grooves, and cam followers~ are of 20 well-lmown construction, hence the details thereof~ not being within the scope of the invention claimed, are not further described.
The major movements of the boom 61 upward and downward along the column 60a are effected by a major 25 lift drive including a chain 60d which passes at its upper end about a sprocket 60e driven by a drive 60f lV56~1~
:Eixed at the upper end of the co:lumn. The chain extends downward about an idler sprocket 60b fixed near the lower 0ncl o~ the column, The respective ends o:~ the chain are ~olned to th0 traveler 60c. In addition to the ma~or ll:et drive~ an inching or vernier drive 61c is mounted on the boom 61 to facilitate the precise vertical location o~ the lift fingers 63, Screw threads on the upper end o:f the post 61a engage a rotatable nut 61d held in its axial position on a thrust bearing (not.
shown), The nut 61d is rotated relatively o~ the post 61b by the vernier drive 61c to raise or lower the center post 61b and thereby the arms 65 and fingers 63 to ef~ect minor adjustments of the vertical elevation o~
the ~ingers.
The column is rotated by a drive 66 and is con-trolled to locate the li~ting axis 62 in alignment with the axi 5 100 0~ the core inserter 80~ about to be described in greater detail, by conventional means well understood in the arts, .
Vertical movement of the boom 61 relative to the column 60a is controlled by conventional limit switches, Carcass ShaPin~ and Tire CurinÆ Core ~he core 70 itself as illustrated in Fig, 21 comprises a radially expansible elastomeric sleeve 71 . .
. . - . .
~ 3 the axial ends 71a~71b of which are fluidly tlghtly connected respectlvely to a rigid upper core end 72 and a rigld lower core end 73 which latter is removably secured coaxially on the platen 84 of the corc ln~erter 80~ presentl~ to be more fully described, The lower core end includes the integral lower bead mold ring 77, The upper core end 72 is provided with a seat 72a on which is removably affixed the upper bead mold ring 75 which can be removed to permit the upper core end 72 to pass axially through the open center of the first-stage carcass after which the bead ring 75 can be secured on the core end 72, An open cylindrical bore 78 extends through each of the core ends to accommodate the central shaft 85 as well as an arbor 140 on which the core 70 and uncured belted carcass can be mounted, me further details of the core 70 are con-ventional and not wlthin the scope of the present invention~ hence do not appear to require further :~ .
description, Core Insertin~
me core inserting means provided by the core inserter 80 in the illustrative embodiment of the -~
present invention is shown in Figs, 22 and 23, Movements of the core inserter 80 have been discussed in connection with the stages of the method set forth hereinabove, The core inserter comprises a rigid elevator 82 mounted -for straight line movement vertically up and down, The .: .
~3 ~tructure 82 is provided with downwardly extending stabilizing legs 82a rigidly secured to the elevator, Each of the legs carries a wheel 82b which rolls on a vertical xail 96 rigidly mounted on a vertical wall 97 o~ the plt 95 in which the inserter is housed, An upwardly extending yoke 86a secured integrall~ to the elevator 82 is connected to the elevating ram 86 parmitting the elevator 82 to move downwardly below the upper end 87a of the elevating cylinder 87, The elevator ls raised and lowered by the ram 86 in the hydraulic elevating cylinder 87 which is fixed on and extends vertically upward from the floor 98 o~ the plt 95 , In the present embodiment a pair of such cylinders 87 are disposed equally and oppositel~
relatively of the vertical axis 100~ as shown in Fig, 22.
A pair of shaping cylinders 88 are rigidly fi~ed to the structure 82 for movement upwardly and downwardly together therewith, The two shaping cylinders 88 are also disposed equally and oppositely relatively of the vertlcal axis 100 as shown in Fig, 22, Each of the ~`
shaping cylinders 88 contains a ram 89 which is fixed at its upper end to the platen 84 to which the lower core end 73 is removably attached, The shaping cylinders are each supported in a saddle 88a secured integrally to the elevator 82, me ver-tical center sha~t 85 extends slidably through the platen 8~. A spider 107 removably secured to the sha~t upper end by a C-ring .... .
:, ' - ., , , .~, ..... .
3L~)5t:i~'13 is locked to and released from the upper core end by a conventional serrated ring lock, The lower end portion 85a of the center sha~t 85 has a plurality o~
gear rackg 8~b ~ixed on or made integral therewith, The racks 85b extend vertically parallel to the axis 100, Each o:E the racks 85b is in meshing engagement with a pinion 83 mounted for rotation about a pinion axis 83a fixed in the elevator in a plane normal to the vertical axis 100, Fixed to the platen 84 and 10 extending downwardly therefrom parallel to the axis 100 are a plurality of racks 84a each of which is held in meshing engagement with one of the pinions 83 by a backing roller 84b mounted in the elevator for rotation about an axis parallel to and suitably spaced from the 15 respective pinion axis 83a so that the roller bears rollably on the plain back surface 84c of the rack, It will be seen in Fig, 23 that as the rams 89 of the shaping cylinders 88 are extended to move the platen 84 upwardly the racks 84a move upwardly therewith and 20 cause rotation of the respective pinions 83 which in turn exert downward force on the center shaft 85 by virtue o~ the engagement of the pinions 83 wlth the racks 85~ on that shaft, In this way~ the upward movement of the platen 84 is accompanied by an equal 25 and opposite downward movement of the upper core end 720 In like manner~ downward movement of the platen 84 as the rams 89 retract results in equal and opposlte upward movement of the upper core end 72, Both of the described shaping movements are independent of the 3 position o~ the elevator 82 which is itself raised or lowered by the elevator rams 86, -25- :
~()S ~ ~3 ~u~ort Stand~
The support stands 120 shown schematically in ~igs, 5 and 11-13 are illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 24, The plurality o~ support stands 120~
pre~erably three~ are equally spaced about the axis 100 Since these support stands are ldentical~ a description of one will suffice for all three Each stand comprises a hollow post 121 extending upwardly ~rom the floor 90. An elevating screw 122 is disposed telescopically within the post and extends upwardly~
being engaged in an internally screw-threaded worm wheel 123. The worm wheel ~s carried on a thrust bearing 124 on the upper end of the post A hand-wheel shaft 12~ mounted ln a suitable bracket fixed on the post 1~ carries a worm 125a which meshes with the worm wheel 123 The worm 125a is turned by the hand-wheel 125b to rotate the worm wheel which moves the screw 122 upward or downward in the post 121 A hollow support beam 126 is fixed horizontally on a swivel housing 126a mounted on the upper end of the screw 122~ the ~:
beam 126 extending as a cantilever outwardly therefrom.
A beam extension 126b slidable within the hollow beam 126 can be ~xtended toward the axls 100 ma~ually or moved into the hollow beam away from the axis as Z5 required in the operation described The distal end of the extendable and retractable beam extension 126b carries the support sur~ace 126c on which the -26- ;
~V5~L3 respective surface 59a of a lug 59 of the ring 50 are placed to position the ring in the above-described coplanar relation with the mid-circumferential line 35 o:~ the carcass C As has been mentioned~ the support stand 120 also carries a height gauge 110 by which the true actual position of the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass C is determined. The height gauge~
illustrated by a light beam projector~ is mounted on the housing 126a in ad~ustably fixed relation to the support surface 126c so that by vertical adjustment of the screw 122 the projected ~ight beam or equivalent height gauge can be aligned with the mid-circumferential plane of the core 70 or of the carcass C as has been described hereinbefore In this manner~ the support surface 126c of each beam 126 defines one point o~ a plane parallel to or coplanar with the desired mid-circumferential plane and the three support stands together cooperate to place the ring 50 and belt B
in the desired plane~as has been described Means for ad~usting the position of each of the stands radially of the axis to accommodate larger or smaller diameter tires as is also shown in Fig 2L~ can be provided if desired Truck and S~h~a~LArran~ement :~
Turning to Fig 25~ apparatus for the practice ;~
of the method described includes the truck 160 adapted to transport the uncured belted carcass or the tire -27- ;
.: . . . . . . . . . . .
., . I
~ ~5 ~1 ~ 3 and the core as wall as to enable rotation of the tire and core assembly about the axis 32. In addition to a conven-tional truck frame 162 and wheels 163 th0reon~ a pair of uprights 16L~ ~ixed on the frame support the pair of saddles 161 previously described, which are half bearings on which the arbor lL~o previously referred to can be supported for rotation about the tire axis The truck7 as has been mentioned, serves to transport the core with the carcass and belt assembly thereon, to a conventional stitching mechanism located apart from the tire drum 30 and from the inserter where the carcass and bel-t have been assembled. The saddles 161 are at such elevation~ relative to the operating floor 90 that the tire axis 32 is supported a fraction of an inch below the rotation axis 171 of the headstock 172 and cooperating tailstock 173 of the tire rotating stand 170 A freely rotatable coned center 173a mounted on the tailstock non-rotating spindle 173b cooperates .
with a driving coned center 172a mounted corotatably on a hollow driving shaft 172b on the headstock not only to mount the core and tire thereon ~or rotation :
during stitching o~ the belt to the carcass~ and later the tread to the belt and carcass~ but also to :.
lift the arbor 1~0 with the tire and core assembly ; ...
the aforesaid small fraction of an inch~ sufficient -28- :: :
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l~St;1~3 only to separate the arbor from the saddles 161 A push rod 17~c mounted coaxially in the hollow shaft 172b connects the driving center 172a with the plston 171~a of a power cylinder 171~b mounted at th~ d~stal ~nd of the shaft and which is operable to move the driving center 172a toward and away from the tailstock 173 The arbor 140 has coned centers 140a formed coaxially and in each of its ends, into which the headstock and tailstock centers can be first freely entered and then~ by additional fluid pressure ~ .
in the cylinder 17~b~ forced into full engagement with the arbor thereby lifting the arbor with the core and tire thereon into coaxial alignment with the rotation axis 171 A drive motor 176 in the headstock is con~
nected~ by the chain 176aand sprockets 176b~176c to the shaft 172b to rotate the tire at a speed or speeds suitable for stitching the belt and/or the tread To adjust the location of the mid-circumferential plane of the belted carcass~ the tailstock spindle 173b is slidable in the tailstock tube 173c and is moved axially by a screw 173d engaged with internal threads formed coaxially within the spindle. The screw extends outwardly from the tube and is supported for rotation but axially fixed in the tube. A drive .:-chain 173~ connects the screw drivably with an air motor 177 fixed on the tailstock frame 178 ~he motor .
and screw can move the core and arbor toward or away :~
-29- ~ ;
~ 3 from the headstock 172 while the piston 174a maintains thrust axially on the arbor.
When the stitching has been completed~ the c~nter 172a 1~ moved axially awa~ from the arbor so as to lower the arbor to rest again in the saddles To mlnimize radial distortion of the tire~
particularly after a tread has been placed around the belt and carcass~ it has been found advantageous to rotate the uncured tire slowly~ for example~ at about one revolution per minute, until the tire is trans~erred to a curing mold The truck 160 and ln particular the saddles 161 allow the tire to be so rotated by any suitable motor drivingly connected to the arbor 140.
By assembling a tire of the class described while the axes of the carcass, of the breaker-belt~
and of the tire shaping and curing core~ are vertical and coincident~ the weight of the uncured tire-acts parallel to and generally in line with the common axis so that any sag or distortion of such a tire has no harmful effect on the radial uniformity of the tire about its operating axis ~his is contrary to the classic method of assembling tires about a horizontal axis.
By locating the mid-circumferential plane of the breaker-belt variably to suit the actual position of the mid-circumferential plane of the carcass just ~ s ~` ` ' ' -30- . .
1~35~1~L3 prior to uniting the belt and carcass, thus com-pensating for the somewhat unpredictable vertical sag or deformation due to the weight o~ the carcass~
and of the shaping-curing bladder if used~ the aocuracy of the position o~ the breaker-bel-t relative to the mid circumferential plane of the tire can be improved. Again, this is contrary to the classic procedure in ~uilding tires about a horizontal axis, in which no compensation for angular misalignment has been provided by the prior art.
By shaping the tire from its cylindrical to its toroidal shape and applying an inextensible breaker-belt on a curing core having a central open coaxial bore isolated from the tire cavity~ less time and effort are expended in subsequent operations and quality is improved.
Capital expenditure for equipment is made less than heretofore incurred by utilizing apparatus capable both: of shaping a carcass and applying an inextensible breaker belt; and of mounting and dismounting the uncured carcass and tire on and from a curing core;
as contrasted with the prior art practice of providing~
for smaller tires than tires of the class described, one apparatus for shaping and applying a breaker to a carcass~ and other apparatus for mounting and dis-mounting a tire on and from a curing bag or bladder.
This advantage is particularly enhanced in providing for manufacture of tires of the class described~
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~ 3 It is no longer required to dismolmt and remount a partially completed tire on successi~e different buildlng or shaplng forms, yielding an advantage in both accuracy and in cost of manufacturing ~dditionally, 5 by shaping the carcass initially wi-th air, or preferably an inert gas~ and maintaining such pressure within the core throughout the building process, less undesirable deformation of the carcass occurs during its manufacture While the foregoing description relates, as to utility~ primarily to radial ply tires, neither the practice of the invention nor the subject matter expressed in the claims are intended in any way to exclude any tire of the class described as large and having a breaker-belt in or beneath the tread While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention~ it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
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Claims (9)
1. The method of making a tire comprising:
building in cylindrical form about a horizontal axis a carcass including at least one tire carcass reinforcing ply and axially spaced apart tire beads enfolded in the respective ends of such ply;
building apart from said carcass a circum-ferentially endless tire breaker-belt also about a horizontal axis;
and then before uniting said carcass and said breaker-belt, turning each said axis from horizontal to vertical orientation, disposing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass and there-after expanding said carcass into adherent contact with said breaker-belt, whereby radial deformations of said carcass due to gravity tend to be eliminated;
thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
building in cylindrical form about a horizontal axis a carcass including at least one tire carcass reinforcing ply and axially spaced apart tire beads enfolded in the respective ends of such ply;
building apart from said carcass a circum-ferentially endless tire breaker-belt also about a horizontal axis;
and then before uniting said carcass and said breaker-belt, turning each said axis from horizontal to vertical orientation, disposing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass and there-after expanding said carcass into adherent contact with said breaker-belt, whereby radial deformations of said carcass due to gravity tend to be eliminated;
thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
2. The method as claimed in Claim 1, comprising:
upending said carcass and its axis from horizontal to vertical position;
disposing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass in said vertical position about a common vertical axis and in radially spaced, non-contacting relation with the carcass while positioning the mid-circumferential line of said carcass and the mid-circumferential plane of said breaker-belt in coplanar relation;
moving said beads vertically equally and oppositely toward each other while expanding said carcass circumferentially into adherent contact with said breaker-belt;
continuing to move said beads toward each other to a dimension measured parallel to said axis equal to the axial dimension between said beads at which said tire is to be cured;
and holding said beads at said dimension while thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
upending said carcass and its axis from horizontal to vertical position;
disposing said breaker-belt coaxially about said carcass in said vertical position about a common vertical axis and in radially spaced, non-contacting relation with the carcass while positioning the mid-circumferential line of said carcass and the mid-circumferential plane of said breaker-belt in coplanar relation;
moving said beads vertically equally and oppositely toward each other while expanding said carcass circumferentially into adherent contact with said breaker-belt;
continuing to move said beads toward each other to a dimension measured parallel to said axis equal to the axial dimension between said beads at which said tire is to be cured;
and holding said beads at said dimension while thereafter applying about said breaker-belt and carcass a circumferentially endless tread and curing the tire.
3. The method of making a tire as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said expanding of said carcass is accompanied by introducing a gas at a regulated above-atmospheric pressure into the cavity of the tire and maintaining said pressure therein until the tire is placed in a curing mold.
4. The method of making a tire as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said breaker-belt is assembled about a horizontal axis, then transported, upended and then disposed about said carcass while held in a rigid cylindrical ring.
5. The method of making a tire as claimed in Claim 1, and while supporting said carcass in said vertical position by lifting means and before disposing said breaker-belt about said carcass, engaging with each other the interior surface of said carcass and elastically expandable means and then disengaging said lifting means to support said carcass only by said elastically expandable means engaging the interior surface thereof in a circumferential zone axially inward of the beads and extending axially across the circumferential plane of the carcass.
6. The method of making a tire as claimed in Claim 1, and while moving said beads toward each other, deploying a tire-shaping and curing core in said carcass while engaging upper and lower bead mold rings against the axially exterior surface of the respectively associated beads.
7. me method as claimed in Claim 6, and before applying said tread to said carcass, rotating the axis of said carcass from vertical to horizontal orientation and transporting said carcass to tire rotating means, situated apart from the location whereat said carcass and said belt are united, for consolidating said breaker-belt and said carcass.
8. The method as claimed in Claim 1, rotating said carcass and its axis from horizontal to vertical and before disposing said breaker-belt about said carcass supporting said carcass against axial and radial deformation by outward pressure exerted radially and axially symmetrically upward on the then upper bead and a circumferential portion of the carcass adjacent to said upper bead.
9. The method as claimed in Claim 1 comprising:
establishing a support plane parallel to the actual mid-circumferential plane of the so-supported carcass by positioning three support surfaces located at about equal angular intervals around and spaced radially outwardly of the carcass, each support surface being adjustable independently of the others of said support surfaces in directions parallel to said vertical axis.
establishing a support plane parallel to the actual mid-circumferential plane of the so-supported carcass by positioning three support surfaces located at about equal angular intervals around and spaced radially outwardly of the carcass, each support surface being adjustable independently of the others of said support surfaces in directions parallel to said vertical axis.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA303,337A CA1056113A (en) | 1974-05-24 | 1978-05-15 | Tire building apparatus for large tires |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US05/473,119 US3945866A (en) | 1974-05-24 | 1974-05-24 | Tire building apparatus for large tires |
| CA225,998A CA1042616A (en) | 1974-05-24 | 1975-04-29 | Tire building apparatus for large tires |
| CA303,337A CA1056113A (en) | 1974-05-24 | 1978-05-15 | Tire building apparatus for large tires |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1056113A true CA1056113A (en) | 1979-06-12 |
Family
ID=27163933
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA303,337A Expired CA1056113A (en) | 1974-05-24 | 1978-05-15 | Tire building apparatus for large tires |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1056113A (en) |
-
1978
- 1978-05-15 CA CA303,337A patent/CA1056113A/en not_active Expired
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