GB846244A - Method and apparatus for building air springs and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

846,244. Building tyres. GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO. Aug. 18,1958 [Jan. 28, 1958], No. 26440/58. Class 144 (1). [Also in Group XXXII] When tubular-shaped articles, e.g. green tyre carcases, are to be built on the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, a turret 46 is turned so that a cylindrical fixture 60 is aligned with the axis of a drum 23. A carriage 43 is moved towards the drum 23 until the fixture 60 abuts against a removable member 31, Fig. 4. A number of rubber-coated cord plies 56 are then applied to the surface of the drum 23, with their marginal edges 57 lying on the outer surface of the fixture 60. An endless belt 49, Fig. 1, is then raised against the outer surface of the plies with sufficient pressure to stitch the plies together and remove entrapped air from the ply material. The carriage 43 is then retracted to remove the fixture 60 and the turret 46 is turned through 90 degrees so that a ply turn down member 62 is axially aligned with the building-drum 23. The ply turn-down member 62, Fig. 6, consists of two layers of flexible strips 66, 67, secured at one end to a frusto-conical base 68. To contract the end 57 of the air spring and set a small bead ring 58, Fig. 10, members 62 and 63 are moved towards the cylinder 23 until they are in the position shown in Fig. 6. Member 63 is then urged further towards the drum 23 to push the small bead ring 58 over the turn-down member 62, thus compressing the member 62 radially inwardly, until the small bead abuts the member 31. Members 62, 63 are now moved away from the drum 23. To turn the end 57 of the air spring outwardly about the small bead ring 58, a bladder 36, Figs. 4, 10, is inflated. Whilst the bag 36 is being inflated, the turret 46 is turned to position a pusher plate 77 in axial alignment with the drum 23. The pusher-plate 77 is then moved towards the drum 23 to engage the bag 36, Fig. 10, and roll the bag radially outwardly over the bead ring 58 to carry the ply endings 57 about the bead ring. The turret 46 is next turned to align a second bead setter 80, Fig. 1, with the axis of the drum 23. The bead setter 80 is moved across the length of the drum 23 to position a larger bead 59a, Fig. 12, a predetermined distance from the marginal edge 59 of the plies 26. A bag 24 is now inflated to expand the end of the plies 59 outwardly about the bead ring 59a. A pusher-plate 83 turns the plies back over the bead ring 59a. Air springs may also be built in a similar manner.