GB878837A - Tyre building machine and method of building tyres - Google Patents

Abstract

878,837. Tyre-building machines. TRIGGS, W. W. (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.). Nov. 11, 1958, No. 36172/58. Class 144 (1). In a flat-band tyre-building machine the fabric ply ends 6 are pulled axially through the bead cores 8 which clamp the ply ends to the drum shoulders 7 by means of an axially movable stitcher 36, 37 at each end of the building drum 3, the stitcher carrying an inflatable flexible rubber annulus 38 on its periphery and being selectively movable to positions underlying, Fig. 3, and axially outwardly of, Fig. 5, the bead core 8, whereby on inflation of the annulus 38 the ply ends are stitched respectively to the inner periphery, and partially along the axially outer face, of the bead core by deformation of the radially outer wall of the annulus. The stitcher is normally housed within the associated drum shoulder, as in Fig. 1, and is selectively movable to a number of positions axially outwardly of the drum for stitching and turning fabric ply ends around two or more bead cores as in Fig. 9. As shown, the drum 3 is mounted on a rotatable hollow shaft 2 and a stitcher 36, 37 is supported by spokes 35 on a hub 40 which is slidable along the shaft 2 and secured by a pin 28 extending through slots 27 in the shaft 2 to one end of a rod 31 extending through the shaft 2. The other end of the rod 31 is pinned to a peripherally grooved slip collar 33 on the shaft 2 which is movable along the shaft by a lever 34 fulcrummed to an arm 50 of a slide 45 and actuated by a pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement 56-75. A beadsetting ring 9 having a stepped periphery for use with different diameter bead cores is carried by a drum 10 slidable along the shaft 2 and operable by a pneumatic motor 18-20, the ring 9 being axially retractable within the drum 10 against a spring 15 when a pin 41 thereon is engaged by the hub 27 of the stitcher 36, 37 during the latter's movement to stitching position, Fig. 3. The piston and cylinder arrangement 56-75 effecting the stepped movement of the stitcher 36, 37 comprises a pair of floating cylinders 58, 60 rigidly connected end to end at 59 and each housing a double-acting piston 57, 61 respectively, the piston 57 being connected to the lever 34 and the piston 61 being connected by a rod 62 to a double-acting piston 63 operable in a cylinder 64 which is pivotally mounted on the slide 45. The slide 45 provides for initial adjustment of the collar 33, and thereby the axial position of the stitcher 36, 37, to suit the width of the drum 3. In operation, pressure air is supplied to one or other end of each of the cylinders 58, 60 and 64 in various combinations to provide the desired effective movement of the lever 34 and thus position the stitcher 36, 37 for the required operative step. The flange 37 on the leading edge of the stitcher 36 effects the pulling of the ply ends through the bead core but does not compact them there-against, this being effected by subsequent inflation of the annulus 38. The annulus is deflated for each step of movement of the stitcher 36.