US1787423A - Band-stretching machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1930. w. E. HUMPHREY BAND STRETCHING KAGHINE led Juno 24, 1927 iso Patented Dec. 30, 1930 yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E. HUMPHREY, OF KNT, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNYE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AKRON STANDARD MOLD COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO BAND-STRETCHING MACHINE Application led .Tune 24, 1927. Serial No. 201,187.

Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of pneumatic tires, and particularly to the preparation of fabric bandsfor application to tire forms or cores. Band or ply stretch- 5 ing or expanding machines for the mechanical expansion and shaping of bands have usually comprised a series ofshoes or segments which were carried by an expanding device which moved the shoes outwardly si- 19 ,Inultaneously after the band was applied.

While the band would be expanded, the prin-y cipal objection to this type of expander resided in the fact that the band would be overstretched in the areas lying between the sev- 15 eral shoes or segments of the expander, while that portion of the band' lying over the shoes or segments would expand only slightly, if at all. As a result, the bands would be unevenly expanded, having areas of overexpa-nded zo vfabric alternating with areas of unexpanded fabric.

The object of the present invention is to construct a band expander of the mechanical type in which the objectionable features de- 25 scribed are eliminated and even expansion about the entire band is obtained.

While the invention is described with considerable vdetail in order that the features thereof may be understood, it will be appreciated that changes and modifications may be made without departing therefrom. The principles f the invention may be used in the expanding of tires made by the flat band or pulley method, or for the stretching of tread bands or bands made wholly of rubber, as well as in the preparation of bands for application to cores.

In the drawings, in which the preferred form of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine showing it in full lines in collapsed position and in dotted lines in expanded position;

Figure 2 is a plan of the rear or cylinder portion of the machine;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the expanding unit; and

Figures 4 and 5 are side and front views of a unit of the expander.

The machine is supported upon a pedestal or 4stand 1, to the upper end of which is bolted a horizontal cylinder 2 having piston 3 therein, the movement of which is controlled by the admission of pressure into the ends of the cylinder through piping 5 controlled by valve 6.

The piston rod 8 extends through stuffing boxes at either end of the cylinder and at the rear thereof is carried a backing plate 10 supported from the cylinder by a plurality of parallel rods 12. A. small disk or plate 14 is mounted upon a shaft l5 located eccentricallyV of the plate l0 and provided with a'hand wheel 16 by which it may be turned. A spring actuated ball detent 18 isarrang'ed'to yieldingly hold the disk' in any one of several adjusted positions. Mounted about the periphery of the plate 14 are a plurality of pins'lQ of varying lengths, which pins may be selectively brought into register with the piston rod 8 as desired, thus limiting the rearward movement of the piston and the maximum diameter of the expander.

`On the front of the cylinder 2 is located a cross-head 21 in which the forward end of the piston rod is guided, and to the crosshead is secured a fixed collar 22. To the end of the piston is secured the double collar 24.

To the collar 22 are pivoted a plurality of toggle links 25, and to the double collar 24 are pivoted a plurality of parallel or double toggle links 26. Each set of the links, including a link 25 and a pair of links 26, are pivoted at their outer ends to a cross-head or carrier 28, the outer end of which carries a yoke 29 in which are mounted two pins 30. On each of the pins 30 is mounted a freely rotatable roller 32. Preferably thevrollers are bulb-shaped and the heads of the pins and the nuts 33 are rounded to conform to the outline of the rollers. The rollers may be of other shapes as found desirable.

It is desirable to provide centering devices, preferably adjustable, in connection with the expanders so as to properly locate and center the bands upon the expander. For this purpose,` several of the carriers 28, usually four in number, are provided with extension plates 34 carrying laterally exv tending arms 35, the outer ends of which are slotted and to which are adjustablysecured radial fingers 36 projecting'outwardly beyond the perimeter of the expander and operating as a device by Which the center 1in@ of thefband may 10e-brought int@ regstl niththefentriline Dfitlhxif'ier.

In the operation of the device, the .,eX- pander is contracted to the position shown f-infull lins`i`nili`igureal iandtheproperiad-' j ustine'nt is made rat the 'fi-earl of 'fthe device so as to limit the outer movement p f ythe shoes. The band 40 is then placedoverthe shoes and centered by the guides 36 and pressure admitted to the "cylinders "so that fthe :ristonisnnoved f-tuwardly, forcing the @lines inwardly multaneouslyfstrthe the bandtofthe ,Qstienshown :infrlotted linceul@ ure :,l- Tfhrellersfllpon the 011tierfends' lOff" tleshzoea lulrich Contact withfthe fabric, permit the fabric inf-the-bandtoi-move ,',abeutgitsentireinrrhery softlat the stretchi-ng'aetiel c nt-,lializ'ed-nfthoserortiens ,0f fthe ,-band Ylying frbtetwen the 1 Shoes- In ier-111er-cnnstreetcnsfn whieh @hashes/S Were :inthe farms nf plates, :little Qrfho slippage `was-n@nffllttsai,over the snrfaces-fofthe Slices, the adhesion @if @the-rubber to the?` Shines y-f-Ptvntngfasuch 'an a 'estrae-nt 0f :the fabrie- "1111 @resent ferm @of the-,,;11fvei11t0i1,how

Vwel, fthe lrollers permit the afa-bric :t0 .Shift properly sothat thel expansion is transmitted Aalzfiute the entreniwumfereme .0f the .baud- ,What-islamedis; Y flan apparatus #for mechanically 6X- panlflilga continuum :Abandfth `C I1f1t imation 1057152; @Reality/Of carrersarrangedpnacircle, a' SuppOrt-@naald,carriers,:mea-11S temor@ .the carriers radially of a central axistoeipand V`thecircl e saiel-nieans `,operatingethroughv said suppftaed a rollnmnunted in-fealwarrier, .the ,several y,rollers supporting `the -band vvbleroilellout itSirCu-mfe-reneaunaratus Qr-meclianeally X- friandise@ .Continuousband,the-combinati@ Off afpluralrity earrerS,arrengedfn MU019, means t0 mpv@ the, carriers radially-t0 A@X- Pandfstlle Oudste-telleramounted@ each Carriens-r the f several rollers supportingfthe band ,fthronghut its circumference', and `vnfieans mounted fonfthe carrier-s toc-enter `fthe@hand A with, respetfto-the rollers.-

,3. In apparatus -`for expandinga vcontinu- 011s.bandsffabrie@ plurality @traits fof of levers, j,one en d Voi-eachvjp airo levers-being pivote/illy connected-1to1, a t fixed support, the

aousf bandi 'of fabric-,1v a .icyli-nder,A aipisto'n v:and rod-jslidab'le-therein, a yplu'ralityio'fflink-s. pivotally connected to the end of lsaid pistonrod,

-a plurality of links Vpivotally connected to said cylindera plurality of carriers pivotally c'onnectedbetweensaid links, rollers mounted on said carriers, :and means to keepthe raxis of saidrollerszparallel With-.the piston rod, said means comprising lan] ailditional link pvlotally connectingeachcarrier vto the end tot said; pistonK rod.

6.111 apparatusviorf'expanding `ia continuous band `of fabric',fa cylinder, 'ay piston and rod slidable therein, a; pluralityof links pivotally .connected to the endgfof said 4piston rod, Ya plurality f links pivotally connected to saidv cylinder, ak plurality of carriers; pivotally yconectedbetween said link-s, `'rollers vmounted on saidrcarriersrandguide'annis ad- Justably .mounted .on said Icarriers for centering a Ace ntinuoufsband upon the rollers.

7. Invapparatusorfexpanding a continu,- f

ous bandoff fabric, a cylinderrapiston 4 and rod lfslidableqthverein, agpkluralityioflinks pivotally connected tothe end ofsaidpistonrod said cylinder, a plurality of'carriers pinotall-y ,connected between .said links, rollers lmourited on' said carriers, and means uat .the endoi. the cylinderopposite thezlink'sfor controlling the expanding -movement of 'the rollers, -,said p,

means 'including 4rotatable means supporting f a plurality et Astops for3 limiting movement, V,any Tvselected vstop k,being .adapted to 4engage With a rearward/estenn ,fifths pistelirod- .WALTER iHUMRHRar.

- .neCtedf-toacommas member, and ,means for f Sad, member, '-t acliallyfrmot@ the Qllerssaidfmeails: extend-inea@ @Gratin-g .throughahe Aliked support4 whereby one' vend ,of theapparatusisfreelironiobstrucmons. Y

nzapparatus .feriexpandinga @Catimsiusbaiid Lf fabriefa .@rlinderfa Pisten-fwd

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