Nrm Corporation

Gary R Naylor

Anand P Singh

Thomas A Crumbacher

George E Enders

Thomas R Fagan, Jr

A spring finger ply down for a tire building machine comprising an annular array of spring fingers, an annular support for the fingers and a constrictable clamp for securing each finger to the support at an axial interference between each finger and the support. The constrictable clamp includes an elastic band stretched circumferentially around the fingers and/or a clamping ring of relatively inextensible material that is adjustably constricted or cinched around the fingers or, if used, the elastic band for holding rigidly or relatively rigidly the fingers to the support. The elastic band is locally radially deformable to permit radial release of the axial interference for easy insertion and removal of a finger without disturbing adjacent fingers.

Finger ply down for tire building machine

A hydraulic tire curing press comprises a center column and two outer columns respectively located at the apex and ends of a shallow V, and a pair of press cavities each located between the center column and a respective outer column. The press cavities each include a lower cavity part and an upper cavity part, the latter being supported by and between the center column and respective outer column for vertical movement by an in line or shallow V arrangement of actuators which raise and lower the upper cavity parts in order to open and close the press cavities. The center column, when at the front of the press, is used as a common mount for a pair of tire loaders respectively associated with press cavities. Roller guide assemblies, which maintain each upper cavity part during vertical movement thereof centered to and parallel to the respective lower cavity part, include a vertical rail on each column and plural rollers on the upper cavity part for engaging, respectively, two opposite sides and a third side of each rail.

Hydraulic tire curing press

A tire press, loader and method employs a stationary bottom mold section and a vertically movable top mold section which moves upwardly to open the press clearing the area therebetween for discharge of the cured tire and loading of the green or uncured tire. The press loads the green tire initially into the top mold section centering and holding the top bead of the green tire on the bead ring of the top mold section. To position the uncured tire for such top loading there is provided a loader which engages the uncured tire at the lower shoulder of the tread area. The loader includes pivotally movable chuck sector assemblies, each mounted on a ring. The ring can readily be centered with respect to the axis of the mold sections and each assembly can be moved concurrently uniformly radially of the ring to accommodate tires of different sizes. The loader elevates the uncured tire from in front of the press and then positions it within the open press at the proper elevation with respect to the top mold section after the cured tire has cleared the press. The top mold section includes a mechanical chuck the segments of which then extend to flower from cylindrical form to a conical form of increasing apex angle and then to a horizontal plate form in which they are locked. With the tire held with respect to the upper bead ring, the press then closes until the bottom bead of the uncured tire is in contact with the bottom bead ring, which is mounted on top of a vertically movable bladder well or bead lift can. The beads may be seated by fluid pressure or subsequent action of the bladder. During opening of the press the bladder after at least partial deflation and the bringing of the bladder clamp rings together overlies the bottom bead of the cured tire. This ensures that the tire properly remains on the bottom bead ring during stripping from the upper mold half and then the lower mold half, and as the bladder is drawn into the bladder well or bead lift can.

Tire press, loader and method

A loader for a tire curing press comprising a support, a loader frame mounted to the support for vertical and horizontal movement, a loader basket mounted to the loader frame for engaging, holding and releasing a tire, a first actuator for vertically moving the loader frame, a second actuator for horizontally moving the loader frame into and out of the press when open, and a mechanical guide for guiding the loader frame from an over-center position in the press to a center position as the loader frame is moved vertically in the press. The loader frame is supported on a spline shaft for movement therealong and rotation therewith by ball bushings riding in the grooves of the spline split. The loader basket comprises a plurality of generally radially movable shoes, an adjustable stop for limiting radial movement of each shoe and an adjustment mechanism for simultaneously and uniformly adjusting the adjustable stops.

Growing community of inventors

Canfield, OH, United States of America

Gary R Naylor