The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Morgan Construction Company

James L McLaughlin

Donald J Custer

Richard J Donze

A method and apparatus is described for applying unvulcanized gumstrips in precise overlapping relation on the marginal edges of an unvulcanized tire reinforcement belt or breaker to enhance the adhesion between the reinforcement belt or breaker and surrounding components of a finished, vulcanized tire. The method and apparatus comprise a number of important features; namely, tensioning the gumstrips as they pay out from a letoff device, reeving the gumstrips, in tension, at least partially around a pair of barrel-shaped rollers which precisely locate the gumstrips for subsequent contact with a belt as it moves in a horizontal pathway, providing a specially contoured roller for applying the gumstrips to the moving belt, removing a protective cover sheet from each gumstrip at a unique angle where the resistance to separating the two components is minimized, and folding any portions of the gumstrips overhanging the marginal edges of the belt, at a plurality of stations which employ at least two sets of rollers which are resiliently and horizontally preloaded to accommodate variations in the width of the belts being processed.

Dual gumstrip applicator for tire cord belts

An arrangement for and method of operation for threading strand-like material such as wire or tubing around a grooved type, rotatable block assembly wherein tension is needed to pull the material through a reduction die, includes a plate mounted on the same shaft as the block. This plate supports three devices used in a time sequence relationship in said threading operation for the drawing process: a gripper arm for grasping the pointed end and introducing it into the groove; a shear for severing the pointed end; and a deflector mechanism for guiding the material away from the block assembly. Clutch assemblies are selectively operated to place the plate into and out of engagement with the drawing block for the plate's rotation therewith and it's non-rotation.

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Akron, OH, United States of America

James L McLaughlin