Bridgestone Bandag, LLC

Jim L Jones

Troy Allen Kost

Robert G Otting

Logan M Koepke

A sipe forming system is provided. The sipe forming system includes a cutting base including a pivot plate having an aperture, a cutting drum extending at least partially through the aperture, a blade coupled to the surface of the cutting drum, and a mechanical power source operably coupled to the cutting base and configured to rotate the cutting drum. The sipe forming system further includes a positioning assembly pivotally coupled to the cutting base and configured to receive a tire tread. The positioning assembly includes a housing, the housing being selectively positionable relative to the pivot plate, and at least one positioning device configured to position the tire tread received by the positioning assembly with respect to the cutting drum.

Miter sipe machine having angle control, blade sharpening, and tread support

A sipe forming assembly is provided. The sipe forming assembly includes a plunge cutting assembly, a leading roller assembly positioned upstream of the plunge cutting assembly, and a trailing roller assembly positioned downstream of the plunge cutting assembly. The plunge cutting assembly includes a blade and a linear actuator configured to actuate the blade to cut a sipe in a tire tread. The leading roller assembly includes a first leading roller and a second leading roller positionable relative to the first leading roller. The second leading roller and the first leading roller are configured to cooperate to clamp the tire tread between the first leading roller and the second leading roller. The trailing roller assembly includes a first trailing roller and a second trailing roller configured to cooperate to clamp the tire tread between the first trailing roller and the second trailing roller.

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Muscatine, IA, United States of America

Jim L Jones