Wyko, Inc.

Bps Engineering, LLC

Wyco, Inc.

Wyko Equipment Limited

Carmin C. Simerly

Ian Smith

Jim E. Hilty

Mark S. Byerley

Mark S Byerley

Clark A Roberts

Carmin C Simerly

Jim E Hilty

Sean E Howley

Michael E Owen

Elongate tire-building equipment having circumference-defining apparatus wherein the circumference serves as a forming surface or as a circumference-engaging surface utilizes ramp members which are regularly disposed about the equipment centerline and upon which the circumference-defining apparatus is mounted for movement radially toward and away from the equipment centerline. A thrust plate and an actuator are mounted at the ends of the equipment for movement toward or away from one another along the equipment centerline, and an assembly of guide tracks and guide blocks are interposed between the ramp members and the thrust plate and between the ramp members and the actuator so that the movement of the thrust plate and the actuator toward and away from one another effects the movement of the ramp members radially toward and away from the equipment centerline by a relatively large amount.

Assembly for altering the diameter of transfer ring or drum apparatus through a broad range

A roller assembly for use during tire construction includes a telescoping tube arrangement and a roller positioned thereabout. The telescoping tube arrangement has an inner tube section and an outer tube section and which can be adjusted in length to accommodate the width of the tire component under construction. The roller includes a cylindrical surface of a desired hardness which is positionable into engagement with the outer surface of the tire component under construction and which includes a plurality of roller sections which are positionable about the telescoping tube arrangement and in a side-by-side relationship with one another. In addition, each roller section defines a peripheral surface so that when the roller sections are positioned in a side-by-side relationship along the tube arrangement, the peripheral surfaces of the roller sections collectively provide the cylindrical surface of the roller.

Roller assembly for use during tire construction

Tire-making apparatus () defining an outer or inner circumference () to serve as a forming surface or as a circumference-engaging surface, respectively, utilizes a frame () having a central axis () and a plurality of multi-sectional segments () which are moveable radially with respect to the central axis and include arcuate surfaces which collectively define the apparatus circumference. Each segment includes a primary section () and a secondary section () which flanks the primary section. The primary and secondary sections are connected so that as the segments are moved radially of the central axis, the primary and secondary sections move relative to one another along the circumference of the apparatus to help maintain the uniformity, or roundness, of the surface of the circumference collectively defined by the segments.

Transfer ring or drum apparatus having adjustable circumference

A transfer ring for supporting a belt and tread package about a tire carcass for inflation of the carcass within the package during a tire-making process includes a plurality of shoes which are movable inwardly and outwardly for purposes of grasping or releasing a package positioned between the shoes. Components are provided for moving the shoes inwardly to a radial position about a package; and at this radial position, the shoes apply to the package a biasing force for maintaining a substantial uniform pressure about the package if it were to contract in size after the shoes are moved to the radial position. A braking arrangement is provided which prevents the shoes from moving outwardly of the radial position when a tire carcass is thereafter inflated within the package to thereby limit the diameter of the package during the carcass-inflating process.

Transfer ring which resists backdriving forces during a tire construction process

A scroll shaping drum useful in the construction of tires and including an internal air cylinder having an inner sleeve member and a roller member positioned about the inner sleeve member includes a plurality of cam follower assemblies anchored within the inner sleeve member. Each cam follower assembly includes a hub and a cam follower member positioned about the hub, and the cam follower member of each assembly is accepted by an appropriately-shaped slot defined in the roller member. The inner sleeve member defines an internally-threaded opening for accepting the hub of each assembly, and each hub includes a mounting portion positioned within a corresponding internally-threaded opening of the inner sleeve member. In addition, an externally-threaded insert member having a length which is larger than the thickness of the wall of the inner sleeve member is threadably accepted by the internally-threaded opening of the inner sleeve member and has a central through-opening within which the mounting portion of the hub is force-fitted.

Cam follower assembly for thin walled cylinder of scroll shaping drum used in tire construction

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided improved means for centering of a green vehicle tire carcass on a shaping drum. &ldquo;Centering&rdquo; as used herein and unless otherwise stated or obvious from the context of its use, includes positioning of the bead ring-containing. opposite ends of a carcass substantially equidistantly from the centerplane of the drum and substantially radially equidistant from, and substantially concentric about, the rotational axis of the drum. In one embodiment, the shaping drum includes first and second pluralities of lateral positioning shoes disposed about the outer circumference of thedrum, these pluralities of shoes being disposed on opposite sides of the lateral centerplane of the drum, and first and second pluralities of bidirectional (radial and lateral) positioning wheels, the pluralities of wheels also being disposed about the outer circumference of the drum, on opposite sides of the lateral centerplane of the drum, and between respective ones of the pluralities of shoes and the lateral centerplane of the drum. These shoes and wheels are selectively positionable laterally and radially of the drum to effect centering of the carcass. A method is disclosed.

Method and apparatus for tire carcass positioning on a drum

A method and apparatus providing for minimization of the separation of a plurality of radially collapsible, generally circular, mandrels which are mounted for axial movement along the longitudinal axis of a central shaft. The method and apparatus is useful for shaping of a green vehicle tire carcass employing a shaping drum which includes dual mandrels which are axially displace able along the longitudinal axis of the drum and adapted to engage respective ones of first and second beads of the carcass.

Method and apparatus for control of dual collapsible mandrels

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus and a method for converting circular motion to radial motion. In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, a mandrel is provided which includes a generally circular tubular housing. Internally of the tubular housing there are disposed a plurality of partitions which are anchored at spaced apart locations about the toroidal dimension of the housing and which define fixed fluid-tight seals across the cross-sectional area of the housing. Within the chamber defined between adjacent ones of the partitions, there is provided a piston member, each piston member has operatively associated therewith the proximal end of a linkage adapted to convert circular motion of its piston member within the housing into radial movement of the distal end of the linkage.

Apparatus for converting circular motion to radial motion

A drum for the formation of a vehicle tire carcass including bead positioning features, the drum including multiple subsystems which are operatively and cooperatively interconnected to enhance the definition of embryonic sidewalls of the tire.

Vehicle tire building drum including bead drum positioning and side wall formation features

A rotatable drum useful in the manufacture of vehicle tires. A plurality of segments collectively define the outer circumferential surface of the drum. These segments are divided into two sets, one set being disposed on each of the opposite sides of a transverse center plane of the drum, the center plane being oriented normal to the rotational axis of the drum. The two sets of segments are mounted for selective positioning thereof axially of the drum from a location external of the drum to adjust the overall working width of the drum. Further, the segments are selectively positionable between expanded positions radially of the rotational axis of the drum to provide a relatively continuous circumferential outer surface of the drum for the layup of a tire carcass thereon, and collapsed positions radially of the drum to permit the removal of a formed toroidal carcass from the drum. Movement of the plurality of segments of each of the two sets of segments radially of the rotational axis of the drum is effected by &ldquo;slaving&rdquo; the two sets of segments off a central mechanism which controls the radial positions of all the segments simultaneously and equidistantly from the rotational axis of the drum, while further providing for axial movement of the two sets of segments relative to one another while the segments are positioned at any given radial location of the segments.

Expandable mandrel having adjustable width

A rotatable drum (10) for use in the manufacture of vehicle tires, the drum including a plurality of segments which collectively define an outer circumference (32) of the drum. The segments are divided into first and second end portions (15,17) which are individually mounted for axial and radial movement between expanded and retracted positions relative to the rotational axis (16) of the drum. Each end portion of segments is further divided into first and second groupings (23,25), the segments (18,18') of the first and second groupings (23,25) being disposed in alternating juxtaposition with respect to the segments of the second grouping (18') and with the segments of the first grouping being movable axially further and radially faster than the segments of the second grouping as the segments are moved between their expanded and retracted positions so that the segments of the second grouping are received in overlying relationship to the segments of the first grouping as the segments of the first and second groupings are simultaneously moved radially inward toward the rotational axis of the drum. A third grouping 23 of the segments of each end portion of segments is provided for, with these segments (19,19') being received in overlying relationship to the segments of the first and second groupings. Further, in a preferred embodiment, each segment is provided with a shell member (24,26), with the shell members collectively defining the outer cylindrical surface (32) of the drum. A method for the production of a rotatable cylindrical drum (10) and a method for the manufacture of an OTR vehicle tire are disclosed.

Tire manufacturing drum having simultaneous axial and radial

A belt and tread drum having an annular shell comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced segments, each of which is mounted on a carrier which disposed in circumscribing relationship to a generally cylindrical actuator rotatably connected with a reciprocating piston disposed within a cavity defined between the actuator and a hub fixed to a central core of the drum. Translational movement of the piston between extended and retracted positions in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the drum is converted into selected rotational movement of the actuator relative to the hub. A plurality of sets of links interposed between the segments and the actuator and hub have their first ends commonly pivotally pinned to a segment. The second end of one link of each set of links is pivotally pinned to the actuator and the second end of the other link of each set of links is pivotally pinned to the hub. Rotation of the actuator relative to the hub controls the arcuate separation of these second ends such that bringing these second ends toward contiguity moves the segments radially outwardly, and conversely, moving these second ends arcuately apart serves to move the segments radially inwardly of the drum. A hand wheel establishes maximum and minimum rotational movement of the actuator and provides a visual indication of the radial positions of the several segments, i.e. the diameter of the drum.

Expandable belt and tread drum

System for releasably attaching a shell segment to a core section of a drum useful in the manufacture of vehicle tires. The system includes an outwardly opening longitudinal groove in the outer surface of the core section and a like groove in inner surface of the shell segment. These grooves are designed to overlie one another and cooperatively define a channel when the segment is positioned in overlying relationship to the core section. An actuator/slide/wedge/stop combination is disposed with the channel. The relationship to the actuator and the slide/wedge/stop combination is such that activation of the actuator acting upon the slide causes the slide to move longitudinally within its groove, engage the wedge and urge the wedge initially in a generally longitudinal direction along the channel until its longitudinal movement is halted by the stop, whereupon further longitudinally directed force exerted by the slide against the wedge causes the wedge to move laterally of the channel to frictionally engage the side edges of the core section groove and/or the side edges of the shell segment groove to align the shell segment with respect to the core section and to releasably anchor the shell segment to the core section. Upon deactivation of the actuator, the slide is freed to move longitudinally of the channel, thereby releasing the wedge and releasing the shell segment. In a preferred embodiment, the shell segment is divided into two pieces, e.g. halves, and there is provided a slide/wedge/stop block combination for releasably attaching each of the half-segments to a single core section. A method for releasably attaching a first member to a second member, such as shell segments to a core section of a vehicle tire-making drum, is disclosed.

System and method for releaseably attaching outer segments to a drum

Apparatus including a frame, preferably circular in geometry and having a cental axis. At spaced apart locations about the circumference of the frame there are provided a plurality of links, each of which is pivotally mounted on a the frame and each of which carries a shoe having an arcuate surface. Each link includes at least one leg portion having an outboard end, The outboard ends of the leg portions of the plurality of links are interconnected with one another and with a drive mechansim whose operation serves to rotate the interconnected links in unison about their respective rotational mountings to the frame. As the links are rotated, their respective shoes are caused to move along an arcuate path which repositions the shoes generally radially inwardly or outwardly with respect to the central axis of the apparatus. To retain the circularity of the arcuate surfaces of the shoes as they are moved radially inwardly and outwardly, the shoes are interconnected by respective rigid rods. One end of each rod is fixedly anchored in a slot opening outwardly of one side margin of a first shoe and projects therefrom to have its opposite end slidably received in a second slot in a circumferentially adjacent shoe. The slots and rod share a common longitudinal axis, which axis is oriented normal to a radius of the frame.

Apparatus with adjustable circumference made up of a plurality of

Apparatus defining an outer circumference suitable to serve as a forming surface or an inner circumference suitable to serve as a circumference-engaging surface. The apparatus is particularly useful in the forming of the belt and tread package of a vehicle tire or as a transfer ring for grasping a belt and tread package of a vehicle tire. The apparatus includes a plurality of multi-sectioned segments of arcuate cross-section which collectively define the cylindrical surface of the apparatus and which are supported for movement radially of the longitudinal axis of the apparatus for adjustment of the circumference of the cylindrical surface. Each segment includes an intermediate section and two side sections hingedly connected to the intermediate section. The segments also include guide plates which cooperate with a side section of an adjacent segment so that movement of each segment radially of the drum effects a corresponding hinged movement of a side section of an adjacent arcuate segment.

Growing community of inventors

Greenback, TN, United States of America

Mark S Byerley