Bartell Machinery Systems LLC

Robert W Kolb

Kenneth B Turvey

Daniel Giovanoni

Th leading end of a tire bead wire is gripped in the usual manner radially inwardly of the inside diameter of the bead as a forming drum is rotated to form a hoop-like bead of multiple convolutions of the wire. Upon release by the gripper members, the leading, initially gripped end of the wire moves into a void provided therefor on the inner diameter of the bead. A member is then rotated to bring the outer surface of an arm into physical engagement with the end of the wire at the inner diameter of the bead, urging it into tight engagement with the tacky surfaces of adjacent wire convolutions, thereby ensuring that the inner wire end does not become disengaged. Certain elements may be mounted in either of two positions to effectively double their useful life. The stitching operation may be performed while the forming drum is still rotating, i.e., as the bead is being formed, whereby operation of the invention does not add to the time required to fabricate the beads.

Tire bead forming method and apparatus

An insert is located in the forming groove of the tire bead former so that the first convolutions of the wire, which form the tire bead, are wound on the insert as the tire bead former is rotated, the insert having an upstanding side portion which defines a space in the inner surface of the formed tire bead which receives the gripped inner terminal end of the wire when the formed tire bead is remove from the tire bead former.

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Clinton, NY, United States of America

Robert W Kolb