Nrm Corporation

Thomas A Crumbacher

Anand P Singh

Gary R Naylor

Virgil Y Blosser

Thomas R Fagan, Jr

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.

Tire loader and basket

A pop-up, rotating nozzle in a tire curing press provides for dispersed and uniform introduction of fluid media into the upper containment portion of a curing and shaping bladder during tire cure and cooling, and yet allows for relatively close spacing of upper and lower bladder clamps such as during bladder insertion and stripping operations. The nozzle has an outlet head in communication with the interior of the bladder and a supply stem mounted in a lower bladder clamp and porting assembly of the press for both axial and rotational movement. The nozzle is movable against a spring biasing force by the upper bladder clamp to a lowermost retracted position which allows the bladder clamps to be axially spaced apart a distance substantially less than their axial spacing during cure. As the bladder clamps move apart to their respective positions for cure, the spring urges the nozzle to an elevated dispensing position locating the outlet head thereof in the upper containment portion of the bladder and closely adjacent the upper bladder clamp for more uniform circulation of fluid media with the drain located at the bottom of the bladder. The outlet head is provided with a plurality of tangentially arranged outlets or jets such that the nozzle will rotate causing a uniform and dispersed flow of fluid media throughout the interior of the bladder. The outlet head may also serve to locate the bladder clamps with respect to one another when engaged therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Columbiana, OH, United States of America

Thomas A Crumbacher