The invention comprises a support system and method for supporting an uncured tire carcass (10) for storage, handling and transport of the tire carcass during tire production operations. The method for supporting an uncured tire carcass (10) includes the step of configuring an uncured tire carcass in a storage configuration subsequent to removing the uncured tire carcass from the tire carcass building surface. Once removed from the tire carcass building surface the uncured tire carcass (10) is separate from the tire carcass building surface. The method further includes the step of pressurizing an interior chamber of the uncured tire carcass (10) to form an inflated uncured tire carcass.

A process and an apparatus for automatically applying a noise reducing element to a tyre for vehicle wheels. The process includes: a) providing a noise reducing element; b) providing an adhesive material; c) guiding the noise reducing element according to a predetermined direction; d) during the guiding, applying the adhesive material onto a first surface of the noise reducing element; e) manipulating the noise reducing element by interacting with at least one second surface of the noise reducing element different from the first surface on which the adhesive material has been applied; and f) positioning the noise reducing element in a predetermined position on a radially inner surface of the tyre, bringing the first surface into contact with the radially inner surface.

In order to improve tire production efficiency, there is provided a conveying apparatus that conveys a tire-accompanied rigid core in a lying-sideways position to a loading position P1, a preheating device for preheating at a preheating position P2, a vulcanizing device for vulcanizing at a vulcanizing position P3, a cooling device for cooling at a cooling position P4, and a transferring device. The transferring device has a turning arm capable of turning horizontally around an axis of turning and movable up and down, and transfers the tire-accompanied rigid core from and to the conveying device, the preheating device, the vulcanizing device, and the cooling device at the positions P1 to P4. The loading position P1, the preheating position P2, the vulcanizing position P3 and the cooling position P4 are arranged on the same circumferential line centered on the axis of turning.

Apparatus and method for correcting the shape of a green tire configured so that, even if a side wall portion (S) is subjected to local crushing deformation during its temporary storage, such deformation is effectively corrected to easily improve the tire uniformity. A pressurized fluid is applied to an inner chamber of a green tire (G) having bead portions (B) held coaxially by upper and lower holders (56, 89), for setting the tread portion (T) of the green tire (G) coaxially to the bead portions (B). The side wall portions (S) is deformed outward and applied with an internal tension in the meridian direction, for correcting the shape of the green tire (G). Crushing deformation on the side wall portion (S) is thereby effectively recovered and corrected before vulcanization.

A working system includes at least one movable apparatus movable and at least one stationary apparatus. The movable apparatus includes a working unit performing a predetermined work. The stationary apparatus includes a control unit performing drive control of the working unit. A control method of the system includes: instructing, when the movable apparatus has reached a working position, the control unit of the stationary apparatus to establish communication with the working unit of the movable apparatus; updating status information indicating a communication establishment status, after the communication instruction; instructing the control unit to transmit an operation signal to the working unit in the working position; instructing the control unit to disconnect the communication, after the signal transmission instruction step; and updating the status information after the disconnection instruction.

Disclosed is a bead-apex storage system and a method for handling carriers, each carrier supporting a stack of bead-apexes stacked in a stacking direction and alternated with spacers separating the bead-apexes, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a plurality of storage stations for storing the carriers and a transfer station for transferring one of the plurality of bead-apexes to a tire building machine, wherein the bead-apex storage system further includes a spacer gripper for lifting one or more of the spacers from one of the carriers in one of the plurality of storage stations and for carrying said one or more lifted spacers to the transfer station, wherein the bead-apex storage system includes a spacer gripper base for supporting the spacer gripper, wherein the spacer gripper base is movable from the transfer station to any one of the plurality of storage stations.

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, comprises a sleeve building area (A) in which devices for obtaining carcass sleeves (12) operate, a crown building area (B) in which devices for obtaining crown structures (7) operate and a shaping station (14) tor shaping each carcass sleeve (12) according to a toroidal configuration. Transfer devices (19) for transferring the carcass sleeves (12) from the sleeve building area (A) to the shaping station (14), by means of a first translator (20) configured for picking up each carcass sleeve (12) from an outlet station (D) of the sleeve building area (A), a second translator (21) configured for releasing each carcass sleeve (12) in the shaping station (14), and a storage device (22) operatively interposed between said first translator (20) and second translator (21)″ has been replaced with --A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, comprises a sleeve building area (A) in which devices for obtaining carcass sleeves (12) operate, a crown building area (B) in which devices for obtaining crown structures (7) operate and a shaping station (14) tor shaping each carcass sleeve (12) according to a toroidal configuration. Transfer devices (19) for transferring the carcass sleeves (12) from the sleeve building area (A) to the shaping station (14), by a first translator (20) configured for picking up each carcass sleeve (12) from an outlet station (D) of the sleeve building area (A), a second translator (21) configured for releasing each carcass sleeve (12) in the shaping station (14), and a storage device (22) operatively interposed between the first translator (20) and second translator (21).

A transfer ring for use in the manufacture of vehicle tires, the transfer ring including a radially expandable and collapsible segmented cylindrical gripping surface defined by a plurality of inwardly facing arcuate surfaces mounted for radial movement toward and away from a central axis of the cylindrical gripping surface, wherein each arcuate surface is mounted to a corresponding set of driven linkages comprising first, second, and third members, each set of driven linkages further including a block-and-rail cam follower secured to at least one of the first, second, and third members and configured to cooperate with the first, second, and third members to limit movement of the arcuate surface to linear movement radially toward and away from the central axis of the cylindrical gripping surface.

Disclosed is a guiding device having a guide roller that is rotatable about a roller axis and that has an exterior guide surface extending in a circumferential direction about the roller axis, wherein the guide roller includes a plurality of roller segments juxtaposed in an axial direction along the roller axis for forming the exterior guide surface, wherein the plurality of roller segments are movable relative to each other to enable the guide roller to be positioned in a maximum bend state in which the roller axis extends along an arc, wherein the plurality of roller segments are interlocked to rotate together about the roller axis in a maximum bend state, wherein the plurality of roller segments extend over an arc length along the arc of the roller axis, wherein the arc length is at least ninety degrees in the maximum bend state.

An apparatus (10) for producing green tyres (13) consisting of a carcass or inner section (13′) coupled with a belt package or outer section (13″), comprising a first tyre processing assembly (12) for manufacturing the carcass or inner section (13′), a second tyre processing assembly (14) for finishing said carcass (13′), a third tyre processing assembly (16) for manufacturing a belt package or outer section (13″) and for coupling said carcass or inner section with said belt package or outer section (13′, 13″) to form a tyre (13), and an unloading station (60) for unloading said tyre (13), said tyre processing assemblies comprising interface means for transferring the product being manufactured from one tyre processing assembly to another one and for moving said product being processed internally to said individual tyre processing assemblies in a fully automatic manner.