A gripper assembly has a gripper having a gripping element with a gripping face to engage and retain a tire component through suction. The gripping face has a plurality of sections; each section has a vacuum channel and a valve placed between the vacuum channel of the respective section and a vacuum source. Each valve is individually operable to an open position and a closed position, wherein the gripping face in use has a suction area formed by the sections of which the respective valves are in the open position, wherein the suction area is adjustable by selectively operating the plurality of valves to open positions and closed positions wherein the gripper assembly further has a configuration tool which is arranged to control the respective valves to their open and closed positions.

A method of forming a gum roll is provided. The method includes providing a strip stock having a first end, a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first end of the strip stock is coupled to a core fixture so the first surface interfaces with the core fixture. The strip stock is rotated to wind the strip stock onto the core fixture such that the first surface interfaces with the second surface to form the gum roll. The method further includes cutting the strip stock to form the second end when the gum roll is wound to an outer roll diameter, the outer roll diameter being greater than a diameter of the core fixture.

The invention relates to an unwinding system for unwinding a tire component from a stock reel and outputting said tire component in a transport direction, wherein the unwinding system comprises a reel station, a conveyor and a transfer device, wherein the conveyor extends at least partially above the reel station, wherein the transfer device comprises a retaining surface for releasably retaining the tire component along a guide path between a pick-up position for picking up the tire component from the reel station and a release position for disposing the tire component on the conveyor, wherein, in the release position, the retaining surface is facing towards the conveyor, and wherein the retaining surface is offset between the release position and the pick-up position over an offset angle of at least ninety degrees around an inverting axis that is parallel to the conveyor and perpendicular to the transport direction.

A tread extension device (10) is provided that has first (12) and second (14) tread extensions for holding a tread during brushing operations. A first connecting device (28) connects the first tread extension (12) to a first longitudinal end (18) of the tread, and engages both the first tread extension (12) and the first longitudinal end (18) of the tread. A second connecting device (30) is included that connects the second tread extension (14) to the second longitudinal end of the tread. The second connecting device (30) engages both the second tread extension and the second longitudinal end of the tread. The tread is able to be brushed in both a first direction and a second direction along its underside.

A method and apparatus for feeding a plurality of tread bands in a process for building tires for vehicle wheels. Each tread band initially includes, on a side thereof, a service fabric. The tread bands are initially arranged at different heights. The method includes positioning a first auxiliary conveyor belt of an auxiliary collection device including a plurality of juxtaposed auxiliary conveyor belts at a first height corresponding to the height of a first tread band, then, proceeding with the removal of the service fabric from the first tread band while the first tread band is transferred onto the first auxiliary conveyor belt. The method also includes positioning at least one second auxiliary conveyor belt of the auxiliary collection device at at least one second height corresponding to that of at least one second tread band.

A system including a rail assembly and a tread extraction assembly coupled to the rail assembly is provided. The tread extraction assembly includes a base frame and a first clamping assembly. The first clamping assembly has a first clamp movable relative to the base frame. The first clamp is configured to clamp a portion of a tire tread in a tread mold. Further, a system for removing a tire tread from a tread mold is provided. The system includes a tread extraction assembly coupled to a rail assembly. The rail assembly is configured to translate along a rail positioned adjacent the tread mold. The rail assembly is pivotably coupled to the base frame by a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm and configured to pivot the tread extractor assembly from a position adjacent the tread mold to a position over the tread mold.

A method for supplying green tire manufacturing machines (14) with elastomeric products (12) by means of a supply facility (10) comprising a loading member (30) and at least one transfer member (34) comprising an unwinder (36) is disclosed. The supply facility comprises a preparation station (32), said preparation station comprising a manipulator arm (70), and at least one motor (53), the preparation station and the unwinder being distinct from the green tire manufacturing machine. The method comprises the following successive operations: loading the reel onto the unwinder; positioning the end of the product wound on the r?el; arranging the end of the product in such a way that it is laid on a dispenser of the unwinder; and transferring the reel from the preparation station to the green tire manufacturing machine.

The invention relates to an unwinding system, an assembly and a method for unwinding a tire component from a stock reel and for outputting said tire component in a transport direction, wherein the unwinding system comprises a reel station, an output conveyor and a transfer device for transferring a leading end of the tire component from the reel station to said output conveyor, wherein the transfer device comprises a retaining member which is movable along a guide path between a pick-up position and a release position, wherein the retaining member comprises a retaining surface for releasably retaining the leading end of the tire component, wherein the transfer device further comprises an arm that is rotatable around the inverting axis for moving the retaining member along the guide path, wherein the retaining member is movable with respect to the arm in an extension direction perpendicular to the inverting axis.

Process and apparatus for applying noise reducing elements to tyres for vehicle wheels. The apparatus includes a loading station of stacks of noise reducing elements, an extraction station of noise reducing elements from each stack placed downstream of the loading station, and a conveyor placed downstream of the extraction station and extending along a predefined path. The conveyor is configured for supporting and advancing in a row the noise reducing elements extracted from the stacks which are then applied to a radially inner surface of the tyres. The extraction of each of the noise reducing elements contemplates: retaining a first noise reducing element placed at the base of a stack; raising the remaining noise reducing elements of the stack from the first noise reducing element; moving away the first noise reducing element according to a set path; and lowering the remaining noise reducing elements of the stack.

The invention relates to a method for picking up and placing a tire components, wherein the method includes the steps of picking up a supplied first tire component with a transfer drum, rotating the transfer drum in a first direction for winding a predetermined length of the continuous length of the first tire component, rotating the transfer drum in the opposite second direction, while at the same time moving the transfer drum downstream into a cutting position, wherein a part of the predetermined length of the first tire component is unwound from the transfer drum, cutting the unwound part, thereby obtaining a cut-to-length first tire component, and rotating the transfer drum again in the first direction for winding up the unwound part of the cut-to-length first tire component up to the trailing end.