A weight applicator including a weight applicator head and at least one actuator is disclosed. The weight applicator head is adapted to carry a wheel balance weight and has a weight application surface with a weight retaining region and a leading rotation region. The at least one actuator is coupled to the weight applicator head for manipulating the weight applicator head in at least one direction. The at least one direction has a radial component. The leading rotation region is oriented to extend radially further than the weight retaining region.

The method is related to automatically and successively laying elastomeric elements using a facility for manufacturing tire blanks. The facility includes a drum for manufacturing tire blanks and at least one collaborative robotized arm equipped with at least one effector. A stage of laying an elastomeric element includes a predetermined sequence of step. The sequence comprises the steps of grasping and drawing the elastomeric element towards the drum using said arm. The automatic and successive laying of elastomeric elements includes instructions which can be executed by the processor of a control unit in order to implement. The sequence includes a stage of automatic performance of a step according to said sequence. The sequence also includes a stage of interruption of said sequence. The sequence further includes a stage of manual performance of the interrupted step or the next step according to said sequence.

The invention relates to a molding process wherein a green tire is formed and then molded within a tire mold, the tire mold having one or more moving elements configured to move at least into an open configuration and a closed configuration of the tire mold. The tire mold further comprises a mold cavity, and wherein the process comprises the step of injecting one or more gases in the mold cavity after the tire was cured and before opening the tire mold to retrieve the molded tire.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.

Disclosed is an extruder and a method for extruding cord reinforced tire components, wherein the extruder includes an extruder head with a die and a cord guide, wherein the die is provided with a cross sectional profile that defines a first cross section of the extrusion material in the die, wherein the cross sectional profile has a profile height, wherein the cord guide is arranged for guiding the cords into the die at a cord entry height, wherein the extruder head is provided with first heating elements, wherein the extruder comprises a control unit that is operationally connected to the first heating elements for generating an adjustable height temperature gradient in the extrusion material across the profile height to control swelling of the extrusion material relative to the cord entry height from the first cross section to a second cross section after the extrusion material leaves the die.

The bead wire (52) comprises several windings of wire and a basic hexagonal bead wire (56) comprising: two axially and radially external lateral rows (F1, F2) of N2 windings, two axially external and radially internal lateral rows (F3, F4) of N2 windings, where N1=N2+1 or N1=N2, two junctions (J1, J2), each formed by a winding that an axially and radially external lateral row (F1, F2) and an axially external and radially internal lateral row (F3, F4), have in common, each winding in common having no winding of wire axially on the outside of it. The bead wire (52) comprises two axially and radially external additional lateral rows (A1, A2) of N3 windings substantially parallel respectively to each axially and radially external lateral row (F1, F2).

The bead wire (52) comprises several windings of wire and a basic hexagonal bead wire (56) comprising: two axially and radially external lateral rows (F1, F2) of N2 windings, two axially external and radially internal lateral rows (F3, F4) of N2 windings, where N1=N2+1 or N1=N2, two junctions (J1, J2), each formed by a winding that an axially and radially external lateral row (F1, F2) and an axially external and radially internal lateral row (F3, F4), have in common, each winding in common having no winding of wire axially on the outside of it. The bead wire (52) comprises two axially and radially external additional lateral rows (A1, A2) of N3 windings substantially parallel respectively to each axially and radially external lateral row (F1, F2).

A plant for building tyres of at least two different models for vehicle wheels, includes at least a tyre building line, which in turn, includes: a plurality of work stations arranged according to a sequential series, each work station being adapted for building at least one structural component of each tyre and assembling at least one elementary component; at least one handling device for the tyres being processed on the respective forming supports associated to each work station; and at least one transfer device adapted for transferring the tyre being processed on its forming support from any first work station of the sequential series to any other second work station not adjacent thereto of the sequential series, so that the tyre being processed on its forming support only passes in the first and second work stations.

A plant for building tyres of at least two different models for vehicle wheels, includes at least a tyre building line, which in turn, includes: a plurality of work stations arranged according to a sequential series, each work station being adapted for building at least one structural component of each tyre and assembling at least one elementary component; at least one handling device for the tyres being processed on the respective forming supports associated to each work station; and at least one transfer device adapted for transferring the tyre being processed on its forming support from any first work station of the sequential series to any other second work station not adjacent thereto of the sequential series, so that the tyre being processed on its forming support only passes in the first and second work stations.