A method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The method of building the tire carcass includes the steps of applying one or more tire building components onto a drum forming a cylindrically shaped tire carcass. A first and second bead is placed onto a respective bead pocket. Then the carcass is inflated under low pressure into engagement with a belt and tread package while the bead pockets are moved axially inward. The beads are continued to move axially inward to the axial width of the widest breaker position. Then the outer lateral ends of the cylindrically shaped tire carcass are turned up about a respective first and second bead.

A method for manufacturing a motorcycle tire comprises: building a raw tire main body, building a breaker, sticking the breaker, and building a band. The building of the breaker comprises: moving two cylindrical support rings to operating positions, swelling the raw tire main body to have its crown portion protruding from the support rings through a gap therebetween, and winding a breaker ply material on the support rings to form a cylindrical breaker ply whose inner surface is adhered to the raw tire main body. The sticking of the breaker comprises: expanding a profiled deck to swell the raw tire main body into a second swollen state, and turning down both edge portions of the breaker while being supported by the profiled deck. The building of the band comprises: spirally winding a tape on the curved breaker ply while being supported by the profiled deck.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres, wherein, in the process, a carcass sleeve including at least one carcass ply and a pair of annular anchoring structures is transferred to a shaping drum including flange elements that are each engageable with one of said annular anchoring structures. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration. Before shaping, annular grip elements respectively carried by the flange elements are radially expanded, each inside one of the annular anchoring structures, in order to engage the carcass sleeve. The annular anchoring structures are moved axially apart from each other before engaging the carcass sleeve by the annular grip elements.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres, wherein, in the process, a carcass sleeve including at least one carcass ply and a pair of annular anchoring structures is transferred to a shaping drum including flange elements that are each engageable with one of said annular anchoring structures. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration. Before shaping, annular grip elements respectively carried by the flange elements are radially expanded, each inside one of the annular anchoring structures, in order to engage the carcass sleeve. The annular anchoring structures are moved axially apart from each other before engaging the carcass sleeve by the annular grip elements.

A drum for producing a tire casing blank comprises a support and sectors forming a circumferential face of the drum. Each sector has a circumferential outer face having a contour of general trapezoidal form and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the support in a non-radial predetermined direction relative to an axis of rotation of the drum and intercepting this axis.

A drum for producing a tire casing blank comprises a support and sectors forming a circumferential face of the drum. Each sector has a circumferential outer face having a contour of general trapezoidal form and is mounted so as to be movable relative to the support in a non-radial predetermined direction relative to an axis of rotation of the drum and intercepting this axis.

A method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The method of building the tire carcass includes the steps of applying one or more tire building components onto a drum forming a cylindrically shaped tire carcass. Placing a first and second bead onto the tire building components on the drum so that the tire carcass ends of the tire carcass extend laterally between the beads. Radially expanding a first and second bead lock mechanism into engagement with a respective first and second bead. Inflating the carcass under low pressure into engagement with a belt and tread package while moving the beads axially inward. Moving the beads axially inward to the axial width of the widest breaker position; Turning up the outer lateral ends of the cylindrically shaped tire carcass about a respective first and second bead.

A method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The method of building the tire carcass includes the steps of applying one or more tire building components onto a drum forming a cylindrically shaped tire carcass. Placing a first and second bead onto the tire building components on the drum so that the tire carcass ends of the tire carcass extend laterally between the beads. Radially expanding a first and second bead lock mechanism into engagement with a respective first and second bead. Inflating the carcass under low pressure into engagement with a belt and tread package while moving the beads axially inward. Moving the beads axially inward to the axial width of the widest breaker position; Turning up the outer lateral ends of the cylindrically shaped tire carcass about a respective first and second bead.

In a shaping station (13), a toroidal forming drum (23) is positioned within a carcass sleeve (12) comprising at least one carcass ply (3) associated with a pair of beads (6) in radially inner position. The carcass sleeve (12) is toroidally shaped by radial expansion of the forming drum (23). The forming drum (23) carrying the shaped carcass sleeve (12) is removed from the shaping station (13). Tyre components (7, 8, 9) are applied externally on the shaped carcass sleeve (12), carried by the forming drum (23). At the end of the shaping and during the application of the tyre components (7, 8, 9), axially inner sides of said beads (6) are arranged axially against respective circumferential axially outer portions (S1) of an abutment surface (S) carried by the expanded forming drum (23), having shape corresponding to an inner shape of the shaped carcass sleeve (12).

In a shaping station (13), a toroidal forming drum (23) is positioned within a carcass sleeve (12) comprising at least one carcass ply (3) associated with a pair of beads (6) in radially inner position. The carcass sleeve (12) is toroidally shaped by radial expansion of the forming drum (23). The forming drum (23) carrying the shaped carcass sleeve (12) is removed from the shaping station (13). Tyre components (7, 8, 9) are applied externally on the shaped carcass sleeve (12), carried by the forming drum (23). At the end of the shaping and during the application of the tyre components (7, 8, 9), axially inner sides of said beads (6) are arranged axially against respective circumferential axially outer portions (S1) of an abutment surface (S) carried by the expanded forming drum (23), having shape corresponding to an inner shape of the shaped carcass sleeve (12).