Vents and micro-structures of rubber molds may become clogged with rubber that is difficult to remove. These vents and micro-structures can be cleaned of rubber, even if heat aged, by subjecting the mold to high temperatures in the presence of a solvent to devulcanize any rubber present. If the rubber used with the mold being cleaned includes carbon black, a solvent may be used to dissolve the devulcanized polymer, leaving the carbon black which can be removed by water jets or other cleaning means.

A handling device for tires having at least one extension arm, wherein the at least one extension arm is secured with a first extension arm pivot location to a receiving member in such a manner that a pivoting of the at least one extension arm relative to the receiving member is supported and the at least one extension arm has a second extension arm pivot location so that at least one gripping tool is coupled to the at least one extension arm. At least a second gripping tool is coupled to the second extension arm pivot location, and the at least two gripping tools can be pivoted relative to at least one extension arm pivot location. The invention further relates to a method for carrying out a loading and unloading cycle with tires of a tire vulcanization machine.

Provided are a cleaning device and a method for cleaning a vulcanization mold. At the time of cleaning a molding surface of a vulcanization mold by irradiating with a laser beam from a laser head, an inert gas is supplied from a supply nozzle and an irradiation range of the molding surface irradiated with the laser beam is brought into an atmosphere of the inert gas.

A method of performing preventative maintenance on an auger in a tire filling mixing machine, by: (a) mixing a polyurethane isocyanate and a catalyst in a first mixer to form a virgin polyurethane; (b) grinding polyurethane core bits in a grinder, the grinder having an auger and a motor; (c) mixing the virgin polyurethane and the ground core bits in a second mixer thereby forming a mixed flatproofing material; (d) injecting the mixed flatproofing material into a tire; (e) measuring vibration of the auger; and (f) comparing the measured vibration of the auger to a predefined maximum vibration; and (g) removing the auger from the grinder if the measured vibration exceeds the pre-defined maximum vibration for a predefined period of time, or removing the auger from the grinder if the measured temperature of the auger exceeds the pre-defined maximum temperature for a predefined period of time.

A method and the device are used to control valves. The valves are arranged in the region of lines for a fluid. At least one first valve is in the form of a control valve arranged in the region of a primary line. At least one second valve is in the form of a switching valve. At least one branch is arranged downstream of the control valve in the region of a direction of flow. At least two secondary lines extend downstream of the branch. Each secondary line has one of the switching valves. The valves are connected to a control unit which coordinates the function of the valves.

A method of performing preventative maintenance on an auger in a tire filling mixing machine, by: (a) mixing a polyurethane isocyanate and a catalyst in a first mixer to form a virgin polyurethane; (b) grinding polyurethane core bits in a grinder, the grinder having an auger and a motor; (c) mixing the virgin polyurethane and the ground core bits in a second mixer thereby forming a mixed flatproofing material; (d) injecting the mixed flatproofing material into a tire; (e) measuring vibration of the auger; and (f) comparing the measured vibration of the auger to a predefined maximum vibration; and (g) removing the auger from the grinder if the measured vibration exceeds the pre-defined maximum vibration for a predefined period of time, or removing the auger from the grinder if the measured temperature of the auger exceeds the pre-defined maximum temperature for a predefined period of time.

The vent valve (10) for venting bores of vulcanization molds, which includes the sleeve (1), with the inner cylindrical hollow (1.1), ended with the valve conical hole (1.2) and the cylindrical hole (1.4) along the sides, whereas the sleeve (1) may be inserted into the vulcanization mold hole, the pin (2), movably located on the spring (3) in the inner cylindrical hollow (1.1), whereas the pin (2) contains the lower cylindrical part (2.4), ended in its lower part with the lower conical part (2.4.1), and the upper conical part in the upper part (2.4.2), the upper conical part (2.4.2) is followed by the central cylindrical part (2.5), followed by the connecting cylindrical part (2.6), whereas the diameter of the central cylindrical part (2.5) is smaller than the connecting cylindrical part (2.6) as well as the lower cylindrical part (2.4). The lower cylindrical part (2.4) and the central cylindrical part (2.5) are divided into four flexible legs (2.7) to (2.10), forming the flexible collet. Four flexible legs (2.7 to 2.10) are shaped identically and partially reach the connecting cylindrical part (2.6).

A tire manufacturing method includes making a master batch, using the master batch to make a rubber composition, and making a green tire. The master batch is made wherein a carbon-black-containing pre-coagulation rubber latex is coagulated to obtain a coagulum; a compound according to Formula (I) is added to the water-containing coagulum; ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each indicates a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, an alkenyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, or an alkynyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may be the same or different, and M.sup.+ indicates sodium ion, potassium ion, or lithium ion; and the compound according to Formula (I) is dispersed within the coagulum. The green tire is provided with unvulcanized rubber sheeting made up of the rubber composition, chafer(s), carcass ply or plies, and bead filler(s).

A method and the apparatus serve for air extraction in the area of a heating press. Extracted air is fed to at least one exhaust air treatment device. In the area of the device, the extracted air is modified in terms of at least one parameter. It is intended, in particular, to use a tire heating press as the heating press.

An automatic plant for cleaning moulds for tyres, wherein the moulds are constituted of sectors and cheeks, includes an apparatus for internal cleaning of sectors and cheeks and an apparatus for external cleaning of sectors and cheeks. The apparatus for internal cleaning of sectors and cheeks comprises fixing means for sectors and cheeks in a stable treatment position, a generating device for generating ultrasonic vibrations, transmitting means for transmitting the vibrations from the device to the sector or cheek treated, in such a way as to carry out cleaning of sectors or cheeks by subjecting them to vibrations.