A plant for building tyres includes a plurality of working locations, at least one first working location being associated with at least two loading/unloading locations, a proximal one and a distal one, each of said working locations and loading/unloading locations being associable with a forming drum. The production cycle is controlled by the method of: (i) loading a first forming drum into the at least one first working location; (ii) loading a second forming drum into the loading/unloading location; (iii) at the end of the working provided in the at least one first working location, unloading the first forming drum into the proximal loading/unloading location.

Crown reinforcement of an aircraft tire comprises a working reinforcement (2) radially inside of tread (3) and radially outside of carcass reinforcement (4). Working reinforcement (2) comprises two working bi-plies (21, 22) radially superposed with respective axial widths (L.sub.1, L.sub.2), from first axial end (I.sub.1, I.sub.2) to second axial end (I.sub.1, I.sub.2). Each working bi-ply (21, 22) comprises two working layers (211, 212; 221, 222) radially superposed and respectively made up of axially juxtaposed portions of strip (5) of axial width W extending circumferentially in periodic curve (6) that forms, in the equatorial plane (XZ) of the tire and with the circumferential direction (XX) of the tire, a non-zero angle A and has a radius of curvature R at its extrema (7). The difference DL between the respective axial widths (L.sub.1, L.sub.2) of the radially superposed working bi-plies (21, 22) is at least equal to 2(W+(RW/2)(1cos A)).

A method for applying a strip of elastomeric material to a surface is described. The method of forming a strip of elastomeric material includes the steps of: pumping an elastomeric material through a nozzle, positioning an opening of a nozzle in mating engagement with a rotatable roller, rotating the roller so that rotation of the roller pulls the elastomer material through the outlet of the nozzle, forming a strip.

A method for applying a strip of elastomeric material to a surface is described. The method of forming a strip of elastomeric material includes the steps of: pumping an elastomeric material through a nozzle, positioning an opening of a nozzle in mating engagement with a rotatable roller, rotating the roller so that rotation of the roller pulls the elastomer material through the outlet of the nozzle, forming a strip.

The facility comprises a tire-building station that is configured to form an uncured tire on a core. A curing station is configured to cure the assembly formed by the core and the uncured tire so as to obtain a cured annular tire. An extraction station is configured to separate, after the curing operation, the cured tire from the core. The curing station has a first, heating, thermal source which presses against the exchange face of the core for the curing operation and is then dissociated from the core and remains in the curing station in order to leave the exchange face free again when the core and the cured tire are transferred to the extraction station so that a second, refrigerating, thermal source of the extraction station takes the place of the first thermal source in contact with the exchange face of the core so as to cool the core.

The facility comprises a tire-building station that is configured to form an uncured tire on a core. A curing station is configured to cure the assembly formed by the core and the uncured tire so as to obtain a cured annular tire. An extraction station is configured to separate, after the curing operation, the cured tire from the core. The curing station has a first, heating, thermal source which presses against the exchange face of the core for the curing operation and is then dissociated from the core and remains in the curing station in order to leave the exchange face free again when the core and the cured tire are transferred to the extraction station so that a second, refrigerating, thermal source of the extraction station takes the place of the first thermal source in contact with the exchange face of the core so as to cool the core.

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.

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

A tire includes a central region configured to be mounted to a wheel and a crown region including a circumferential tread and a shear element disposed below the circumferential tread. The shear element includes an upper reinforcement layer, a lower reinforcement layer, and an elastic region disposed between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer. A radial distance between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer varies along an axial width of the tire. The tire also includes an intermediate region extending from the central region to the crown region.