A manufacturing device for an unvulcanized band-shaped rubber member is provided. A position sensor detects, across a width direction of the band-shaped rubber member, leading and trailing ends of the band-shaped rubber member placed in a flat state on a conveyor, holding portions arranged side by side in the width direction hold at least one of the leading or trailing ends, with movement portions allowing the holding portions to move individually in a front-rear direction, the leading and the trailing ends are held by the leading and trailing end holding mechanisms, respectively, and a control unit controls a displacement of the movement portions in the front-rear direction based on data from the position sensor and a target length to adjust elongation in the front-rear direction at or near a held portion held by each of the holding portions to achieve the target length of the band-shaped rubber member.

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 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 for winding a rubber strip onto a form of revolution includes steps of: forming a strip of predetermined length, applying front and rear edge marks to the strip, driving the strip towards the form, arranging a front edge of the strip on the form, and driving the form to wind the strip onto the form. In a first phase, the driving of the strip and the driving of the form are synchronized so as not to modify the length of the strip. In a second phase, the driving of the strip and the driving of the form are controlled depending on an angular position of the form and on a position of the rear edge mark, in order to vary relatively a displacement speed of the rear edge mark and a displacement speed of the front edge mark, to compensate for variations in the length of the strip.

Described is an apparatus and a method for applying a first gum strip to a first edge of a cord reinforced ply, wherein the apparatus includes a ply support for supporting the cord reinforced ply and a first strip support that defines an elongate first strip region extending in the longitudinal direction for supporting the first gum strip with respect to the ply support, and wherein the first strip support includes a first retaining member for retaining a first part of the first gum strip below the first edge and a first folding member that is rotatable with respect to the first retaining member about a first folding axis from a flat position into a folding position opposite to the first retaining member with respect to the support plane for folding a second part of the first gum strip around the first edge.

Described is an apparatus and a method for applying a first gum strip to a first edge of a cord reinforced ply, wherein the apparatus includes a ply support for supporting the cord reinforced ply and a first strip support that defines an elongate first strip region extending in the longitudinal direction for supporting the first gum strip with respect to the ply support, and wherein the first strip support includes a first retaining member for retaining a first part of the first gum strip below the first edge and a first folding member that is rotatable with respect to the first retaining member about a first folding axis from a flat position into a folding position opposite to the first retaining member with respect to the support plane for folding a second part of the first gum strip around the first edge.

Disclosed is a conveying apparatus and method for conveying a tire layer, wherein the conveying apparatus includes a swivel conveyor with at least one endless belt or wire, a first pulley, a second pulley and a third pulley that define a minimal loop (L) for guiding the endless belt or wire along a conveying run and a return run, wherein the third pulley is arranged between the conveying run and the return run, and is swivable about a swivel axis (X) between a first swivel position and a second swivel position. The pivot position is chosen such that the length of the minimal loop when the third pulley is in the first swivel position is the same within a tolerance of less than 1 percent with respect to the length of the minimal loop when the third pulley is in the second swivel position.

A manufacturing device for an unvulcanized band-shaped rubber member is provided. A position sensor detects, across a width direction of the band-shaped rubber member, leading and trailing ends of the band-shaped rubber member placed in a flat state on a conveyor, holding portions arranged side by side in the width direction hold at least one of the leading or trailing ends, with movement portions allowing the holding portions to move individually in a front-rear direction, the leading and the trailing ends are held by the leading and trailing end holding mechanisms, respectively, and a control unit controls a displacement of the movement portions in the front-rear direction based on data from the position sensor and a target length to adjust elongation in the front-rear direction at or near a held portion held by each of the holding portions to achieve the target length of the band-shaped rubber member.

A manufacturing device for an unvulcanized band-shaped rubber member is provided. A position sensor detects, across a width direction of the band-shaped rubber member, leading and trailing ends of the band-shaped rubber member placed in a flat state on a conveyor, holding portions arranged side by side in the width direction hold at least one of the leading or trailing ends, with movement portions allowing the holding portions to move individually in a front-rear direction, the leading and the trailing ends are held by the leading and trailing end holding mechanisms, respectively, and a control unit controls a displacement of the movement portions in the front-rear direction based on data from the position sensor and a target length to adjust elongation in the front-rear direction at or near a held portion held by each of the holding portions to achieve the target length of the band-shaped rubber member.

A tyre building plant (1; 100) comprises a forming drum (4) and a supply device (10) for supplying an elongated element (3) towards the forming drum. The supply device comprises at least one conveyor belt (11; 101) which extends in a supply direction (X) between a loading region (12), in which the elongated element is loaded on the conveyor belt and an unloading region (13), a control unit (19) for controlling the loading of the elongated element (3) on the conveyor belt (11; 101), at least a first detection element which is fixed with a first portion (20) of the conveyor belt, a sensor (22) which is fixed and independent with respect to the conveyor belt and which detects the position of the first portion (20) with respect to the supply device. The loading of the elongated element on the conveyor belt is performed when the first portion is at a predefined reference distance from the loading region (12).