The object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for molding an annular member capable of accurately molding an annular member into a predetermined cross-sectional shape even if the annular member has a thick-walled inner peripheral part and a thin-walled outer peripheral part. The method for molding a bead filler (11) including a thick-walled inner peripheral part (11a) and a thin-walled outer peripheral part (11b), the method comprising the steps of extruding, into an annular shape, rubber (R1) by a first extruder (30) onto a molding table (20) through a first die (31) provided with an opening having the same cross-sectional shape as that of the inner peripheral part (11a) while the molding table (20) is rotated, and molding the inner peripheral part (11a); and extruding, into an annular shape, rubber by a second extruder (40) onto the molding table (20) through a second die (41) provided with an opening having the same cross-sectional shape as that of the outer peripheral part (11b) while the molding table (20) is rotated, and molding the outer peripheral part (11b).

A process and a drum for looping annular anchoring structures in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: depositing a loop on a drum including a radially expandable/contractible intermediate annular portion and, in a position axially adjacent to the opposite axial ends of said intermediate annular portion, a pair of radially expandable/contractible lateral annular portions; associating an annular anchoring structure with a radially outer annular surface portion of the loop defined at the intermediate annular portion; and turning up each of opposite end edges of the loop on the annular anchoring structure through the lateral annular portions as a result of a thrusting stress imparted by a respective lateral annular portion of said pair of lateral annular portions because of a synchronous radial movement and a synchronous axial displacement of a respective plurality of circumferentially adjacent first angular sectors.

A bead member manufacturing method for manufacturing a bead member by forming an annular bead filler in an outer peripheral side of an annular bead core includes a step of arranging the bead core on a forming surface of a forming table, a step of forming a first bead filler portion by winding a first rubber in an area closer to an outer side in a width direction than a side surface which does not face toward the forming surface in the outer peripheral surface of the arranged bead core, a step of turning over and rearranging the bead core and the first bead filler portion on the forming surface, and a step of forming a second bead filler portion by winding a second rubber in the outer peripheral sides of the bead core and the first bead filler portion so as to form the bead filler.

A rubber strip is transported to a molding drum. At this stage, a cutter cuts the rubber strip into a predetermined length. If a sensor detects the finishing end of the rubber strip when the rubber strip is transported, a sucker, which transports the rubber strip while drawing the rubber strip, is temporarily stopped or the movement speed of the sucker is decreased. As a result, a top portion of the rubber strip is extended in the longitudinal direction of the rubber strip. This compensates for the amount of shrinkage of the rubber strip after extrusion, thus restraining shrinkage of the rubber strip.

An object is to improve the durability of the stiffener having a hard rubber member and a soft rubber member formed on the radially inner side and the radially outer side by laminating rubber strips. A tire includes bead cores, stiffeners provided on the outer circumferences of the bead cores, and a carcass ply. Ends of the carcass ply are disposed on the stiffeners. Each stiffener includes an inner rubber portion on the radially inner side, an outer rubber portion on the radially outer side, and a cover tape. The inner rubber portion is formed by laminating a first rubber strip. The outer rubber portion is formed by laminating a second rubber strip. The second rubber strip is composed of rubber having a lower rigidity than the inner rubber portion. The cover tape covers a part of the stiffener that comes into contact with the end of the carcass ply.

A method and apparatus for forming an apex or an apex in combination with a bead, the method comprising the steps of: winding a strip of rubber onto a rotatable platen to form an apex, wherein the rotatable platen may further include a radially expandable bead chuck for supporting a bead. The rotatable platen may optionally include a nonstick coating such as titanium nitride and optionally include one or more radially oriented bars. The optional one or more radially oriented bars may be movable into a first position flush with the outer surface of the platen, and movable into a second position that preferably is nonflush and protrudes from the outer surface of the platen. The rotatable platen is further optionally retractable from the bead chuck to facilitate removal of the apex from the apparatus.

The present disclosure provides a tire building method and a mechanical drum. The tire building method includes: step S1: controlling an attaching mechanism to roll a bead filler to attach the bead filler to a tire carcass; step S2: while attaching the bead filler or during a process of attaching the bead filler, controlling a turn-up mechanism to roll a sidewall so as to attach the sidewall to the tire carcass. The tire building method according to the present disclosure solves problems of long time of building the tire and low efficiency of building the tire in the related art.