A tire 2 includes a pair of beads 12 and a carcass 14. A core 28 of each bead 12 includes a body 34 having a hexagonal cross-section, and a cover 36 covering the body 34. The cover 36 is wrapped around the body 34, and the number of turns the cover 36 is wrapped around the body 34 is greater than or equal to one and smaller than two. The cover 36 includes a plain weave fabric obtained by interlacing warp threads 72 and weft threads 74. The warp threads 72 and the weft threads 74 intersect. An angle of the intersection is greater than or equal to 45 and not greater than 125. The warp threads 72 are inclined relative to a carcass cord 70. An angle of the inclination is greater than or equal to 22.5 and not greater than 67.5.

A system for stitching a bead apex includes an upper assembly including an upper elongated member, an upper arm coupled to the upper elongated member, and an upper stitching wheel coupled to the upper arm. The system also includes a lower assembly including a lower elongated member, a lower arm coupled to the lower elongated member, and a lower stitching wheel coupled to the lower arm. The upper assembly further includes a non-locking actuator coupled to the upper arm, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to move the upper arm about the first pivot point to move the upper stitching wheel to an operative configuration, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to permit movement of the upper stitching wheel in a Y-direction between at least a first position and a second position while in the operative configuration

A system for stitching a bead apex includes an upper assembly including an upper elongated member, an upper arm coupled to the upper elongated member, and an upper stitching wheel coupled to the upper arm. The system also includes a lower assembly including a lower elongated member, a lower arm coupled to the lower elongated member, and a lower stitching wheel coupled to the lower arm. The upper assembly further includes a non-locking actuator coupled to the upper arm, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to move the upper arm about the first pivot point to move the upper stitching wheel to an operative configuration, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to permit movement of the upper stitching wheel in a Y-direction between at least a first position and a second position while in the operative configuration

A bead core coating method for coating an annular bead core with a belt-shaped rubber sheet including the steps of: winding the rubber sheet extruded on an outer circumferential surface of a rotary drum; sticking a part of the rubber sheet to an outer surface of the bead core which is in rotation; and winding a remaining part of the rubber sheet stuck on the outer surface of the bead core while sequentially sticking the remaining part along the outer surface of the bead core, wherein air is blown to a sheet portion including the end that is not stuck to the outer surface of the bead core in the currently-winding rubber sheet in a first direction toward the end along a sheet surface or a second direction inclined toward an outer surface side of the bead core as compared with the first direction.

A bead core coating method for coating an annular bead core with a belt-shaped rubber sheet including the steps of: winding the rubber sheet extruded on an outer circumferential surface of a rotary drum; sticking a part of the rubber sheet to an outer surface of the bead core which is in rotation; and winding a remaining part of the rubber sheet stuck on the outer surface of the bead core while sequentially sticking the remaining part along the outer surface of the bead core, wherein air is blown to a sheet portion including the end that is not stuck to the outer surface of the bead core in the currently-winding rubber sheet in a first direction toward the end along a sheet surface or a second direction inclined toward an outer surface side of the bead core as compared with the first direction.

A bead core coating method for coating an annular bead core with a belt-shaped rubber sheet, including the steps of: winding the rubber sheet around an outer circumferential surface of a rotary drum; sticking a central portion of the rubber sheet to an outer surface of the bead core; and winding both ends in the width direction of the rubber sheet stuck on the outer surface of the bead core while sequentially sticking both ends in the width direction along the outer surface of the bead core from the central portion in the width direction toward each end in the width direction, wherein in the step of sticking, air is blown to a gap generated between the central portion in the width direction of the rubber sheet and the outer circumferential surface of the rotary drum at a place where the rubber sheet is peeled from the rotary drum.

A bead core coating method for coating an annular bead core with a belt-shaped rubber sheet, including the steps of: winding the rubber sheet around an outer circumferential surface of a rotary drum; sticking a central portion of the rubber sheet to an outer surface of the bead core; and winding both ends in the width direction of the rubber sheet stuck on the outer surface of the bead core while sequentially sticking both ends in the width direction along the outer surface of the bead core from the central portion in the width direction toward each end in the width direction, wherein in the step of sticking, air is blown to a gap generated between the central portion in the width direction of the rubber sheet and the outer circumferential surface of the rotary drum at a place where the rubber sheet is peeled from the rotary drum.

A plant (1) for looping annular anchoring structures (100) includes a looping device (2), a separation station (8a) and a coupling station (8b). A handling apparatus (3) is interlocked to the looping device (2) for managing the plant (1) by moving the plurality of annular anchoring structures (100) coupled to respective separation elements (300), the looped annular anchoring structures (200) coupled to respective separation elements (300) and the separation elements (300a). The separation elements (300) are fed, coupled to respective annular anchoring structures (100), along a feeding section (A1). The separation elements (300a) separated by respective annular anchoring structures (100, 200) are transferred from the separation station (8a) to the coupling station (8b) along a transfer section (T), stationing in at least a first intermediate station (11, 11a). The separation elements (300) are moved away, coupled to respective looped annular anchoring structures (200), along a moving-apart section (A2).

A plant (1) for looping annular anchoring structures (100) includes a looping device (2), a separation station (8a) and a coupling station (8b). A handling apparatus (3) is interlocked to the looping device (2) for managing the plant (1) by moving the plurality of annular anchoring structures (100) coupled to respective separation elements (300), the looped annular anchoring structures (200) coupled to respective separation elements (300) and the separation elements (300a). The separation elements (300) are fed, coupled to respective annular anchoring structures (100), along a feeding section (A1). The separation elements (300a) separated by respective annular anchoring structures (100, 200) are transferred from the separation station (8a) to the coupling station (8b) along a transfer section (T), stationing in at least a first intermediate station (11, 11a). The separation elements (300) are moved away, coupled to respective looped annular anchoring structures (200), along a moving-apart section (A2).

An intermediate article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass is disclosed. The bead area subassembly has an annular bead core; a bead apex; a ply strip; and preferably a sidewall affixed to the ply strip. The subassembly is formed into a disk-shaped bead area monocomponent. The ply strip is wrapped about the bead core and the apex to form a ply turnup and both the ply strip and the ply turnup extend radially outwardly from the bead core. The bead area subassembly when formed into the disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is placed on an annular holder device.