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.

A plurality of rollers each having a rotary shaft parallel to a rotary shaft of a rotary support body are moved toward a tire member in a synchronized manner so that the tire member is disposed between the plurality of rollers and the rotary support body while the rollers are brought into contact with at least one of the rotary support body and the tire member supported by the rotating rotary support body and the rotary support body is contracted in a state where the tire member is disposed between the plurality of rollers and the rotary support body so that the tire member is delivered from the rotary support body to the plurality of rollers.

A plurality of rollers each having a rotary shaft parallel to a rotary shaft of a rotary support body are moved toward a tire member in a synchronized manner so that the tire member is disposed between the plurality of rollers and the rotary support body while the rollers are brought into contact with at least one of the rotary support body and the tire member supported by the rotating rotary support body and the rotary support body is contracted in a state where the tire member is disposed between the plurality of rollers and the rotary support body so that the tire member is delivered from the rotary support body to the plurality of rollers.

A bead core manufacturing apparatus (1) comprises an annular former (4) having an outer peripheral surface (40) on which a bead wire (w) is woundable into a bead core. The former (4) comprises a set of segments (41), which are divided circumferentially of the former, and which have radially outer surfaces collectively forming the outer peripheral surface (40). The segments (41) are movable in respective radial directions of the former so that the outer peripheral surface (40) has plural outside diameters, and a bead wire can be wound into plural kinds of bead cores having different inside diameters.

A bead core manufacturing apparatus (1) comprises an annular former (4) having an outer peripheral surface (40) on which a bead wire (w) is woundable into a bead core. The former (4) comprises a set of segments (41), which are divided circumferentially of the former, and which have radially outer surfaces collectively forming the outer peripheral surface (40). The segments (41) are movable in respective radial directions of the former so that the outer peripheral surface (40) has plural outside diameters, and a bead wire can be wound into plural kinds of bead cores having different inside diameters.

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 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 winding device is provided that includes a base plate that is rotated by a rotary shaft and segments. With rotation of the base plate, a wire is wound on the outer circumference of the segments, which rotate integrally with the base plate, to form a bead ring. The winding device includes an manipulation shaft that is rotated by a handle, and conversion mechanisms that are provided between the manipulation shaft and each of the segments The conversion mechanisms transmit and convert rotation of the manipulation shaft to movement of each segment in the radial direction of the base plate.

A winding device is provided that includes a base plate that is rotated by a rotary shaft and segments. With rotation of the base plate, a wire is wound on the outer circumference of the segments, which rotate integrally with the base plate, to form a bead ring. The winding device includes an manipulation shaft that is rotated by a handle, and conversion mechanisms that are provided between the manipulation shaft and each of the segments The conversion mechanisms transmit and convert rotation of the manipulation shaft to movement of each segment in the radial direction of the base plate.

A method of providing a join between a first tyre base layer end portion and a second tyre base layer end portion, the method comprising: providing a first length of tyre base layer comprising a first end portion, a first main portion, and a first pair of stiffening elements; providing a second length of tyre base layer comprising a second end portion, second main portion and a second pair of stiffening elements; joining together the first end portion and the second end portion such that each of the stiffening elements of the first pair of stiffening elements align with a corresponding stiffening element of the second pair of stiffening elements.