A carcass sleeve is situated in a radially external position with respect to a toroidal forming drum, arranged in a first radially contracted operative condition. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration while the forming drum is positioned inside the carcass sleeve. During shaping of the carcass sleeve, the forming drum is radially expanded up to a second radially expanded operative condition. Upon completed shaping, the carcass sleeve is coupled to the forming drum in the second operative condition. The forming drum, coupled to the shaped carcass sleeve, is arranged in proximity to at least one device for building at least one belt layer at a radially external position relative to the shaped carcass sleeve.

A carcass sleeve is situated in a radially external position with respect to a toroidal forming drum, arranged in a first radially contracted operative condition. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration while the forming drum is positioned inside the carcass sleeve. During shaping of the carcass sleeve, the forming drum is radially expanded up to a second radially expanded operative condition. Upon completed shaping, the carcass sleeve is coupled to the forming drum in the second operative condition. The forming drum, coupled to the shaped carcass sleeve, is arranged in proximity to at least one device for building at least one belt layer at a radially external position relative to the shaped carcass sleeve.

An apparatus for building a tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a building drum having at least one first outer circumferential surface, and at least one pair of auxiliary support members removably in engagement with the building drum, each in axial side by side relationship with a respective end of the building drum and having second outer circumferential surfaces extending in the continuation of the first outer circumferential surface so as to support at least one component of the tyre. Each of the second outer circumferential surfaces has at least one non-stick circumferential portion and at least one sticking circumferential portion.

A process for building tyres employing a forming drum having circumferentially consecutive sectors that are radially movable between a contracted condition and an expanded condition in which the sectors are radially moved away from a geometric axis in order to define a radially external abutment surface. Each sector has circumferentially opposite coupling portions each having circumferential projections alternated with circumferential cavities. The projections of each sector are slidably engaged in the respective cavities of circumferentially adjacent sectors. From at least one of the projections, at least one support wing is extended having a first side and a second side that are respectively opposite. The first side coincides with a portion of the abutment surface and the second side at least partially overlaps one of the projections belonging to an adjacent sector.

A process for building tyres employing a forming drum having circumferentially consecutive sectors that are radially movable between a contracted condition and an expanded condition in which the sectors are radially moved away from a geometric axis in order to define a radially external abutment surface. Each sector has circumferentially opposite coupling portions each having circumferential projections alternated with circumferential cavities. The projections of each sector are slidably engaged in the respective cavities of circumferentially adjacent sectors. From at least one of the projections, at least one support wing is extended having a first side and a second side that are respectively opposite. The first side coincides with a portion of the abutment surface and the second side at least partially overlaps one of the projections belonging to an adjacent sector.

An assembly defining a portion of an arcuate outer surface of a tire building drum, the assembly including first and second interlacing deck segments coupled to a central support member to be moved in a radially reciprocating manner, each of the interlacing deck segments including a plurality of center sections coupled together, a plurality of first grooves between the center sections, a plurality of first finger portions extending from the center sections away from the central support member, a plurality of second finger portions extending from the center sections in an opposite direction over the central support member, and a plurality of second grooves formed adjacent each of the second finger portions, wherein the second finger portions are arranged in parallel over the central support member, and the first grooves in each of the interlacing deck segments align with the second grooves of the other of the interlacing deck segments.

The invention relates to a toroidal forming drum and a process for building tyres. The toroidal forming drum (23) is expanded within a shaped carcass sleeve (12), for supporting the carcass sleeve (12) against an abutment surface (S) externally provided by the forming drum (23). An elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) is applied around the shaped carcass sleeve (12), by pressing said elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) towards the abutment surface (S). The abutment surface (S) has circumferential rows of solid portions (40) alternated with hollow portions (41). The solid portions (40), arranged along axially opposite circumferential edges of the abutment surface (S), have a transverse size comprised between 10% and 60% of a transverse size presented by the solid portions (40) arranged in proximity to an axial centreline plane of the abutment surface (S).

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.

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.

A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire includes forming a green tire. Forming the green tire includes: a first step of forming a first belt portion by winding a first belt on an outer peripheral surface of an inner liner and, thereafter, forming a second belt portion by winding a second belt on the first belt portion thus acquiring a belt layer; and a second step of acquiring a reinforcing layer by winding a reinforcing belt on the second belt portion. The second step includes: a first parallel winding treatment where the reinforcing belt is wound one turn on a first circumference; a spiral winding treatment where the reinforcing belt is spirally wound in a tire width direction; and a second parallel winding treatment where the reinforcing belt is wound on a second circumference within a range of from 24030 with one turn set to 360.