Two auxiliary support members are operatively engaged with a building drum, in axially approached relationship with respective halves of the drum itself, each auxiliary member having a circumferential rest surface extending in the continuation of an outer circumferential surface of the building drum itself. Applied around the outer circumferential surface of the building drum is at least one carcass ply having axially opposite end flaps each lying on the circumferential rest surface of the respective auxiliary support member. A pair of auxiliary shaping members engaged with the building drum in place of the auxiliary support members, each act against a circumferential abutment edge carried by the building drum, to enable the carcass ply to be shaped into a toroidal configuration concurrently with mutual approaching of the halves of the building drum.

A process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising the step of building on a forming support a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply and, at at least one end edge of the carcass ply, at least one annular anchoring structure comprising at least one substantially circumferential annular insert and at least one filling insert associated to said at least one substantially circumferential annular insert. The step of building the carcass structure comprises the steps of positioning the annular anchoring structure on the carcass ply by moving the annular substantially circumferential insert into contact with an end edge of the carcass ply by means of a special positioning member, pulling down the filling insert on the end edge of the carcass ply and turning up a free end portion of the end edge of the carcass ply so as to form a turned up end portion of the carcass ply including said annular anchoring structure. The pulling down of the filling insert on the end edge of the carcass ply is carried out by a special pulling down member while the substantially circumferential annular insert is retained into a contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply by said positioning member.

An expandable belt and tread drum with magnetic deck fixing includes an assembly defining a portion of an arcuate outer circumferential working surface of a tire building drum. The assembly comprises a deck segment carrier and one or more magnetic members provided to the deck segment carrier and configured to attach a deck segment to the deck segment carrier by magnetic force.

A device and method are provided for manufacturing a cylindrical member. By inserting an edge of the forming drum on one side in a width direction between an arm and a projection of a holding unit disposed opposite one another and bringing the arm and the projection closer together in a direction in which a separation distance is reduced, a first end of the rubber member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the forming drum is disposed between the arm and the projection, pressed by the arm, and held on the outer circumferential surface, and a holding unit attached to the forming drum is rotated about a drum shaft together with the forming drum; and the rubber member is wound around the outer circumferential surface and formed into a cylindrical shape.

A machine for retreading tires includes a rotatable hub that includes a moveable conical element, and an expandable rim disposed around the rotatable hub. The expandable rim includes a plurality of shoes. Each shoe of the plurality of shoes may have a base portion and a rim portion. The base portion may have a two-piece construction that allows for replacement of a worn interface that may include a channel and a ramp. A method for assembling an expandable rim for use in a tire retreading machine, and a method for servicing a machine having an expandable rim are also disclosed.

A machine for retreading tires includes a rotatable hub that includes a moveable conical element, and an expandable rim disposed around the rotatable hub. The expandable rim includes a plurality of shoes. Each shoe of the plurality of shoes may have a base portion and a rim portion. The base portion may have a two-piece construction that allows for replacement of a worn interface that may include a channel and a ramp. A method for assembling an expandable rim for use in a tire retreading machine, and a method for servicing a machine having an expandable rim are also disclosed.

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

A tire is formed by disposing a cylindrical band member on a forming drum and outer circumferential sides of side portions disposed on both sides of the forming drum in a drum axial direction; expanding in diameter the forming drum and moving the side portions closer together in the drum axial direction; making step portions formed in the band member conform to side surfaces of the forming drum; moving bead members toward the step portions and compression-bonding the bead members to the band member on the side surfaces of the forming drum; and using a turn-up mechanism to wrap the bead members by turning up both end portions of the band member in the drum axial direction to form an intermediate green tire.

A tire is formed by disposing a cylindrical band member on a forming drum and outer circumferential sides of side portions disposed on both sides of the forming drum in a drum axial direction; expanding in diameter the forming drum and moving the side portions closer together in the drum axial direction; making step portions formed in the band member conform to side surfaces of the forming drum; moving bead members toward the step portions and compression-bonding the bead members to the band member on the side surfaces of the forming drum; and using a turn-up mechanism to wrap the bead members by turning up both end portions of the band member in the drum axial direction to form an intermediate green tire.

The present invention glues a rubber strip on the surface of a non-right circular cylindrical winding body with good precision. The present invention reduces the space occupied by the apparatus. The tire member-forming apparatus is provided with a transport conveyor with a conveyor belt that is guided by guide rollers so that the conveyor belt is able to circle. The conveyor surface of the conveyor belt is provided with a conveyor surface width center line that extends in a straight line over the entire length thereof. The guide rollers are grouped into guide rollers on the front side of the conveyor direction and guide rollers on the back side of the conveyor direction. The front guide rollers are held so as to be capable of tilting around the conveyor surface width center line. As a result, on the conveyor surface, a twistable twisting conveyor surface section is formed between a front conveyor surface section, which is supported by the front guide rollers, and a back conveyor surface section, which is supported by the back guide rollers.