A transfer ring for use in the manufacture of vehicle tires comprises a radially expandable and collapsible segmented gripping surface defined by a plurality of transfer ring shoes, each shoe having an inwardly-facing surface mounted for movement toward and away from a central axis of the cylindrical gripping surface. Each inwardly-facing surface has first and second side edges. Each side edge has a central portion configured to be substantially parallel to a central portion of the other side edge and forms a mid-portion therebetween. Each side edge has first and second tapered portions on opposite respective ends of the central portion. Each tapered portion extends outward from the corresponding central portion and toward a tapered portion of the other side edge. The tapered portions of corresponding ends of the shoe cooperate to form a end portions, with each end portion decreasing in width away from the mid-portion.

The invention relates to a calibration tool and a method for calibrating a laser-triangulation measuring system, wherein the calibration tool comprises a tool body that defines a reference plane and that is rotatable relative to the measuring system about a rotation axis perpendicular to said reference plane, wherein the tool body is provided with one or more calibration surfaces that define a pattern of calibration positions, wherein the pattern comprises at least three columns extending in a radial direction away from the rotation axis and at least three rows extending in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein for each column the calibration positions within said respective column vary in height relative to the reference plane in a height direction perpendicular to said reference plane and wherein for each row the calibration positions within the respective row vary in height in the height direction relative to the reference plane.

Disclosed is a tire building drum and a method for building a tire, wherein the tire building drum includes a crown section and a bead-lock section, wherein the bead-lock section defines a bead-lock position, wherein the crown section includes crown segments movable with respect to the base from a crown-down position into a crown-up position in a crown-up direction, wherein the crown segments together form a crown surface, a leading edge and a shoulder, wherein the tire building drum further includes a sleeve that extends around the crown segments in the circumferential direction, wherein the sleeve includes a first circumferential edge that is fixed to the crown segments at a side of the shoulder facing away from the bead-lock section, a second circumferential edge that is located between the shoulder and the bead-lock position, wherein the second circumferential edge is unfixed at least when the crown segments are in the crown-down position.

Disclosed is a transfer wheel, a transfer device and a method for transferring a strip, in particular a run-flat reinforcement strip or a sidewall strip, to a tire building drum, wherein the transfer wheel defines a retaining area that is divided into a first end section for retaining the leading end, a second end section for retaining the trailing end and a main section for supporting the strip body. The transfer wheel has a first mounting member that defines first mounting positions for receiving a first group of retaining segments at the first end section, wherein the first group of retaining segments includes first body retaining segments for retaining the strip body and a first end retaining segment for retaining the leading end, wherein the first mounting member is arranged for interchangeably receiving one first body retaining segment or the first end retaining segment in each first mounting position.

An apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels are described. A substantially cylindrical carcass sleeve, having at least one carcass ply, includes consecutively adjacent strip-like elements laid one after the other around the circumferential extension of a substantially cylindrical deposition surface. Circumferentially consecutive strip-like elements laid one after the other form overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has greater width than the width of the terminal sections.

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 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.

A tire building drum has a crown section with crown segments which are movable from a crown-down position into a crown-up position, wherein the crown segments together form a crown surface facing outwards in the radial direction, a leading edge and a shoulder that forms the transition from the crown surface to the leading edge, wherein the shoulder leaves a gap, wherein the tire building drum further includes a plurality of support members that extend in said gap, wherein each crown segment has a first side and a second side, wherein each crown segment further includes one or more guide channels, wherein each guide channel is arranged for receiving a respective one of the plurality of support members in the respective crown segment between the first side and the second side. Also disclosed is a method for tire building using the aforementioned tire building drum.

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.

The invention relates to a belt and tread drum for manufacturing a package of a belt layer and a tread layer into a cylindrical tire component, wherein the belt and tread drum comprises two support surfaces which are arranged spaced apart in a longitudinal direction of said belt and tread drum and which face away from the drum centre line and are radially movable with respect to the rigid support surface from a retracted position in which the tread support surface is arranged at or near the rigid support surface, to a raised position wherein the tread support surface is arranged in a radially outward position with respect to the rigid support surface, and vice versa, and wherein the tread support surfaces are movable in the substantial longitudinal direction of said drum.