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.

Disclosed is a transfer ring for transferring one or more tire components, wherein the transfer ring has a frame that extends circumferentially about a central axis defining a central aperture for receiving a tire building drum, wherein the transfer ring has a plurality of holding members distributed circumferentially about the central axis for holding the one or more tire components, wherein the transfer ring further has a radial drive for moving the holding members with respect to the frame in a contraction direction and an expansion direction, wherein the radial drive has, for at least one holding member of the plurality of holding members, a first drive member that is arranged for translational movement with respect to the frame and a second drive member that is arranged for translational movement with respect to the first drive member.