A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres and a tyre for vehicle wheels are described. A substantially cylindrical carcass sleeve, having at least one carcass ply, is formed by laying consecutively adjacent strip-like elements one after the other around the circumferential extension of a substantially cylindrical deposition surface. Circumferentially consecutive strip-like elements are laid one after the other to 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 includes associating at least one reinforcing structure with at least one surface portion of at least one tyre component laid on a forming support, wherein associating the at least one reinforcing structure includes bringing, through a handling and deposition member, at least one reinforcing element to the forming support and depositing, through said handling and deposition member, the reinforcing element on a respective deposition part defined on a surface portion of the component. The depositing includes gradually laying the reinforcing element on the deposition part following the profile of the deposition part in a circumferential direction.

Provided is a validation tool and a method for validating optical equipment that is used for measuring a plurality of characteristics of one or more tyre components during winding application of said tyre components around a tyre building drum, wherein a first tyre component of the one or more tyre components includes a first characteristic of the plurality of characteristics which, after measuring, is overlapped by the same or another tyre component of the one or more tyre components including a second characteristic of the plurality of characteristics, wherein the validation tool is provided with a first reference element that is arranged to represent the first characteristic and a second reference element that is arranged to represent the second characteristic, wherein the second reference element is offset with respect to the first reference element to at least partially expose the first reference element.

A carcass ply is built on a forming drum by application of a plurality of strip-like elements by the steps of: setting a width of these strip-like elements, setting a width of the overlapped part between two adjacent strip-like elements, setting a fitting diameter of the forming drum by calculating a corresponding extension of a radially external laying surface, and calculating a whole number of strip-like elements to be applied. The whole number of drip-like elements is applied by rotating the forming drum around a geometric rotation axis thereof, and applying pairs of strip-like elements by means of a first laying unit and a second laying unit located close to opposite portions of the forming drum relative to the geometric rotation axis. When the calculated whole number of strip-like elements is an odd number, before at least one application step, the first laying unit is shifted along an adjustment path orthogonal to the geometric rotation axis and substantially tangent to the radially external laying surface of the forming drum.

Production of carcass structures and/or production of crown structures includes: positioning a first continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is aligned with a cutting position; positioning a second continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is in side by side relationship with the end stretch of the first continuous elongated element; forming first strip-like elements from the first continuous elongated element; depositing the first strip-like elements on at least one forming drum; translating the end stretches of the first and second continuous elongated element in a transverse direction relative to their longitudinal extension to align the end stretch of the second continuous elongated element to said cutting position; forming second strip-like elements from the second continuous elongated element; and depositing the second strip-like elements on said at least one forming drum.

A first ply and then a second ply, which is superposed on the first ply, are produced on a hoop-type first support. The hoop-type first support has a first receiving surface, to form a laminate. The first and second plies forming the laminate are transferred onto an annular second receiving surface of a core so that the laminate is wrapped on the core until each ply is closed on itself and the laminate is thus closed on itself in a ring about the central axis of the core.

Building the carcass structure of tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating, at each end edge of a carcass ply, at least one respective annular reinforcement structure formed by depositing along a circumferential direction a plurality of reinforcement elements having a first length. Such elements are cut to size from a reinforced continuous band-like element fed to a cutting group arranged at a first operative position adapted to allow a barycentric grip of the reinforcement elements. The cutting group can translate along a feeding direction of the band-like element to a second operative position for cutting to size a plurality of second reinforcement elements having a second length different from the first length. The second operative position is defined on the basis of the second length, so as to have a barycentric grip of the second reinforcement elements too.

Device for cutting and transferring a length of strip let off a continuous strip, comprising a first face and a second face to be laid on a rotary receiving surface and containing a cutting means to separate the said length from the continuous strip along a cutting line, a telescopic conveyor belt, arranged in a longitudinal direction between the cutting means and the receiving surface, to receive the length of strip via the first face, a first half-anvil, upstream of the cutting line, and comprising holding means to grasp the strip via the first face, a transporter, having holding means to grasp the front edge or rear edge of the length of strip via the second face, the transporter able to move in the longitudinal direction. A second half-anvil is intended to collaborate with the first half-anvil during cutting, and positioned downstream of the cutting line and upstream of the telescopic conveyor belt, comprising holding means able to grasp the rear edge of the length of strip via the first face, and able to move in the longitudinal direction.

A process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating at least one reinforcing structure with at least one surface portion of at least one tyre component laid on a forming support, wherein associating the at least one reinforcing structure includes bringing, through a handling and deposition member, at least one reinforcing element to the forming support and depositing, through said handling and deposition member, the reinforcing element on a respective deposition part defined on a surface portion of the component. The depositing includes gradually laying the reinforcing element on the deposition part following the profile of the deposition part in a circumferential direction.