The invention relates to a transfer wheel and a method for transferring a tire component to a tire building drum, wherein the transfer wheel defines a circumferential surface extending about a transfer wheel axis, wherein the transfer wheel comprises a pusher segment arranged at a first segment position along said circumferential surface, wherein the pusher segment comprises a segment body that is configured to be flush with the circumferential surface and at least one push-off member in said segment body movable relative to the segment body in a push-off direction facing radially outward relative to the transfer wheel axis.

A tire unloading unit for unloading a green tire, wherein the green tire has an externally facing circumferential tread surface extending around a tire axis, wherein the tire unloading unit has a base and a support for supporting the green tire relative to the base at the externally facing circumferential tread surface from below and an upper arm projecting from the base for stabilizing the green tire at the externally facing circumferential tread surface from above, wherein the upper arm includes a first lateral boundary member, a second lateral boundary member and intermediate boundary members which are individually movable to closely adapt to the contour of the green tire and remain in contact with said contour even when the green tire collapses slightly over time.

A transfer ring for use in the manufacture of tires comprises a radially expandable and collapsible segmented gripping surface defined by a plurality of 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 toward a tapered portion of the other side edge. The tapered portions cooperate to form a end portions that decrease in width away from the mid-portion.

Exemplary embodiments of the subject invention comprise methods and apparatus for mounting a tread ring onto a tire carcass. Such methods include providing a tire tread ring having opposing side edges, arranging the tread ring in an initial ring arrangement in communication with a pressure source, and expanding the tread ring radially outward from the initial ring arrangement to an expanded arrangement. The pressure source is in communication with an outer side of the tread ring, the tread ring being expanded by applying vacuum pressure along the outer side of the tread ring supplied by the pressure source. Such methods also include inserting a tire carcass within a central opening of the tread ring while in the expanded arrangement, contracting the tread ring into an installed arrangement about an outer surface of the tire carcass, and, releasing the vacuum along the outer side of the tread ring.

A gripper, a gripper station and a method for gripping an annular tire component, wherein the gripper has a plurality of gripper members distributed in a circumferential direction about a gripper axis and movable with at least a vector component in a radial direction perpendicular to the gripper axis over a main range with a radially inner endpoint and a radially outer endpoint. The gripper further has a limiter for limiting the movement of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction to a subrange within the main range, wherein the subrange has an adjustable subrange position relative to the main range. The gripper has a synchronization member for synchronizing movements of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction, wherein the synchronization member defines the main range, and wherein the limiter is arranged for limiting the synchronization member to define the subrange.

A method is provided for making an annular reinforcement structure having inner and outer reinforcement bands maintained in concentric alignment by a resilient spacing element positioned between the bands. The method includes the steps of placing the spacing element against the inside face of the outer reinforcement band and compressing the spacing element with a jig, adjacent the top edge of the outer reinforcement band. The spacing element is sufficiently compressed to allow the inner reinforcement band to slide into concentric alignment with the outer reinforcement band, with a minimum of deflection and/or distortion of the inner reinforcement band.

A method in accordance with the present invention manufactures a tire with a biaxial monolayer belt component (MBC). The method comprises the steps of: winding a cord continuously about a first drum according to a pre-defined pattern to create a mesh of cords defining a single belt/overlay structure; adjusting the structure to a predetermined position on the first drum by laser lights; applying a tread component to the structure; transferring the structure and tread component to a second drum; applying the structure and tread component to a carcass component on the second drum; reducing pressure of the carcass component by a predetermined amount; and stitching the structure and tread component to the carcass component.

A method is provided for making an annular reinforcement structure having inner and outer reinforcement bands maintained in concentric alignment by a resilient spacing element positioned between the bands. The method includes the steps of placing the spacing element against the inside face of the outer reinforcement band and compressing the spacing element with a jig, adjacent the top edge of the outer reinforcement band. The spacing element is sufficiently compressed to allow the inner reinforcement band to slide into concentric alignment with the outer reinforcement band, with a minimum of deflection and/or distortion of the inner reinforcement band.

The invention relates to an unwinding system, an assembly and a method for unwinding a tire component from a stock reel and for outputting said tire component in a transport direction, wherein the unwinding system comprises a reel station, an output conveyor and a transfer device for transferring a leading end of the tire component from the reel station to said output conveyor, wherein the transfer device comprises a retaining member which is movable along a guide path between a pick-up position and a release position, wherein the retaining member comprises a retaining surface for releasably retaining the leading end of the tire component, wherein the transfer device further comprises an arm that is rotatable around the inverting axis for moving the retaining member along the guide path, wherein the retaining member is movable with respect to the arm in an extension direction perpendicular to the inverting axis.

After a support structure (12) has been circumferentially positioned around an annular component (11) of a tyre (2), gripping elements (16) carried by the support structure (12) and circumferentially distributed around a central axis (X) are radially approached to the annular component (11) bringing into contact therewith a plurality of feeler pins (22), slidably carried by each of said gripping elements (16). Once contact is made, the radially approaching of the gripping elements (16) to the annular component (11) continues by sliding the gripping elements themselves along the feeler pins (22). All the feeler pins (22) can therefore come into contact with the annular component (11), copying the shape of the outer surface. The feeler pins (22) are then locked with respect to the gripping elements (16) in order to allow the removal of a support drum (10) from the annular component (11) and support the latter in the absence of normal stresses.