A process and a plant for producing tyres for vehicle wheels are described. Building of a crown structure of the tyre includes building a crossed belt structure on a substantially cylindrical first forming drum, transferring the crossed belt structure from the first forming drum to an annular holding member, positioning a second forming drum in a radially inner position with respect to the annular holding member, transferring the crossed belt structure from the annular holding member to the second forming drum by radially expanding the second forming drum until it is brought into contact with the crossed belt structure so as to toroidally shape the crossed belt structure, and depositing at least one zero degrees belt layer on the second forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the toroidally-shaped crossed belt structure.

A method for building belt assemblies for tyres for vehicle wheels is described. The method includes building a crossed belt structure on a forming drum. Depending on the type of tyre to be produced, the method selects whether to build a belt assembly having a cylindrical shaping or a belt assembly having a toroidal shaping. In order to build a belt assembly having a cylindrical shaping, zero degrees belt layer is deposited on the forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the crossed belt structure. In order to build a belt assembly having a toroidal shaping, the crossed belt structure is picked up from the forming drum. The crossed belt structure is then toroidally shaped and transferred onto another forming drum. A zero degrees belt layer is then deposited on the other forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the toroidally shaped crossed belt structure.

An assembly defining a portion of an arcuate outer surface of a tire building drum, the assembly including first and second interlacing deck segments coupled to a central support member to be moved in a radially reciprocating manner, each of the interlacing deck segments including a plurality of center sections coupled together, a plurality of first grooves between the center sections, a plurality of first finger portions extending from the center sections away from the central support member, a plurality of second finger portions extending from the center sections in an opposite direction over the central support member, and a plurality of second grooves formed adjacent each of the second finger portions, wherein the second finger portions are arranged in parallel over the central support member, and the first grooves in each of the interlacing deck segments align with the second grooves of the other of the interlacing deck segments.

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes a gripping ring arranged in a fixed reference position. A first stage building line defines a closed first-stage path for the movement of a plurality of building drums and an open first-stage path for building and moving carcass sleeves being processed. A second stage building line defines a closed second-stage path for the movement of a plurality of auxiliary drums and an open second-stage path for building and moving a plurality of outer sleeves being processed. The open second-stage path and the open first-stage path terminate at the gripping ring configured for carrying out a radially outer contrast function during the shaping of a first carcass sleeve being processed and the assembly thereof with a first outer sleeve being processed.

Disclosed is a tire building drum with a first bladder or sleeve, wherein the tire building drum has a first release member and a first actuator for generating a relative movement between the first release member and the drum body to move the first release member in a first release direction with respect to the drum body from a first fixation position in which the first release member fixates the first circumferential edge of the first bladder or sleeve to the drum body into a first release position in which the first release member releases the first circumferential edge from the drum body. Also disclosed is a method for operating the aforementioned tire building drum.

Disclosed is a tire building drum with a first bladder or sleeve, wherein the tire building drum has a first release member and a first actuator for generating a relative movement between the first release member and the drum body to move the first release member in a first release direction with respect to the drum body from a first fixation position in which the first release member fixates the first circumferential edge of the first bladder or sleeve to the drum body into a first release position in which the first release member releases the first circumferential edge from the drum body. Also disclosed is a method for operating the aforementioned tire building drum.

The present invention is relative to a method for building tyres for vehicle wheels and to a transfer device (16) of an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels. The centring device (16) comprises: an annular support structure (18); gripping elements (19) arranged as a ring on the annular support structure (18) and having gripping surfaces (20) directed radially towards a longitudinal axis (Z-Z) of the transfer device (16); a measurement device (30) mounted on the annular support structure (18). The measurement device (30) is configured for detecting the centring between the transfer device (16) and a drum (12, 13) situated within the transfer device (16). The transfer device (16) is configured for picking up the tyre being processed (14, 15) from the drum (12, 13) on which the tyre being processed is arranged or for depositing a tyre being processed (14, 15) on the drum (12, 13).

The present invention is relative to a method for building tyres for vehicle wheels and to a transfer device (16) of an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels. The centring device (16) comprises: an annular support structure (18); gripping elements (19) arranged as a ring on the annular support structure (18) and having gripping surfaces (20) directed radially towards a longitudinal axis (Z-Z) of the transfer device (16); a measurement device (30) mounted on the annular support structure (18). The measurement device (30) is configured for detecting the centring between the transfer device (16) and a drum (12, 13) situated within the transfer device (16). The transfer device (16) is configured for picking up the tyre being processed (14, 15) from the drum (12, 13) on which the tyre being processed is arranged or for depositing a tyre being processed (14, 15) on the drum (12, 13).

A clamp ring assembly is disclosed for use during tire fabrication, which includes: a first clamp ring that defines a first channel and which includes a plurality of first openings that are located within the first channel; a first insert ring that is configured for removable positioning within the first channel and which includes a plurality of second openings; a second clamp ring that defines a second channel and which includes a plurality of third openings that are located within the second channel; and a second insert ring that is configured for removable positioning within the second channel and which includes a plurality of fourth openings.

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, includes a sleeve building area in which devices for obtaining carcass sleeves operate, a crown building area in which devices for obtaining crown structures operate and a shaping station for shaping each carcass sleeve according to a toroidal configuration. Transfer devices for transferring the carcass sleeves from the sleeve building area to the shaping station, by means of a first translator configured for picking up each carcass sleeve from an outlet station of the sleeve building area, a second translator configured for releasing each carcass sleeve in the shaping station, and a storage device operatively interposed between said first translator and second translator.