×

Fluid expandable tire building drum

  • US 4,148,682 A
  • Filed: 07/05/1977
  • Issued: 04/10/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A fluid expandable drum for building a tread and a radial tread ply band in a tire building machine comprising an annular support drum having an annular outer surface thereon, an expandable annular tube element having an inner peripheral surface supported on said annular outer surface of said support drum and an outer annular peripheral surface, building means movable with said outer annular peripheral surface of the tube element and defining an annular building surface thereon which is movable in a radial direction toward and away from said annular support drum upon contraction and expansion, respectively, of said tube element, said tube element being expanded to expand the diameter of said building surface to enable a tread and a radial tread ply band to be built thereon and contracted to decrease the diameter of said building surface to enable a built tread and radial tread ply band to be removed therefrom, said tube element including a radial ply extending around the cross-sectional circumference of the tube element and a radial ply band extending around said outer peripheral surface of said tube element to increase the strength and resiliency of the outer peripheral surface to enable said building surface defined by said building means to decrease in diameter upon contraction of said tube element, said tube element further including an inner interior surface, an outer interior surface, and an annular filler block disposed on said inner interior surface for decreasing the volume of said tube element to decrease the volume of the fluid needed to expand the tube element to a predetermined diameter, said filler block further acting to add rigidity to said inner peripheral surface and said inner interior surface to prevent sagging in a radially outwardly direction of said outer peripheral and outer interior surfaces upon contraction of said tube element.

View all claims
  • 0 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×