Tire building machine
First Claim
1. In a tire building machine, a dual bladder mechanism comprising a radially stepped annular support having inner and outer steps, said support having therein inner and outer fluid ducts respectively radially underlying said inner and outer steps, inner and outer fully molded annular bladders mounted respectively on said inner and outer steps, and inner and outer fitting means for locating and securing respectively said inner and outer bladders to their respective steps, at least one fitting means for each bladder extending into its respective fluid duct and having a fluid passage therein establishing fluid communication between said bladder and its respective fluid duct.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire building machine has a dual bladder ply turn-up mechanism including radially inner and outer annular bladders mounted on a radially stepped annular support. Each bladder is fully contour molded and has imbedded in its radially inner wall a plurality of circumferentially spaced flanged inserts adapted for connecting and positioning the bladder on the support. Each bladder further includes position stabilizers in the form of inelastic cinch bands which include openings through which the inserts extend and the outer bladder may also include an annular girdle to improve bladder rolling characteristics. Also provided is a one-piece manifolded bladder support which includes a radially stepped cylindrical support surface for the bladders and internal porting means for bladder inflation.
26 Citations
45 Claims
- 1. In a tire building machine, a dual bladder mechanism comprising a radially stepped annular support having inner and outer steps, said support having therein inner and outer fluid ducts respectively radially underlying said inner and outer steps, inner and outer fully molded annular bladders mounted respectively on said inner and outer steps, and inner and outer fitting means for locating and securing respectively said inner and outer bladders to their respective steps, at least one fitting means for each bladder extending into its respective fluid duct and having a fluid passage therein establishing fluid communication between said bladder and its respective fluid duct.
- 25. For use in a bladder turn-up for a tire building machine, a contour molded annular inflatable turn-up bladder, a plurality of annularly spaced inserts imbedded in the radially inner wall of said bladder for connecting and positioning said bladder in the turn-up, and a non-extensible stabilizing band imbedded in said inner wall and extending parallel to the bladder axis, said stabilizing band being located at said inserts.
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40. A dual bladder turn-up for a tire building machine comprising a stepped cylindrical support, an outer fully enclosed bladder mounted on the top step, and an inner fully enclosed bladder mounted on the bottom step relatively close to the step and when deflated, the outer bladder lying cylindrically flatly over the inner bladder, each bladder including a circular cinch with fittings therein projecting through the support, means axially to reciprocate the support and thus the bladders to a position underlying the edge of a tire building drum when deflated, a finger ply-down and bead setter movable axially of said drum edge first to fold the ply over the edge of the drum and then to set the bead against the folded ply, means to retract the bead setter and ply down clear of the bladders, and means to inflate such bladders to tend to achieve a circular condition tangent to said circular cinches, the outer bladder but for the drum and plies, and the inner bladder but for the outer bladder to cause the outer bladder to wrap and tightly stitch the plies around the bead.
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41. An axially reciprocating dual bladder ply bead wrapping and stitching assembly for a tire building machine, a radially stepped cylindrical support, an outer fully molded circular bladder mounted on the top step, and an inner fully molded circular bladder mounted on the bottom step, and when deflated the outer bladder lying cylindrically flatly over the inner bladder, fittings securing said bladders to said support, and means to inflate said bladders through said fittings to tend to bring said bladders to a circular condition symmetrical with the respective fittings, but for the interference between the bladders, to cause the outer bladder to wrap and stitch the ply of a green tire about the bead.
- 42. A dual bladder mechanism comprising an annular support having radially offset bladder support annuli extending in opposite axial directions, inner and outer bladders mounted respectively on the inner and outer annuli, each bladder being fully molded into an endless tube and including at its I.D. at least one insert integrally molded therein, said annuli each including a locating hole corresponding to said insert of its respective bladder, and a fitting extending through each hole into engagement with each insert for securing said bladders to their respective annulus, each fitting have a fluid passage therein for inflating said bladders.
Specification