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Belt and tread drum for vehicle tire making machine

  • US 5,618,374 A
  • Filed: 02/10/1994
  • Issued: 04/08/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus substantially in the form of a drum having an adjustable outer cylindrical circumference for use in the forming of the belt and tread package of a vehicle tire comprisingshaft means disposed centrally of said apparatus and defining a longitudinal centerline of said apparatus, said shaft means including a central bore in one end thereof which is adapted to provide for the attachment of said drum to a drive shaft of a tire making machine by reason of said shaft means being received within said central bore,a plurality of radially positionable cam elements disposed in radialy spaced apart location about said shaft means, each of said cam elements having first and second opposite end portions, and at least one substantially flat cam surface with is disposed radially inwardly of said cam element and facing toward said central shaft,first end plate means secured to said shaft means at one end of said shaft means, said first end plate means providing support for said first ends of said plurality of radially positionable cam elements,second end plate means anchored with respect to said shaft means at a location along the length of said shaft means whereby said second end plate means is disposed in fixed spaced apart relationship with said first end plate means, said second end plate means supporting said second ends of said plurality of radially positionable cam elements,cylinder means disposed fully internally of said drum, concentrically of, in longitudinal moveable relationship with, and extending along said shaft means, said cylinder means defining a fluid-tight chamber internally of said drum between said shaft means and said cylinder means, one end of said cylinder means adapted to contact a stop which is associated with said shaft means for limiting the movement of said cylinder means in one direction along said shaft means,a plurality of cam follower means secured to said cylinder means in position to engage the cam surfaces of said cam elements and urge said cam elements radially outward upon the movement of said cylinder in a direction along the longitudinal axis of said shaft means which increases the volume of said fluid-tight chamber toward its maximum volume,stop means associated with said second end plate means and one end of said shaft means and being disposed in the path of movement of said cylinder means to effect a halt to the movement of said cylinder means when said cylinder means contacts said stop means as a result of the movement of said cylinder means in response to expansion of the volume of said fluid-tight chamber, means for urging said cam elements toward a most inwardly radial position with respect to said central shaft means,means associated with said cylinder means for urging said cylinder means toward a position with respect to said shaft means whereby said fluid-tight chamber is of maximum volume and said cam followers are urged into engagement with respective ones of said at least one cam surfaces of said cam elements to position said cam elements radially outwardly of said shaft means,arcuate plate segment means secured to said cam elements at a location radially outward of respective ones of said cam elements, each of said plate segment means being of a geometry which defines a portion of an outer cylindrical circumference of said apparatus, said plurality of said plate segments collectively defining the outer circumferential cylindrical surface of said apparatus.

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