Abstract:
A method for applying a sheet of flexible material to a cylindrical body is described. The sheet of material may be ply or a tire building component such as a liner. The method includes the steps of receiving the sheet of flexible material onto a conveyor belt of a conveyor table, wherein the conveyor belt can translate in the X direction, wherein the conveyor belt has a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on the conveyor belt so they can rotate about an axis aligned with the X direction. The method further includes aligning a lateral edge of the sheet with an edge guide of the conveyor table by tilting the conveyor table and then tilting the conveyor table back to a level position. The method further includes moving a front edge of the conveyor table adjacent the cylindrical body; and applying the sheet onto the cylindrical body.
Abstract:
An apparatus for applying a sheet of flexible material to a cylindrical body is disclosed. The apparatus includes an applier frame segment movably mounted on a supporting frame member, a servo arm rotatably connected to said applier frame segment for retracting and extending said applier frame segment towards and away from cylindrical body. The invention provides in a second aspect a method of applying a sheet of elastomer to a cylindrical body comprising the steps of: providing an applier frame movably mounted to a frame assembly, providing the sheet of elastomer to the applier frame, pivoting the applier frame upwards and moving the applier frame towards the cylindrical body, locating the applier frame in an inclined position adjacent the cylindrical body, applying the sheet of elastomer to the cylindrical body, and then retracting the applier frame to its starting position.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for conveying and applying a strip component (11) such as a tire tread is disclosed. The method includes the steps of placing the strip component on a belt conveyer (16), determining a guideline (52) of the strip component (11) at an exit end (20) of the belt conveyor (16), and laterally adjusting the exist end (20) of the belt conveyor (16) to align the guideline (52) of the strip component (11) with a predetermined guideline such as the guideline of a tire building drum (12). The apparatus includes a belt support transverse housing (76) which is laterally moveable by a motion controller (64) in response to a sensor (58) which detects the guideline (52) of the strip component (11). Guides on the transverse housing (76) move the belts of the conveyor (16) on slider plates without physically touching the conveyed strip component (11), thereby preventing damage to the component material. The invention described above may be utilized in a single conveyor, or in multiple conveyor apparatus where the conveyors may be keyed together for synchronized transmission of the components.
Abstract:
Tire building apparatus and method wherein the cut to length tread is transported to a drum on a conveyor having laterally movable driving rollers and inverted guide rollers engaging the inner surfaces of raised shoulders of the tread. Control of the tread length is provided by measuring the length of the tread before and while it is being wrapped on the drum and then varying the stretching and rate of tread application to the drum to provide a precise splice of the ends of the tread. The position of the tread ends are controlled by a pricker bar to insure placement of the leading end on the drum and then placement of the trailing end on the drum over the leading end to provide the desired splice.
Abstract:
A web guidance mechanism for automatically centering a web in a thermal printer has an elongated base member with first and second end portions each defining a slot. A crank is rotatably mounted on the base member and has slider arms attached thereto. Web guides are mounted on the distal end portions of the slider arms and are engageable with the slots for lateral movement. A coil spring biases the web guides towards one another to create two normally equal but opposite centering edge forces so that lateral movement of the web does not occur until twice the nominal edge force is applied to the web.
Abstract:
A chuck (4) grasping the front edge of a tire component material (S) which is supplied from a material feeder (3) generates a motional locus through an initial ascending motion and through a forward motion toward the former and through a subsequent descending motion to the former to lay the front edge onto the carcass (T). A pressing mechanism (6) operates to press the introduced material (S) on the carcass (T), and concurrently the former (2) rotates by a predetermined rotation angle to adhere the tire component material (S) onto the carcass (T). Thereafter a cutter assembly (5) operates to cut the tire component material (S) in a length corresponding to the sum of a required length for joint and a full circumferential length of the carcass. The former (2) rotates again to adhere the tire component material (S) onto the full circumference of the carcass (T), and the front edge and a last edge of the tire component material are jointed by the pressing mechanism (6) so that the adhesion is completed. The method and the apparatus for adhering tire component material when compared with the manual work of the workers, enables a sharp improvement of the productivity to be made due to automation and no longer requires a high degree of worker's skill. Additionally, the quality of the products becomes stable and high, and the tire uniformity is improved.
Abstract:
A device for guiding and applying innerliner material to a tire building drum and more particularly a device for cutting and applying the innerliner material is disclosed. The device further allows for measurement of the stock width and for precise centering of said stock without the possible edge distortion of known guiding systems.
Abstract:
The invention provides a device and method of cutting a sheet of feed stock comprising: positioning a cutting mechanism having a cutting line positioned between a first conveyor roller and a second conveyor roller; advancing the feed stock to align the feed stock into position over the cutting line; lowering the cutting blade to cut through the feed stock, traversing the cutting blade through the feed stock to cut the feed stock into sheets of a desired length.
Abstract:
Device for conveying and preparing belt construction strip having parallel reinforcing members embedded in belt construction material includes first and second conveying devices, successively positioned in the feed direction without lateral stops for belt construction strip, to laterally align belt construction strip. Drive device laterally moves first conveying device relative to feed direction, sensor device has at least two sensors to detect position of side edges of belt construction strip, and holding device holds a front tip of belt construction strip in controlled manner in region of second conveying device. First conveying device positioned upstream of second conveying device relative to feed direction, and sensor device positioned to determine alignment of edge of belt construction strip and/or alignment of center of belt construction strip. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.