GB1582734A

GB1582734A - Apparatus for picking up and transferring bead core rings for pneumatic tyres for automotive vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB1582734A
Application number: GB3693577A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Continental Gummi Werke AG
Current assignee: Continental AG
Priority date: 1976-09-08
Filing date: 1977-09-05
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: DE2640348C2; DE2640348A1; FR2364114B3; FR2364114A1; IT1087360B

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR PICKING UP AND TRANSFERRING BEAD CORE RINGS FOR PNEUMATIC TYRES FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES (71) We, CONTINENTAL GUMMI WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT of Continental-Haus, Postfach 169, 3000 Hannover, Germany (Fed Rep); a German body corporate, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to an apparatus for picking up and transferring bead core rings for pneumatic tyre for automotive vehicles to a building drum of variable diameter.

Among the different operations for building blanks for pneumatic vehicle tyres, the alignment of the bead core rings and their subsequent transfer in the aligned position and mounting on the building drum, assume important places. The high demands on travel behaviour and balanced running properties of the completed pneumatic tyres demand particular care and attention in the treatment of the core rings to ensure their accommodation in the predetermined position within the tyre beads with maximum accuracy, both with regard to their central alignment and the accurate maintaining of their circular shape as surface-like structures.

The known apparatus with rigid cylindrical or even conical receiving and transfer rings, left some room for improvement with the increasing demands for durability in wear of pneumatic tyres. Thus, for example, placing the core rings in position involves a relatively high expenditure of time because the rings have to be manually pressed in position over their whole circumference. If the core rings are additionally distorted or warped from their level plane-which is frequently the case-the whole operation becomes more costly still, and moreover the danger of inadmissible deviations in the end result is added thereto. According to all practical experience of tyre manufacture, the accurate alignment of the core rings on the receiving ring is a necessary condition for their accurate transfer on to the building drum.The inevitable limits of their inside diameter, however, have an aggravating effect on the placing in position of the core rings, and under certain circumstances, for example with a tight fit, render an accurate alignment impossible at all. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel transfer device to enable the plane parallel alignment of a core ring, with subsequent satisfactory transfer to the building drum, with a degree of accuracy hitherto not possible, to be obtained.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for picking up bead core rings for pneumatic tyres for automotive vehicles and transferring said bead core rings to a variable diameter building drum, comprising a receiving part and a transferring part, the receiving part, in use, being mounted on the shaft of the tyre building drum and comprising bead core ring receiving and supporting members expandable in a radial direction against the internal circumference of a bead core ring and axially displaceable relative to a stop member for aligning the bead core ring coaxial with the building drum to which it is to be transferred, said transferring part comprising a bead core support ring displaceable coaxially to the building drum shaft and located radially outwardly of the stop member, and having a plurality of support gripping elements spread over its circumference and adapted to be advanced radially inwards until they abut against the outer circumference of the bead core ring located on the receiving and supporting members.

The bead core ring receiving and supporting members are conveniently composed of a plurality of arcuate segments located over the circumference with the stop member and arranged to be axially adjustable. Preferably, each arcuate segment is built up from an inner member and an outer member slidingly displaceable on cylindrical section-like abutment surfaces and displaceable in an axial direction against a return force relative to one another.

Preferably, the inner member is conical at its inside generated surface and the inner and outer members are mutually supported by one or more compression springs.

Desirably, each outer member in its edge region remote from the stop member has a cross-sectional thickening projecting radially outwards.

Further preferably, power actuated cylinders for simultaneous axial adjustment of the arcuate segments are coupled with the outer members.

Further desirably, the pressure medium working cylinders are supported at one end against the stop member and at the other end are connected to the outer members.

Also desirably, the gripping elements of the transferring part in their edge region facing the receiving position of the stop member are provided with a flange-like inwardly projecting stop cam.

The invention, in its preferred arrangement, abandons the dependency upon a rigid core ring receiving member and consequently also overcomes all the deficiencies connected therewith. The arcuate segments, adjustable to selectable diameters, locate the core rings accurately centrally and on account of their specific two-part design permit the tightening of the centered core rings in plan-parallel, i.e. flat surface alignment against the stop member fixed relative thereto. The core rings therefore, regardless of their shape, may be inserted in the supplied state manually in the apparatus without any particular care or further preparations; the correct shape and position automatically result from the function of the apparatus.

The mounting of the core rings once adjusted is also retained undisturbed during engagement by the transferring part, so that the rings reach the building drum in a satisfactory condition. Since the gripping elements of the transferring part engage around the core rings up to the proper abutment in the receiving ring grooves provided on the enlarged building drum at its outer generated surface, uncontrolled transfer or suspension stages cannot occur with the risk of recoiling into an originally existing deformation state or the slanting of the core rings.The preferred apparatus in accordance with the invention therefore permits a more rapid and simpler insertion of the core rings, abandoning any correcting operations, with the possibility of an automatic sequential control and moreover ensures the maintaining of a high degree of operational accuracy in the region of the tyre bead with a uniformity hitherto unobtainable. The particular structure of the centering and tension elements of arcuate segments braced mutually and resiliently against one another finally results in that both their axial and radial displacements can be derived from the working cylinder or cylinders acting only in an axial direction.

Since a second operating medium may be dispensed with, the apparatus becomes structurally simpler and more distinct.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows in cross-section the essential components of an apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figs. 2 to 5 show, in fragmentary section, the different phase operations of the receiving member of the apparatus of the invention; and Figs. 6 to 8 show, in fragmentary crosssection, the different phase operations of the transferring part of the apparatus in conjunction with the core reception region of a building drum.

The apparatus shown comprises a receiving part generally designated by I and a transferring part generally designated by II.

The receiving part I is fixedly mounted on the shaft 9 of a tyre building drum, not further shown. It contains a basic body member 10 directly mounted on the drum shaft 9 having a flange-like mounted stop member 11 and several pressure medium working cylinders 12 spread over its circumference, the piston rods 13 of which, being extendable and retractable, are able to act via a guide member 14 on a number of tension rods 15 connected to bead ring receiving and supporting members in the form of arcuate segments which together form a ring. The supporting members are each comprised of an inner member 16 and an outer member 17, both of which being mutually supported by helical compression springs 18 and besides their normal bonding arrangement, are held together with the aid of set screws 19.

The inner member 16 of the supporting member is conical at its inside generated surface having a diameter widening in the direction towards the stop member 11, and located slidingly displaceable on an identical conical generated surface of the base body member 10, so that the supporting members as a whole, through axial displacement in the direction towards the stop member 11, are simultaneously externally radially adjusted to a larger diameter.Displacement forces are transmitted via the guide member 14 and the tension rods 15 to the outer members 17, which due to the pre-tension of the compression springs 18 first engage the inner members 16 with diameter enlargement, in order, after the inner members 16 strike against the stop member 11, to carry out on their own the last movement phase against the tension of the compression springs 18 relative to the inner members 16 which are then at a standstill. By screwing the set screws 19 deeper to a greater or lesser extent, the period of striking against the stop member 11 may be optionally varied and the apparatus hence adjusted to different bead core ring diameters. The edge region of the outer members remote from the stop member 11 for a purpose further described below is adapted with a radial externally projecting crosssectional thickening 27.

The transferring part II of the apparatus consists essentially of a support ring 20 displaceable coaxially to the shaft 9 on guide rods, not further shown, and having several pressure medium working cylinders 21 mounted spread over its circumference, the connecting rods 22 of which are adapted to be extended and retracted in a radial direction and support gripping elements 23 in fixed association for engaging around the core rings. The gripping elements 23 on their inside surface have grooves, keyways or the like surface indentations formed circumferentially therein and at their lateral edge, in the receiving position shown in Fig. 1, facing the stop memner 11, are formed with a flange-like inwardly projecting stop cam 33.

For using the apparatus so far described, the position shown in Fig. 2 is used as basis, whereby the transferring part II is moved outside the effective region and may, for the time being, be disregarded. As a condition for the proper mode of operation, the receiving part I is to be adjusted with the aid of the adjusting screws 19 to the inside diameter of the core rings being processed. A core ring 24 is placed on the supporting members located in their rest position corresponding to the smallest diameter and by impacting the working cylinders 12, the axial displacement of the supporting members is initiated. Thus, the inner members 16 slide over the bevel surface of the base body member 10 and simultaneously move outwards together with the outer members 17. When the adjustment screws 19 strike against the stop member 11 (Fig. 3) the centering operation is concluded.

The outer members 17 continue their axial displacement with sliding relative movement on the stationary inner members 16 against the tension of the compression springs 18 and with the aid of their cross-sectional thickening 27, draw the core ring 24 securely against the stop member 11 (Fig. 4), whereby the previously centered core ring 24 has its plane parallel alignment imparted thereto.

Subsequently, the transferring part II is advanced in order to enclose and pick up the centered and aligned core ring 24 with the aid of the gripping elements 23 radially advanced from the working cylinders 21 (Fig. 5). The positive holding of the core ring 24 in the substantially circular ring-shaped closed gripping elements 23 ensures the maintaining of its shape and alignment during transport over the building drum 25 (Fig. 6). On reaching the position of the transferring part, shown in Fig. 7 in the plane of a core ring receiving groove 35, the expansion of the building drum 25 is initiated, whereby the core ring 24 is still retained against undesired yielding movements. Only after the complete insertion of the core ring 24 into the receiving groove 35, the gripping elements 23 are detached and return to their original position (Fig. 8).

The invention does not consider receiving grooves for the core rings to be an absolute necessity, but may be used in the same manner also in conjunction with smooth cylindrical building drums.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for picking up bead core rings for pneumatic tyres for automotive vehicles and transferring said bead core rings to a variable diameter building drum, comprising a receiving part and a transferring part, the receiving part, in use, being mounted on the shaft of the tyre building drum and comprising bead core ring receiving and supporting members expandable in a radial direction against the internal circumference of a bead core ring and axially displaceable relative to a stop member for aligning the bead core ring co-axial with the building drum to which it is to be transferred, said transferring part comprising a bead core support ring displaceable coaxially to the building drum shaft and located radially outwardly of the stop member, and having a plurality of support gripping elements spread over its circumference and adapted to be advanced radially inwards until they abut against the outer circumference of the bead core ring located on the receiving and supporting members.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the bead core ring receiving and supporting members are composed of a plurality of arcuate segments located over the circumference with the stop member and arranged so as to be axially adjustable.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which each arcuate segment is formed of an inner member and an outer member slidingly displaceable on cylinder section-like abutment surfaces and displaceable against a return force relative to one another.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the inner member is conical at its inside generated surface and the inner and outer members are mutually supported by compression springs.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which each outer member in its edge

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. stop member 11, to carry out on their own the last movement phase against the tension of the compression springs 18 relative to the inner members 16 which are then at a standstill. By screwing the set screws 19 deeper to a greater or lesser extent, the period of striking against the stop member 11 may be optionally varied and the apparatus hence adjusted to different bead core ring diameters. The edge region of the outer members remote from the stop member 11 for a purpose further described below is adapted with a radial externally projecting crosssectional thickening 27. The transferring part II of the apparatus consists essentially of a support ring 20 displaceable coaxially to the shaft 9 on guide rods, not further shown, and having several pressure medium working cylinders 21 mounted spread over its circumference, the connecting rods 22 of which are adapted to be extended and retracted in a radial direction and support gripping elements 23 in fixed association for engaging around the core rings. The gripping elements 23 on their inside surface have grooves, keyways or the like surface indentations formed circumferentially therein and at their lateral edge, in the receiving position shown in Fig. 1, facing the stop memner 11, are formed with a flange-like inwardly projecting stop cam 33. For using the apparatus so far described, the position shown in Fig. 2 is used as basis, whereby the transferring part II is moved outside the effective region and may, for the time being, be disregarded. As a condition for the proper mode of operation, the receiving part I is to be adjusted with the aid of the adjusting screws 19 to the inside diameter of the core rings being processed. A core ring 24 is placed on the supporting members located in their rest position corresponding to the smallest diameter and by impacting the working cylinders 12, the axial displacement of the supporting members is initiated. Thus, the inner members 16 slide over the bevel surface of the base body member 10 and simultaneously move outwards together with the outer members 17. When the adjustment screws 19 strike against the stop member 11 (Fig. 3) the centering operation is concluded. The outer members 17 continue their axial displacement with sliding relative movement on the stationary inner members 16 against the tension of the compression springs 18 and with the aid of their cross-sectional thickening 27, draw the core ring 24 securely against the stop member 11 (Fig. 4), whereby the previously centered core ring 24 has its plane parallel alignment imparted thereto. Subsequently, the transferring part II is advanced in order to enclose and pick up the centered and aligned core ring 24 with the aid of the gripping elements 23 radially advanced from the working cylinders 21 (Fig. 5). The positive holding of the core ring 24 in the substantially circular ring-shaped closed gripping elements 23 ensures the maintaining of its shape and alignment during transport over the building drum 25 (Fig. 6). On reaching the position of the transferring part, shown in Fig. 7 in the plane of a core ring receiving groove 35, the expansion of the building drum 25 is initiated, whereby the core ring 24 is still retained against undesired yielding movements. Only after the complete insertion of the core ring 24 into the receiving groove 35, the gripping elements 23 are detached and return to their original position (Fig. 8). The invention does not consider receiving grooves for the core rings to be an absolute necessity, but may be used in the same manner also in conjunction with smooth cylindrical building drums. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus for picking up bead core rings for pneumatic tyres for automotive vehicles and transferring said bead core rings to a variable diameter building drum, comprising a receiving part and a transferring part, the receiving part, in use, being mounted on the shaft of the tyre building drum and comprising bead core ring receiving and supporting members expandable in a radial direction against the internal circumference of a bead core ring and axially displaceable relative to a stop member for aligning the bead core ring co-axial with the building drum to which it is to be transferred, said transferring part comprising a bead core support ring displaceable coaxially to the building drum shaft and located radially outwardly of the stop member, and having a plurality of support gripping elements spread over its circumference and adapted to be advanced radially inwards until they abut against the outer circumference of the bead core ring located on the receiving and supporting members.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which each outer member in its edge

region remote from the stop member has a cross-sectional thickening projecting radially outwards.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, in which pressure medium working cylinders for simultaneous axial adjustment of the arcuate segments are coupled with the outer members.

7. Apparatus as claim 6, in which the pressure medium working cylinders are supported at one end against the stop member and at the other end are connected to the outer members of the arcuate segments.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the gripping elements of the transferring part in their edge regions facing the receiving position of the stop member are provided with a flange-like inwardly projecting stop cam.

9. Apparatus for picking up bead core rings for pneumatic tyres for automotive vehicles and transferring said bead core rings to a variable diameter building drum, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.