Transfer Ring Shoe and Transfer Ring Having Varied Shoe Profile

摘要

A transfer ring of the type having a plurality of shoes arranged in a substantially circular configuration to define an inwardly-facing segmented cylindrical gripping surface, and a shoe for use in such a transfer ring, are disclosed. Each shoe comprises an arcuate interior surface defining a segment of the cylindrical gripping surface. The interior surface of each shoe has a first arcuate edge and an opposite second arcuate edge arranged substantially parallel to one another, and opposite first and second end edges extending between respective ends of said first and second arcuate edges. Each first end edge of each arcuate surface is mounted adjacent the second end edge of an adjacent arcuate surface, and the first end edge of at least one of the arcuate surfaces defines a varied or irregular shape along its arcuate surface.

主权项

1. A transfer ring for use in a system for the manufacture of vehicle tires, the transfer ring comprising:
a radially expandable and collapsible segmented cylindrical gripping surface defined by a plurality of inwardly-facing arcuate surfaces mounted for radial movement toward and away from a central axis of the cylindrical gripping surface, each arcuate surface having an arcuate first side edge and an opposite arcuate second side edge extending substantially parallel to one another along a circumferential dimension of the cylindrical gripping surface and opposite first and second end edges extending between respective ends of the first and second side edges; wherein each first end edge of each arcuate surface is mounted adjacent the second end edge of an adjacent arcuate surface, and wherein the first end edge of at least one of the arcuate surfaces defines a shape along its arcuate surface which differs from the shape of the first end edge of at least one other of the arcuate surfaces.