摘要 |
<p>A toroidal carcass (1) having two annular beads (2) connected by a reticulated structure formed by a cord (5) wound around the beads to connect them to each other is formed by positioning the beads in spaced coaxial relation, positioning an annular element (8) radially outward of the two beads, and coaxial with it, to form a toroidal frame, and winding a cord toroidally about the frame by passing a spool (16), wound with a predetermined length of cord (5), across the annular element (8) around bead (2) through the gap (11) between the annular element and the bead, and across the annular element to the other bead to repeat the process, in a spiral path (P) round the frame. The annular element (8) has a movable sector (9a) along which an initial portion of the spiral path (P) extends and, prior to completing the winding of the cord around the frame the movable sector (9a) is moved from an initial position aligned with the remainder (9b) of the annular element (8) to a second position in which the movable section overlaps the remainder (9b) of the element (8). Also claimed are the production of the carcass and the apparatus for performing the process.</p> |