TIRE PRESS, LOADER AND METHOD

摘要

A tire press, loader and method wherein a green tire is positioned by the loader between vertically separated mold sections and then engaged and held at the top bead thereof in registered contact with an upper bead ring of the press mold by a green tire bead elevator in the press head. While such registered contact is maintained, the upper bead ring and bead elevator raise and hold the green tire to the upper mold section as the loader axially clears the green tire and withdraws from the press. After such transfer of the green tire to the press head, the press partially closes to bring the bottom bead of the green tire against the lower bead ring of the press mold for subsequent shaping of the green tire and final closure of the press. The bead elevator includes a radially expandable chuck mounted for vertical movement in the press head which operates, when expanded, to engage and move the top bead of the green tire into registered or fully seated contact with the upper bead ring. The loader employed to introduce the green tire into the press includes a relatively narrow fluid expandable ring grip for substantially continuously gripping the outside of the tread leaving both bead areas free for centering, register and seating during the loading, seating and shaping process. The loader also has the facility for elevating the green tire into contact with the upper bead ring once in axial alignment with the mold sections and for removing a cured tire from the lower bead ring after transfer of the green tire to the press head.