EXPANDABLE CARRIER APPARATUS FOR A TIRE BUILDING MACHINE

摘要

An expandable carrier apparatus for transferring a tire component such as tread and a radial tread ply band from a first work station to a further work station in a tire building machine includes an annular support member (12) and a fluid expandable annular tube element (16) having an upper wall portion (26) and a lower wall portion (24). The lower wall portion of the tube element is movable radially away from the upper wall portion upon expansion of the tube element and is movable radially toward the upper wall portion upon contraction of the tube element. The upper wall portion includes an annular peripheral surface which is bonded along a portion of the width thereof to the support member and the lower wall portion includes an annular outer peripheral surface having a plurality of gripper means (36) disposed in an annular array supported thereon which are operable to engage and grip tread and a radial tread ply band upon expansion of the tube element. A plurality of ply bands (46) are disposed in the lower wall portion of the tube element adjacent the plurality of gripper means to increase the rigidity of the lower wall portion to provide for uniform radial movement of the lower wall portion and gripper means upon expansion of the tube element to effect gripping of a radial tread ply band thereby and to prevent collapse of the tube element upon contraction. The ply bands add strength to the lower wall portion without increasing the stiffness of the side wall portions of the tube element.