Method and apparatus for building tires

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING TIRES COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS, AXIALLY SPACED AXIALLY MOVABLE FLANGES ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A TIRE-CARCASS SUPPORT BLADDER BRIDGING THE PERIPHERIES OF SAID FLANGES, MEANS TO CAUSE RELATIVE AXIAL MOTION OF SAID FLANGES IN ORDER TO SELECTIVELY BRING THEM TOGETHER OR SEPARATE THEM, AN AXIALLY MOVABLE BEAD SETTING RING ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED AT THE OUTER SIDE OF EACH FLANGE AND HAVING A SHOULDER FOR RECEIVING A TIRE BEAD AND FLIPPER ASSEMBLY, AND MEANS FOR TURNING UP CARCASS PLIES AFTER BEADS HAVE BEEN SET THEREON COMPRISING A BACK UP PLATE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS BETWEEN EACH OF SAID FLANGES AND THE ASSOCIATED BEAD SETTING RING WITH THE RADIALLY OUTER EDGE OF EACH BACK-UP PLATE DISPOSED RADIALLY INWARDLY OF THE SHOULDER ON THE ADJACENT BEAD SETTING RING AND WITH A PORTION OF EACH BACK UP PLATE ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE ADJACENT BEAD SETTING RING TO DETERMINE THE AXIALLY OUTER POSITION OF THE BACK UP PLATE, A SEPARATE INFLATABLE TUBE NESTED IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID BACK UP PLATES AND THE ASSOCIATED FLANGE, INFLATION OF SAID TUBES WITH SAID BEAD SETTING RINGS RETRACTED FROM THE FLANGES CAUSING SAID TUBES TO ENGAGE SAID BACK UP PLATES WITH THE BEAD SETTING RINGS WHEREUPON THE TUBES EXPAND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY BETWEEN SAID BACK UP PLATES AND FLANGES TO TURN UP A TIRE CARCASS PLY AROUND TIRE BEADS SET AGAINST THE PORTIONS OF THE CARCASS PLY WHICH WERE TURNED DOWN AROUND THE EDGES OF SAID FLANGES.