Device for turning up the tire sidewalls on a tire building drum

1. A device for turning up sidewalls of a tire, the device comprising:

a first lever supporting body arranged on a first side of a drum center and being movable in an axial direction;

a first lever system pivotally connected to the first lever supporting body;

a second lever supporting body arranged on a second side of the drum center and being movable in an axial direction;

a second lever system pivotally connected to the second lever supporting body;

a base spindle adapted to move the first and second lever supporting bodies in an axial synchronous manner relative to each another;

first and second movable core stretching devices arranged on the first and second sides of the drum center; and

a hollow spindle that rotates relative to the base spindle, the hollow spindle being structured and arranged to move the first and second core stretching devices in the axial direction while the base spindle moves the first and second lever supporting bodies,

wherein the first and second sides are arranged on opposite sides of the drum center.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises devices for shaping a tire carcass.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is arranged on a tire building drum and wherein the first and second lever systems are symmetric.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second movable core stretching devices are coaxially arranged around the base spindle.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second movable core stretching devices are coaxially arranged around the hollow spindle.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow spindle is externally threaded and the first and second movable core stretching devices threadably engage the hollow spindle.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow spindle is rotatably connected to the base spindle, whereby rotation of the base spindle causes the hollow spindle to rotate.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device, wherein the coupling device is adapted to couple the base spindle to the hollow spindle.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device, wherein the coupling device is adapted to switchably connect the base spindle to the hollow spindle.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device, wherein the coupling device is adapted to connect and disconnect the base spindle to the hollow spindle one of pneumatically, electrically, hydraulically, or mechanically.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device, wherein the coupling device is adapted to rotatably couple and uncouple the hollow spindle to the base spindle.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow spindle is supported on the base spindle via at least one ball bearing.

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a braking device adapted to stop a rotation of the hollow spindle.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein each of the base spindle and the hollow spindle comprises a ball roller spindle.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hollow spindle surrounds a portion of the base spindle, and wherein the portion of the base spindle comprises a smooth surface.

16. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first and second lever supporting bodies towards the drum center in a synchronous manner;

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

17. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

causing the hollow spindle to rotate with the base spindle; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

18. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

causing the hollow spindle to rotate with the base spindle;

moving the first and second movable core stretching devices towards the drum center via the hollow spindle; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein rolls of the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

19. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device, wherein the coupling device is adapted to couple and uncouple the hollow spindle to the base spindle.

20. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 19 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

coupling the hollow spindle to the base spindle via the coupling device;

moving the first and second movable core stretching devices towards the drum center via the hollow spindle; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base spindle threadably engages the first and second lever supporting bodies and wherein the hollow spindle threadably engages the first and second core stretching devices.

22. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a coupling device that, in one position, couples the base spindle to the hollow spindle so that the base spindle causes rotation of the hollow spindle, and that, in another position, uncouples the hollow spindle from the base spindle so that the base spindle rotates without causing rotation of the hollow spindle.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the coupling device comprises a braking device that prevents rotation of the hollow spindle and axial movement of the first and second core stretching devices.

24. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a shaft which supports the first and second lever supporting bodies and the first and second core stretching devices.

25. A device for turning up sidewalls of a tire, the device comprising:

an externally threaded base spindle;

an externally threaded hollow spindle surrounding at least a portion of the base spindle;

a first lever supporting body arranged on a first side of a drum center;

the first lever supporting body being movable in an axial direction by rotation of the base spindle;

a first lever system comprising a plurality of levers pivotally connected to the first lever supporting body;

a second lever supporting body arranged on a second side of the drum center;

the second lever supporting body being movable in an axial direction by rotation of the base spindle;

a second lever system comprising a plurality of levers pivotally connected to the second lever supporting body; and

first and second movable core stretching devices arranged on the first and second sides of the drum center and threadably engaging the hollow spindle,

wherein the first and second sides are arranged on opposite sides of the drum center.

26. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 25 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

27. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 25 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

causing the hollow spindle to rotate with the base spindle;

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever system; and

at least one of:

decoupling the hollow spindle from the base spindle; and

stopping the hollow spindle while the base spindle rotates,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

28. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 25 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

causing the hollow spindle to rotate with the base spindle;

moving the first and second movable core stretching devices towards the drum center via the hollow spindle; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein rolls of the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.

29. A device for turning up sidewalls of a tire, the device comprising:

an externally threaded base spindle;

an externally threaded hollow spindle surrounding at least a portion of the base spindle;

a first lever supporting body arranged on a first side of a drum center;

the first lever supporting body being movable in an axial direction by rotation of the base spindle;

a first lever system pivotally connected to the first lever supporting body;

a second lever supporting body arranged on a second side of the drum center;

the second lever supporting body being movable in an axial direction by rotation of the base spindle;

a second lever system pivotally connected to the second lever supporting body;

a first movable core stretching device that is movable axially towards the drum center via rotation of the hollow spindle; and

a second movable core stretching device that is movable axially towards the drum center via rotation of the hollow spindle,

wherein the first and second sides are arranged on opposite sides of the drum center.

30. A method of turning up sidewalls of a tire in the device of claim 29 , the method comprising:

rotating the base spindle;

moving the first lever supporting body towards the drum center;

moving the second lever supporting body towards the drum center;

causing the hollow spindle to rotate with the base spindle;

moving the first and second movable core stretching devices towards the drum center via the hollow spindle; and

pivoting outwardly the first and second lever systems,

wherein the first and second lever systems move the sidewalls towards a carcass.