Auto-adjust cylinder used with bead width adjusting apparatus

1. A chucking apparatus for positioning a tire in a tire uniformity machine, the apparatus comprising:

an upper chuck assembly;

a lower chuck assembly operative with said upper chuck assembly to capture a tire therebetween; and

a dual piston cylinder coupled to said lower chuck assembly so as to move the tire into engagement with said upper chuck assembly, said dual piston cylinder having an axially extending inner piston rod from which axially extends a field-replaceable inner piston stem.

2. The chucking apparatus according to claim 1 , said lower chuck assembly further comprising:

a nose cone shaft having a nose cone opening extending axially therethrough formed by an inner wall, wherein a base seat extends inwardly from said inner wall;

a locknut secured to an end of said field-replaceable inner piston stem;

a needle thrust bearing carried by said base seat; and

a spring interposed between said locknut and said needle thrust bearing.

3. The chucking apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, said nose cone shaft has a spring lube hole extending transversely therethrough and aligned with said needle thrust bearing to deliver lubricating fluid in a vicinity thereof.

4. The chucking apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said field-replaceable inner piston stem comprises:

a stem body having a nut end opposite a collar that is secured to said inner piston rod, said stem body having a mid-cross bore extending transversely therethrough and substantially aligned with said spring lube hole.

5. The chucking apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said stem body has an axial orifice that intersects with said spring lube hole to facilitate passage of lubricating fluid therethrough.

6. The chucking apparatus according to claim 1 , said lower chucking apparatus comprising:

a nose cone shaft having a nose cone opening extending axially therethrough formed by an inner wall, wherein a spacer seat extends inwardly from said inner wall;

a spacer having a spacer cross hole extending transversely therethrough, said spacer positioned adjacent said spacer seat;

a needle thrust bearing received between said spacer and said spacer seat; and

said field-replaceable inner piston stem extending through said needle thrust bearing and said spacer.

7. The chucking apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said nose cone shaft has a spacer lube hole extending transversely therethrough and aligned with said spacer cross hole to deliver lubricating fluid in a vicinity thereof.

8. The chucking apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein said field-replaceable inner piston stem comprises:

a stem body having a nut end opposite a collar that is secured to said inner piston rod, said stem body having a lower-cross bore extending transversely therethrough and substantially aligned with said spacer cross hole.

9. The chucking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said stem body has an axial orifice that intersects with said lower-cross bore to facilitate passage of lubricating fluid therethrough.

10. The chucking apparatus according to claim 1 , said lower chucking assembly further comprising:

a nose cone shaft having a nose cone opening extending axially therethrough formed by an inner wall, and a spring lube hole and a spacer lube hole extending transversely through said inner wall;

said field-replaceable inner piston stem extending into said nose cone opening, said field replaceable inner piston stem having an axial orifice, and a mid-cross bore and a lower-cross bore extending transversely therethrough and intersecting with said axial orifice, said mid-cross bore substantially aligned with said spring lube hole, and said lower-cross bore substantially aligned with said spacer lube hole.

11. A lower chuck assembly used in a chucking apparatus of a tire uniformity machine comprising:

a dual piston cylinder having an axially movable outer piston rod, an inner piston rod axially movable with respect to said outer piston rod, said inner piston rod having a stem opening;

an inner piston stem detachably received in said stem opening and extending axially from said inner piston rod; and

a nose cone shaft having a nose cone opening therethrough which slidably receives said inner piston stem.

12. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said nose cone opening is formed by an inner wall, wherein a base seat extends inwardly from said inner wall proximal one end of said nose cone shaft, and a nose cone plug with a grease fitting received in said nose cone opening at an end opposite said base seat, wherein lubricating fluid is fed into said nose cone opening through said grease fitting.

13. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a biasing mechanism which secures said inner piston stem within said nose cone opening, said inner piston stem having an axial orifice and at least one cross bore extending therethrough and intersecting with said axial orifice so as to allow lubricating fluid to pass therethrough.

14. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 13 , wherein said nose cone shaft has at least one lube hole extending transversely therethrough and in communication with said nose cone opening, wherein said at least one cross bore is substantially aligned with said at least one lube hole.

15. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 14 , wherein said nose cone shaft has a spacer seat extending from said inner wall at an end opposite said nose cone plug, wherein a spacer is received in said spacer seat, said spacer carrying a spacer thrust bearing and having a spacer cross hole extending therethrough, said spacer cross hole substantially aligned with said at least one cross bore and said at least one lube hole.

16. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 15 , wherein said biasing mechanism comprises:

a threaded nut secured to an end of said inner piston stem;

a seat thrust bearing supported by said base seat; and

a spring interposed between said threaded nut and said seat thrust bearing.

17. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 16 , wherein said inner piston stem has a mid-cross bore and a lower-cross bore, both of which extend transversely therethrough and both of which intersect with said axial orifice; and

said nose cone shaft having a spring lube hole substantially aligned with said mid-cross bore, and a spacer lube hole substantially aligned with said lower-cross bore.

18. The lower chuck assembly according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a biasing mechanism that secures said inner piston stem within said nose cone opening;

said inner piston stem having an axial orifice, and a mid-cross bore and a lower-cross bore extending transversely therethrough and intersecting with said axial orifice;

said nose cone shaft having a spring lube hole extending transversely therethrough and substantially aligned with said mid-cross bore, and a spacer lube hole extending transversely therethrough and substantially aligned with said lower-cross bore, wherein lubricating fluid filled into said nose cone opening is flowable through said axial orifice into said mid-cross bore and said spring lube hole, and said lower-cross bore and said spacer lube hole to an exterior of said nose cone.