DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of tyre building drum. More particularly, it relates to an adjustable drum where drum set can be changed without replacing the spacers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Earlier, in a tyre building machine, bead groove flange and spacers were separate. This construction demanded manpower from tool room to open the bead groove flange and remove the existing spacer and to place spacer of different widths to achieve the desired drum set.

Reference may be made to the following:
US Patent No. 6,769,468 relates to a tire building drum having centre section and two end sections. Each end section is provided with an expandable bead lock assembly. The centre section is preferably expandable. The expandable bead lock assembly comprises a carrier ring (CR) and a plurality of elongate links (K) extending between the carrier ring (CR) and a plurality of radially – expandable segments (S). When the carrier ring moves inward (towards the centre section), the radially – expanding segments (S) move radially outward, urging a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced- apart finger segments (F) outward from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and at least one position there between. In an embodiment of the invention, the bead lock assembly comprises a cylinder and two pistons (P1, P2) disposed within the cylinder. The pistons are free to move axially within the cylinder, in response to pneumatic pressure. The first piston (P1) is constrained from moving axially inward by rods (R1P, R2P1, R3P1). The second piston (P2) is connected by rods (R1P2, R2P2, R3P2) to carrier ring (CR). Pressurized air supplied through hoses (H1, H2, H3) and passageways in the cylinder control the movement of the pistons (P1, P2) so that the beach lock assembly can be partially-expanded, fully-expanded, and retracted, unexpanded position.

US Patent No. 7,144,467 relates to a tire building drum having a center section and two end sections. Each end section is provided with an expandable bead lock assembly. The centre section is preferably expandable. The expandable bead lock assembly comprises a carrier ring (CR) and a plurality of elongate links (K) extending between the carrier ring (CR) and a plurality of radially – expandable segments. When the carrier ring moves inward (towards the centre section), the radially – expandable segments (S) move radially outward, urging a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced- apart finger segments (F) outward from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and at least one position there between. This patent aims to overcome air traps during tyre building by providing contours for shaped tire components. Bead locking is achieved as a separate activity.
US Patent No. 4,402,783 relates to a tire building machine including an axially contractible and expandable drum characterized by an annularly continuous center deck for the drum having a rigid, axially segmented yet continuous, generally cylindrical deck surface. The centre deck includes a centre support, end supports, and two symmetrically arranged sets of telescoping rings extending respectively between the centre support and opposite end supports. The telescoping rings are axially expandable as the end supports move away from each other to form such rigid, axially continuous deck surface and axially collapsible into or upon one another as the end supports move toward each other. Each ring of the set has flanged ends forming both a stop and an annular sliding bearing surface for the adjacent ring. The rings and their flanges may be precisely formed so that each intermediate ring of the ring set has four annular supporting and sliding surfaces, contributing to the overall rigidity of the deck. Tire components may be applied and firmly stitched directly on the deck surface or an axially elastic sleeve may be employed. The sleeve, secured to each end support, has a substantially cylindrical outer diameter and an inner diameter conforming to the deck surface when axially expanded.

US Patent No. 4,445,962 relates to a collapsible tire building drum having a collapsible central cylindrical portion composed of a plurality of drum segments. The outer laterally spaced edges of the drum segments are grooved for connecting annular rings to the respective edges. Each of the annular rings is composed of a plurality of arcuate segments whose profile is the same at the juncture with the drum segments but tapers radially outwardly and upwardly and then curves downwardly and inwardly to provide an off-set undercut portion.

US Patent No. 4,214,939 relates to a tire building machine of the expandable bead lock type employs an elastomeric specially shaped radially expanding bead lock which includes an air passage system there through. The bead locks are expanded by a pneumatic tube which seats the bead lock against reentrant shoulder stops securing the bead locks in their expanded condition both precisely radially and axially with respect to the two centerlines of the machine. Such bead locks may be used in connection with an expandable axially fixed centre deck for first stage operations or in connection with a substantially rigid axially expandable and contractible centre deck for single stage operations. For a single stage machine, the preferred form of center deck includes axially oppositely extending fingers which slide in respective slots in the centre support forming a substantially rigid working surface. In connection with single and first stage operations, the bead locks may include integrally formed shaping bladders which are inflated through the air passage system in the bead locks.

US Publication No. 20190070811 relates to a second stage tire building drum. The tire building drum has two hubs with an inner sleeve mounted to a central shaft of the tire building drum and configured for axial movement. At least one of the hubs is configured for free axial movement. Preferably, each hub further include a sliding sleeve mounted on the inner sleeve for unconstrained sliding in the axial direction relative to the inner sleeve. Preferably, each hub has a bead receiving mechanism mounted on the sliding sleeve and comprised of one or more segments that are radially expandable. Preferably, each segment has a pocket with a curved surface for receiving a bead. The method employs the steps of mounting a green cylindrically shaped tire carcass onto a tire building drum so that each bead are seated in a respective bead pocket segment, inflating the carcass under low pressure and expanding the carcass into engagement with tread and belt assembly while allowing one or more of the hubs or one or more of the bead pocket segments to freely slide in the axial direction.

Publication No. CN101905541 (A) relates to a forming machine of an all-steel heavy-duty radial truck tire, in particular to a two-drum forming machine. The invention relates to a two-drum forming machine for the magnetic positioning of a bead, comprising a left bead transferring ring and a right bead transferring ring;; the left bead transferring ring and the right bead transferring ring respectively comprise a movable frame, a ring body, a synchronous ring, a bead sucker, an air cylinder and a swing arm, wherein the synchronous ring is movably arranged in a circular groove in the ring body, one end of the swing arm is articulated with the air cylinder, the other end of the swing arm is fixedly connected with the synchronous ring, a plurality of connecting rods are articulated with and arranged at the inner side of the synchronous ring, a plurality of radially arranged chutes are arranged on the synchronous ring, a connecting shaft is arranged in each chute and articulated with a connecting rod, a sliding seat is arranged at the other end of the connecting rod and arranged on a linear guide pair on the synchronous ring, and the bead sucker is arranged on the sliding seat and provided with a magnet.

Publication No. EP1344635 (A2) relates to a radially expansible assembly drum for the manufacture of tires comprises a body mounted on a drum core assembly and presents a receiving surface for tire components to be assembled. The ends of the receiving surfaces have the same or different diameters. The drum includes means for covering the ends of the receiving surface and means for radially expanding the drum, including the receiving surface and the ends thereof. The means for radially expanding the assembly drum include a cam disk having an increasing spiral cam follower groove, the cam follower groove providing a continuous range of selectable diameters and stable expansion as a function of cam disk rotation. The radially expansible assembly drum has also means for axially moving the ends of the assembly drum.

Publication No. GB825806 (A) relates to a tyre-building drum comprises a pair of axially aligned rigid circular discs movable axially towards and away from each other and air-tightly sealed at their peripheries to the ends of a cylindrical resilient diaphragm which forms the building surface and is deformable, on mutual approach of the discs and under air pressure in the space between the discs and the diaphragm, into a toric shape, each disc having an independently radially expansible groove-shaped bead seating thereon which has a minimum diameter less than that of the cylindrical undeformed diaphragm, and an expanded diameter greater than said diaphragm diameter.

The existing drums demanded manpower from tool room to open the bead groove flange, remove the existing spacer and to place spacers of different width to achieve the desired drum set. There is a need to eliminate the usage of spacers.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION
Principal object of the present invention is to provide a tyre building drum where the bead groove flange and spacer combination is replaced by movable bead groove flange with intermeshing extended fingers, to achieve variable drum set in place of discrete fixed drum sets.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tyre building drum with movable bead groove flange to reduce manpower and simplify the work.

Another object of the present invention is to provide movable bead groove flange with intermeshing extended fingers acting as spacers.
Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce set up time and ensure perfect drum set is maintained as no multiple parts are involved to achieve the desired drum set.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One or more of the problems of the conventional prior art may be overcome by various embodiments of the present invention.

It is the primary aspect of the present invention to provide a tyre building drum for adjusting a drum set, comprising an adjustable/movable bead groove flange,
wherein the adjustable/ movable bead groove flange comprises two or more intermeshing extended fingers acting as spacers, a flat surface and two or more finger sliding slots.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a tyre building drum for adjusting a drum set, wherein the finger sliding slots are configured to accommodate the intermeshing extended fingers.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a tyre building drum for adjusting a drum set, wherein variable and intermediate drum sets are set up.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method of adjusting a drum set of a tyre building drum, comprising:
removing of overlay belt;
loosening screws of the movable bead groove flanges with the intermeshing extended fingers from the tyre building drum;
sliding out/sliding in the movable bead groove flanges with intermeshing extended fingers to set up desired drum set;
centralizing of the movable bead groove flanges to the centre line of the tyre building drum;
tightening screws of the bead groove flanges with the intermeshing extended fingers to the tyre building drum;
refixing of the overlay belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
So that the manner in which the features, advantages and objects of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent, may be understood in more detail, more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawing, which form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the drawing illustrates only a preferred embodiment of the invention and is therefore not to be considered limiting of the invention's scope as it may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
Figure 1 illustrates the schematic view of the adjustable bead groove flange assembled view according to the present invention.
Figure 2 illustrates the schematic view of the adjustable bead groove flange set up according to the present invention.
Figure 3a and Figure 3b illustrates the bead groove and spacer set up and assembled view according to the prior art.
Figure 4a and Figure 4b illustrates the adjustable bead groove set up and assembled view without the spacer according to the present invention.
Figure 5 illustrates a flowchart of the method of adjusting a drum set of a tyre building drum according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION FOR DRAWINGS WITH REFERENCE NUMERALS:
(10) Drum set
(11, 11a) Adjustable/ movable bead groove flange
(12) Intermeshing extended fingers
(13) Flat surface
(14) Finger sliding slots
(16) Fixing slots
(20) Tyre building drum
(15) Spacer
(100) Method of adjusting a drum set of a tyre building drum
(101) Removing of overlay belt
(102) Loosening screws of the movable bead groove flanges with the intermeshing extended fingers from the tyre building drum
(103) Sliding out/sliding in the movable bead groove flanges with intermeshing extended fingers to set up desired drum set
(104) Centralizing of the movable bead groove flanges to the centre line of the tyre building drum
(105) Tightening screws of the bead groove flanges with the intermeshing extended fingers to the tyre building drum
(106) Refixing of overlay belt

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The present disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The present invention relates to the field of tyre building drum. More particularly, it relates to an adjustable drum where drum set can be changed without replacing the spacers.

The present invention relates to a tyre building drum where bead groove flange and spacer combination is replaced by adjustable bead groove flange with intermeshing extended fingers which allows setting up fully variable drum set instead of discrete fixed drum set. This allows reducing manpower and simplifying the work. The movable bead groove flange is provided with extended fingers acting as spacers.

Referring to the figure 1 and 2, a tyre building drum (20) is provided where bead groove flange and spacer combination to adjust drum set (10) is replaced by an adjustable/ movable bead groove flange (11). The movable bead groove flange (11) is provided with intermeshing extended fingers (12) that act as spacers, a flat surface (13) with fixing slots (16) and finger sliding slots (14) for accommodating extended fingers (12). Before this invention, spacer item (15) and bead groove flange (11a) were separate entities. Drum-set (10) can be achieved by adjusting bead groove flange (11) and thereby eliminates spacer (15) (Figure 3a, 3b) removal and refixing.

This arrangement allows in achieving variable drum set instead of discrete drum sets, reduces set up time and maintains perfect drum set (10) as multiple parts and steps are not involved (table 1).

Sl.No Work Element Time (sec)
Existing Proposal
1 Removal of Drum Belt 45 45
2 Loosening screws & sliding outwards of Inner side Bead Groove Flange away from spacer 162 0
3 Loosening screws & sliding outwards of Outer side Bead Groove Flange away from spacer 162 0
4 Loosening screws and Removal of Spacer 162 0
5 Fixing of spacer 185 0
6 Re-locating and fixing Inner side Bead Groove Flange 182 0
7 Re-locating and fixing of Outer side Bead Groove Flange 182 0
8 Finer adjustment, centralizing and matching segments circumferentially 480 0
9 Loosening screws of bead groove flanges (with intermeshing extended fingers), sliding out/sliding in to achieve desired drum set, centralizing & tightening screws - 650
10 Refixing of Drum Belt 45 45
Total Time 1605 740

Referring to Figure 5, a flowchart of the method (100) of adjusting a drum set (10) by a tyre building drum (20) is illustrated. The method (100) of adjusting a drum set (10) of a tyre building drum (20) comprising:
removing (101) of overlay belt;
loosening (102) screws of the movable bead groove flanges (11) with the intermeshing extended fingers (12) from the tyre building drum (20);
sliding out/sliding in (103) the movable bead groove flanges (11) with intermeshing extended fingers (12) to set up desired drum set;
centralizing (104) of the movable bead groove flanges (11) to the centre line of the tyre building drum (20);
tightening (105) screws of the bead groove flanges (11) with the intermeshing extended fingers (12) to the tyre building drum (20);
refixing (106) of the overlay belt.

Referring to Figure 3a and Figure 3b the bead groove flange and spacer set up and assembled view according to the prior art are illustrated. The bead groove (11a) and a spacer (15) are set up. The drum set is adjusted by loosening the bead groove flange (11a) and removing the spacer (15) at separate time intervals. Alternate spacer is measured, located on drum and fixed according to each specific drum set. The set-up time is very high.

Referring to Figure 4a and Figure 4b illustrates the bead groove flange (11) set up with intermeshing extended fingers and assembled view without the spacer according to the present invention. The drum set is adjusted by sliding out/sliding in movable bead groove flange (11). The spacer is eliminated. The set-up time is reduced.

Advantages:
• Variable and intermediate drum sets can be achieved as against discrete fixed drum sets.
• The set-up time will be reduced since assembly of spacer is eliminated.
• The perfect drum set can be maintained as lesser movable parts are involved.

Although, the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions may be made therein and thereto, without parting from the spirit and scope of the present invention. ,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. A tyre building drum (20) for adjusting a drum set (10), comprising an adjustable/movable bead groove flange (11),
characterized in that, the adjustable/ movable bead groove flange (11) comprises two or more intermeshing extended fingers (12) acting as spacers, a flat surface (13) and two or more finger sliding slots (14).

2. The tyre building drum (20) for adjusting a drum set (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the finger sliding slots (14) are configured to accommodate the intermeshing extended fingers (12).

3. The tyre building drum (20) for adjusting drum set (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein variable and intermediate drum sets are set up.

4. A method (100) of adjusting a drum set (10) of a tyre building drum (20), comprising:
removing (101) of overlay belt;
loosening (102) screws of the movable bead groove flanges (11) with the intermeshing extended fingers (12) from the tyre building drum (20);
sliding out/sliding in (103) the movable bead groove flanges (11) with intermeshing extended fingers (12) to set up desired drum set;
centralizing (104) of the movable bead groove flanges (11) to the centre line of the tyre building drum (20);
tightening (105) screws of the bead groove flanges (11) with the intermeshing extended fingers (12) to the tyre building drum (20);
refixing (106) of the overlay belt.