Cooking press with manual locking at the top

Abstract

The invention relates to a tire curing press, the press comprising a mold (10) mounted inside an upper part (12) and a lower part of this curing press, the mold comprising sectors and a crown surrounding these sectors, this crown comprising connecting rods to the upper part of the curing press, the upper part comprising orifices (22) for receiving the connecting rods, the press comprising a circumferential part (24) located outside the upper part and making it possible to secure the connecting rods to the upper part when it is rotated, and this circumferential part comprising a manual handle (26) for rotation. Abstract figure: 2

Description

Title of the invention: Cooking press with manual locking at the top

[0001] The present invention relates to the assembly of a tire curing mold with the lower and upper parts of a curing press. The mold comprises in particular a crown surrounding the mold sectors for molding the tread of the future tire and the upper and lower flanges for molding the sidewalls of the future tire.

[0002] Since curing presses are generally used in a factory for curing different tires having different dimensions and / or different tread patterns, the mold must be able to be easily separated from the lower and upper parts of the curing press because these two lower and upper parts are an integral part of the curing installation and are not intended to be dismantled from this installation.

[0003] Document WO2018141324 proposes a first solution for automated locking of the assembly of a cooking mold with the upper part of a cooking press. This first solution takes the form of a circular part actuated by a jack and which fits onto the ends of connecting rods extending from the mold and passing through the upper part of the cooking press via orifices provided for this purpose. This first automated solution is advantageous, however it requires an electrical or hydraulic energy supply for its implementation and the jack is likely to have failures.

[0004] Document WO2018141324 also proposes a second solution for automated locking of the assembly of a curing mold with the lower part of a tire curing press. This second solution takes the form of rods with a T-shaped end which pass through the lower part of the curing press and which are fixed to the mold when they are rotated a quarter turn. In this second solution, the rotational drive of the rods with a T-shaped end is automated. Therefore, this second solution also requires an electrical or hydraulic energy supply for its implementation, and it is also susceptible to failures.

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of these automated solutions of the prior art by proposing manually operated locking solutions.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a tire curing press, the press comprising a curing mold mounted inside an upper part and of a lower part of this cooking press, the mold comprising sectors and a crown surrounding these sectors, this crown comprising connecting rods to the upper part of the cooking press, the upper part comprising orifices for receiving the connecting rods.

[0007] According to the invention, the cooking press comprises a circumferential part located outside the upper part and making it possible to secure the connecting rods to the upper part when it is rotated, and this circumferential part comprises a manual rotation handle.

[0008] Advantageously but not necessarily, the invention may also provide that: - the circumferential part is mounted to be able to rotate on the upper part between a locking position in which it allows the connecting rods to be secured to the upper part and an unlocking position in which it allows the connecting rods to be disconnected from the upper part, - two stops are provided to prevent rotation of the circumferential part, a first stop defining the locking position and the second stop defining the unlocking position, - a cleat intended to come into contact with the two stops is mounted on the circumferential part, - the connecting rods having a T-shaped end, the circumferential part comprises connecting pieces with the T-shaped ends of the connecting rods, each connecting piece comprising a notch of a shape cooperating with the T-shape of the ends of the connecting rods.

[0009] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which follows. This description, given by way of example and not as a limitation, refers to the attached drawings in which: - [Fig.l] represents a top view of a baking mold according to the invention, - [Fig.2] represents the upper part of a cooking press according to the invention with a circumferential part in the unlocked position, - [Fig.3] represents the upper part of a cooking press according to the invention with a circumferential part in the locking position, - [Fig.4] is a detailed view of the connecting parts of a circumferential part according to the invention, - [Fig.5] represents a top view of a lower part of a cooking press according to the invention, - [Fig.6] represents a bottom view of a baking mold according to the invention, and - [Fig.7] represents a junction piece between a mold and the lower part of a cooking press according to the invention.

[0010] The invention relates to the assembly of a tire curing mold. with the upper and lower parts of a cooking press.

[0011] [Fig. 1] shows a curing mold 10 of a tire curing press according to the invention. This curing press comprises an upper part 12 and a lower part 14 (see Figures 2 and 5) which are assembled to each other to cure the tire. For example, the upper part 12 and the lower part 14 take the form of two substantially hemispherical half-shells. The mold 10 is mounted inside the upper part 12 and the lower part 14 of the curing press. When assembled to each other, the upper 12 and lower 14 parts of the curing press enclose the curing mold. The mold 10 comprises sectors 16 and a crown 18 surrounding these sectors. The sectors 16 support one or more molding elements comprising a molding inner surface.The inner molding surface of a molding element is for example made up of raised shapes and sipes which define the sculpture of the future tread of the tire manufactured with this baking mold. The crown 18 for example integrates a heating circuit allowing the implementation of the baking of the tire. The baking mold also comprises a central part (not illustrated in the figures) equipped with other heating means and a membrane intended to be inflated inside the tire during its baking.

[0012] In a baking mold according to the invention, the crown 18 comprises connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 of the baking press. At the same time, the upper part 12 comprises receiving orifices 22 for these connecting rods. When the baking press is closed, that is to say when the upper 12 and lower 14 parts of the press are assembled to each other, the connecting rods 20 pass through the receiving orifices 22 and protrude slightly beyond these orifices 22 and the outer surface 23 of the upper part 12.

[0013] In order to assemble the cooking mold 10 with the upper part 12, the cooking press comprises a circumferential part 24 located outside the upper part and making it possible to secure the connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 when it is rotated. According to the invention, this circumferential part 24 comprises a manual rotation handle 26. For example, this circumferential part 24 takes the form of a metal circle.

[0014] In more detail, the circumferential part 24 is mounted to rotate on the upper part 12 of the press between a locking position, illustrated in [Fig.3], in which it allows the connecting rods 20 to be secured to said upper part 12 and an unlocking position, illustrated in [Fig.2], in which it allows the connecting rods to be separated from the upper part.

[0015] To achieve the connection of the connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 of the press, the connecting rods 20 have a T-shaped upper end 28, and the circumferential part 24 comprises connecting pieces 30 with the T-shaped upper ends 28 of the connecting rods. More specifically, each connecting piece 30 comprises a notch 32 of a shape cooperating with the T-shape of the upper ends of the connecting rods. For example, a notch 32 has a U-shape and it comprises a cylindrical clearance at the top for receiving the upper part of the T of the upper end of a connecting rod.

[0016] For example, the crown 18 comprises four connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 of the cooking press, the upper part 12 of the press comprises four orifices for the passage of the four connecting rods, and the circumferential part 24 comprises four connecting parts 30 to the connecting rods.

[0017] Preferably, the cooking press and its two upper and lower parts extend around a central axis AC. Also, the connecting rods 20, the receiving orifices 22 and the connecting pieces 30 are distributed at regular intervals, for example every 90°, around this central axis AC. The circumferential piece 24 also extends around this central axis AC.

[0018] In order to limit the rotational movements of the circumferential part, two stops B1, B2 are provided to stop the rotation of the circumferential part, a first stop B1 defining the locking position and the second stop B2 defining the unlocking position. Also, a cleat 34 intended to come into contact with the two stops is mounted on the circumferential part 24. For example, the two stops B1, B2 are located outside the circumferential part 24 and they are supported by a plate 36 mounted on the upper part 12 of the press. Advantageously, this plate 36 comprises marks R1, R2 indicating the locked or unlocked position of the circumferential part 24 depending on the position of the tip 38 of the manual handle 26.

[0019] Thanks to the circumferential part 24, its handle 26 and its arrangement on the upper part of the cooking press, the operator can simply and quickly lock and unlock the assembly of the mold 10 with the upper part 12 of the cooking press.

[0020] At the same time, the invention also aims to enable the assembly of the mold 10 with the lower part 14 of the cooking press.

[0021] For this purpose, the cooking press comprises joining pieces J1, J2 between the mold 10 and the lower part 14 of the cooking press, these joining pieces J1, J2 being located inside the cooking press, and these joining pieces J1, J2 being secured to and detached from each other by rotating one of these joining pieces relative to the other joining piece. In addition, one of these joining pieces comprises a rotation handle.

[0022] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a first connecting piece J1 is fixed to the mold 10, and the second connecting piece J2 is mounted to be able to rotate relative to the lower part 14 of the cooking press. Advantageously, the second connecting piece J2 is held by stirrups 40 on the bottom 41 of the lower part 14 of the cooking press. In more detail and as illustrated in [Fig.7], the second connecting piece J2 comprises a rim 42 on which the stirrups 40 are mounted to hold the second connecting piece J2 on the bottom 41 of the lower part of the press. A clearance is provided between the stirrups 40 and the rim 42 of the second connecting piece to allow rotation of this second connecting piece relative to the lower part of the cooking press.

[0023] More precisely, the second joining piece J2 is rotatable between a locking position in which it allows the mold 10 to be secured to the lower part 14 via the first joining piece J1 and an unlocking position in which it allows the mold 10 to be detached from the lower part 14 by releasing the first joining piece J1.

[0024] For its rotation between its locking position and its unlocking position, the second joining piece J2 comprises a rotation handle 44 which extends to the outside of the cooking press. Thus, an operator can simply and quickly lock and unlock the assembly of the mold 10 with the lower part 14 of the cooking press. Also, an opening 46 is provided through the wall 48 of the lower part 14 of the cooking press for the passage of this handle 44.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the two connecting pieces J1, J2 take the form of bayonet and counter-bayonet crowns. The bayonets 50 of the first connecting piece take the form of teeth extending towards the inside of the cooking press and the counter-bayonets 52 of the second connecting piece J2 take the form of teeth extending towards the outside of the cooking press.In the locking position of the second connecting piece, the bayonets 50 of the first connecting piece J1 bear against the counter-bayonets 52 of the second connecting piece, and in the unlocking position of the second connecting piece J2, the bayonets 50 of the first connecting piece J1 do not bear against the counter-bayonets 52 of the second connecting piece, and the two connecting pieces J1, J2 can be separated from each other, which makes it possible to separate the mold 10 from the lower part 14 of the cooking press.

Claims

Claims

1. A tire curing press, the press comprising a curing mold (10) mounted inside an upper part (12) and a lower part (14) of this curing press, the mold comprising sectors (16) and a crown (18) surrounding these sectors, this crown comprising connecting rods (20) to the upper part of the curing press, the upper part comprising orifices (22) for receiving the connecting rods, the curing press being characterized in that it comprises a circumferential part (24) located outside the upper part and making it possible to secure the connecting rods to the upper part when it is rotated, and in that this circumferential part comprises a manual handle (26) for rotation.

2. A tire curing press according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential part is mounted to rotate on the upper part between a locking position in which it allows the connecting rods to be secured to the upper part and an unlocking position in which it allows the connecting rods to be disconnected from the upper part.

3. A tire curing press according to claim 2, wherein two stops (B1, B2) for stopping the rotation of the circumferential part are provided, a first stop defining the locked position and the second stop defining the unlocked position.

4. A tire curing press according to claim 3, wherein a cleat (34) intended to come into contact with the two stops is mounted on the circumferential part.

5. A tire curing press according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, the connecting rods having a T-shaped upper end (28), the circumferential part comprises connecting pieces (30) with the T-shaped ends of the connecting rods, each connecting piece comprising a notch (32) of a shape cooperating with the T-shape of the upper ends of the connecting rods.

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