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 portion (12) and a lower portion of the curing press, the mold comprising sectors and a ring surrounding these sectors, this ring comprising connecting rods to the upper portion of the curing press, the upper portion comprising openings (22) for receiving the connecting rods, the press comprising a circumferential piece (24) located outside the upper portion and enabling the connecting rods to be secured to the upper portion when it is rotated, and this circumferential piece 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 includes, in particular, a ring 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 removed from this installation.

[0003] Document WO2018141324 proposes a first solution for the automated locking of a baking mold assembly with the upper part of a baking press. This first solution takes the form of a circular part actuated by a cylinder, which fits onto the ends of connecting rods extending from the mold and passing through the upper part of the baking press via specially designed openings. This first automated solution is advantageous; however, it requires an electrical or hydraulic power supply for its operation, and the cylinder is susceptible to failure.

[0004] Document WO2018141324 also proposes a second solution for the automated locking of a baking mold assembly with the lower part of a pneumatic baking press. This second solution takes the form of rods with a T-shaped end that pass through the lower part of the baking press and become fixed to the mold when rotated a quarter turn. In this second solution, the rotation of the T-shaped rods is automated. Therefore, this second solution also requires an electrical or hydraulic power supply for its operation, and it is also susceptible to failure.

[0005] The present invention aims to remedy the disadvantages 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 ring surrounding these sectors, this ring comprising connecting rods to the upper part of the cooking press, the upper part comprising receiving orifices for the connecting rods.

[0007] According to the invention, the cooking press includes a circumferential part located outside the upper part and allowing the connecting rods to be secured to the upper part when it is driven in rotation, and this circumferential part includes a manual handle for rotation.

[0008] Advantageously, but not necessarily, the invention may also provide that: - the circumferential part is mounted to rotate freely 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 detached from the upper part, - Two stops are provided to prevent the rotation of the circumferential part: a first stop defining the locking position and a second stop defining the unlocking position. - a lug designed to come into contact with the two stops is mounted on the circumferential piece, - the connecting rods having a T-shaped end, the circumferential piece includes connecting pieces with the T-shaped ends of the connecting rods, each connecting piece including a notch shaped to cooperate with the T-shape of the ends of the connecting rods.

[0009] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description. This description, given by way of example and not limitation, refers to the accompanying drawings in which: - [Fig. 1] 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 locked position, - [Fig.4] is a detailed view of the connecting parts of a circumferential part according to the invention, - [Fig. 5] shows a top view of a lower part of a cooking press according to the invention, - [Fig. 6] shows a bottom view of a baking mold according to the invention, and - [Fig.7] represents a connecting piece between a mold and the lower part of a baking press according to the invention.

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

[0011] Figure 1 represents 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 together 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 together, the upper part 12 and the lower part 14 of the curing press enclose the curing mold. The mold 10 comprises sectors 16 and a ring 18 surrounding these sectors. The sectors 16 support one or more molding elements comprising a molded inner surface.The inner molding surface of a molding element, for example, consists of raised shapes and slats that define the tread pattern of the future tire manufactured with this curing mold. The rim 18, for example, incorporates a heating circuit enabling the tire curing process. The curing mold also includes a central section (not shown in the figures) equipped with additional heating elements and a membrane designed to be inflated inside the tire during curing.

[0012] In a baking mold according to the invention, the ring 18 includes connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 of the baking press. Conversely, the upper part 12 includes receiving ports 22 for these connecting rods. When the baking press is closed, that is, when the upper part 12 and lower part 14 of the press are joined together, the connecting rods 20 pass through the receiving ports 22 and protrude slightly beyond these ports 22 and the outer surface 23 of the upper part 12.

[0013] To assemble the baking mold 10 with the upper part 12, the baking press includes a circumferential piece 24 located on the outside of the upper part, which secures the connecting rods 20 to the upper part 12 when it is rotated. According to the invention, this circumferential piece 24 includes a manual handle 26 for rotation. For example, this circumferential piece 24 takes the form of a metal circle.

[0014] In more detail, the circumferential part 24 is mounted movably in rotation 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 detached from the upper part.

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

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

[0017] Preferably, the baking press and its two upper and lower parts extend around a central axis AC. Furthermore, the connecting rods 20, the receiving ports 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] To limit the rotational movement of the circumferential part, two stops B1 and B2 are provided to prevent rotation of the circumferential part. The first stop, B1, defines the locked position, and the second stop, B2, defines the unlocked position. A stop 34, designed to come into contact with the two stops, is mounted on the circumferential part 24. For example, the two stops B1 and B2 are located on the outside of the circumferential part 24 and are supported by a plate 36 mounted on the upper part 12 of the press. Advantageously, this plate 36 includes markings R1 and 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 mold assembly 10 with the upper part 12 of the cooking press.

[0020] In parallel, the invention also aims to allow the assembly of the mold 10 with the lower part 14 of the cooking press.

[0021] To this end, the baking press includes connecting pieces J1, J2 between the mold 10 and the lower part 14 of the baking press, these connecting pieces J1, J2 being located inside the baking press, and these connecting pieces J1, J2 being joined and separated from each other by rotating one of these connecting pieces relative to the other connecting piece. In addition, one of these connecting pieces includes a rotating 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 rotate relative to the lower part 14 of the baking press. Advantageously, the second connecting piece J2 is held by brackets 40 on the bottom 41 of the lower part 14 of the baking press. More specifically, and as illustrated in [Fig. 7], the second connecting piece J2 includes a flange 42 on which the brackets 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 brackets 40 and the flange 42 of the second connecting piece to allow rotation of this second connecting piece relative to the lower part of the baking press.

[0023] More specifically, the second connecting piece J2 is mobile in rotation between a locking position in which it allows the mold 10 to be secured to the lower part 14 via the first connecting 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 connecting piece J1.

[0024] For rotation between its locked and unlocked positions, the second connecting piece J2 includes a rotating handle 44 that extends to the outside of the baking press. Thus, an operator can easily and quickly lock and unlock the mold assembly 10 with the lower part 14 of the baking press. An opening 46 is also provided through the wall 48 of the lower part 14 of the baking 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 baking press and the counter-bayonets 52 of the second connecting piece J2 take the form of teeth extending towards the outside of the baking press.In the locking position of the second connecting piece, the bayonets 50 of the first connecting piece J1 come 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 are not in contact with the counter-bayonets 52 of the second connecting piece, and the two connecting pieces J1,J2 can be separated from each other, which allows the mold 10 to be separated from the lower part 14 of the baking press.

Claims

Demands

1. 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 ring (18) surrounding these sectors, this ring 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 enabling the connecting rods to be secured to the upper part when it is driven in rotation, and in that this circumferential part comprises a manual handle (26) for rotation.

2. A tire-curing press according to claim 1, in which the circumferential part is mounted movably in rotation 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 unattached from the upper part.

3. A tire curing press according to claim 2, wherein two stops (B1,B2) are provided to prevent rotation of the circumferential part, 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 lug (34) intended to come into contact with the two stops is mounted on the circumferential piece.

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

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