METHOD OF MAKING A TIRE AND TIRE BUILDING DRUM

A method of building a tire carcass on a tire building drum (100) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: applying one or more tire building components (120, 130, 140, 150, 170) onto a tire building drum (100) forming a cylindrically shaped tire carcass; placing a first and second bead (160) onto the tire building components and radially outward of a respective first and second respective bead pocket (400, 500, 600); inflating the carcass under a relatively low pressure into engagement with a belt and tread package (250) while moving the respective bead pocket (400, 500, 600) axially inwardly; and turning up the outer lateral ends of the tire carcass about the respective first and second bead (160). Also, a tire building drum (100) is disclosed having a first and a second bead pocket (400, 500, 600) for receiving a respective first and second bead (160) of a tire carcass. The bead pockets (400, 500, 600) are formed annularly around the tire building drum surface. Each bead pocket (400, 500, 600) has an angled bead surface with respect to the axial direction of the tire building drum to retain the beads (160) in the bead pocket (400) and to prevent unwanted axial sliding during tire shaping or has an inner curved inner surface (515) that may be axially symmetrical or asymmetrical with curved edges or is L shaped as viewed from the cross-section, with one end (610) having a taller wall than the opposite end (620) and a flat or curved inner receiving surface (630).