Tire Wrapping Machine

Disclosed herein is apparatus for winding substantially inextensible flexible filament material or extensible flexible rubber material on and about the body of a toroidal member of oval cross-section (in this particular embodiment a disintegrable tire core). The apparatus includes rollers which support the toroidal member with the mid-circumferential plane thereof substantially vertical. The apparatus also includes a guide ring encircling the body of the toroidal member and supported in a substantially horizontal disposition. Drive means are included for rotating the guide ring about its axis and about the body of the toroidal member, meanwhile rotating the toroidal member about its axis, so that the toroidal member is advanced through the rotating guide ring. A supply of filament material is mounted on the guide ring to travel therewith, and extends to the surface of the toroidal member, so that such rotation of the guide ring and toroidal member as described above winds the filament material about and along the body of the toroidal member. In cooperation with such supply of filament material, means are included for providing relatively constant and even tensioning of the filament material being applied to the surface of the toroidal member, taking into account the oval cross-section of the toroidal member. A supply of extensible rubber material may be mounted on the guide ring to travel with the guide ring in place of the supply of the filament material. The rubber material extends from the supply to the surface of the toroidal member, so that rotation of the guide ring and toroidal member as described above winds the rubber material about and along the body of the toroidal member. In cooperation with such supply of rubber material, means are included for extending or stretching the rubber material continuously a substantially constant amount before it is supplied to the surface of the toroidal member, and depositing on said surface a substantially uniformly stretched material, taking into account the oval cross-section of the toroidal member. The support roller system, on which the toroidal member rotates, includes a bogey system to allow for change in the size of the toroidal member due to the wrapping of the materials thereon.