Wire bead forming apparatus

A bead forming apparatus, comprising stationary and movable support members; a collapsible bead forming drum rotatable about an axis fixed with respect to the stationary support member; feed rollers mounted on the movable support member to drive the bead forming element toward the bead forming drum along a predetermined path, the rollers being rotatable about axes parallel with the axis of rotation of the bead forming drum and including a main feed roller, a first auxiliary feed roller to impart a coiling tendency to the bead forming element to be passed from the main feed roller toward the bead forming drum, and a second auxiliary feed roller to guide the bead forming element to travel past the first auxiliary feed roller toward the bead forming drum; cutting blades for cutting the bead forming element at a predetermined location on the aforesaid path; an aperture for retaining the leading end of the bead forming element extending from the second auxiliary feed roller at the aforesaid predetermined location; and a retaining element for retaining the leading end of a cut segment of the bead forming element on the peripheral surface of the bead forming drum.