348 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 1, 1920. 



Machinery Equipment for Tire Repairing and Rebuilding. 



THK TIRE RKPAiR luisiNKSs has shared in the rapid increase of 

 the automobile and tire industries and many special machines 

 and appliances have been developed for rapid and perfect 

 work. The present article is limited to the principal types of 



repair shop equip- 

 ment that are 

 most essential for 

 the work of re- 

 pairing, retread- 

 ing and rebuild- 



TIRE LASTS. 



The tire last is 



indispensable for 



Tire Lasts. supporting t h e 



tire while making 



fabric repairs. It is made of cast iron, the shape of the inside of 



the casing with convenient brackets for attaching to the bench. 



TIRE BUILDING STAND. 



For rebuilding or retreading tires the tire building stand is 

 standard equipment. For this work it is usually provided with a 



Building Stand. 



collapsible core, as shown in the illustration. The stand is fitted 

 with an automatic locking device that holds the core securely in 



any desired position, so that the 

 direction or inclined at any angle. 



tire can be revolved in either 



RETREADING KETTLE 

 VULCANIZERS. 



In repair plants where re- 

 treading is done on a mod- 

 erate scale, vertical pot heat- 

 ers or vulcanizers are usually 

 employed for curing the re- 

 tread, owing to the small 

 steam consumption and rela- 

 tively small installation cost. 

 They usually vary in capac- 

 ity from two to four tires. 

 Generally ihey are of the 

 simple kettle type, although 

 the annular construction is 

 particularly economical of 

 steam for a small installation, 

 and will cure from two to 

 four casings at one heat. 

 Kettle W-lcanizer. Qthers have bolted-on lids or 



heads held in place by a num- 

 ber of hinged bolts fitting into slots in the edges of the kettle and 

 lid. There is also a boltless variety in which the lid is opened 

 and closed by revolving it about eight inches on a central trun- 



nion, and holdinfj; i 

 panion lugs on the 

 screw, chain l)lock 



against pressure by lugs engaging with com- 

 upporting frame. Some lids are raised by a 

 r weight, and swung to one side on a crane 

 or overhead track; others 

 are hinged and counterbal- 

 anced. Where the lid and 

 the vulcanizer come to- 

 gether the surfaces are ma- 

 chined to accommodate a 

 standard square packing 

 ring. 



Medium size vulcanizers 

 average ilYz inches in di- 

 ameter and have a depth of 

 10 to 26 inches with capacity 

 for two to seven 36-inch 

 ^^ casings. Large ones average 

 43or43j<2 inches in diameter 

 and have a depth of 16 to 

 31 inches with capacity for 

 four to seven 42-inch casings. Regular equipment inclu':fs a 

 steam gage, safety valve, two test cocks and supporting 

 legs. In the case of vertical 

 vulcanizers there is a bot- 

 tom grating to support the 

 tires above the water from 

 condensed steam and permit 

 steam circulation all around 

 the casings. 



Horizontal Vulcanizer. 



In repair plants where con- 

 siderable retreading is done a 

 horizontal retreading vul- 

 canizer, capable of taking care 

 of all sizes of casings is usu- 

 ally employed. These vul- 

 canizers have a bolted-on, 

 hinged door requiring no 

 overhead tackle or counter- 

 weight. They average 46>S 

 or 47 inches inside diameter, 

 and 40 inches in length, with 

 tires. 



RETREAD MOLD FOR RIBBED OR NON-SKID TREADS. 



A retread mold for curing one casing at a time, stands at con 



Retreading Mold. 

 apacity for six to eight 42-inch 



Twin Retreading Mold. 

 I'enient height on three legs and is very economical of steam. 



