Importance

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Abstract

A mold 20 for curing a precured tread 10 to a tire casing 100 is disclosed. The mold 20 has a first annular portion 24, a second annular portion 44, a pair of annular portions 12,14, and an inflatable bladder 23 for insertion into the casing 100 when enclosed in the cavity 53 of the closed mold 20. The first annular portion 24 has a sidewall supporting member 27, the sidewall supporting member 27 having a bead forming end 29, and a tread supporting member 28 integrally attached and generally normal to the sidewall support member 27. The tread supporting member 28 has a smooth axially contoured annular surface for contacting the radially outer surface of the precured tread 10 and a first end 50 in proximity to the tread lateral end 48 of the second annular portion 44. The second annular portion 44 has a sidewall supporting member 47 and tread lateral end supporting member 48 the second portion 44 having a first end 50 and a second end 52. The first end 50 is adjacent to the tread supporting member 48 of the portion 44. The first end 50 is aligned with the first end 51 of the first annular portion 24 when the mold 20 is closed thus forming a cavity 53 for the precured tread 10 and casing 100. The preferred mold 20 has the first end 51 of the tread supporting member 28 located at or near the lateral end 50 located adjacent relative to the tread support member 48.

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First Claim