FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The subject matter of the present invention relates to an apparatus for the construction of a tire. More particularly, the present application involves an apparatus that can cut split ply tire tissue and that can also be used to cut full width tire tissue.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The construction of tires involves laying various types of tissue onto a building drum either directly onto the building drum, or onto other tire tissue already positioned onto the building drum. These tire tissues are generally provided as a strip of material made up of rubber, steel belts, nylon belts, or other materials that are called plies. The plies are located on a supply drum and are unwound from the supply drum in a continuous strip. A cutting mechanism is used to cut the strip so that the desired amount of material is placed onto the building drum.

[0003] In the design of tires it may be the case that a full width of the strip is desired to be placed at a certain location. For example, a full width of the strip of material may extend from one shoulder of the tire continuously to the other shoulder of the tire. I order to cut the continuous strip, the continuous strip can be positioned over a cutting table and a cutting blade is lowered into and punctures the strip and slices it ninety degrees across its width. The severed strip is then wound onto the building drum or otherwise held onto a subsequent downstream drum or device. The newly created leading edge that was severed is held by a suction device and transported forward to a new building drum once the leading forward continuous strip is properly positioned and moved away.

[0004] The design of other tires entails construction in some areas that does not include a ply that is full width across. For example, in some tire designs the tissue ply is desired to be located at both shoulder areas but not continuously from one shoulder to another. In these tire designs, the tissue ply is discontinuous in the middle, and some other ply made of some other material is located between the two. The ply that is discontinuous in the middle is known as a split ply. In laying the split ply onto the building drum, the two sections are transported from the supply drum with the desired amount of space between them in the lateral direction. Once an appropriate amount of length is achieved, the split ply will again need to be cut. However, due to the fact that a split is present between the two sections of the split ply, a cutting blade and process different from the cutting of the previously described full width ply is performed. This is due to the void being present between the two sections of the split ply. For the split ply, a second processing post is provided that includes two suction device transporters, and two cutting heads. Although capable of cutting the split ply to the desired length by slicing both sections of the split ply at a ninety degree angle, the use of a second cutting station that includes additional suction device transporters and cutting heads incorporates added cost, complexity, and time into the tire building process. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

[0006] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tire with a full width ply tire tissue.

[0007] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tire with a split ply tire tissue.

[0008] Fig. 3 is a side view of an apparatus with split ply tire tissue held by a transporter.

[0009] Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 3 with the transporter advancing the split ply tire tissue to a building drum.

[0010] Fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 4 with the split ply tire tissue on the building drum and the transporter retracted back behind a cutting assembly.

[0011] Fig. 6 is a side view of the apparatus of Fig. 5 with the transporter and holder engaging the split ply tire tissue as it is cut by the cutting assembly.

[0012] Fig. 7 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig. 6.

[0013] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a holder that has a cylindrical shaped head.

[0014] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a holder with a rectangular shaped head.

[0015] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a cutting assembly in accordance with an alternative exemplary embodiment.

[0016] Fig. 11 is a front cross-sectional view of a cutting assembly as arranged in Fig. 10 cutting split ply tire tissue.

[0017] Fig. 12 is a side view of the apparatus cutting full width ply tire tissue.

[0018] Fig. 13 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig. 12.

[0019] Fig. 14 is a front view in partial cross-section of the apparatus of Fig. 12.

[0020] The use of identical or similar reference numerals in different figures denotes identical or similar features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield still a third embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations.

[0022] The present invention provides for an apparatus 10 that includes a cutting assembly 30 that is used to cut a sheet of split ply tire tissue 12 to a desired length so that the split ply tire tissue 12 can be incorporated as a component/layer into a tire 86. The cutting assembly 30 utilizes a cutting blade 36 to cut the split ply tire tissue 12 which is held down both before and after the cutting blade 36 in order to stabilize the split ply tire tissue 12 during the cutting process. A holder 34 can be used downstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26 and the holder 34 may press down on the split ply tire tissue 12 and urge it against a guiding surface 28 just below the split ply tire tissue 12. Upstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26, a transporter 32 may urge the split ply tire tissue 12 against the guiding surface 28 to stabilize the split ply tire tissue 12 to ensure the cutting blade 36 effectively cuts the split ply tire tissue 12 without the tissue 12 folding or moving off of its radial orientation. The apparatus 10 may also be used to cut full width ply tire tissue 38 when this type of tissue 38 is desired to be used in the tire 86. The ability of the apparatus 10 to cut both types of tissue 12, 38 eliminates the need to have separate cutting stations to cut tissues 12, 38 of different types and thus improves processing time and costs.

[0023] A tire 86 is illustrated with reference to Fig. 1 that is made up of various types of tissue that include rubber, steel belts, nylon belts, fillers, and various other materials in various combinations of weights. The sidewall tissue 70 includes a bead 68, and sidewall tissue 72 has bead 80. The beads 68 and 80 are used to help retain the tire 86 onto the wheel. The crown portion of the tire 86 has an under tread tissue with belts 76 that stretches from the sidewalls 70, 72 in the lateral direction of the tire 86. The under tread tissue with belts 76 may extend through the sidewalls 70, 72 and make up a portion of the sidewalls 70, 72 and can wrap around the beads 68, 80. Other tissues may be present in the sidewalls 70, 72, and it is to be understood the under tread tissue with belts 76 need not include belts in the sidewalls 70, 72 but may only include belts in the crown portion of the tire 86. The full width ply tire tissue 38 can be laid on top of the under tread tissue with belts 76 and may also stretch from shoulder 70 to shoulder 72 in the tire 86. The full width ply tire tissue 38 may include rubber and nylon belts in accordance with certain exemplary embodiments, but can be variously configured. The full width ply tire tissue 38 extends into the shoulders 70 and 72 and forms part of the shoulder 70, 72 and may extend all the way to the bead sections 68, 80 and in some instances may contact the under tread tissue with belts 76 in the bead sections 68, 80. Of course, in other designs of the tire 86 the full width ply tire tissue 38 need not extend all the way to the beads 68, 80, or need not even extend into the shoulders 70, 72. It is to be understood that the way in which the various tissues are sized and situated in the tire 86 are only exemplary, and other variations are possible in accordance with other exemplary embodiments. The tread tissue 74 may be placed on top of the full width ply tire tissue 38 and can likewise extend between the shoulders of the tire 86. The various tissues 74, 76, 38, 70 and 72 may be made of different components from one another, may be made of the same components as one another, or may be made of the same components with different weights from one another in accordance with various exemplary embodiments.

[0024] Fig. 2 shows another design of the tire 86 that may include beads 68, 80 and tissues 70, 72 and 76 that are the same as previously described with respect to the tire 86 of Fig. 1 and a repeat of this information is not necessary. The full width ply tire tissue 38 is replaced with a split ply tire tissue 12. The split ply tire tissue 38 includes a first section 18 and a second section 22 that are separated from one another in the lateral direction of the tire 86 in the crown portion of the tire 86, with a section of the tread tissue 74 located between the two sections 18, 22 in the crown portion of the tire 86. The sections 18, 22 may be made of the same material in the same weights as one another. The sections 18, 22 are located generally at the shoulders of the tire 86 and may extend some amount inwards in the lateral direction towards one another. The sections 18, 22 may extend into and form a portion of the shoulders 70, 72 and may extend to the bead sections 68, 80 and could engage the under tread tissue with belt sections 76 in the bead sections 68, 80. Although shown as having the tread tissue 74 there between, in other arrangements a section of the under tread tissue with belts 76, or some other tissue of the tire 86, can be located between the first and second sections 18, 22. The split ply tire tissue 12 may include rubber, nylon belts, or other materials in certain exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood that the illustrated tissues 70, 72, 74, 76 and 12 are only exemplary and that additional tissues can be incorporated into the tire 86 in other arrangements, or in certain instances some of the described tissues, for example the under tread tissue with belts 76, may be absent from the tire 86. Further, although the described belts may not be visually indicated in the figures, it is to be understood that the belts are present in the tissues of the tire 86 in certain areas as desired. [0025] A side view of the apparatus 10 is shown with reference to Fig. 3 in which the tissue, in this case the split ply tire tissue 12, is provided and rolled around a supply drum 82. The apparatus 10 cuts the split ply tire tissue 12 to a desired length so that the desired amount is placed upon the building drum 78 which may also include other tire 68 tissues 70, 72, 74, 76. The building drum 78 with a single layer of split ply tire tissue 12 is also shown in Fig. 3. It is to be understood that other tissue, such as the under tread tissue with belts 76 could be in direct contact with the building drum 78 with the split ply tire tissue 12 on top of this tissue 76 in other arrangements. As shown, the split ply tire tissue 12 directly engages the upper surface of the building drum 78, but it is to be understood that this need not be the case in other embodiments. The split ply tire tissue 12 may lay on a guiding table 52 so that it engages the guiding surface 28 of the guiding table 52. The guiding table 52 may be stationary in that force imparted onto the guiding surface 28 downward in the vertical direction 66 will not cause the guiding surface 28 or the guiding table 52 to move downward in the vertical direction 66. The split ply tire tissue 12 need not engage the entire guiding surface 28 along the entire longitudinal length of the guiding surface 28. In some instances, the split ply tire tissue 12 may be above the guiding surface 28 and not in contact with the guiding surface along a majority of its longitudinal length in some instances.

[0026] The apparatus 10 includes a transporter 32 that has a plurality of suction cups 46 that can selectively apply vacuum to the upper surface of the split ply tire tissue 12 in order to grasp the split ply tire tissue 12 and release it as desired. In Fig. 3, the suction cups 46 engage the split ply tire tissue 12 and suction may be applied to cause the transporter 32 to be able to advance the split ply tire tissue 12 when desired. The apparatus 10 has a cutting assembly 30 that includes a cutting blade 36 and a holder 34. The cutting assembly 30 is positioned above and out of engagement with the split ply tire tissue 12.

[0027] The building drum 78 with the applied split ply tire tissue 12 may be moved away from the station and to a subsequent processing station downstream in which tread tissue 74 is applied to the split ply tire tissue 12, or in which some other downstream process can be conducted on the tissues that include the split ply tire tissue 12. A subsequent building drum 78 that again may have other tissues 70, 72, or 76 on it may be moved into position with the apparatus 10 as shown in Fig. 4. The transporter 32 pulls the split ply tire tissue 12 in the machine direction 26, which is along the longitudinal direction 14 of the split ply tire tissue 12, past the cutting assembly 30 and over a transport drum 84. The transport drum 84 may be used to support the split ply tire tissue 12 thereon. The transport drum 84 may be a driven drum, or may spin freely and function as support only when engaging the split ply tire tissue 12. Although not shown, a rail or other movement mechanism is used to move the transporter 32 in the longitudinal direction 14, and the transporter 32 through the use of pistons or other mechanisms may also move in the vertical direction 66. Clearance past the cutting assembly 30 is provided so that the transporter 32 can be located on both upstream and downstream from the cutting assembly 30 in the machine direction 26. Upon moving the split ply tire tissue 12 past the transport drum 84, the transporter 32 moves the split ply tire tissue 12 to the building drum 78 and places it either directly onto the building drum 78, or directly onto some other tissue already present on the building drum 78. The angle of the split ply tire tissue 12 changes from the guiding table 52 to the transport drum 84, as compared to the length from the transport drum 84 to the building drum 78. Additional drums can be included between the building drum 78 and the guiding table 52, and in some instances no drum including the transport drum 84 is present between the elements 52, 78.

[0028] After positioning the split ply tire tissue 12 onto the building drum 78, the transporter 32 can release vacuum on the suction cups 46 to detach the transporter 32 from the split ply tire tissue 12. As shown in Fig. 5, the transporter 32 can be moved upstream in the machine direction 26 so that it is back behind the cutting assembly 30, and thus located upstream from the cutting assembly 30 in the machine direction 26. A desired amount of the split ply tire tissue 12 may thus be moved downstream in the machine direction 26 from the cutting assembly 30. The desired amount will usually be enough to cover one revolution of the building drum 78, but could conceivably be more or less in various embodiments. Once a desired amount of the split ply tire tissue 12 has been moved downstream from the cutting assembly 30, the split ply tire tissue 12 will need to be cut in order to ensure the appropriate amount is provided to the building drum 78.

[0029] Fig. 6 shows the cutting of the split ply tire tissue 12 in which the cutting assembly 30 is used to cut the split ply tire tissue 12 in the lateral direction 16 of the split ply tire tissue 12, and thus at an angle of 90 degrees to the longitudinal direction 14. In order to make the cut, the split ply tire tissue 12 is held down both upstream and downstream from the cutting assembly 30 in the machine direction 26. In the upstream location, the transporter 32 is urged in the vertical direction 66 downwards so that it engages the split ply tire tissue 12 and pushes the split ply tire tissue against the guiding surface 28. In the downstream location, the cutting assembly 30 is provided with a holder 34 that engages the split ply tire tissue 28 and urges it downward in the vertical direction 66 against the guiding surface 28. The holder 34 can be carried with and move with the cutting assembly 30, or the holder 34 may be a separate component that is mounted and moves independently from the cutting assembly 30. The holder 34 and the suction cups 46 of the transporter 32 engage the split ply tire tissue 12 before the cutting blade 36, or at the same time as the cutting blade 36, and securely hold the split ply tire tissue 12 in place with enough clamping force and friction to maintain the product orientation while the cutting blade 36 cuts the tissue 12.

[0030] The guiding table 52 may have a cutting slot 54, which is a slot that extends from the guiding surface 28 downward in the vertical direction 66. The split ply tire tissue 12 can be held down by the holder 34 downstream from the cutting slot 54 in the machine direction 26, and the split ply tire tissue 12 can be held down by the transporter 32 upstream from the cutting slot 54 in the machine direction 26. The cut is made by a cutting blade 36 of the cutting assembly 30. The split ply tire tissue 12 can be held down by the holder 34 downstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26, and may be held down by the transporter 32 upstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26. The cutting blade 36 may be moved downward in the vertical direction 66 by pistons, linear actuators, or by other mechanisms into engagement with the split ply tire tissue 12. Continued downward force may cause the cutting blade 36 to pierce the split ply tire tissue 12 and the cutting blade 36 can be located within the cutting slot 54. The cutting blade 36 can move in the lateral direction 16 of the split ply tire tissue 12 to completely cut the split ply tire tissue 12 into a portion from the cutting blade 36 downstream in the machine direction 26 for winding onto the building drum 78, and into a portion upstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26. The cut is made by the cutting blade 36 which slices the tissue 12 in the lateral direction 16 upon moving in the lateral direction 16, and is not made by a shear cut of the tissue 12.

[0031] Fig. 7 shows the apparatus 10 cutting the split ply tire tissue 12 from a top view which may represent a portion of the view of Fig. 6. As shown, the split ply tire tissue 12 is made up of a first section 18 that has a first width 20 that extends in the lateral direction 16 of the split ply tire tissue 12. The split ply tire tissue 12 also includes a second section 22 that has a second width 24 that likewise extends in the lateral direction 16. The first section 18 is spaced from the second section 22 in the lateral direction 16. The length of the first width 20 may be the same as the length of the second width 24, or the widths 20 and 24 may be different from one another in accordance with various embodiments. The series of suction cups 46 extends completely across both of the sections 18, 22, and the length of the holder 34 in the lateral direction 16 extends completely across the length of the sections 18, 22. The sections 18, 22 are thus pressed down across their entire widths 20, 24 at the transporter 32 and at the holder 34. The cutting assembly 30 includes the cutting blade 36, that may be a first cutting blade 36, and a second cutting blade 56. The cutting blades 36, 56 may move down in the vertical direction 66 between the sections 18, 22 and then may move away from one another in the lateral direction 16. The first cutting blade 36 engages and cuts the first section 18, and the second cutting blade 56 engages and cuts the second section 22. This description is different than as previously described in which the cutting blade 36 first pierces and then cuts across the split ply tire tissue 12. However, in some arrangements the cutting blades 36, 56 could in face pierce the sections 18, 22 first and then subsequently slice across in the lateral direction 16. As both of the sections 18, 22 are held down completely across their widths 20, 24 in the lateral direction 16 on both sides of the cutting blades 36, 56 in the longitudinal direction 14, the cutting of the split ply tire tissue 12 is clean and the tissue 12 does not jump around during the cut. The holding enables a precise and clean cut to be made to the material. The cutting may be completely along the lateral direction 16, and no longitudinally extending component of the cut may be present. After cutting the split ply tire tissue 12, the holder 34 may be moved up to release the tissue 12, or otherwise downward holding pressure can be lessened or removed so that leading portion of the tissue 12 can be rolled up onto the building drum 78. The process will then back to that as shown in Fig. 3 and can be repeated.

[0032] The holder 34 that is used to hold the split ply tire tissue 12 can be variously configured. Fig. 8 shows one embodiment in which the holder 34 includes a rubber cylindrical roller 48 that engages the split ply tire tissue 12. The rubber cylindrical roller 48 may rotate as the split ply tire tissue 12 advances in the machine direction 26. Springs or pistons can be used to force the rubber cylindrical roller 48 down onto the split ply tire tissue 12 to urge it against the guiding surface 28. The rubber cylindrical roller 48 may have a length that extends across the widths 20 and 24 and also across the space between the first and second sections 18, 22 in the lateral direction 16. Another version of the holder 34 is described with reference to Fig. 9 that includes a rubber foot 50 that engages the split ply tire tissue 12. The rubber foot 50 can have a rectangular cross-sectional shape that may be square shaped in some instances. A series of pistons may urge the rubber foot 50 down onto the split ply tire tissue 12. Frames and moving components may be present to position the holder 34 as desired in the apparatus 10, and the holder 34 could be part of the cutting assembly 30 and travel with the cutting blade 36 in certain exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood that the designs described of the holder 34 are only exemplary and that others are possible.

[0033] Another alternative arrangement of the cutting assembly 30 is shown in Fig. 10 in which the cutting blade 36 is mounted to and extends from a frame element. The holder 34 is configured as a plurality of rollers 58 that drive a track 60, and all of the rollers 58 may drive the track 60 or one or fewer than all of the rollers 58 may be driven by a motor so that the track 60 in turn is driven. The frame that holds the cutting blade 36 and track 60 can be on a rail so that it can move back and forth in the lateral direction 16. Fig. 11 shows the Fig. 10 embodiment incorporated into the apparatus 10. The plurality of rollers 58 are a first plurality of rollers 58 and drive the first track 60. The first cutting blade 36 is carried by this frame holding the rollers 58 and track 60. The cutting assembly 30 also includes a second plurality of rollers 62 that are associated with and rive a second track 64. A second cutting blade 56 is carried with the second plurality of rollers 62 and the second track 64.

[0034] In order to cut the split ply tire tissue 12, the cutting assembly 30 is lowered so that the cutting blades 36 and 56 are located between the two sections 18, 22. The cutting blades 36, 56 may then be moved away from one another in the lateral direction 16 by a driving mechanism (not shown) on the rail holding the cutting blades 36, 56 until the tracks 60, 64 engage the sections 18, 22. The rollers 58, 62 could then be driven so that the tracks 60, 64 run over the top of the sections 18, 22 and the cutting blades 36, 56 cut both of the sections 18, 22. In some instances, the rollers 58, 62 themselves are not driving rollers but are instead driven completely by the driving mechanism (not shown) that moves the cutting blades 36, 56 with the attached rollers 58, 62 and tracks 60, 64 in the lateral direction 16. In these instances, the rollers 58, 62 rotate but are not fixed with a driving motor or other driving mechanism but are instead rolled by the driving mechanism moving the cutting blades 36, 56.

[0035] Regardless of exactly how the tracks 60, 64 are moved in the lateral direction 16, the tracks 60, 64 engage the tops of the sections 18, 22 and may be urged downwards against the sections 18, 22 via the rigidity of the cutting assembly 30 with respect to the components of the cutting assembly 30 just above the tracks 60, 64. In effect, instead of having a separate holder 34, the tracks 60, 64 and the rollers 58, 62 function themselves as the holder 34. The tracks 60, 64 and rollers 58, 62 are located downstream from the cutting blades 36, 56 in the machine direction 26. A holder or transporter 32 upstream from the cutting blades 36, 56 may hold the sections 18, 22 against the guiding surface 28, and the sections 18, 22 can be retained and cut by thus being held both upstream and downstream in the machine direction 26 as previously discussed.

[0036] As the first plurality of rollers 58 and the first track 60 move across the first section 18, the portion of the first section 18 being cut is held by the first plurality of rollers 58 and the first track 60 that is being cut by the first cutting blade 36, and the portions of the first section 18 not currently being cut by the first cutting blade 36 are not held by the first plurality of rollers 58 and the first track 60. As such, the first plurality of rollers 58 and the first track 60 do not simultaneously hold the first section 18 across the first width 20, but instead hold the first section 18 at the location of the cutting as the first cutting blade 36 advances. In a similar manner, the second plurality of rollers 62 and the second track 64 holds the portion of the second section 22 that is being cut by the second cutting blade 56 and do not urge the entire second width 24 of the second section 22 against the guiding surface 28 at the same time. The sections 18, 22 may thus be cut by the Figs. 10 and 11 embodiments of the holder 34 and cutting blades 36, 56 across the widths 20, 24. The cutting blades 36, 56 are again located within the cutting slot 54 of the guiding table 52 when the cutting process takes place. Although shown as using a pair of cutting blades 36, 56 with the corresponding pairs of rollers 58, 62 and tracks 60, 64 it is to be understood that but a single cutting blade 36 with a single plurality of rollers 58 and track 60 can be present in the apparatus 10 for cutting the split ply tire tissue 12 is other exemplary embodiments.

[0037] An alternative exemplary embodiment of the apparatus 10 is shown with reference to Fig. 12 in which the transporter 32 is not used to hold the split ply tire tissue 12 down against the guiding surface 28 upstream from the cutting bade 36 in the machine direction 26. The suction cups 46 and other portions of the transporter 32 are free from engagement with the split ply tire tissue 12 when it is being cut by the cutting blade 36. A second holder 44 is incorporated into the apparatus 10 and functions to hold the split ply tire tissue 12 down against the guiding surface 28 upstream from the cutting blade 36 in the machine direction 26 when the split ply tire tissue 12 is cut. The first holder 34 is present and holds the split ply tire tissue 12 down against the guiding surface 28 when the split ply tire tissue 12 is cut. The cutting blade 36 may thus cut the split ply tire tissue 12 when the split ply tire tissue 12 is held down on both sides of the cutting blade 36 in the longitudinal direction 14 by the first holder 34 and the second holder 44. Both of the holders 34, 44 can be configured in the same manner, and may be a part of the cutting assembly 30 so that they move up and down in the vertical direction 66 with the blade 36.

Alternatively, the holders 34, 44 may have their own actuation device, such as a piston, so that they can move independently from one another, or independently from the cutting blade 36 in the vertical direction 66. Still further, the holders 34, 44 can be independently mounted into the apparatus 10 so that they are on their own dedicated frames and move via their own tracks, pistons, gears, or other mechanisms. The second holder 44 can be configured with a rubber cylindrical roller 48, a rubber foot 50 or in other manners as previously explained with reference to the first holder 34.

[0038] The apparatus 10 in addition to being used to cut the split ply tire tissue 12 can also be used to cut full width ply tire tissue 38. This ability may allow the apparatus 10 to be used for cutting both types of tissue 12, 38 so that additional cutting stations and equipment do not have to be present so that cost and time savings can be realized. Figs. 13 and 14 show the apparatus 10 being used to cut full width ply tire tissue 38. Once the split ply tire tissue 12 is finished being cut and a different tire 86 design, or a different layer of the same tire 86 to which the split ply tire tissue 12 was a part is desired, a new supply drum with the full width ply tire tissue 38 can be provided and the full width ply tire tissue 38 can be fed into the cutting assembly 30. The set-up may be the same as that previously described with the cutting of the split ply tire tissue 12 and a change out of the components is not necessary. During cutting, the full width ply tire tissue 38 may be held down by the holder 34 and the transporter 32 and cut by the cutting blade 36 in the same manner as previously discussed with reference to the cutting of the split ply tire tissue 12. However, as the full width ply tire tissue 38 is less likely to move or distort during cutting, than would be the case of the split ply tire tissue 12, it may be the case that the full width ply tire tissue 38 is not held down during cutting by the cutting blade 36. In these instances, the cutting blade 36 engages and cuts the full width ply tire tissue 38 with the holder 34 and the suction cups 46 free from engagement with the full width ply tire tissue 38 when the cutting blade 36 is cutting. In other instances, the holder 34 can engage and hold the full width ply tire tissue 38 while the transporter 32 does not engage the full width ply tire tissue 38 during cutting. Alternatively, the transporter 32 may engage and hold the full width ply tire tissue 38 when the cutting blade 36 cuts, while the holder 34 is out of engagement with the full width ply tire tissue 38. In still further embodiments, both the holder 34 and the transporter 32 engage and hold the full width ply tire tissue 38 in the longitudinal direction 40 on either side of the cutting blade 36 while the cutting blade 36 cuts the full width ply tire tissue 38.

[0039] Fig. 14 shows one way of cutting the full width ply tire tissue 38 in which the cutting blades 36, 56 first are moved downward in the vertical direction 66 and pierce the full width ply tire tissue 38 at the center of the full width ply tire tissue 38 in the lateral direction 42. The cutting blades 36, 56 are then moved away from one another in the lateral direction 42 to the positions shown in Fig. 14 in which about half of the overall cut has been made. The cutting blades 36, 56 continue to move away from one another in the lateral direction 42 until the entire full width ply tire tissue 38 is cut. Although described as being a first cutting blade 36 and a second cutting blade 56, the cutting assembly 30 may be described as having only the first cutting blade 36 that is in two parts that move away from one another.

[0040] While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments and methods thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily produce alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.