Machine and method for reducing parts of tires to pieces at the end of life

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10137589-B2
Application number	US-201314443801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Nov 19, 2012
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The machine for breaking a part of a tire down into pieces includes a frame and a tire support which is adapted to support a part of the tire. The machine also has a supplying device which is configured to feed the part of the tire to a cutting station which includes a cutting device. The cutting device has a first blade and a second blade that are pivotable with respect to one another at a fulcrum. At least one of the first and second blades has a concave shape and cooperates with the other blade to keep the part of the tire inside of the blades. The supplying device includes a movable unit which can pivot about a vertical axis between first and second positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for cutting a part of a tire down into pieces, comprising:
a frame;
a tire support for supporting said part of the tire;
a supplying device for supplying said part of the tire, said supplying device being configured to feed said part to a cutting station;
a cutting device, disposed at said cutting station, for cutting said part so as to cut the part down into pieces, the cutting device comprising a first blade and a second blade, at least one of said first and second blades being pivotable in a hinged manner with respect to the other of said first and second blades at a fulcrum and defining a cutting plane, said first blade and second blade being shaped such that the cutting of said part of the tire starts at a distal end part of the blades with respect to the fulcrum;
wherein at least one of the first and second blades has a concave shape and cooperates with the other of the first and second blades to keep said part of the tire to be cut inside of the blades; and
wherein the supplying device includes a movable unit which can pivot about a vertical axis in a hinged manner between a first position for supplying a cap of the tire to the cutting station and a second position for supplying a sidewall of the tire to the cutting station;
wherein the movable unit includes rotatable drive members that rotate about a central axis thereof and that feed said part to the cutting device, wherein in the first position the central axis of the drive members is substantially parallel to a vertical plane of movement of said cutting plane and in the second position the central axis of the drive members is in an inclined position with respect to the vertical plane of movement of said cutting plane.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein one of said blades is fixed with respect to the frame while the other is able to move with respect to said frame.

3. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein each blade comprises a plurality of cutting edges that are disposed so as to define a broken curve.

4. The machine according to claim 3 , wherein, with respect to a central cutting edge, the cutting edges of each blade are at an inclination with respect to a cutting plane, said inclination increasing with increasing distance from said central cutting edge.

5. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein said drive members act on opposite surfaces of said part of the tire.

6. The machine according to claim 5 , further comprising a motor for driving at least one of said drive members in rotation.

7. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the tire support comprises a plurality of rotary support members.

8. The machine according to claim 7 , wherein at least some of the rotary support members are disposed with a parallel axis, so as to define a rectilinear path for supplying the cutting device with part of the tire formed by the cap.

9. The machine according to claim 7 , wherein at least some of the rotary support members are disposed radially with respect to an axis in order to allow a part of the tire formed by at least one sidewall of the tire to rotate about said axis.

10. The machine according to claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of other rotary members that are disposed laterally with respect to the rotary support members in order to laterally contain said part of the tire.

11. The machine according to claim 7 , further comprising a first support element for the plurality of rotary support members that are disposed with a parallel axis, in order to allow the cap of the tire to be supported, or a second support element for another plurality rotary support members that are disposed radially with respect to an axis, in order to allow at least one sidewall of the tire to be supported.

12. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein said first support element or said second support element is configured to be removable with respect to said frame.

13. A method for cutting a part of a tire down into pieces, said part being formed by a sidewall or a cap of the tire, comprising:
disposing said part of the tire in a manner resting against the tire support,
supplying the cutting device with parts of the tire resting against the tire support;
cutting said part of the tire with said cutting device in order to cut said part of the tire down into pieces, wherein said step of cutting said part of the tire with said cutting device comprises a step of relative movement of a first blade that is pivotable in a hinged manner with respect to a second blade at a fulcrum and along a cutting plane and cooperates with said second blade so as to define shears, the blades of which are shaped so as to start cutting at a distal end part of the blades with respect to the fulcrum, wherein at least one of the first and second blades has a concave shape and cooperates with the other of the first and second blades to keep said part of the tire being cut inside of the blades; and
pivoting a movable unit of the supply device in a hinged manner about a vertical axis from a first position, wherein the supply device is configured to supply a cap of the tire to the cutting device, to a second position, wherein the supply device is configured to supply a sidewall of a tire to the cutting device;
wherein the movable unit includes rotatable drive members that rotate about a central axis thereof and that feed said part to the cutting device, wherein in the first position the central axis of the drive members is substantially parallel to a vertical plane of movement of said cutting plane and in the second position the central axis of the drive members is in an inclined position with respect to the vertical plane of movement of said cutting plane.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Michelin Rech Tech
• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Blondelet Michel
• Mattarozzi Alberto
• Pallotta Andre
• Rene Patrick

Classifications

• B26D3/005 Primary

  for cutting used tyres · CPC title

• B26D7/01

  Means for holding or positioning work · CPC title

• B26D5/04

  by fluid pressure · CPC title

• B26D2007/013

  the work being tubes, rods or logs · CPC title

• B26D3/00

  Cutting work characterised by the nature of the cut made; Apparatus therefor · CPC title