An annular mold for curing an annular ring tread is disclosed. The annular mold
has a plurality of radially movable and outwardly expandable inner segments for
forming the inner surface of the tread and a plurality of radially movable and
inwardly contracting outer segments for forming the tread outer surface. The radially
outer segments are parallelograms. Each outer segment when in a closed molding
position spans across one full radially inner segment and portions of two adjacent
inner segments. The radially outer segments have inclined laterally extending edges
relative to the axial direction of the mold while the circumferentially extending
axially outer edges are perpendicular to the axial direction of the mold. The inclined
laterally extending edges are inclined at least 5, preferably about 10
relative to the axial direction. In the preferred embodiment the mold has 12 outer
segments, each segment being of an arc length of about 30.