Patent ID: 6148892
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
Apparatus for inflating a wheel-mounted tire comprising:a frame;a stationary support member mounted on said frame having a support surface;a tire inflation device having an inflation head arranged above said support member and movable along a generally vertical working axis thereof toward and away from said support member between an operative lowered position and an inoperative raised position, respectively;a tire platen assembly having a lower surface supported by said support surface and an upper surface adapted to support a wheel-mounted tire on its side beneath said inflation head such that a central axis of the wheel-mounted tire is arranged generally parallel to said working axis of said inflation head, said platen assembly being movable relative to said support member in any selected one of a plurality of directions transverse to said working axis;a platen hovering device acting on said platen assembly to selectively elevate and maintain said lower surface of said platen assembly and the wheel-mounted tire supported thereon in hovering spaced relation above said support surface of said support member; anda tire centering device having wheel-engaging members supported for coordinated movement into engagement with the hovering wheel-mounted tire in such manner as for displacing the wheel-mounted tire and said platen assembly transversely of said support member to align the central axis of the wheel-mounted tire precisely with said working axis of said inflation head.