Valve hole punching apparatus for a wheel

A valve hole punching apparatus for a vehicle wheel wherein the punch and the bill punching a valve hole in the wheel wall can be adjusted in inclination. In such an apparatus, a wheel into which a valve hole is to be punched is brought to the punching position with its axis maintained in a vertical position. The wheel portion to be punched is punched out by the inclined punch and the bill positioned at a right angle. As a result, handling of the wheel is very easy and punching can be done very smoothly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an apparatus for punching out a valve hole 
in a vehicle wheel. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A conventional valve hole punching machine for a vehicle wheel includes a 
laterally extending U-shaped frame having horizontally extending upper and 
lower jaws. The punch is mounted on the upper jaw so as to be movable 
vertically. Wheels into which a valve hole is to be punched are brought to 
the punching position between the upper and lower jaws and a valve hole is 
punched out with the punch and the lower jaw by lowering the punch. 
However, since the portion of a wheel to be punched inclines with respect 
to the axis of the wheel, the wheel to be punched must be brought to the 
punching position with its axis maintained in an inclined position from 
the vertical direction so that the punch hits the wheel portion at a right 
angle. This setting of the wheel with an inclination has been done 
heretofore by hand and, accordingly, decreases the punching efficiency. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a valve hole punching apparatus 
wherein wheels into which a valve hole is to be punched are brought to the 
punching position with the axis of the wheel maintained in a vertical 
position. Therefore, the wheels can be slid to a punching position on a 
table having a horizontally extending surface. 
The above object can be attained by a valve hole punching apparatus for a 
wheel in accordance with the present invention, which includes a U-shaped 
member adapted so as to be adjustable in inclination. The U-shaped member 
includes upper and lower jaws, the lower jaw including an upwardly 
extending bill. A punch mounting block is mounted on the U-shaped member 
so as to be slidable with respect to the U-shaped member between the upper 
and lower jaws. Driving means are mounted on the upper jaw, for driving 
the punch mounting block. In addition, a punch is mounted on the punch 
mounting block, for punching out a valve hole in a wheel wall in 
cooperation with the bill. 
According to the above valve hole punching apparatus, the punch and the 
bill are adjusted in inclination by adjusting the inclination of the guide 
so that the axes thereof incline from the vertical direction by the angle 
defined between the portion of a wheel to be punched and the end of the 
wheel. Under this condition a wheel to be punched is brought to the 
punching position with the axis thereof maintained in a vertical position. 
When the punch is driven to the wheel portion to be punched, the punch and 
the bill hit the wheel portion at a right angle with respect to the wheel 
portion and can smoothly punch out a valve hole in the wheel portion. The 
wheel can be brought to the punching position by sliding the wheel on the 
horizontally extending plane of a table very easily.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
A valve hole punching apparatus for a wheel includes a fixed frame 1b and a 
slide table 1a adapted to be adjustable in position horizontally with 
respect to the fixed frame 1b. More particularly, a screw 3 of a 
horizontally extending threaded shaft is mounted between the fixed frame 
1b and the slide table 1a. A handle 2 for rotating the screw 3 is coupled 
to one end portion of the screw 3. The screw 3 is rotatably but axially 
fixedly supported by the fixed frame 1b and threadingly engages the 
threads 31 formed in the slide table 1a so that rotation of the screw 3 
moves the slide table 1a horizontally with respect to the fixed frame 1b. 
The slide table 1a is adjusted horizontally in position by rotating the 
screw 3 and is fixed to the fixed frame 1b by tightening a bolt and nut 
mechanism 23. 
A guide 21 is mounted on the slide table 1a so as to be adjustable in 
inclination with respect to the slide table 1a. More particularly, support 
shafts 8 are mounted between the slide table 1a and the guide 21 and 
pivotally connect the slide table 1a and the guide 21. A bearing 11, which 
includes threads on the inside surface thereof, is pivotally connected to 
the slide table 1a. A threaded shaft 10 having a handle 9 at its one end 
is mounted between the bearing 11 and the guide 21. The threaded shaft 10 
includes as one portion thereof a connecting block 30 rotatably coupled to 
the threaded portion of the shaft 10. The threaded shaft 10 threadingly 
engages the threads of the bearing 11 and is pivotally connected, at the 
block 30, to the guide 21 via a shaft 22 so that rotation of the threaded 
shaft 10 axially moves the threaded shaft 10 and, as a result, varies an 
inclination (angle .theta.) of the guide 21 with respect to the slide 
table 1a. The bearing 11 has a slit 24 formed therein, and the axial 
movement of the shaft 10 and the inclination of the guide 21 are fixed by 
rotating a lever 12 so as to close the slit 24. 
A U-shaped member 7 is mounted on the guide 21 so as to be adjustable in 
position along the guide 21. The U-shaped member 7 includes upper and 
lower jaws 5 and 6, respectively, and a connecting portion 25 which 
connects the upper and lower jaws 5 and 6. The lower jaw 6 includes an 
upwardly extending bill 6a. The bill 6a has a longitudinal length longer 
than a distance which is defined between a wheel wall portion 4a, where a 
valve hole is to be punched out of the wheel wall, and a wheel end 4b on 
the side adjacent the wheel wall portion 4a in the direction at a right 
angle with the wheel wall portion 4a. More particularly, a threaded shaft 
14 is mounted between the guide 21 and the U-shaped member 7. The guide 21 
includes a first arm 26 and the U-shaped member 7 includes a second arm 
15. The threaded shaft 14 is rotatably connected to the arm 26 and also 
threadingly engages the arm 15. Thus, the threaded shaft 14 couples the 
first and second arms 26 and 15. Rotation of the threaded shaft 14 by a 
handle 13 fixed to the shaft 14 moves one of the U-shaped member 7 and the 
guide 21. Therefore, rotation of the threaded shaft 14 adjusts the 
position of the U-shaped member 7 relative to the guide 21. 
A punch mounting block 16 is mounted on the U-shaped member 7 so as to be 
slidable with respect to the U-shaped member 7 along the connecting 
portion 25 thereof. A driving cylinder 20 is mounted on the upper jaw 5 so 
as to drive the punch mounting block 16 along the connecting portion 25 of 
the shaped member 7. The cylinder portion 20b of the driving cylinder 20 
is connected to the upper jaw 5 and the rod portion 20a of the cylinder 20 
is connected to the punch mounting block 16. A punch 17 for punching a 
valve hole in a wheel wall in cooperation with the bill 6a is mounted on 
the punch mounting block 16. The punch 17 is connected to the lower 
portion of the punch mounting block 16 by a bolt 27. The punch 17, the 
bill 6a and the cylinder 20 are arranged coaxially with one another. 
A stripper 18 is disposed in the vicinity of the punch 17 so as to move 
relative to the punch 17 and is urged in the direction away from the punch 
mounting block 16. A spring 19 is disposed between the stripper 18 and the 
punch mounting block 16 and the stripper 18 is urged by the spring 19. 
A table 28 is provided having a horizontally extending upper surface. A 
wheel 4 into which a valve hole to be punched is slid toward and away from 
the punching position between the punch 17 and the bill 6a. The table 28 
is mounted on the front side of the U-shaped member 7. A stopper 29 is 
provided for stopping a wheel 4 to be punched at the punching position. 
The stopper 29 is mounted in the vicinity of the U-shaped member 7. Such a 
stopper 29 is usually disposed in a fixed relationship relative to the 
table 28. When a size of a wheel 4 is changed, the slide table 1a must be 
adjusted in position so as to correspond to a change in the punching 
position corresponding to a change in the type of wheel to be punched. 
However, when the stopper 29 is provided so as to be horizontally 
adjustable in position, the slide table la is not necessary because the 
punching position can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the stopper 
29. 
Next, operation of the apparatus will be explained. 
When the type of wheel to be punched is changed, inclination of the guide 
21 together with the U-shaped member 7 including the bill 6a and the punch 
17 is adjusted by rotating the handle 9 so that the common axis of the 
punch 17 and the bill 6a extends at a right angle with respect to the 
wheel portion 4a where a valve hole is to be punched. Also, the slide 
table 1a or the stopper 29 is adjusted in position horizontally by 
rotating the handle 2 or adjusting the stopper 29 so that the common axis 
of the punch 17 and the bill 6a passes through the portion 4a. 
In the punching process, a wheel 4 into which a valve hole is to be punched 
is slid on the upper surface of the table 28 and is brought to the 
punching position with the axis thereof maintained vertical. The wheel 
hits the stopper 29 and stops at the punching position. The positioning of 
the wheel 4 relative to the punching position can be accomplished very 
easily due to the simple sliding of the wheel 4 on the table 28. 
Thereafter, the cylinder 20 is operated to drive the punch mounting block 
16 and the punch 17 toward the wheel 4. When the punch 17 hits the wheel 
wall portion 4a, the punch 17 stops at this position. When the cylinder 20 
is successively operated and the rod portion 20a of the cylinder 20 
continues to protrude further from the cylinder portion 20b, the U-shaped 
member 7, in turn, moves upwardly relative to the punch mounting block 16. 
Therefore, the bill 6a is moved toward the punch 17. Since the bill 6a 
extends upwardly, the lower jaw 6 does not interfere with the wheel wall. 
When the bill 6a reaches at last the wheel portion 4a and is further moved 
upwardly, a valve hole is punched out in the wheel wall portion 4a by the 
punch 17 and the bill 6a. The punch 17 and the bill 6a hit the wheel 
portion 4a at a right angle. Accordingly, the punching operation is 
performed very smoothly. 
After punching, the cylinder 20 is operated in a reverse direction. The 
bill 6a is moved in the direction away from the portion 4a and, 
successively, the punch is moved upwardly in the direction away from the 
portion 4a. The stripper 18 helps the punch 17 separate from the wheel 4. 
The punched wheel is removed away from the punching position and then a 
successive wheel 4 is brought to the punching position and the above 
process is repeated. 
According to the apparatus of the present invention, since a wheel can be 
brought to the punching position with its axis maintained in a vertical 
direction, handling of the wheel is very easy. Therefore, punching 
efficiency is improved. Further, by hitting the punch 17 and the bill 6a 
at a right angle, punching is done very smoothly and with high accuracy. 
Furthermore, since the adjustment of hitting at a right angle is performed 
only by rotation of the screw shaft 10, the adjustment is very easy as 
well as the adjustment mechanism is very simple. In addition, since the 
position of the U-shaped member 7 can be adjusted in position relative to 
the guide 21, adjustment of the vertical position of the punch 17 and the 
bill 6a, which is needed in correspondence with any change in the type of 
wheel to be punched, can be performed very easily by rotating the threaded 
shaft 14. The adjustment mechanism is very simple. Also, since the 
U-shaped member 7 including the bill 6a can move upwardly, the height of 
the apparatus can be kept low. 
Although only one embodiment of the present invention has been described in 
detail above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that 
various modifications and alterations can be made to the particular 
embodiment shown without materially departing from the novel teachings and 
advantages of the present invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood 
that all such modifications and alterations are included within the spirit 
and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.