APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING FITTING AND REMOVING VEHICLE WHEELS

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for facilitating fitting and removal of vehicle wheels with the aid of a tool in the form of a pneumatic nut tightener. For the purpose of eliminating the need to work in uncomfortable postions, the inventive apparatus includes a low carriage (1) which is provided with carrier means comprising rollers (13) operative in fixating the lower part of an upstanding wheel (14) positioned in the transverse direction of the carriage, and an upstanding support device (3) which is connected to the carriage for limited pivotal movement and against which the wheel (14) can lean. The support device carries the tool (7) and is effective in moving the tool vertically and laterally, such as to enable the tool to be applied to the wheel (14).

Description: Apparatus for facilitating fitting and removing vehicle wheels. The present invention relates to apparatus for faci¬ litating the fitting and removal of the wheels of an automotive vehicle with the aid of a tool operative in mechanically tightening and loosening the nuts or screws of vehicle wheels. As is well known, this task is one in which the fitter concerned is obliged to adopt awkward and uncomfortable positions and which has resulted in various kinds of injury, e.g. to the spine, arms and knees. Wheels which are somewhat heavier than normal are particularly dif¬ ficult to lift and place in position ready for the wheel nuts to be tightened. The object of the present invention is to provide appar- atus which will enable the wheels of a vehicle to be fitted and removed without physical effort and in a comfortable working posture. This object is achieved in accordance with the inven- tion, by means of apparatus having the characteristic features set forth in the characterising clause of the following claims. So that the invention will be more readily understood and the advantages afforded thereby become more appa¬ rent, an exemplifying embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing, all the views of which are side views and in which: Figure 1 illustrates the inventive apparatus when moved towards a wheel hub; Figure 2 illustrates the apparatus when lifting a wheel; and Figure 3 illustrates loosening of a wheel which is screwed firmly to a wheel hub. When removing or fitting the wheels of an automotive vehicle, the vehicle is normally raised, so that all the wheels, or at least one wheel pair at a time, is free from the ground or like foundation surface. For the purpose of eliminating the strain and acute discomfort associated with the task of removing and fitting the wheels of a motor vehicle, the illustrated exemplifying embodiment of the inventive apparatus has the form of a low-slung carriage 1 which is supported on wheels 2. The carriage is equipped with an upstanding support device, which is journalled for limited pivotal movement in its lateral direction and in the longi- tudinal direction of the carriage. The support device has an upper part 4 which is mounted telescopically on a lower part 5 and which is provided at the top with a handle 6. Pivotally mounted on the upper part 4 is a pneumatic tool 7 which is intended for mechanically tightening and loosening the wheel nuts or screws, i.e. a so-called nut tightener. The tool is mounted so that it will normally extend downwards, but such as to allow it to be lifted to a position sustantially at right angles to the support device 3, with the aid of a strong wire 8'attached to the tool and capable of being acti¬ vated by an auxiliary arm 8. The tool 7 is connected to a pneumatic connector 9, via an operating device 10, located on the handle 6 , and compressed-air lines not shown. The lower part 5 of the support device 3 is journalled on journal means 11 and is provided with a lever arm 12. Journalled on the free end of the lever arm 12 are two rollers 13 or like devices, the journal axles of which are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the carriage. Placed on the rollers 13, so as to lean towards the tool 7, is a wheel 14 which is to be fitted to the wheel hub 15 of a vehicle, said hub being provided with studs or bolts 16 with which attachment holes in the wheel 14 are to be aligned. This alignment is achieved by braking the carriage, using herefor a foot-operated brake arrange¬ ment 17, and then pulling the support device backwards, so that the lever arm will lift the rollers, and there- with the wheel 14, to the requisite height at the same time as the wheel is lifted and turned on the rollers 13, to a position in which the wheel can be slid onto the studs 16 carried by the wheel hub (Fig. 2). The tool 7 is connected to a compressed-air line (Fig. 3), by means of the connector 9, whereafter the tool is raised to a working position, with the aid of the auxil¬ iary arm 8. The tool can then be brought into alignment with the nut or stud locations, by swinging the support device laterally and raising or lowering the upper part 4 of said device. With the nuts inserted, the tool 7 can be brought into working engagement with each stud or bolt 16 in turn, by forward displacement of the support device 3. The nuts are unscrewed in a corresponding manner, although when a nut has been unscrewed, the support device is moved slightly backwards and the auxiliary arm is released, so that the tool 7 will tilt downwards, wherewith the nut, referenced 18 in Fig. 3, will normally fall into a receptacle 19 on the carriage 1. When all nuts have been removed, the support device 3 is moved rearwards to an extent such that the rollers 13 will slightly lift the wheel 14 , so as to loosen the wheel from the studs 16, whereupon the wheel will fall onto the support device 3 or onto the downwardly tilted tool 7, to the position shown in Figure 1. It will be understood that the invention is not res¬ tricted to the described and illustrated embodiment and that modifications can be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. For instance, the lever arm 12 may be ommitted and the rollers 13 journalled immediately on the carriage 1, in which case it is necessary to tip the carriage about its rear wheels 2, when wishing to raise the rollers 13. Furthermore, the inventive apparatus can be combined with a garage jack. The compressed-air can also be used to lift the rollers 13, instead of the lever arm 12.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Apparatus for facilitating the fitting and removal of the wheels of an automotive vehicle with the aid of a tool operative in mechanically tightening and loosening the nuts or screws of vehicle wheels, comprising a low carriage (1) which is provided with carrier means com¬ prising rollers (13) operative in fixating the lower part of an upstanding wheel (14) positioned in the transverse direction of the carriage, and further com¬ prising an upstanding support device (3) which is con¬ nected to the carriage for limited pivotal movement in the longitudinal direction of the carriage and against which the wheel (14) can lean, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the upstanding support device (3) is also moun¬ ted for limited pivotal movement in the transverse direction of the carriage and has an upper part (4) which carries a handle (6) and which is telescopically mounted on a lower part (5) of said device (3) and carries a tool (7) which can be raised, lowered and moved laterally by means of the support device and which is capable of being applied in sequence to the wheel nuts without intermediate lateral movement of the carriage (1). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i s e d in that the tool is arranged so as to be capable of being tipped downwards with the aid of an auxiliary arm (8) mounted on the support device (3). 3. Apparatus according to claim l or 2, c h a r a c¬ t e r i s e d in that the carriage is connected to a compressed-air source which operates to move the the carrier means (13) up and down and also to drive the tool (7).

Inventors: MICKOS KAJ, MICKOS, KAJ
Applicants: MICKOS KAJ, MICKOS, KAJ
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B60B29
IPC codes: B60B29