DEVICE FOR HANDLING VEHICLE WHEEL

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for handling a vehicle wheel, especially for removing a wheel of a lorry from a shaft (24) or for installing it in position, comprising a vertically movable frame portion (2), and gripping means (11, 12, 13) connected to said frame portion for gripping the vehicle wheel (14) and lifting or otherwise displacing the wheel (14) from the shaft (24) or back onto the shaft (24), the gripping means (11, 12, 13) comprising two or more support members (21, 22, 23) arranged to be fitted into a disc wheel groove (20) in the edge of a disc wheel (16) to be handled. The support members (21, 22, 23) are such in shape that the vehicle wheel is rotatable on the support members (21, 22, 23) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20).

Description: Device for handling vehicle wheel The invention relates to a device for handling a vehicle wheel, especially for removing a wheel of a lorry from a shaft or for installing it in position, comprising a vertically movable frame portion, and gripping means connected to said frame portion for gripping the vehicle wheel and lifting or otherwise displacing the wheel from the shaft or back onto the shaft, the gripping means comprising two or more sup¬ port members arranged to be fitted into a disc wheel groove in the edge of a disc wheel to be handled. The device of the invention is used when a vehicle wheel has to be removed from the shaft for repair or maintenance, for instance, or when the wheel has to be removed from the shaft to replace a worn tyre with a new one, or when a spare wheel has to be installed on the road due to a tyre failure. The weight of a vehicle wheel itself is so high that it may be dangerous to handle it merely by human power. Therefore auxiliary means are required for changing the wheel. Labour legislation requires that the specified lifting weights should not be exceeded. In addition, the handling of the vehicle wheel re- quires accuracy, as the disc wheel is installed tightly on the shaft of the vehicle, and it is important that the vehicle wheel can be handled easi¬ ly so that the wheel loading the vehicle shaft can be shifted, that is, in practice, rotated accurately. The change of the vehicle wheel is especially dif¬ ficult when the spare tyre has to be installed in the vehicle in field conditions, because the driver now¬ adays has to face the problem alone and the con¬ ditions are difficult. It is previously known to carry out the change of a worn or e.g. damaged wheel of a vehicle, such as a lorry belonging to the heavy equipment, by using auxiliary means. Solutions known from the prior art comprise long rolls to be positioned under or on both sides of the tyre, and the vehicle wheel is then lifted by moving the rolls. Such a structure is dis¬ closed e.g. in the publications DE - 3 047 844; US - 4 690 605; and EP - 0 125 551. EP - 0 114 147 dis¬ closes a structure comprising a means by which the wheel can be locked in position by pressing said means against the disc wheel. The prior art has many disadvantages. When the tyre of the vehicle wheel is damaged, e.g. blown out, the handling of the vehicle wheel is very difficult by means of the existing devices. A damaged vehicle tyre, e.g. a tyre broken completely apart, in which most of the tyre portion of rubber has disappeared, cannot be gripped appropriately by the prior devices. A further disadvantage of certain other known solutions is that the device is such in structure that it comprises various means positioned close to the end of the shaft positioned in the middle of the disc wheel, and so the inner wheel of twin wheels cannot, for instance, be removed by the prior art devices, because the parts of the device come into contact with the shaft end when one attempts to push the device towards the inner wheel of the twin wheels. US Patent 4 022 341 discloses a device for lifting a vehicle wheel from a shaft. The wheel is handled with this device by the disc wheel groove, but the support means to be fitted into the disc wheel groove is such in shape that the wheel can only be lifted by .means of it, as the support means com- prises two adjacent narrow plate portions on which the wheel cannot be rotated. In addition, lifting in this device is carried out from the upper edge of the device by means of a lifting hook and a wire rope. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for handling a vehicle wheel, which avoids the problems and disadvantages of the prior art solutions and enables the vehicle wheel to be removed and/or installed and handled in other ways efficiently, easily and reasonably. The solution of the invention enables the vehicle wheel to be rotated on support members fitted into the disc wheel groove, and so it is also possible to align the bolt holes of the wheel. This object is achieved by means of a device according to the invention, which is characterized in that the support members are such in shape that the vehicle wheel is rotatable on the support members fitted into the disc wheel groove. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the support member is roll-shaped or at least partially ball-shaped. Various measures involving handling of a vehicle wheel can be carried out easily by means of the device of the invention. The structure of the device enables the wheel to be rotated and, accor - ingly, the bolt holes of a disc wheel, for instance, to be aligned. In addition, the inner wheel of twin wheels can be handled easily by the device according to the invention. In the following the invention will be de- scribed with reference to the attached drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the device of the invention as seen in the direction of the shaft of a vehicle; Figure 2 shows the device of the invention as seen in a direction perpendicular to the shaft of the vehicle; Figure 3 is a top view of the device of the invention; Figure 4 is a side view of the device shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a displacing mechanism for a support member of a gripping means to be fitted into the disc wheel groove of a disc wheel; Figure 6 shows the device of the invention in the direction of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows a fastening mechanism for the support members; Figure 8 shows a slide means used as a height adjusting means of the support member. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device of the invention comprises a frame, that is, frame portions 1 and 2 which are movable with respect to each other either by means of an external lifting means or a lifting means 3 comprised in the device. The figures show the lifting means 3, such as a hydraulic lifter, having a fixed portion 4 supported on a transverse rod 5 connected to the inner frame portion 1, that is, to the stationary frame portion 1 of the device, and a movable portion 6 supported to a rod 5a inter- connecting the different halves of the outer frame portion 2 of the device, the outer frame portion being movable upward with respect to the stationary inner frame portion 1 by said rod 5a under the influence of a force exerted on the lifting means 3 by a crank 7. The lifting means 3 may also be supported on an underlying surface. The stationary inner frame portion 1 of the device is connected to support wheels 8, of which there are several and by means of which the device is easy to displace on the underlying surface 9. The inner and outer frame portion 1 and 2 of the device are positioned at least partly within each other on two sides so that the device comprises a structure formed by connecting the inner frame pipes 1 with the transverse rod 5 and a structure which comprises the outer frame pipes 2 and an interconnecting upper transverse pipe 10 and the rod 5a, to which a lifting force can be exerted by the lifting means 3. Both halves of the outer frame pipe 2 and the upper transverse pipe 10 are preferably made of the same pipe by bending. The device comprises at least two (in the figures three) gripping means 11, 12, 13, by means of which a vehicle wheel 14 can be lifted or other- wise displaced or supported when a tyre 15 with its disc wheel 16 is removed or installed. The gripping means 11, 12, 13 comprise an arm 17, 18, 19 or other similar means, which is connected to the frame por¬ tion 2 liftable by the lifting means 3, a preferably substantially roll-like support member 21, 22, 23 being connected to the arm 17, 18, 19, respectively, which support members are arranged to be fitted into a disc wheel groove 20 at the lifting stage, and they form part of the gripping means 11, 12, 13 as well as the support arms. The term gripping means refers to an entity comprising the support member, such as a roll-like or ball-like support member, and its fas¬ tening structure, such as an arm. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, there may be e.g. three gripping means 11, 12, 13 with the support members 21, 22, 23, which can be fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 in the outer edge of the disc wheel 16 at the lifting stage. The support members 21, 22, 23 are preferably at least partially circular, that is, preferably roll-like or ball-like, and each sup- port member is connected by a fastening mechanism, such as the arm 17, 18, 19, to the outer frame pipe 2 of the frame, that is, to the vertically movable por¬ tion of the frame structure of the device, so that when the outer frame portion 2 is lifted by the lift¬ ing means 3, the gripping means 11, 12, 13 with their support members 21, 22, 23 rise with the outer frame portion 2, which can be moved from below in the ver¬ tical direction, and so the support members are fitted into the disc wheel groove 20. When the lift¬ ing movement is continued, the wheel 14 remains rest¬ ing on the support members 21-23 so that the wheel no longer loads the shaft of the vehicle. The support member arms 17, 18, 19 comprised in the gripping means 11, 12, 13 are so shaped and dimensioned that two or more roll-like support members 21, 22, 23 can be fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 at the lifting stage, so that the support members 21, 22, 23 are positioned in the disc wheel groove 20, and when the lifting movement is still continued, the vehicle wheel 14 rises so that it rests on the gripping means 11, 12, 13, that is, on the support members 21, 22, 23, in practice. By adjusting the lifting means 3 it is thus possible to find a lifting height at which the wheel loads the vehicle shaft 24 as little as possible after the fastening bolts of the disc wheel 16 have been re¬ moved. By means of the preferably roll-shaped or ball- shaped support members 21, 22, 23 to be fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 of the disc wheel 16 of the vehicle wheel 14, the vehicle wheel 14 can be rotated easily, which is important for the performance of the work, especially for the alignment of-bolt holes 25 in the disc wheel 16. In Figure 1, the reference numeral 30 indicates ventilation openings in the disc wheel 16. Figure 5 shows the mechanism of the support member 21, 22, 23 of the gripping means 11, 12 or 13 to be fitted into the disc wheel groove, which mechanism enables the roll-like support member 21, 22 or 23 and the support member arm 17, 18, or 19 to be displaced and tightened against the disc wheel groove 20. The mechanism comprises e.g. a gear rack mechan- ism 31, 32, 33, 34, so that the arm 17, 18, 19 attached to the support member 21, 22 or 23 adjoins a gear rack 31, which can be moved in a housing 32 by means of a gear 33 and a crank handle 34. If re¬ quired, the disc wheel 16 can be locked from the disc wheel groove 20. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the support members 21, 22, 23 are positioned in the device so that an end point 36 of the vehicle shaft 24 carrying the vehicle wheel 14 to be removed or installed is open in the structure of the device. In this way, it is also possible to handle and rotate twin wheels, as the end of the shaft of the vehicle does not make contact with the device. In Figure 6, a larger wheel is handled on the left side as compared with the right side. It appears from the figure that it has to be possible to fasten the support members higher when handling large wheels. In the preferre3 embodiment of the invention, the support members 21 and 23 above a horizontal centre line F of the wheel are connected to the height adjusting means of the support member. The height adjusting means is a slide means 40 for the support member 21 and another slide means 41 for the support member 23. The first slide means 40 can be moved obliquely upward and downward in the direc- 8 tion shown by the arrow A. The second slide means 41 can be moved obliquely upward and downward in the direction of the arrow B. The slide means is shown in Figure 8, in which the slide means 40 and 41 com- 5 prises an opening 70 for a shaft means 51 and 53, respectively, and an opening 71 shown by broken lines G for a locking means 72 shown in Figure 4. In addition, the slide means 40 comprises an opening 73 for the upper transverse rod 10 carrying the support 10 members. The other structural parts shown in Figure 6 mainly correspond to those shown in Figure 1; as shown in Figure 6, the slide means 40 and 41 are attached to the vertically movable frame portion 2 of 15 the frame, which can be lifted by the lifting means 3. In addition, Figure 6 also shows the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 7, in which at least one support member is connected to a turning means 43 loaded by a spring member 42, so that the 20 support member 22 can be lifted by the action of the movement of the turning means 43 away from the disc wheel groove 20 and returned into the disc wheel groove 20 by the action of the spring force of the spring member. This arrangement also facilitates the 25 handling of larger wheels while it also locks, if required, the wheel in position if the spring force is sufficient. In Figure 6, arches C and D show the path of the support member 22, moveable by the turn¬ ing means 43, when the support member 22 is lifted 30 from the disc wheel groove 20 by the turning means 43. The shaft of the turning means is indicated with the reference numeral 44. Figure 7 is taken in the same direction as Figures 2 and 4. Bolt holes 25 extend through a disc- 35 wheel end 54 shown in the middle of Figure 7. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 7, one or more support members 22 to be fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 are connected to a sup¬ port member collar portion 45, the edge of the disc wheel groove 20 being arranged to be fitted between the support member 22 and the collar portion 45. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring-loaded support member 22 is the support member which is connected to the collar portion 45. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7, the support members 21 and 23 are attached by means of shafts 51 and 53 to the ver¬ tically movable frame portion 2 or to the upper transverse pipe 10 interconnecting the halves of the frame portion 2. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, to facilitate the rotation of the wheel and the alignment of bolt holes, at least one support member 21, 23, is connected to a handle means 61, 63, positioned on the shaft 51, 53 of the support member, respectively, the support member 21, 23 being rotatable by the handle means 61, 63, as shown in Figure 7 (also Figures 3 and 4). Figure 7 also shows the slide means 40 with the opening 73, through which the upper transverse pipe 10 extends. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises at least two support members 21, 23 which are fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 above a horizontal centre line F of the wheel on opposite sides of a vertical centre line E of the wheel, and at least one support member 22 which is fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 below the horizontal centre line F, as shown in Figure 6. This arrangement enables the wheel to be rotated easily and ensures that the wheel stays in place in the device. Figure 3 is a top view of the device. The figure shows the outer, vertically movable frame por¬ tion 2, which comprises two pipes and an inter¬ connecting transverse pipe indicated by the reference numeral 10 similarly as in Figure 1. The gripping means 11 and 13, that is, the support member 21 and the shaft 51 and the support member 23 and the shaft 53, are attached to the upper transverse pipe 10. The outer, vertically movable frame portion 2 can be lifted with respect to the stationary inner frame portion 1 by the lifting means 3 from the lower interconnecting rod 5a, which, however, is not shown in Figure 3, as it remains below the upper transverse pipe 10. The shafts 51 and 53 pass through pipes 81 and 83. The shaft 51, for example, is mounted with respect to the pipe 81 by a bearing 91. The pipes 81 and 83 are attached to the upper transverse pipe 10 of the vertically movable frame portion 2; in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the support members 21 and 23 are thus attached rotatably to the pipes 81 and 83 by means of the shafts 51 and 53, and so the wheel can be rotated accurately by means of the handle means 61 and 63 connected to the shafts 51 and 53. In other words, the pipes 81 and 83 act as fastening means for the support members 21 and 23. The fastening means, that is, the pipes 81 and 83, can be attached directly to the frame portion 2 or the attachment can be made indirectly by attaching the pipes 81 and 82 to the upper transverse pipe 10 interconnecting the different halves of the frame portion 2, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7. The drawings and the description related to them are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its details, the device according to the invention may vary considerably within the inventive idea disclosed in the claims. The device according to the invention is suitable for handling vehicle wheels. In addition to a lorry, the device according to the invention can be used for handling tractor, implement, airplane, car or van wheels, for instance.

Claims: Claims : 1. A device for handling a vehicle wheel, especially for removing a wheel of a lorry from a shaft (24) or for installing it in position, com¬ prising a vertically movable frame portion (2), and gripping means (11, 12, 13) connected to said frame portion for gripping the vehicle wheel (14) and lift¬ ing or otherwise displacing the wheel (14) from the shaft (24) or back onto the shaft (24), the gripping means (11, 12, 13) comprising two or more support members (21, 22, 23) arranged to be fitted into a disc wheel groove (20) in the edge of a disc wheel (16) to be handled, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 22, 23) are such in shape that the vehicle wheel is rotatable on the sup¬ port members (21, 22, 23) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20). 2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 22, 23) are roll-like or ball-like. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 22, 23) are positioned in the device so that an end point (36) of the shaft (24) carrying the vehicle wheel (14) to be removed or installed is open in the device. 4. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that one or more support members (22) to be fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) are connected to a support member collar portion (45), the edge of the disc wheel groove (20) being arranged to be fitted between the support member (22) and the collar portion (45). 5. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (21, 22, 23) arranged to be fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) of the disc wheel (16) is connected to means (31-34) for displac- ing the support member (21, 22, 23) and for tighten¬ ing it towards the disc wheel groove (20) or away from the disc wheel groove (20). 6. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (22) is connected to a turn¬ ing means (43) loaded by a spring member (42), the support member (22) being liftable away from the disc wheel groove (20) by a movement of the turning means and returnable into the disc wheel groove (20) by the spring force of the spring member (42). 7. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (21, 23) is connected to a handle means (61, 63) positioned on a shaft (51, 53) of the support member, the support member being rotatable by said handle means. 8. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the device comprises at least two support members (21, 23) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) above a horizontal centre line (F) of the wheel on opposite sides of a vertical centre line (E) of the wheel, and at least one support member (22) fitted into the disc wheel groove 20 below the horizontal centre line (F). 9. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 23) above the horizontal centre line (F) are connected to height adjusting means (40, 41) for the support member. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 11 June 1992 (11.06.92); original claims 1,2,4-7 amended; other claims unchanged (2 pages)] 1. A device for handling a vehicle wheel, especially for removing a wheel of a lorry from a shaft (24) or for installing it in position, comprising a vertically movable frame portion (2) , and gripping means (11, 12, 13) connected to said frame portion for gripping the vehicle wheel (14) and lifting or otherwise displacing the wheel (14) from the shaft (24) or back onto the shaft (24), the gripping means (11, 12, 13) comprising support members (21, 22, 23) arranged to be fitted into a disc wheel groove (20) in the edge of a disc wheel (16) to be handled, and the support members (21, 22, 23) are such in shape that the vehicle wheel is rotatable on the support members (21, 22, 23) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that there are at least three support members (21, 22, 23) and then the device comprises at least two support members (21, 23) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) above a horizontal centre line (F) of the wheel on opposite sides of a verti¬ cal centre line (E) of the wheel, and at least one support member (22) fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) below the horizontal centre line (F) . 2. A device according to claim l, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 23) above the horizontal centre line (F) are connected to height adjusting means (40, 41) for the support member. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the support members (21, 22, 23) are positioned in the device so that an end point (36) of the shaft (24) carrying the vehicle wheel (14) to be removed or installed is open in the device. 4. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (21, 22, 23) arranged to be fitted into the disc wheel groove (20) of the disc wheel (16) is connected to means (31-34, or 42, 43) for displacing the support member (21, 22, 23) and for tightening it towards the disc wheel groove (20) or away from the disc wheel groove (20) . 5. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (22) is connected to a turning means (43) loaded by a spring member (42) , the support member (22) being 1iftable away from the disc wheel groove (20) by a movement of the turning means and returnable into the disc wheel groove (20) by the spring force of the spring member (42) . 6. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the support member, which is con¬ nected to a turning means (43) loaded by a spring member (42) , is connected to a support member collar portion (45) , the edge of the disc wheel groove (20) being ar¬ ranged to be fitted between the support member (22) and the collar portion (45) . 7. A device according to any of the preceding claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one support member (21, 23) is connected to a handle means (61, 63) positioned on a shaft (51, 53) of the support member being rotatable by said handle means.

Inventors: LAAKSONEN REIJO, LAAKSONEN, REIJO
Applicants: AUTO JURE OY, AUTO-JURE OY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B60B29
IPC codes: B60B29, B60B30, B66F5