Abstract:
A tire repair plug installation tool that can be used from the outside without requiring the tire to be removed from the rim upon which it is mounted. An all-in-one tool which contains all of the various parts required to effect a repair in a tubeless tire. The objectives are accomplished by providing a handle including a compartment defined therein for storing extra plugs, a shaft drivingly engaging the handle with a plug hook means incorporated therein and a reamer at an end of the shaft opposite from the point where the shaft attaches to the ratchet means.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to tools for repairing holes in pneumatic tires. More particularly, the invention relates to tools for inserting repair plugs into tubeless tires without the need to remove the tire from the rim on which the tire is mounted. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Tubeless tires are tires which are mounted on a wheel wherein the wheel forms a part of the seal to hold in air under pressure. The side of the tire has a bead which butts against a corresponding portion of the wheel rim forming an air-tight seal. No tube is required in these types of tires. 
     However, as a result of the requirement that tubeless tires firmly seat against the wheel rim, they are difficult to remove from the wheel rim, even when they are flat. Special tools are generally required to remove the flat tire from the rim to enable a hole in the tire to be repaired. Therefore, it is desirable to have a tool which allows a hole in a tubeless tire to be repaired without removing the tire from the wheel rim. 
     Devices for repairing holes in tubeless tires without removing them from the rim are well known. A primary type of device for repairing holes in tubeless tires without removing them from the rim on which they are mounted employ a substantially cylindrical rubber “plug” and a tool for inserting the plug into a hole. The following patents disclosing devices using the plug-type repair mechanism, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, are relevant to the present invention: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 YEAR 
                   
                   
               
               
                 NO. 
                 TITLE 
                 PAT. NO. 
                 ISSUED 
                 INVENTOR 
                 NOTE 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1. 
                 Tire Repair 
                 5,746,851 
                 1998 
                 Smith 
                 Discloses a specialized tire repair 
               
               
                   
                 Apparatus 
                   
                   
                   
                 plug, not a tool. The plug is 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 substantially cut in half by a slit, an 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 associated tool being inserted into the 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 slit and used to stretch the plug 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 (decreasing its diameter) whereupon 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 the plug and tool are inserted into a 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 hole, then the tool is withdrawn from 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 the slit. 
               
               
                 2. 
                 Tire Repair Plug and 
                 5,062,323 
                 1991 
                 Roberts et 
                 Discloses a tire repair tool and 
               
               
                   
                 Installation Tool 
                   
                   
                 al. 
                 specialized plug adapted to be used 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 therewith. The tool stretches the plug 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 which has two enlarged ends, then a 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 bulbous enlarged end is inserted into 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 the tire, whereupon the protruding 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 enlarged end is cut flush with the 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 surface of the tire. 
               
               
                 3. 
                 Tire Repair Plug and 
                 4,802,388 
                 1989 
                 Roberts 
                 Discloses a tire repair tool and 
               
               
                   
                 Tool 
                   
                   
                   
                 specialized plug adapted to be used 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 therewith. The plug has an enlarged 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 head which is pulled against the inner 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 surface of the tire by used of an 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 external loop attached to the plug and 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 an associated tool. 
               
               
                 4. 
                 Tire Repair Tool 
                 4,716,792 
                 1988 
                 Hector 
                 Discloses a tire repair tool and 
               
               
                   
                 Means 
                   
                   
                   
                 specialized plug adapted to be used 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 therewith. The plug has a hardened 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 head portion which is inserted first 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 and which prevents the plug from 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 being forced to back out of the hole. 
               
               
                 5. 
                 Tire Repair Tool 
                 3,945,273 
                 1976 
                 Wolk 
                 Discloses a tire repair tool with a 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 replaceable tube for insertion of a 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 typical repair plug. 
               
               
                 6. 
                 Tool for Inserting a 
                 3,855,881 
                 1974 
                 Buckland 
                 Discloses a tire repair tool and 
               
               
                   
                 Repair Plug and 
                   
                   
                   
                 specialized plug adapted to be used 
               
               
                   
                 Patch in a Wire Cord 
                   
                   
                   
                 therewith. To use this invention, the 
               
               
                   
                 Tire 
                   
                   
                   
                 tire is preferably removed from the 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 rim. The plug is a “mushroom-like” 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 shape, the head of the mushroom 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 forming a seal inside the tire and the 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 stem extending out through the hole. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The prior art tools are primarily designed to use specialized plugs. The specialized plugs required have not taken root in the market place. Rather, most repairs continue to use simple cylindrical plugs. Therefore, there is a need for an improved tool for installation of simple cylindrical plugs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seeks to provide a tire repair plug installation tool that can be used from the outside without requiring the tire to be removed from the rim upon which it is mounted. It is further an object of the invention to provide an all-in-one tool which contains all of the various parts required to effect a repair in a tubeless tire. The objectives are accomplished by providing a handle including a compartment defined therein for storing extra plugs, a shaft drivingly engaging the handle with a plug hook means incorporated therein and a reamer at an end of the shaft opposite from the point where the shaft attaches to the ratchet means. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool with a ratchet means disposed in a housing on a lower surface of the handle, the shaft drivingly engaging the ratchet means so that the user may more easily turn the reamer. 
     It is further an object of the invention to provide a tool where more than one size of ratchet may be interchanged to allow a user to use the tool more effectively to repair a larger size range of holes in tire. 
     It is finally an object of the invention to provide a single tool which incorporates all of the elements required to patch a hole in a tubeless tire, including cutting means for trimming the plug after it has been inserted. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following drawings are submitted with this patent application. 
     FIG. 1 is a side view with the handle shown in cross section. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view with a plug shown in the plug hook means. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view with a plug shown in the plug hook means. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the reamer along lines  4 — 4  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the cap including a cutting means. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of the cap including a cutting means. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of an embodiment, in partial cross section, incorporating a shaft member adapted to threadedly engage the handle. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional along the lines  8 — 8  from FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is a detail side view of a small shaft member with threaded attachment means. 
     FIG. 10 is a detail side view of a larger shaft member with threaded attachment means. 
     FIG. 11 is a detail side view, in partial cross section, of the threaded attachment of a small reamer to the shaft member. 
     FIG. 12 is a detail side view, in partial cross section, of the threaded attachment of a large reamer to the shaft member. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1, shows the tool  10  in partial sectional side view. The handle  12  is hollow and defines a compartment  14  therein used to hold spare plugs  46 . The handle  12  has a first end  15 , which defines an opening therein having a female threaded portion  16 . The handle also has a lower surface  21  defining finger indentations  22 , therein. A cap  18  has a male threaded portion  20  adapted to be received within the female threaded portion  16  thus removably sealing the opening in the first end  15 . Several spare plugs  46  are shown disposed within the compartment  14  defined within the handle  12  and sealed by the cap  18 . 
     The handle  12  and cap  18  may be composed of any substantially rigid material including, but not limited to ferrous metals and alloys such as steel, cast iron, or stainless steel; nonferrous metals and alloys such as nickel and nickel alloys, copper and alloys, or titanium and alloys; inorganic nonmetallics such as glass, porcelain (though presumably inorganic nonmetallics would be too brittle to be a preferable material); organic nonmetallics such as polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), fluorocarbons (such as teflon, Kel-F and Kynar), polycarbonates, polypropylene, nylons, and acetals; wood or other appropriate materials. Preferably, the material used for construction of the handle  12  would have all of the following properties: relatively high strength, light weight (i.e., low density), non-brittle, and resistance to adverse environmental conditions. 
     On the lower surface  21  of the handle  12  a housing  23  is also provided. The housing  23  is adapted to receive a ratchet means  42 . FIG. 1 shows the ratchet means in partial section, i.e., the portion of the housing  23 , which would normally conceal the ratchet means  42  is cut away. The ratchet means  42  includes a direction switch  44  which allows a user to select the direction of rotation caused by the ratchet means  42 . Mechanisms appropriate for the ratchet means  42  and direction switch  44  are well known. Common household socket sets include ratchet mechanisms which are adaptable to this use, such mechanisms using two cog wheels having opposing directional teeth with a cog adapted to slidingly engage one of the cog wheels. When the cog engages a first cog wheel it is caused to preferably rotate clockwise, and counter-clockwise when engaging a second cog wheel. The switch being used to urge the cog between a position engaging the first cog wheel and a position engaging the second cog wheel. 
     A shaft  25  is attached to the ratchet means  42  by way of connection means  24  for drivingly engaging the shaft  25  with the ratchet means  42 . Thus, the shaft  25  is in rotational connection with the ratchet means  42 . This allows a user to drivingly rotate the shaft  25  by turning the handle, then “ratcheting” it back and repeating the turning motion, similar to the concept used in well known ratcheting screwdrivers, socket drivers and the like. The connection means  24  is preferably a releaseable connection such as an opening to closely receive the shaft and a set-pin or the like to hold the shaft  25  in position. As shown in FIG. 7, the shaft  25  would have at a terminal end  52  of its upper portion  26  a set of male threads  54 . The male threads would be adapted to threadingly engage a corresponding set of female threads  56  defined within the ratchet means  42 . Alternatively, the shaft  25  may be welded to a lower cog-wheel in the ratchet means  42 . There are a plurality of well known means for drivingly connecting a shaft to a machine part, and it is the intent of the invention to incorporate these means. 
     The size  25  of the shaft is preferably between ⅛ of an inch and ¼ of an inch. However, the shaft  25  could be of any size appropriate to the hole being plugged. The diameter of the plug  46  to be used should be slightly larger than the diameter of the reamer  30  and shaft  25 . Where the connection means  24  allows the shaft  25  to be removed, the tool  10  may be sold in a kit (not shown) with several different sizes of shafts  25 . As shown in FIGS. 7,  9 , and  10 , each size of shaft  25  and associated reamer  30  would be adapted to be used with a particular size of plug  46  for plugging a hole similar in diameter to the size of the shaft  25  and associated plug  46 . Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 8,  11  and  12 , a variety of interchangeable reamers  30  could be provided for removable attachment to the shaft  25 , as shown, cooperating male  58  and female  60  threads. The size of the hole to be repaired may be determined with a gauge (not shown), such as the gauge disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,161 to Roberts, incorporated herein by reference. The appropriate size of reamer is then used to enlarge the puncture to the next larger common size of plug. 
     The shaft  25  includes an upper portion  26  and a lower portion  28 . At a terminal end of the lower portion  28 , a reamer  30  is disposed. As noted above, the upper portion  26  is connected via the connection means  24  to the ratchet means  42 . Disposed between the upper portion  26  and the lower portion  28  is a plug hook means  34  for inserting a plug into a puncture in a tubeless tire. The plug hook means  34 , as shown, is composed of a hook portion  36 , a cup portion  38 , and a tapered portion  40 . The plug hook means  34  is adapted to receive a plug  46 . 
     The reamer is shown in cross-sectional detail in FIG.  4 . FIG. 4 particularly illustrates the reamer blades  32 . As shown in FIG. 4, the reamer  30  includes four reamer blades,  32   a - 32   d.  However, it should be understood that any number of reamer blades could be incorporated in the reamer  30 . Also, as shown, the reamer blades  32   a - 32   d  extend beyond the outer circumference of the reamer  30 . The blades could also be defined by grooves cut into the outer circumference of the reamer leaving sharp edges. As shown, the reamer blades  32   a - 32   d  only cut when the reamer is turned in a counter-clockwise direction. The orientation of the blades  32   a - 32   d  can be better understood by reference to FIG. 3, in which the tip  48  of the reamer  30  is facing the viewer. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are detailed drawings of the cap  18  including a cutting means  50  for cutting the plug  46  flush with the surface of a tire once the plug  46  is installed. As shown, the cutting means  50  is a razor blade fixedly mounted to the end of the male threaded portion  20 . The cutting means  50  could also slidingly engage a corresponding slot in the male threaded portion  20  as is well known in the prior art, so that the blade could be exchanged for a new one if it becomes dulled. It is preferred that the cutting means  50  be disposed in the cap because that way there are fewer external sharp surfaces on the tool  10  which could cut a user. The cutting means is not shown in the invention in FIGS.  1 - 4 , but the cutting means is included in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The cutting means could also be a cutting blade stored loosely in the compartment  14 . 
     In operation, a user grasps the handle  12  in one hand and guides the tip  48  into a hole in a tire to be repaired with his other hand. The user then sets the direction switch  44  so as to cause the reamer blades  32   a - 32   d  to cut the hole to a sufficiently large dimension to allow the shaft and plug to be inserted. If the reamer jams, the direction switch may be reversed to allow the reamer  30  to be more easily extracted from the hole. Once a sufficiently large hole has been reamed, the user places a plug  46  against the cup portion  38  as shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 . Preferably, the plug  46  would first be coated with a vulcanizing agent or other adhesive to make the plug easier to insert (i.e., to reduce friction) and to bond the plug with the walls of the tire once it is inserted. Vulcanizing agents and adhesives are well known in the prior art. The user uses his free hand to hold the plug  46  against the cup portion  38  with a longer portion of the plug on one side of the shaft and a shorter portion on the other side of the shaft. Then, the user presses the shaft through the hole until the plug contacts a surface of the tire. The user pushes the shaft  25  and the cup portion  38  with the plug  46  engaged therein through the hole until the shorter portion of the plug is inside the tire. The user then cuts off the longer portion of the plug  46  even with the surface of the tire. As is known in the prior art, it may be desirable to coat the plug  46  with an adhesive and/or a surface preparation agent before insertion into a hole. Techniques and compounds for coating and sealing the plug before insertion are hereby incorporated herein by reference. They are not part of the invention, but preferably they would be used to improve the seal achieved by the plugs. Once the plug is inserted, the cutting means  50  is used to cut the plug flush with the outer surface of the tire. 
     Given the foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments and design parameters for the present invention, other embodiments of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the claims presented below. It is the intention of the inventor to include within the scope of the claims and of this specification all variations which present themselves to those skilled in the art reading the claims in light of the foregoing specification.