Patent GB-797014-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for removing or refitting automobile tyres
IPC: B60C25/132
Filed: 1955-08-16
Abstract: 797,014. Tyre manipulating apparatus. LENOIR, M. Aug. 16, 1955 [Aug. 25, 1954; Aug. 5, 1955], No. 23630/55. Class 144 (1). An apparatus for removing or refitting tyres comprises a hollow vertical cylindrical support 1 which supports a wheel 12 horizontally on its upper end and houses a coaxial downwardlyacting hydraulic piston and cylinder 4, 3, the piston-rod 16 of which carries detachable extensions 13, 17 projecting upwardly through the central wheel aperture, and a horizontal cross arm 22 detachably secured to the extension 17 and carrying a tyre pusher 24 and a bead breaker 25, each slidably adjustable therealong to overlie the tyre at diametrically opposite points so that on operation of the piston 4, the bead breaker 25 is effective on one side of the tyre whilst tilting of the wheel is prevented by the pusher 24 at the other side. This arrangement is capable of use only with wheels having a central aperture. As shown, the wheel 12 is supported on a rubber-faced annular plate 9 on the support 1 and the piston-rod 16 is hollow for telescopic adjustment therein of hollow extensions 13, 17 which can be locked in desired relative axial positions by pins 14, 18. The arm 22 has a central sleeve member 21 to slide over the extension 17 to which it may be locked where desired by a grub-screw 20. The bead-breaker 25 comprises the usual pivoted spring-loaded shoe, the toe of which engages between the tyre bead and wheel rim flange. In use, each bead is broken from the rim flange at spaced points by stepped rotation of the piston-rod and extension assembly, after which the arm 22 is removed and the extensions 13, 17 telescoped within the rod 16, Fig. 3. The piston 4 is then operated to engage a washer 19 on the extension 13 against the wheel disc to clamp the wheel on the support plate 9. A tool-holder comprising opposed sockets 37, 39 pivoted to a central shank 36 is then fitted, by means of the shank 36, into the end of the extension 17. The socket 37 receives a handle 38 and the socket 39 receives either a shank 41 to which is pivoted a hollow fulcrum 42 for use with a tyre-removing lever 43, or, Fig. 4, the shank 46 of a tyre applying roller 47 for use in forcing the tyre beads over the rim flange. For use with wheels having a closed centre, the pistonrod extensions are replaced by a coned cam 58, Fig. 5, operative on downward movement of the piston to cam radially outwardly four spaced clamping members 53, 54 which are slidably mounted on a plate 51, resting on the plate 9, to clamp against the inner periphery of the wheel rim. The tool holder 37, 39 is then mounted with its shank 36 in a socket 71 which is carried by an arm 70 to overlie the wheel coaxially. The arm 70 is supported on the vertical portion 66 of a cranked arm, the horizontal portion 67 of which is supported in a socket 68 in the support 1 below the plate 9. In an alternative clamping arrangement for closed disc wheels, the coned cam is replaced by a bead member which is connected directly to the radial slide clamps by pivoted inclined links. In this case the slide bed is so pivotally mounted on the support plate 9 that it may be swung to one side thereof to form an auxiliary support on which a closed disc wheel may be rested for bead-breaking operation thereon in the manner shown in Fig. 7.