Patent GB-949078-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for fitting valves to the wheel rims of wheels incorporating tubeless pneumatic tyres
Inventor: JAY JAMES BERTRAM
IPC: B21D53/26
Filed: 1961-08-30
Abstract: 949,078. Connecting valves to wheels. HYMATIC ENGINEERING CO. Ltd. Nov. 29, 1962 [Aug. 30, 1961], No. 31192/61. Heading F2V. Apparatus for fitting a valve 21, Fig. 1, to a wheel rim 16 for a tubeless tyre comprises means 11, 19, Fig. 4, for locating and supporting the rim in a valve fitting position, means 23, 24 for feeding a valve from a supply 20 to a valve fitting member 27, means 28 on the member for engaging the valve, and means 31, 32 for actuating the member to cause it to insert the valve in a hole in the wheel rim. The rim 16 is presented to the machine so that a spring-loaded plunger 12 is engaged by the valve hole and depressed until the rim lies flat on a sloping platform 11. The displacement of the plunger depends upon the size of the valve hole and is transmitted through a pivoted crank 39 to one of a pair of limit switches causing one of two escapement mechanisms 22 to be actuated when a pedal 40 is depressed. Each escapement controls a vibratory hopper 70, one containing a large and the other a small size of valve, and allows the released valve to fall through a shoot 23 into a funnel-shaped recess between a pair of blocks 24 urged together by tension springs 25. Depression of pedal 40 actuates clamps 19 and an air cylinder 32 which now moves arm 27 about its pivot until a probe 28 at the end of the arm enters the valve and passes it between a pair of soaping brushes 34 before inserting it in the hole in the wheel rim, a system of cam surfaces on the arm 27 and the block 24 assisting the separation of the latter and holding them apart until the arm returns. Continued movement of the arm causes a stop 46 to actuate a limit switch and reverse the air supply to the cylinder 32 while a further limit switch releases the clamps 19. If the valve hole is not correctly positioned when the wheel rim is presented to the machine, the plunger 12 is fully depressed to actuate a switch which prevents operation of the machine when the pedal is depressed. Surplus soap from the brushes 34 drains into a channel 36. In an alternative embodiment, Figs. 5 and 7, a wheel rim 50 is fed down a shoot 51 which operates only when the machine is clear to permit the rim to fall on to a pair of rotating rollers 52. These rollers lift the rim into engagement with profiled idler rollers 53 on swinging links 56 arranged to cause an air-operated plunger 58 to abut the outside of the rim 50. At the same time, a valve is dropped between blocks 59 for engagement by a mechanism 61 which is actuated in response to engagement of the valve hole by the plunger 58 and has a valve-engaging probe 72 on a lever 69 mounted for relative movement on a lever 62 coupled by a link 65 to an air cylinder. The relative movement actuates a limit switch to withdraw the plunger 58 from the valve hole. This movement of the plunger actuates a further switch to lower the rollers 52 and permit a previously-raised platform to eject the rim on to an outlet shoot 78. If the ejected wheel sticks before falling on to its side on a roller track 80 a final limit switch causes the fitting cycle on the succeeding wheel to be stopped.