Patent Publication Number: US-2013240154-A1

Title: Winch powered tire bead breaker

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the removal of a tire seated on the rim of a wheel. More particularly this invention relates to a tire bead breaker which is powered by a winch mounted on a vehicle. When the tire bead breaker is mounted on and in front of a winch which is mounted on a vehicle the wheel may be rolled into an operable position between its jaws. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Removal of a tire which is seated on the rim of a wheel is a difficult task without the use of specialized equipment. Probably the most difficult step in the process is the first step which is “breaking the bead” or unseating the tire from the rim of the wheel. Many ranchers, farmers, and ATV (an All Terrain Vehicle) enthusiasts have a winch mounted on an ATV or four wheel drive vehicle. A tire shop frequently is not nearby, or even open when a tire must be repaired. There is a need for a lightweight winch powered bead breaker which can be used to break the bead of a tire mounted on a wheel with the winch mounted on an ATV. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to disclose a winch powered tire bead breaker. It is an object of this invention to disclose a lightweight and portable tire bead breaker which can be quickly mounted on a winch which is mounted on a vehicle so that a tire can be conveniently rolled into an operable position between its jaws. It is an object of this invention to disclose a means to remove a tire when a tire shop is either unavailable or closed. Frequently quad enthusiasts recreate in remote locations. For many farmers and ranchers, rural tire shops are a substantial distance away and only open on weekdays. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a lightweight tire bead breaker which can be powered and is operatively positioned on a winch mounted on an ATV, or even a much smaller recreational quad type vehicle. It is an object of this invention to disclose a relatively lightweight and inexpensive tire bead breaker which is practical to use anywhere on an ATV having a winch. 
     One aspect of this invention provides for a tire bead breaker, used when mounted on a winch which is mounted on an ATV, to squeeze a tire seated on a rim, said winch having a hook ended cable extending between two vertical rollers carried on a winch frame, comprising: an inner and an outer arm, each arm having a one end portion pivoted to the other arm, and an opposite end portion carrying one of two opposing wheel jaws; wherein the inner arm has a central portion adapted to seat against the vertical rollers on a front portion of the winch, and a winch attachment means to hang and maintain the tire bead breaker in an operable position in front of the winch. 
     In a preferred aspect of this invention the winch attachment means comprises a hinged clasp having, i) a hook ended clasp end portion for hanging on and over the frame of the winch, ii) a hinge to facilitate hooking the hook ended clasp end portion over the frame of the winch when the bead breaker has an outer side portion in a raised mounting position, and iii) a bolted opposite end portion attached to elongated holes in the bead breaker to facilitate adjusted spacing of the hinged clasp from different winches having varying lateral spacing from a front side portion thereof to their frames, to thereby adjust for, and maintain the bead breaker in a horizontal operably mounted position on a particular winch. 
     Yet another aspect of this invention comprises a method of unseating a tire from a rim comprising the following steps: a) obtaining a tire bead breaker as described in claim  4 ; b) positioning and aligning the inner arm of the bead breaker against the vertical rollers on a front portion of the winch mounted on the ATV, said bead breaker having its outer side portion tipped upwardly from a horizontal position; c) to thereby facilitate hanging the hook ended clasp end portion over the frame of the winch; d) lowering the outer side portion of the bead breaker to thereby have the bead breaker hang in a horizontal operable position in front of the winch; e) attaching the hook ended cable of the winch to the hook reception notch on an external side of the outer arm of the bead breaker; f) rolling and positioning a wheel between the jaws of the bead breaker wherein the wheel jaw on the inner arm is in alignment with, and supporting the rim of the wheel; g) winding in the hook ended cable thereby squeezing the wheel and breaking the tire from and off of the rim. 
     Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       FIGURES OF THE INVENTION 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tire bead breaker for use with an ATV having a winch. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tire bead breaker shown in  FIG. 1 . It is mounted on a winch which is mounted on the front of an ATV. A wheel is mounted between the jaws of the tire bead breaker. 
     
    
    
     The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to  FIG. 1  we have a perspective view of a tire bead breaker  20  for use with an ATV  16  having a winch  18 .  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tire bead breaker  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , mounted on a winch  18  which is mounted on the front of an ATV  16 . A wheel  13  is mounted between the jaws  26  of the tire bead breaker  20 . Most generally a tire bead breaker  20  is used when mounted on a winch  18  which is mounted on an ATV  16 , to squeeze a tire  14  seated on a rim  12 , said winch  18  having a hook ended cable  19  extending between two vertical rollers  17  carried on a winch frame  15 , comprises: an inner arm  22  and an outer arm  24 , each arm having a one end portion pivoted to the other arm  22 , 24 , and an opposite end portion carrying one of two opposing wheel jaws  26 . The inner arm  22  has a central portion adapted to seat against the vertical rollers  17  on a front portion of the winch  18 , and a winch attachment means  30  to hang and maintain the tire bead breaker  20  in an operable position in front of the winch  18 . 
     Most preferably, the tire bead breaker  20  is fabricated from flat plate. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the tire bead breaker  20  further comprising an air shock  32 , extending between pivot end portions of the arms  22 , 24 , having an extended length just sufficient to space the jaws  26  apart sufficiently to slip over the tire  14 , and biased to an open position, so that tension will be maintained on the hook ended cable  19  when it is attached to a central external portion of the outer arm  24  in a hook reception notch  25 . 
     In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the winch attachment means  30  comprises a hinged clasp  32  having, i) a hook ended clasp end portion  34  for hanging on and over the frame  15  of the winch  18 , ii) a hinge  36  to facilitate hooking the hook ended clasp end portion  34  over the frame  15  of the winch  18  when the bead breaker  20  has an outer side portion in a raised mounting position, and iii) a bolted opposite end portion  38  attached to elongated holes  40  in the bead breaker  20  to facilitate adjustment of the spacing of the hinged clasp  32  on different winches  18  having varying lateral spacing from a front side portion thereof to their frames  15 , to thereby adjust for, and maintain the bead breaker  20  in a horizontal operably mounted position on a particular winch  18 . 
     In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the jaw  26  attached to the inner arm  22  is configured to push against and support the rim  12 , and wherein the jaw  26  attached to the outer arm  24  is configured to press on the tire  14 , so that when the arms  22 , 24  squeeze together, the tire  14  will unseat from the rim  12 , on a side adjacent to the outer arm  24 . It is noted that after the tire  14  is released from the rim  12  on a side pressed against by the outer arm  24 , it is necessary to first remove the wheel  13  from between the arms  22 , 24 , and then to turn the wheel  13  so that the other unbroken bead between the tire  14  and the rim  12  is adjacent to the outer arm  24 , to then to reposition the wheel  13  between the arms  22 , 24  to break the unbroken bead. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention the inclusion of a releasable closure chain  40  releasably extends and is attached between the jaws  26  to maintain the bead breaker  20  in a closed storage position. 
     A method of unseating a tire  14  from a rim  12  comprises the following steps: a) obtaining a tire bead breaker  20  as described above; b) positioning and aligning the inner arm  22  of the bead breaker  20  against the vertical rollers  17  on a front portion of the winch  18  mounted on the ATV  16 , said bead breaker  20  having its outer side portion tipped upwardly from a horizontal position; c) to thereby facilitate hanging the hook ended clasp end portion  34  over the frame  15  of the winch  18 ; d) lowering the outer side portion of the bead breaker  20  to thereby have the bead breaker  20  hang in a horizontal operable position in front of the winch  18 ; e) attaching the hook ended cable  19  of the winch  18  to the hook reception notch  25  on an external side of the outer arm of the bead breaker  20 ; f) rolling and positioning a wheel  13  between the jaws  26  of the bead breaker  20  wherein the jaw  26  on the inner arm  22  is in alignment with, and supporting the rim  12  of the wheel  13 ; g) winding in the hook ended cable  19  thereby squeezing the wheel  13  and breaking the tire  14  from and off of the rim  12 . 
     While the invention has been described with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.