Patent Abstract:
A portable tire bead breaker comprising a plurality of elements which can be disassembled to form a compact kit. Includes a base over which a tire and rim may be placed, a support member, and a lever arm. Also included is a plunger member configured to engage the tire and break the bead thereon. To break a tire bead, the elements are assembled and a force is extended upon the lever arm, engaging the plunger member upon the tire and creating sufficient force against the tire in opposition to the rim to disassociate therefrom. The tire bead breaker can be disassembled into a compact unit for storage and transportation.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 60/889,710, filed Feb. 13, 2007. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   Motorcycle tire and wheel assemblies are generally constructed of steel or alloy rim with a latticework of spokes that attach the rim to the hub. They may also be constructed of a cast alloy hub/rim assembly with open cutaway spaces between the rim and hub. Either type of wheel assembly would applicable to this invention. 
   Acceleration and deceleration of the motorcycle or other vehicle tends to cause the tire to rotate on the rim. Rotation of the tire on the rim is not desirable because it can cause the wheel assembly to become unbalanced. In the case of tubed tires (an inner air-filled bladder within the tire carcass) any rotation of the tire can cause the tube&#39;s valve stem to tear away from the main tube bladder, leading to a sudden and catastrophic loss of air pressure. In the case of tubeless tires (no inner air bladder) rotation of the tire on the rim can cause a gradual loss of air pressure, with an eventual loss of bead-to-rim contact, and potential catastrophic loss of air pressure. 
   When a rubber motorcycle tire is mounted to the metal hub/spoke/rim assembly, it is held in place with a combination of air pressure, tension of the rubber tire itself which exerts an outward (sideways) force, and friction between the rubber tire sidewall and the metal rim. Often the motorcycle manufacturer or tire installer uses special lubricant/adhesive solution that literally “glues” the rubber tire in place on the rim. Even without this solution the rubber tends to “fuse” itself to the rim over time and tire removal can become very difficult. 
   Additionally, motorcycle tires are often mounted on what&#39;s called “safety rims” or “locking rims”. The design of these rims is such that the tire&#39;s sidewall and annular bead is retained in such as manner as to prevent movement of the tire within the rim, when subjected to the high stresses involved in turning or cornering maneuvers. The design of these rims makes tire removal nearly impossible without specialty tools. 
   When it&#39;s time to change a motorcycle tire due to road wear or to make a repair of the tube or otherwise perform any repairs on the tire, it is necessary to “break the bead”. This is a commonly used term that refers to the process of breaking the adhesive and/or mechanical seal between the rubber sidewall of the tire, and the rim itself. Due to the design of modern tires, which are physically wider than the rim itself, and because of the widespread use of lubricant/adhesives holding the tire in place on the rim, this process can be extremely difficult (if not impossible) unless you have proper tools. 
   The process of changing or repairing a tire on an automobile is considered relatively easy because nearly every car has a spare tire, and when a flat tire has been removed from the automobile almost every service station has the necessary professional equipment and training to fix or replace an automotive tire. 
   However, the process of changing or repairing a motorcycle tire is a different story because most motorcycles can&#39;t carry spare tires. Motorcycle shops are few and far between so whenever a motorcycle has a flat tire the rider is often forced to make roadside repairs using whatever tools he/she might carry with them. The alternative is to call for a towing service and have the motorcycle hauled to the dealership for repair. 
   For those who attempt to repair motorcycle tires or for those who change their own tires when the tires become worn, the first step in the process is to deflate the tire (in the case of a flat tire this has already occurred). The second step is to remove the tire and wheel assembly from the motorcycle. The third step is to “break the bead” or otherwise break the seal between the rubber tire and the metal rim. Finally the tire can be removed from the rim and repaired or replaced. 
   Currently there are very few (if any) tools compact enough, lightweight enough, or otherwise suitable for this process. Motorcyclists have responded to this lack of suitable tools by concocting a variety of expedient devices, including C-clamps (or modifications thereof), or wedges driven between the tire and rim using a hammer or mallet, or some sort of pure brute force method, including jumping up and down on the side of the rubber tire (while trying to avoid jumping on the rim itself). 
   One popular technique is to use a second motorcycle&#39;s side stand as a tool to wedge between the tire and rim, while rocking the second motorcycle so that its&#39; weight presses down on the side stand and hopefully breaks the bead. This method may work but often results in damage to the side stand, as well as damaging the rim. Whatever method is used the process is difficult and sometimes dangerous. It may be necessary to exert a force of more than 500 pounds to break the seal between the metal rim and tire. As rubber tires get older this bead breaking process becomes even more difficult because the rubber compounds become stiffer and less pliable. Also, as ambient temperatures drop the process becomes increasingly difficult. 
   This embodiment utilizes a simple fulcrum and lever device that compounds the user&#39;s downward weight, thereby forcing a wedge-shaped plunger member into the space between the rim and wheel. With sufficient extension of the lever the force exerted can easily exceed 1000 pounds, which has proven to be more than enough force to unseat a motorcycle tire bead from a rim. 
   This embodiment can be used in any location having a flat, relatively hard work surface. The tire assembly must first be removed from the motorcycle and placed in a horizontal position; in other words, the wheel assembly must be resting flat on the ground. 
   This embodiment can also be used in any location having a flat, soft surface such as sandy soil or bare earth. This can be accomplished by the addition of wooden or metal strips fixed at perpendicular angles to the device, placed so as to widen the “footprint” of the device and prevent it from sinking in the soil when downward pressure is applied to the embodiment or to the tire assembly. 
   Although the working model of this embodiment is sized as shown in the drawings, production models could be constructed to any scale, depending on the need of the user or the size of the wheel assembly. 
   Once the motorcycle operator has successfully “broken the bead” on the tire, they must then make repairs to the tire. This requires removing the pneumatic tire from the metal rim. This is done with a set of two or three metal “tire irons”, which are essentially flattened pry bars. 
   Tire irons can be of varying size and shape, but for practical purposes and ease of carry on a motorcycle they should be as compact and lightweight as possible. The typical tire iron used for this embodiment is about 0.25″ thick, 0.75″ wide, and about 8″ to 10″ long. Each end of the tire iron is shaped and designed to make tire removal process as easy as possible, and smooth to prevent damage to the tire carcass or the inner tube. 
   To remove a tire from a metal rim the user places a tire iron between the metal rim and the pneumatic tire and using the leverage provided by the tire iron forces the circumferential inner bead of the tire over the edge of the rim. The user repeats this process around the tire assembly until one side of the tire comes off the rim. The user then repeats the process on the remaining tire sidewall until the tire has been completely separated from the rim. At that point the tire can be repaired, replaced, or the inner tube can be repaired or replaced. 
   To install a tire on a metal rim the user places a tire iron between the metal rim and pneumatic tire and forces the tire bead over the edge of the rim, then repeats the process around the tire until the tire is on the rim. The user repeats the process on the other sidewall of the tire until the tire is fully onto the rim, at which time the tire is filled with air. In the case of a tubed tire the tube is inserted into the tire before the second sidewall is forced onto the rim. 
   SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   What is disclosed herein is a tool called a bead breaker for breaking a circumferential bead of a motorcycle tire from an associated rim comprising a plurality of parts. A group of tire irons, which are similar to those already known in the art, but in general will be described as a leveraged tire iron, a support tire iron, and the base tire iron. The tire irons are configured to couple either to extend the driving force of a user against the tire for separating a tire from a rim or alternatively to support said driving member in a vertical or horizontal orientation. The driving member comprises a channel-like apparatus which has a hole in one end for locating a pivot pin and a channel disposed in the opposite end for inserting one of the previously mentioned tire irons to extend the driving force. The central portion of the driving member is configured to accept a plunger member which directly couples to the tire. This connection between the driving member and the plunger member could be adjustable in its X&amp;Y directions and should in one form be a pivotal connection. The plunger member is configured to pivot about the middle portion of the driving member and may have on one end a specifically designed tire engagement portion. An angle portion herein discussed as a base elbow is also disclosed wherein a first end of the base elbow is configured to fixedly and position-ably engage a support tire iron which forms the base portion of the apparatus when in use. The base elbow has a portion of which is generally an angle bracket and a second end which is configured to fixedly and positionably engage the end portion of the support tire iron. The support tire iron is substantially vertical in orientation to the ground when in use and having on its opposite end a pivotal engagement with the driving member. 
   When in use, the bead breaker will exert tremendous force upon the sidewall of the tire and may thus exert force upon the rim or wheel portion. As the assembly is substantially made from metallic parts, a plurality of scratch guards may be formed to temporarily and removably couple to and protect the base elbow from scratching the wheel. 
   One of the easiest ways to assemble the apparatus in one form is to utilize quick release pins which are common in the art. As these quick release pins are often very small, they may be connected by way of a lanyard which may be a bright color or otherwise aid in maintaining the quick release pins from being lost or misplaced. 
   As previously stated the bead breaker in operation may exert significant force against the tire portion and some of this force may be directed outward which will tend to slide the wheel and tire away from the base elbow and the vertical support tire iron. Thus, a lock bar which is slideably engaged with the base tire iron. As tires and wheels come in a wide variety of diameters and sizes it may be desirable that this lock bar be positionable along the length of the base tire iron. 
   As shown in the accompanying figures, it is possible to construct this apparatus using a plurality of tire irons which are each identical to one another. This would aid in construction and would also aid in manufacture and assembly. 
   Often it is desired to form a stable support base for this apparatus. For example, it may be necessary to remove a tire from a wheel where the only hard or flat surface available is soft such as sand or loose dirt. Thus, a base member is also disclosed which forms a larger and wider support structure for the assembly. 
   Recent advances in chemicals have created fluids which aid the removal of tires from rims. Once the bead has been broken between a tire and a wheel, application of this fluid may maintain the separation and keep the tire from re-adhering to the rim. 
   If the tire is not wholly damaged, it may be desired to remove the remainder of the air pressure from within the tire to aid in its removal. Thus a valve stem multi-tool may also be included which has a plurality of devices applicable to releasing the air from a tire or inner tube. The multi-tool may also be configured to aid in the replacement of a valve stem. 
   Once the bead has been broken, the tire irons are utilized to lever the tire around the rim. This may damage the rim which is obviously undesired. Thus, the plurality of rim protectors are also disclosed which are configured to temporarily and removably couple to the interior diameter of the rim. In one form all of these elements fit within a very small transportable container such as a bag. As motorcycle saddlebags are very small, space within them is at a premium so the smaller a kit may be preferred. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a view of a tire and wheel combination; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a tire and wheel as taken along line  2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the assembly and operation; 
       FIG. 4A  is a detailed view of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a view of the tire and wheel assembly with components in place to remove the tire from the wheel; 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed view of a tire iron; 
       FIG. 7  is a detailed view of the base elbow; 
       FIG. 8  is a detailed view of the driving member; 
       FIG. 9  is a detailed view of the plunger member; 
       FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the lock bar; 
       FIG. 11  is a detailed view of a plurality of release pins and connecting lanyard; 
       FIG. 12  is a detailed view of the foot and scratch guards connected by a lanyard; 
       FIG. 13  is a detailed view of the rim protectors; 
       FIG. 14  is a detailed view of the valve stem multi-tool; 
       FIG. 15  is a view of a bottle for containment of releasing chemicals; and 
       FIG. 16  is an exploded view of the kit containing the entire apparatus in its component parts for storage or transportation. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   To aid in the discussion of this disclosure, an axis system  10  is disclosed wherein the radially outward direction  12  defines that direction from the center of the wheel apparatus towards the tire  3  perimeter.  FIG. 2  shows the axis system  10  including a vertical direction  14 . Each of these is applicable to a tire assembly lying flat on its side, as it would be configured to operate on the tire or to remove the tire from the rim. 
   To further aid in the understanding of the disclosure, a prior art example of a motorcycle wheel assembly is disclosed comprising a tire  3  often made of rubber, a rim  4  often made of metal and often comprising spokes. The wheel  6  comprises the hub  8  or center portion of the assembly and the rim  4 . The hub  8  and a rim  4  are often connected by spokes but may also be coupled by unitary structure.  FIG. 2  is a prior art example of a tire  3  and wheel  6  taken along line  2  of  FIG. 1 . 
   In general, the assembly  20  as first shown in  FIG. 3  comprises a plurality of elements: a leverage tire iron  22 , a driving member  24 , a support tire iron  26 , a base elbow  28 , and a base tire iron  30 . The leveraged tire iron  22  has a first end  32   a  and a second end  34  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The second end  34  is adaptively configured to fit within a portion of the driving member  24 . This is accomplished by way of a channel  36  being disposed in the driving member  24  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The leveraged tire iron  22  is maintained within the channel  36  of the driving member  24  by way of a pin  38 . In one form, the assembly  20  utilizes as many as five of these pins  38 . For ease of construction and assembly, each of the pins  38  may be made identically. To continue the discourse on the assembly  20 , the driving member  24  has a first end  40  configured to interoperate with the leveraged tire iron  22  and a second end  42 . The driving number  24  furthermore has a middle region  44 . The middle region  44  has a channel  36  including an open region  46  further comprising a plurality of holes  48 . This channel  36  is configured to accept a plunger  50 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the plunger  50  comprises a first end  52 , a plurality of holes  54 , and a tab  56 . The tab  56  may be formed as a unitary structure with the plunger  50 , or may be attached by other means such as a weld  58 . The holes  54  in the plunger member  50  are configured to accept with a pin  60  which is furthermore fit within with the holes  48  of the driving number  24 . This particular assembly allows the plunger  52  to rotate about a pivot point  62  comprised of the pin  60  and the holes  48  and  54 . The plunger  50  is configured such that it may also be used as a fourth tire iron by virtue of the design of end  52 . The particular advantages of this assembly will be discussed later. 
   The support tire iron  26  as detailed in  FIG. 6  comprises a first end  32   b , and a second end  34   b . The support tire iron  26  further comprises a pivot point  64  being a hole similar to those previously discussed. A pin  66  is disposed through a hole in the second end  42  of the driving member  24  and a hole near the first end  32   b  of the support tire iron  26  forming the pivot point  64 . This allows the driving member  24  to rotate substantially about the support tire iron  26 . The advantages therewith will be discussed later. 
   The assembly  20  furthermore comprises a base elbow  28  which has a first end  68 , an angle region  70 , and a second end  72 . Furthermore the base elbow  28  comprises a plurality of holes  74 . There are also holes  76  disposed in the second end  72  of the base elbow  28 . The base elbow  28  is further detailed in  FIG. 7 . The base elbow  28  further comprises a back surface  78  and a front surface  80 . Furthermore a top surface  82  and a bottom surface  84  are disposed between the first side  86  and a second side  88  of the base elbow  28 . These surfaces of the base elbow  28  comprise a channel  90 . This channel  90  is configured to accept a plurality of tire irons. The support tire iron  26  is configured to be slideably positioned within the first end  68  of the base elbow  28 . In this embodiment it is held in position by the first side  86 , the second side  88 , the front surface  80 , and the back surface  78 . A plurality of holes  74  are disposed in the first side  86  and second side  88 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , a pin  92  is placed through these holes and holds the support tire iron  26  in place. As a plurality of holes  74  are disposed in the base elbow  28 , the vertical position of the support tire  26  can be adjusted which furthermore adjusts the vertical position of the driving member  24 , increasing the distance between the tab  56  of the plunger  50  and the second end  72  of the base elbow. This is very useful when tires of varying widths are used by the apparatus. Having a wide range of applicability is very useful as not all tires are the same. A pin  94  is configured to interoperate with the hole  76  of the second end  72  of the base elbow  28 . This operates similarly to the above-mentioned pin  92  configuration however the second end  72  of the base elbow  28  is configured to interoperate with the base tire iron  96 . 
   To protect the apparatus and the interior portion of the wheel  6  a plurality of scratch guards  97  and  98  are disclosed. These are shown first in  FIG. 3 , and detailed in  FIG. 12 . The scratch guards  97  and  96  comprise a top surface  100 , a body  102  and a bottom surface  104 . A dado or channel  106  is disposed in the top surface  100  and configured to interoperate with the base elbow  28 . These scratch guards  97  and  98  may be formed of a malleable material such as plywood or polymer such that they will absorb impact and abrasion between the wheels  6  and the base elbow  28 . The rubber bands which can also be supplied with the kit can be wrapped around the base elbow and the scratch guards  97  to maintain their position upon the base elbow  28 . As shown, the scratch guards  97  and  98  may further comprise a plurality of staples  108  which are configured to couple to a lanyard  110 . In one form, the lanyard  110  is configured to couple to a foot  112 . 
   The foot  112  has a base  114  and an angle portion  116 . The base  114  further comprises a top surface  117  and a bottom surface  118 . The bottom surface  118  is configured to interoperate with the top surface  120  of the angle portion  116 . The top surface  120  is disposed on the horizontal portion  122  of the angle portion  116 . The angle portion  116  furthermore has a vertical portion  124  which in form has a channel  126  disposed therein and configured to interoperate with the base tire iron  96 . This foot  112  operates for two advantages, the first being that it prohibits the assembly  20  from rotating about base elbow  28  when it is in its upright position as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The foot  112  has the added advantage of providing a wider base for the assembly  20  such that when forces applied to the leverage tire iron  22  at force vector  28  of  FIG. 4 , the foot  112  resists any motion in the downward direction which would tend to push it into the ground if the ground is not of sufficient rigidity to support the assembly  20  without the foot  112 . For example by putting significant force on the leverage tire iron  22  when the assembly  20  is set on a sandy ground level, the assembly would tend to dig into the ground and be difficult to use. The lanyard  110  which in one form connects the scratch guards  97  and  98  to the foot  112  may be so configured to attach via a hole  131  disposed in one end of the foot  112 . 
   A stop member  130  comprising a first end  132  and a second end  134  is configured to interoperate with the base tire iron  96 . This is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and detailed in  FIG. 10 . The stop member  130  further comprises a slot  136  configured to accept the base tire iron  96  and be of sufficient size to allow the stop member  130  to slide substantially along the base tire iron  96 . The stop member  130  further comprises a front surface  138  which is configured to interoperate with the tire  3 . This can easily be seen in  FIG. 3  wherein the stop member  130  is configured along the base tire iron  96  and is in contact with the tire  3 . In this position the stop member  130  maintains the position of the tire  3  and wheels  6  in relation to the apparatus  20  when force is applied along force vector  28  to the leverage tire iron  22 . Enabling the stop member  130  to be positioned along the base tire iron  96  allows for a wide range of tire sizes. The stop member  130  may also be utilized as a 5 th  tire iron by virtue of it&#39;s size and design as the end  132  is similar to the profile of an end of the tire iron  144 . 
   To make the entire assembly and associated elements easy to carry, a kit  132  is disclosed comprising the elements previously discussed and furthermore including a bag  135  configured to hold all of the items when they are in their disassembled state. This is shown in  FIG. 16 . Furthermore a multi-tool  134  as detailed in  FIG. 14  may be included comprising a connective region  136  coupling on a first end  138  an air deflating head  140  and a valve core removal head  143 . On the second end of the multi-tool  134  is a valve stem puller head  143 . The deflating head  140  is used to deflate the tire in that it contains a core portion engaged to interoperate with a valve stem on a traditional tire and operates to release the pressure therein. The core removal head  143  is configured to move the valve portion from the valve stem of the tire for ease in removing the tire  3  from the rim  4  or alternatively to replace it if it becomes defective. The stem-puller head is provided to help a user pull a new valve stem into position on a wheel. 
   Additionally a plurality of rim protectors  142  are disclosed which are configured to be positioned on the rim  4  to protect the rim  4  from damage when the tire  3  is removed from the rim  4  after the bead has been broken. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rim protector  142  is placed between the tire iron  144  and the rim  4 . The tire iron can then be rotated about the rim protector  142  removing the tire  3  from the rim  4  in at least one position, the tire iron  144  is then rotated about the rim  4  as common in the art and the tire is removed from the rim. 
   The kit  132  may also comprise a chemical  146  which aids in keeping the tire from re-adhering to the rim after the bead has been broken. One such chemical is Bead Goop™. These chemicals  146  are common in the art and therefore will not be discussed further in this disclosure. 
   In one form, the kit  132  comprising all the elements previously discussed may be contained within a bag  135 . This bag  135  may optionally be tied shut using strings  148  and thus provide a compact kit which can easily be fit in to storage such as the saddle bags of a motorcycle. In one form the entire apparatus when the bag is tied shut takes up a space of approximately twelve inches in length, six inches in width, and three inches in height. Instructions may be provided within, or printed upon the bag or any tool element. Of course the size of the apparatus depends entirely upon the tools contained within. 
   To describe how the apparatus is used, it must be understood that oftentimes, the radially inward annular region of the tire  150  as detailed in  FIG. 4A  is in tight or even adhesive engagement with the inward annular region of the rim  152 . Therefore, a focused amount of force is required at point  154  by the plunger  50  to “break the bead” on a pneumatic motorcycle tire assembly. This forms a gap  156  between the inward annular region of the tire  150  and the inward annular region of the rim  152 . Once this is accomplished, it is a simple matter to either reposition the assembly  20  to a new position and further increase the gap  156 , or as known in the art you may “walk the rim” for any person literally stands upon the tire portion and breaks the bead around the tire and wheel assembly. It may be advantageous to use the chemical  146  to assist in breaking the bead. As shown in  FIG. 15  a chemical is disclosed being contained within a bottle  158  having an optional flip top  160 . This first step of “breaking the bead” is often times the most difficult part of this process and therefore the assembly as disclosed is of great benefit to those wishing to repair their motorcycles in the field. Referring to  FIG. 4 , it can be appreciated that the articulating portion of the assembly is repositioned with respect to the base tire iron  96  where the articulating portion operates in one form as a first-degree lever where pressure can be applied at point  154  shown in  FIG. 4   a . This is accomplished by applying force along the line of force vector  28 . Further, because the driving member  24  generally follows a circular motion about the pivot location  64 , the longitudinal location of the pin  60  varies with respect to the degree of rotation. Therefore, in one form, the plunger adjustment system is comprised of a transverse pivot pin  60  which also allows the vertical adjustment of the plunger by way of the holes  54 . 
   As is detailed in  FIG. 9 , the plunger  50  has a welded or formed tab  56  which is shaped and formed to minimize damage to the side wall of the tire  3 . The tab  56  is shaped such that when pressure is applied to the leverage arm, the plunger is forced against the tire  3  forcing it away from the rim  4 . This is accomplished in two directions such that the tab  56  moves away from the rim  4  which will assist in keeping the tab  56  from damaging the rim  4  while it is simultaneously pressing the tire down and away from the rim. Such damage is very undesirable as it could cause the tire to fail in its operation of maintaining air within. 
   The assembly  20  is configured to be capable of disassembling into component parts which can then be carried easily by a motorcycle driver. The components of the bead breaker assembly could include a group of tire irons usually combination of three tire irons. The three tire irons each have a first end, a second end, and a middle portion. A driving member is also disclosed having a central chamber region, a first end, a middle portion, and a second end. Transverse holes are disposed in the first end, middle portion and the second end and configured to accept a pin. The first end of the driving member is configured to accept the end portion of the leverage tire iron in such a way as to form an extension of the driving member. In one form, a pin is then passed through the transverse holes of the driving member and the leverage tire iron fixing it in place. Similar attachment methods can be utilized, such as a press-fit, magnetic coupling, ball and socket, and the like. A plunger member is also disclosed having a first end, a middle portion, and a second end. A plurality of transverse holes are provided in the middle section of the plunger member and configured to accept a pin. The holes in the middle portion of the plunger member are configured to align with transverse holes in the middle portion of the driving member thus forming a pivot point. A tab portion is also disposed on the second end of the plunger member and configured to engage the tire portion of a tire/wheel assembly. 
   The second end of the driving member is configured with a plurality of transverse holes configured to accept a pin. Transverse holes in the second end of the driving member are configured to accept the pin which is also passed through transverse holes in the second end of the support tire iron forming a pivot point such that the driving member which is coupled to the leverage tire iron pivots about the pin in the support tire iron. A base elbow is also disclosed having a first end, a second end, and a middle or angled portion. The base elbow also comprises a substantially channel portion configured to accept the second end of the support tire iron. A pin is then positioned through holes in the second end of the support tire iron and the first end of the base elbow which prohibits vertical movement of the support tire iron in relation to the base elbow. The channel is configured in such a way that the support tire iron is prohibited from rotating about the pin. The angled portion form substantially a 90° angle between the first end of the base elbow and the second end of the base elbow. The second end of the base elbow is configured to accept the end portion of the base tire iron and fix it in place as described with the support tire iron. It may be desired that each of the pins previously discussed are in the form of quick release pins which are common in the art. 
   As force applied to the leverage tire iron once the apparatus is assembled and in place may cause outward force from the base elbow, a lock bar is also disclosed configured to fixedly in positionably to engage the base tire iron. As such it can be slid up against the tire and forms a cam-like positioning member. This lock bar prohibits movement of the tire/wheel assembly outward away from the base elbow. 
   Also disclosed is a kit containing all of the elements previously discussed and many others which can be used to aid in repair or removal of a tire from a motorcycle in the field. Such a kit could contain the plurality of tire irons, the quick release pins, the plunger member, the base elbow, the driving member, a fluid such as bead goop (tm), a plurality of scratch guards. In addition a base member may also be provided which is configured to support the assembly while it is being assembled and while it is in use. Further included in the kit may be a valve stem multi-tool which is configured to remove the valve stem from the wheel and thus release air pressure therefrom. The valve stem multi-tool may have several different tools disposed thereon including a tool for releasing pressure from a tire, a tool to remove the valve stem from the tire, and a tool for reinserting a new valve stem then into the wheel or tire. A plurality of rim protectors may also be included in this kit as will be described later. As many as these parts are relatively small it may be desired to couple a plurality of these elements together by way of a lanyard. For example it may be beneficial to couple several of the pins together which enlarges their total size and aids in keeping them from being lost. It may optionally be desired to connect scratch guards by way of a lanyard to maintain their position on the base elbow and to keep them from getting misplaced. The tire iron  144  which in its independent forms may be the leverage tire iron  22 , the support tire iron  26 , or the base tire iron  96 . It may be identical in size and shape, but a variety of length may be selected at the option of the user. The tire iron  144  is constructed of a metal bar or other suitable material size as desired for use, but for this working model approximately point 25 inches thick, point 75 inches wide, and eight inches long. The first end  32  and second end  34  are tapered and formed as needed to facilitate the process of prying the rubber tire from the metal rim. Usually the first end  32  of the tire iron  144  will comprise a spoon-like bend, which is proven to assist in the tire removal process, and the second end  34  will be tapered and flattened. 
   Additionally, each tire iron  144  has a hole of sufficient size drilled or machined through the flat portion of each end, positioned and sized as required to provide for insertion of removable fixing pin as previously discussed. In one form, these holes are approximately 1 inch to 1.5 inches from the ends. 
   To assemble the assembly  20  in one form, a tire iron  144  is positioned into each end of the base elbow  28 , and a pin is placed in a hole selected by the user, so the end of each tire iron  144  is fixed within the ends of the base elbow. The base elbow is placed on a flat horizontal surface, preferably the ground or a workbench, with one tire iron  144  directed vertically upward, and one tire iron  144  resting on the work surface. The tire  3  and rim  4  assembly is placed down over the vertical tire iron so that the vertical tire iron penetrates the space between the spokes, in the open area between the metal rim  4  and the axial hob  8 . The tire and rim assembly will rest horizontally on the work surface. The base tire iron  96  should project outward from the hub  8  and should pass underneath the rim  4  and tire  3 . The weight of the rim  4  and tire  3  assembly will rest upon the base elbow  28 . The tire assembly and base elbow can be adjusted so that the support tire iron  26  is in close proximity to the inner edge of the rim  4 . A leverage tire iron  22  is inserted into the channel  36  of the driving member  24  so that the leverage tire iron  22  becomes an extension of the driving member  44 . A removable pin  38  is inserted as selected by the user, fixing the leverage tire iron in place within the channel  36  of the driving number  24 . The driving member  24  is held in a substantially horizontal position and the first end  52  of the plunger  50  is inserted upwardly into the channel  36  of the driving member  24 . The user selects an appropriate hole  54  and hole  48 , and inserts a pin  60  into the driving member  24  passing the pin through a hole  54  of the plunger  50 . This connection becomes a hinging point for the plunger  50  in relation to the driving member  24 . The tab  56  at the opposite end of the plunger  50  is pointing substantially downward. 
   The substantially parallel site extensions  158  and  160  of the driving member  24  are then positioned over the support tire iron  26  that is projection substantially vertically between the spokes of the tire assembly. A pin  66  is positioned through the holes  62  and  64  of these side extensions  160  and  158 , and simultaneously through the hole at the end of the end of the support tire iron  26 . The assembly of the bead braking device in one form is now complete. 
   The user can then adjust the various components relative to one another, such that each component achieves the best leverage and in addition the wedge-shaped tab  56  of the plunger  50  makes contact with the pneumatic tire, at the point  154  where the tire and rim meet. Once all adjustments are complete, the user may exert force upon the leverage tire iron  22  along force vector  28  thus compressing the tire  3 . Due to the particular configuration of the plunger and tab  56 , it will also tend to move the plunger  50  inward away from the rim  4  which is desirable for the purpose of breaking the bead. The more force the user exerts upon the leverage tire iron  22 , the more the side wall and bead are pushed downward and out of contact with the metal rim  4 . At some point the “bead will break” meaning that the adhesive or friction seal between the tire  3  and rim  4  will give way. The user can then reposition the assembly  20  to an adjacent position and repeat the process as needed until the entire side wall has broken contact from the rim. The user can then turn the entire assembly over, and repeat the bead breaking process on the other side of the tire assembly. Once the tire bead has been broken from both sides of the tire assembly, the rubber tire  3  and inner tube (if present) can be removed for repair or replacement. The user may then remove the appropriate pins from the assembly, freeing the assembly from its role and structural members of the bead breaking device releasing the tire irons  144 . The user may then employ the tire irons  144  as needed in the process of removing the tire  3  from the rim  4 . If the assembly is used in field conditions where a relatively hard work surface is not available, the assembly may be positioned on two or more plywood, wooden, or metal slats. One form of these slats is the foot  112 . 
   Once the tire  3  has been removed from the rim  4 , it is usually a simple matter to repair or replace the tire  3  and then reposition the repaired tire  3  upon the rim  4  and re-inflate the tire  3  to correct the damage that was initially caused. The wheel assembly may then be replaced on the motorcycle or vehicle and the user can go on their way. 
   While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants&#39; general concept.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1