Patent ID: 7204493

Claim:
An apparatus adapted to releasably clamp an end of a wheel component upon a lathe spindle, the apparatus comprising: a support structure adapted to be secured to the lathe spindle; a plurality of fixed part rests attached to said support structure, each of said part rests having a plurality of steps formed therein with each step adapted to contact a first portion of the vehicle wheel component having a diameter corresponding to said step, said steps progressing radially inward with increasing axial distances from said support structure; and a plurality of stepped arms movably mounted upon said support structure, each of said arms having a plurality of steps formed therein that correspond to said part rest steps with each arm step adapted to contact a second portion of the vehicle wheel component having a diameter corresponding to said step, said corresponding arm and part rest steps co-operating to clamp the vehicle wheel component to retain the wheel component upon said apparatus, whereby said arm and part rest steps are operative to clamp and retain a plurality of wheel components having an axis of rotation and different diameters upon the apparatus for rotation of the wheel component about the wheel component axis of rotation.