Patent ID: 8695395

Claim:
A wheel straightening apparatus for remediating bends present in the rim portion of the wheel, the wheel straightening apparatus comprising: a bracket member; a unitary spindle having a first upper end and a second lower end, and a central surface extending therebetween, wherein the first upper end of the spindle is connected to the bracket member; a platen mounted on and contacting the unitary spindle at a point intermediate to the first and second ends, the platen configured to engage a wheel assembly in a fixed position relative to the spindle, the wheel assembly comprising a rim and a central portion, the central portion having a dress face and an inbound face, the rim having a least one localized bent region; an anchor plate positioned at a spaced distance from the platen, the anchor plate having a shoulder extending radially outward from the spindle, the anchor plate having an outer axial surface and an opposed inner surface, the inner surface of the anchor plate contacting the central surface of the spindle; at least three actuator devices positioned and configured to exert pressure on a section of the rim at least proximate to the localized bent region of the wheel assembly to be straightened, the three actuator devices configured to exert a straightening force on the rim, wherein at least a first and a second actuator device are positioned between the spindle and the rim and a third actuator device is positioned between the rim and the anchor plate, wherein each of the at least three actuator devices are at least one of a hydraulic ram, pneumatic ram, or jack screw and wherein the actuator devices exert deformative pressure to deliver localized forces on the wheel rim, wherein each of the at least three actuator devices are configured to deliver deformative pressure, wherein the rate of pressure increase and/or decrease delivered by each actuator device occurs independent of one another.