ADAPTERS FOR USE IN TIRE CHANGING AND WHEEL BALANCING

• US 3,580,320 A
• Filed: 09/30/1968
• Issued: 05/25/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warren A. Roberts
• Original Assignee: Warren A. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Warren A.
• Application Number:
  US04/763,771
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• US Class Current: 157/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/135 having a tyre support or a tool, movable along wheel axis
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/045 the body being a vehicle wheel
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/12 Static balancing; Determining position of centre of gravity by determining imbalance G01M1/14

Abstract

A circular plate is provided with pins on one side for engaging lug holes of a Volkswagon wheel and is provided with pins on the other side for engaging lug holes of an eight-lug Pontiac wheel. The plate is also provided with a central hole for receiving the locking mechanism of a tire changer or the balancing head of a bubble wheel balancer. In addition, the plate may be provided with holes for receiving the hub cap retaining clips of the Volkswagon wheel and the spring-stop mechanism of a tire changer to provide a dual wheel mounting adapter for use in tire changing. Alternatively, the plate may be evenly balanced in weight about its central hole to provide a dual wheel mounting adapter for use in wheel balancing.

Claims

1. A wheel mounting adapter comprising:

a circular plate having a central hole therein for mounting the plate on a wheel handling device;

a first plurality of means fixedly mounted on one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a first circle for engaging a plurality of lug holes in the rim of a wheel when the wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the wheel handling device; and

a second plurality of means fixedly mounted on the other side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a second circle for engaging a plurality of lug holes in the rim of a different wheel when that wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the wheel handling device.

2. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 1 wherein:

said first plurality of means comprises at least three pins for engaging at least three lug holes of a Volkswagon or Porsche wheel, one of said pins being mounted on said first circle generally opposite the other two for engaging one lug hole positioned generally opposite two others; and

said second plurality of means comprises at least two pins for engaging at least two lug holes of an eight-lug Pontiac wheel, one of said pins being mounted on said second circle generally opposite the other for engaging one lug hole positioned generally opposite another lug hole.

3. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 2 including a plurality of holes in said plate angularly spaced along a third circle between said first and second circles to receive hub cap retaining clips mounted on the Volkswagon wheel when the Volkswagon wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the wheel handling device.

4. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 3 wherein:

said wheel handling device is a tire changer having a central locking mechanism and an offcenter stop mechanism;

the central hole in said plate is adapted for engaging the central locking mechanism of the tire changer when a wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the tire changer; and

said plate has another hole positioned between the central hole and the first circle for engaging the offcenter stop mechanism of the tire changer when a wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the tire changer.

5. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 4 wherein said plate and said pins are made of steel.

6. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 3 wherein:

said wheel handling device is a wheel balancer having a central balancing mechanism;

the central hole in said plate is adapted for engaging the central balancing mechanism of the wheel balancer when a wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the wheel balancer; and

said plate and said pins are balanced in weight around the central hole in the plate.

7. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 6 wherein a third plurality of pins is fixedly mounted on said one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions within said first circle to help support the adapter on the central balancing mechanism of the wheel balancer when an eight-lug Pontiac wheel is being balanced.

8. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 7 wherein said plate and said pins are made of aluminum.

9. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 1 wherein:

said wheel handling device is a wheel balancer having a central balancing mechanism;

the central hole in said plate is adapted for engaging the central balancing mechanism of the wheel balancer when a wheel and the adapter are placed in abutment upon the wheel balancer;

said first plurality of means comprises at least three elements for engaging at least three lug holes of a Volkswagon or Porsche wheel, one of said elements being mounted on said first circle generally opposite the other two for engaging one lug hole positioned generally opposite two others;

said second plurality of means comprises at least two elements for engaging at least two lug holes of an eight-lug Pontiac wheel, one of said elements being mounted on said second circle generally opposite the other for engaging one lug hole positioned generally opposite another lug hole;

said adApter includes a third plurality of elements fixedly mounted on said one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions within said first circle to help support the adapter on the central balancing mechanism of the wheel balancer when an eight-lug Pontiac wheel is being balanced; and

said plate and said elements are balanced in weight around the central hole in the plate.

10. A wheel mounting adapter for mounting a wheel on a central balancing mechanism of a bubble wheel balancer, said wheel mounting adapter comprising a circular plate having a central hole therein for retractably engaging the central balancing mechanism of the bubble wheel balancer when the wheel is mounted upon the bubble wheel balancer by the adapter, and a first plurality of means mounted on one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a first circle for engaging a plurality of lug holes in the rim of the wheel when the wheel is mounted upon the bubble wheel balancer by the adapter said plate and said means being balanced in weight around the central hole in the plate.

11. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 10 further comprising a second plurality of means mounted on the other side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a second circle for engaging a plurality of lug holes in the rim of a different wheel when that wheel is mounted upon the bubble wheel balancer by the adapter.

12. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 11 still further comprising a third plurality of means mounted on said one side of said plate at spaced positions within said first circle to help support the adapter on the bubble wheel balancer when said different wheel is being balanced.

13. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 12 wherein said first plurality of means comprises a plurality of members fixedly mounted on said one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along said first circle, said second plurality of means comprises another plurality of members fixedly mounted on said other side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along said second circle, and said third plurality of means comprises still another plurality of members fixedly mounted on said one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a third circle within said first circle.

14. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 10 further comprising a second plurality of means mounted on the other side of said plate at spaced positions for supporting the adapter on the bubble wheel balancer.

15. A wheel mounting adapter as in claim 14 wherein said first plurality of means comprises a plurality of members fixedly mounted on said one side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along said first circle, and said second plurality of means comprises another plurality of members fixedly mounted on said other side of said plate at angularly spaced positions along a second circle within said first circle.