Tire inflation gauge

• US 4,084,431 A
• Filed: 02/09/1977
• Issued: 04/18/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jack C. Newby
• Original Assignee: Jack C. Newby
• Inventors: Newby, Jack C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aegerter, Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stearns, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US05/766,925
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 33/174 PA, 33/203, 33/203.11, 33/203.12, 73/146, 73/146.2
• US Class Current: 73/146.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/005 using a sensor contacting the exterior surface, e.g. for measuring deformation

Abstract

A tire inflation gauge consisting of a series of closely adjacent bars pivoted at one end on a horizontal axis and separate, independent springs supporting their opposite ends, onto which an automobile wheel may be driven in a direction parallel to the bars, the bars being depressed equally or unequally depending on the uniformity of weight supported respectively thereby, and a visual gauge for indicating the relative depression of the bars.

Claims

1. An inflation gauge for a vehicle tire operating on a principle that the tread face of said tire will tend to assume a transversely convex curvature if over-inflated, a transversely concave curvature if under-inflated, and a transversely straight configuration if properly inflated, said gauge comprising:

a. a frame,

b. a series of elongated tread bars all pivoted coaxially at one end in said frame and extending generally horizontally from said pivot in side by side relation, whereby the upper surfaces thereof in aggregate form a treadway for supporting the weight of a tire positioned thereon with its vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal extent of said tread bars, the transverse width of each tread bar being a small fraction of the tread width of the tire and the aggregate width of said tread bars being at least as great as the tread width of the tire, and

c. resiliently yieldable means supporting the end of each of said tread bars opposite from its pivot, and operable to support all of said tread bars at equal elevations when not loaded by a tire, whereby said treadway is substantially planar, and being of equal elastic moduli whereby all of said tread bars will be equally depressed by equal tire weights imposed thereon, as a result of which said tread bars will be unequally depressed by an improperly inflated tire supported on said treadway, the pattern of said unequal depression indicating the nature of the improper inflation, said treadway being of sufficient length to support the entire road-engaging surface of said tire intermediate the ends thereof, whereby the proportion of the weight imposed by said tire on said tread bars which is supported by said resiliently yieldable means may be varied by centering said tire relatively closer to or further from the ends of said bars supported by said resiliently yieldable means.

2. An inflation gauge as recited in claim 1 wherein said resiliently yieldable means of each of said tread bars constitutes a compression spring, all of said springs being based in said frame at equal elevations and each supporting one of said tread bars at its upper end, all of said springs being of substantially equal lengths and elastic moduli.

3. An inflation gauge as recited in claim 1 wherein said tread bars, at their resiliently supported ends, project from beneath a tire supported on said treadway to a position readily observable by an operator, and with the addition of gauge reading means comprising a horizontally and transversely extending indicator member carried by said frame and disposed beneath the projecting portions of said tread bars, said indicator member having a straight, horizontal upper edge disposed adjacent the lower edges of said tread bars, whereby the relative depression of said tread bars relative to said indicator member may be more readily visually observed.

4. An inflation gauge as recited in claim 3 with the addition of resilient means carried by said frame and biasing said indicator member yieldably upwardly to urge the straight upper edge thereof into engagement with only the most deeply depressed of said tread bars, said last named resilient means being relatively much weaker than said resiliently yieldable means supporting said tread bars.

5. An inflation gauge as recited in claim 1 with the addition of gauge reading means comprising:

a. a switch supporting member carried by said frame and extending transversely beneath all of said tread bars,

b. resilient means yieldably biasing said switch supporting member upwardly,

c. a series of normally open electric switches carried by said switch supporting member, said switches corresponding in number to said tread bars and each associated with one of said tread bars, each switch being closable by engagement of the associated tread bar with an operating member of said switch when said associated tread bar is depressed, all of said switches being maintained by said switch supporting member at equal elevations relative to said frame, and

d. a series electric light bulbs disposed remotely from said frame, each bulb being electrically associated with one of said switches to be lighted by closure of said associated switch.