Tire inflation valve with pressure indicator

• US 4,901,747 A
• Filed: 06/29/1988
• Issued: 02/20/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Moliver
• Original Assignee: David Moliver
• Inventors: Yabor, Enrique M.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US07/212,907
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 137/227, 116/34 R, 73/146.3, 73/146.8, 152/427, 152/DIG. 11
• US Class Current: 137/227
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3662 With gauge or indicator

Abstract

A tire valve with a tire air pressure indicator incorporated therein to provide a continuous visual indication of the air pressure within the tire. The tire valve includes a rigid tubular main stem having means on its inner end for mounting on a tire rim together with an external sleeve spaced from and sealingly engaged with the main stem to form an air chamber. A spring biased piston is slidably disposed in the air chamber for movement longitudinally therein with air passages communicating the interior of the stem with the air chamber with the air pressure in the tire also occurring in the air chamber thereby moving the piston outwardly by compressing a calibrated spring in accordance with the air pressure. The external sleeve is transparent and the piston serves as an indicator associated with a graduated scale on the sleeve to indicate the air pressure in the tire.

Claims

1. A tire inflation valve and air pressure indicating device comprising an elongated rigid main stem having an axial bore extending therethrough and open at its respective inner and outer ends, a normally closed tire valve mounted in the outer end portion of said main stem, an external cylindrical sleeve mounted on the main stem in concentrically spaced relation and in sealed relation to the stem, a piston slidably and sealingly mounted in the space between the stem and sleeve, spring means within the sleeve to bias the piston in one direction, an air chamber in the space between the sleeve and stem in communication with the bore through the main stem thereby communicating air pressure in the tire with the air chamber for moving the piston against the spring means, said sleeve being transparent to enable visual observation of the movement of the piston and graduated scale means on the sleeve associated with the piston to indicate air pressure within the tire, said stem including an inner flange, said sleeve having an inner end seated on the flange and a sealing gasket between the inner end of the sleeve and the flange, and air passages extending radially from the interior bore of the stem to the air chamber immediately outwardly of the inner end of the sleeve, said spring means being a calibrated coil spring between the piston and the outer end of the sleeve.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner end of the main stem is externally threaded and provided with a sealing member having a tapered outer surface thereon and a locking nut engaging the threaded end portion of the stem for securing the stem in sealed relation to an opening in a rim.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner end of said stem is externally threaded and provided with a screw threaded resilient adaptor thereon for sealing engagement with an opening in a rim.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer end of the sleeve is closed by a screw threaded cap engaging an externally threaded outer end of the stem, said cap including vent openings venting the space between the stem and sleeve in which the coil spring is disposed.