Wheel mounting tool

• US 5,022,133 A
• Filed: 08/31/1990
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James B. Weitekamp
• Original Assignee: James B. Weitekamp
• Inventors: Weitekamp, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watson, Robert C.
• Application Number:
  US07/575,599
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 29/273, 81/177 B, 81/15.2, 7/100, 7/138, 7/166, 157/1.1, 157/1.11, 254/120, 254/131
• US Class Current: 29/273
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/001 comprising lifting or aligning means B60B29/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53922 Auto wheel with auto chassis

Abstract

A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs and a wheel with bolt holes registerable with the bolt studs comprises an elongated, rigid straight shank with a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end. The socket has an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than the diameter of the bolt studs and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bolt holes. In a preferred embodiment, a shallow internal thread extends circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface adjacent the open mouth end of the socket. The inside diameter of the internal threads is larger than the outside diameter of the bolt studs enabling the socket to be assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement. Alternatively, the internal threads may be substituted by a helical array of thread segments or internal protuberances having a pitch angle matching the pitch angle of the threads on the bolt studs. A further alternative is to provide an inner sleeve of indentable material inside the socket to resist relative axial movement between the socket and bolt stud during mounting of the wheel.

Claims

1. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

connecting means comprising a plurality of internal thread segments extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket oriented at the pitch angle of the threads on the bolt studs and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement; and

said connecting means being engageable into the space between the bolt stud threads at the pitch angle thereof when the socket and a corresponding bolt stud are coaxially aligned to thereby maintain an effective connection between the socket and threads during mounting of the wheel.

2. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

connecting means comprising a plurality of inwardly extending protuberances extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket engageable with the threads on the bolt studs and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement; and

said connecting means being engageable into the space between the bolt stud threads at the pitch angle thereof when the socket and a corresponding bolt stud are coaxially aligned to thereby maintain an effective connection between the socket and threads during mounting of the wheel.

3. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

collar means at an intermediate position on the shank to prevent a wheel from slipping toward one and used as a handle, said collar means having at least one external flat surface to prevent the tool from rolling on an inclined surface;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

connecting means extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement; and

said connecting means being engageable into the space between the bolt stud threads at the pitch angle thereof when the socket and a corresponding bolt stud are coaxially aligned to thereby maintain an effective connection between the socket and threads during mounting of the wheel.

4. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

connecting means comprising an inner sleeve of indentable material inside said socket capable of being indented by said bolt stud threads sufficiently to resist relative axial movement of the socket and bolt stud during lifting of the wheel, said sleeve extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement; and

said connecting means being engageable into the space between the bolt stud threads at the pitch angle thereof when the socket and a corresponding bolt stud are coaxially aligned to thereby maintain an effective connection between the socket and threads during mounting of the wheel.

5. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

thread means comprising a plurality of thread segments oriented at a pitch angle corresponding to the pitch angle of the threads on the bolt studs, said thread segments extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement;

said thread means being engageable with threads on a corresponding bolt stud in response to transverse movement of the socket toward the bolt stud to thereby maintain an effective, releasable connection between the socket and bolt stud threads during mounting of the wheel; and

said thread means being disengaged from said threads on the bolt stud when the socket and bolt stud are coaxially aligned thereby enabling the socket to be assembled onto and removed from the bolt stud by relative axial movement.

6. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a rim having a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter and being registerable with the bolt studs, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

an open-ended socket on both ends of the shank each having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter of a corresponding bolt stud and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter of a corresponding bolt hole;

a collar intermediate the socket, to keep the wheel from slipping toward either end used as a handle, said collar being of non-round configuration to prevent rolling on a non-level surface;

connecting means extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of each socket and having an inside diameter larger than the corresponding first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement; and

each said connecting means being effective in response to transverse movement of the socket relative to a bolt stud when telescopically assembled and coaxially aligned therewith, to interlockably engage the threads on the bolt stud.

7. A wheel mounting tool for a wheel assembly including a hub with a plurality of bolt studs having threads of a first diameter and a wheel with a plurality of bolt holes of a second diameter larger than said first diameter registerable with the bolt studs to receive the bolt studs therethrough, said tool comprising:

an elongated straight shank;

a cylindrical open-ended socket on at least one end of the shank having an inside cylindrical surface with a diameter larger than said first diameter and an outside cylindrical surface with a diameter smaller than said second diameter;

thread means comprising at least one internal thread oriented at a pitch angle corresponding to the pitch angle of the threads on the bolt studs, said thread extending circumferentially around the inside cylindrical surface of the socket and having an inside diameter larger than said first diameter enabling the socket to be telescopically assembled onto and removed from the bolt studs by relative axial movement;

said thread means being engageable with threads on a corresponding bolt stud in response to transverse movement of the socket toward the bolt stud to thereby maintain an effective, releasable connection between the socket and bolt stud threads during mounting of the wheel; and

said thread means being disengaged from said threads on the bolt stud when the socket and bolt stud are coaxially aligned thereby enabling the socket to be assembled onto and removed from the bolt stud by relative axial movement.