GB2068307A

GB2068307A - Tool for fitting a tyre to a rim

Info

Publication number: GB2068307A
Application number: GB8102394A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SERVAIS B
Current assignee: SERVAIS B
Priority date: 1980-01-29
Filing date: 1981-01-27
Publication date: 1981-08-12
Also published as: DK33681A; NL8100373A; ES498870A0; SE8100383L; DE3102946A1; ES8203729A1

Abstract

A tool for fitting a tyre to a rim comprises a first, rigid, arm (9) which is provided at one of its ends with means (91) for bearing on a rim flange and a second arm (8) which is provided at one of its ends with means (81) for engaging a tyre bead, the second arm being movable with respect to the first to lift the tyre bead over the rim flange (121). In the illustrated embodiment the arm (8) passes through a slot in the arm (9) and bears on a fulcrum portion (93) thereof so as to be pivotable with respect to the arm (9). Alternatively the two arms may be connected together at their ends remote from the rim and tyre engaging means to form a tong-like tool, or may be formed in one-piece so as to be so connected. Tyre removing means, e.g. (84) may be provided on the tool. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tool fitting device for fitting a tyre to a rim The invention concerns a tyre fitting device for fitting a tyre to a rim.

Tyre fitting devices are already known (see Swiss Patents Nos. 156,634 and 198,595) which comprise a rigid operating arm which is provided at one of its ends with a hook portion directed towards the arm, the arm being intended to be passed behind the rim so that the hook portion comes into engagement on one of the edges of the rim, about which it can thus pivot.

Mounted on the operating arm is a second arm which is also rigid and which is provided at its free end with a bearing region which is directed in the opposite direction to the arm and which is intended to bear against the edge of the tyre to be mounted in order to apply a pushing force thereto.

Thus, by pivoting the operating arm by means of its hook portion about the edge of the rim, the second arm, by means of its bearing region, pushes the edge of the tyre back in such a way that the edge of the tyre comes level with the facing edge of the rim and can thus be pushed by hand behind the edge of the rim.

However, this known tyre fitting device suffers from various disadvantages, concerning in particular the fact it can be used only for fitting tyres to rims of a given width; alternatively, if that is not the case, it is necessary for the device to include means which permit the connection by which the second arm is mounted to the operating arm to be slid along and then locked in position, in dependence on the width of the rim.

Also, with the known tyre fitting device, fitting a tyre is a critical operation for it can frequently happen that the edge of the tyre slips from the bearing region of the second arm at a time when that edge of the tyre is not disposed behind the corresponding edge of the rim. This is because the second arm is rigid and because displacement of the bearing region inwardly of the rim is necessarily limited by the edge of the rim.

The present invention seeks in particular to overcome these disadvantages and for that purpose concerns a device for fitting a tyre to a rim, comprising a first rigid operating arm which is provided at one of its ends with a means for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of a rim and a second arm which is provided at one of its ends with a means for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of the tyre, said end of said second arm being movable with respect to the end of the first operating arm, wherein the means provided at the end of the first operating arm for cooperation thereof with one of the sides of a rim comprises a bearing region which is directed in the opposite direction to the arm and wherein the means provided at the end of the second arm for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of the tyre comprises a lifting hook portion which is directed towards the arm.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the rigid arm which is provided at one of its ends with said bearing region is assembled by means of its other end to the second arm, the free end of which is provided with the hook portion.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the second arm which is provided with the lifting hook portion at its end comprises a spring blade.

The invention is illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the tyre fitting device, Figure 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the tyre fitting device, and Figure 3 is a side view in partial crosssection of a third embodiment of the tyre fitting device according to the invention.

Consequently, the present invention seeks to provide a tyre fitting device which is of a simple and uncomplicated construction, which can be used for fitting tyres to rims of various sizes and which furthermore is easy to operate, which device, in the course of an operation of fitting a tyre, can be slid along the rim outwardly of the tyre in order to permit the entire periphery of the tyre to be progressively fitted to the rim without allowing the tyre to slip out.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the tyre fitting device comprises a first rigid rod or arm 1 which is made of metal or plastics material and which is joined by one of its ends, for example by means of rivets 2, to a second rod or arm 3 which is also made of metal or plastics material but which is flexible so that it can be moved towards the rigid arm 1 thereby to form a pincer-type assembly.

The arm 3 can satisfactorily be formed by a spring blade of metal or plastics material, or by means of a flexible blade of the metal braid type.

The free end of the rigid arm 1 is provided with a bearing surface 1, which is directed in the opposite direction to the arm 1 and which is provided with a transverse groove 1, which is preferably of circular cross-section, while the free end of the flexible arm 3 is provided with a hook portion 3, which is oriented towards the arm 3 and which is curved towards the end surface 1,.

When fitting a tyre to a rim, the device is positioned outwardly of the rim in such a way that the arms 1 and 3 are disposed on respective sides of the tyre to be fitted and in such a way also that the surface 1, bears against one of the edges of the rim, while the hook portion 3, is positioned under the opposite edge of the tyre to be fitted.

By a pivotal movement, the end 11 pivots about the edge of the rim while the hook portion 3, lifts the edge of the tyre.

With the two arms 1 and 3 simultaneously gripped towards each other, the lifting hook portion 3, is then positioned above the rim where it can be held manually by means of a finger while the device is slid along the rim, with pivotal movements of the device being effected successively from place to place along the rim in order progressively to mount the whole of the edge of the tyre on the rim.

The above-mentioned pivotal movements and successive sliding movements of the device on the rim are possible insofar as, in the course of its movements, the tyre which is being fitted remains constantly between the two arms 1 and 3.

Moreover, in consideration of the flexibility of the arm 3, the hook portion 3, tends automatically to move into a position over the rim in order to deposit the edge of the tyre thereat, as soon as the hook portion 3, has passed over the edge of the rim.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the device also comprises two rods or arm 4 and 5 which are connected together at their ends 6 and which for that purpose are made in one piece by moulding from a plastics material or a metal.

The two arms 4 and 5 are rigid in the longitudinal direction while permitting their free ends, which are respectively provided with the bearing surface 4, and the hook portion 51, to move towards each other, taking into account the flexibility and resiliency of the material forming the device.

In this embodiment also, the bearing surface 4, is intended to co-operate with the edge of a rim by means of a transverse groove while the hook portion 51 forms an edge portion which is substantially perpendicular to the arm 5 and which is directed towards the bearing surface 4,.

This arrangement will permit the edge of the tyre to slide and to escape more easily from the hook portion 5, in the course of the pivotal movement of the device.

Provided within the connection between the two arms 4 and 5,. as indicated at 6, there is a cylindrical opening 6, which is capable of receiving, by transverse sliding movement, a rib portion 7, of corresponding section, which is formed at one of the ends of an arm 7 which, when thus set in place, is held removably between the two arms 4 and 5.

At its other end, the arm 7 is provided with transverse undulations 72 forming a tyre removal lever.

For using the device as a tyre fitting device or as a tyre removal device, it is then only necessary to slide the end portion 7, out of its housing 6, by applying a transverse pressure thereto, whereupon either the arm 7 is used to remove tyres or the pincer-type assembly formed by the two arms 4 and 5 is used to effect tyre fitting operations.

Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the arm 7 can be omitted, in which case the tyre removal device will be formed by a projection portion 73 which terminates with undulations 74; the projection portion 73 is disposed in alignment with the arms 4 and 5, on the side of the junction 6 between the two arms, which is remote from the two arms.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the two arms 8 and 9 of the device are formed independently of each other, the arm 9 which is provided with the bearing surface 9, comprising a longitudinal opening 92 one of the ends 93 of which forms a circular bearing means which is capable of receiving the corresponding circular bearing means 8, formed on the arm 8 which is provided with the hook portion 82.

The two arms 8 and 9, or one of such arms, are or is provided with extension portions 83 and 94, on the side of the circular bearing means 8, and 93, which is remote from the two arms 8 and 9. The extension portions 83 and 94 terminate with transverse undulations 84 and 95 for forming a tyre removal device.

Thus, with the two arms being assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the device can be used in the manner of a pincer-type assembly for fitting the edge 111 of the tyre 11 behind the edge 12, of the rim 12.

In contrast, by withdrawing the arm 8 from the opening 92 in the arm 9, one or other of the two arms can be used, by means of its respective end 84 or 95, as a lever for removing a tyre.

Claims

1. A device for fitting a tyre to a rim, comprising a first rigid operating arm which is provided at one of its ends with a means for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of a rim and a second arm which is provided at one of its ends with a means for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of a tyre, said end of said second arm being movable with respect to the end of the first operating arm, wherein the means provided at the end of the first operating arm for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of a rim comprises a bearing region which is directed in the opposite direction to the arm, and wherein the means provided at the end of the second arm for co-operation thereof with one of the sides of the tyre comprises a lifting hook portion which is directed towards said arm.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the rigid arm which is provided with the bearing region at one of its ends is assembled by means of its other end to the second arm, the free end of which is provided with the hook portion.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the second arm which is provided with the lifting hook portion at its end, comprises a spring blade.

4. A deviceeaccording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second arm is formed of a flexible material.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, including a third arm, the free end of which has undulations extending transversely to its length, to form a tyre removal device.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein at the location at which the two arms are connected together, they are provided therebetween with a housing means for removably receiving the end of the tyre removal arm.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the third tyre removal arm comprises an extension portion extending the connection between the two other arms.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hook portion forms an edge portion which is substantially perpendicular to the second arm and which is directed towards the bearing region of the first arm.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, made in one piece by moulding a plastics material.

1 0. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first rigid arm which is provided with the bearing region which is directed oppositely to said first arm is removably assembled to the second arm which is provided with the hook portion which is directed towards said second arm.

11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arm which is provided with the lifting hook portion at one of its ends and/or the arm which is provided with the bearing region at one of its ends is extended, at its other end, by a lever portion, beyond the connection between the two arms.

1 2. A device according to claim 11, in which the lever portion, of at least one of the arms is provided, at its free end, with transverse undulations adapted to permit removal of a tyre.

1 3. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the two arms are pivotally assembled to each other.

1 4. A device according to claim 13, in which the pivot connection between the two arms comprises a cylindrical bearing means which is formed on one of the arms and which bearingly receives a corresponding cylindrical bearing means formed on the other arm.

1 5. A device according to claim 14, in which the cylindrical bearing means of one of the arms is formed at the end of an opening in said arm, the other arm extending through said opening.

16. A device for fitting a tyre to a rim, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.