GB2218056A - Hand tool - Google Patents

Abstract

A hand tool for levering upwardly an object e.g. a vehicle wheel 10, set on the body thereof, the hand tool comprising a body 14a, 14b inclined upwardly from the front to the rear and a handle 15 at the rear end thereof. The hand tool is especially useful for levering car wheels onto wheel hub studs (11), Fig 2. <IMAGE>

Description

LEVERAGE HAND TOOL This invention relates to a leverage hand tool and is particularly useful for levering dismounted car wheels onto the wheel hub.

When a car has a puncture, the spare wheel must be lifted up and onto the screw studs extending from the wheel hub. Since it is difficult to engage all studs at once, the wheel is best angled so that the topmost studs can be firstly engaged, and thereafter by suitable adjustment, the remaining studs. Anyone who has repaired a puncture will know that lifting the spare wheel especially while trying to maintain a convenient mounting angle, is difficult especially for a lady.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the aforesaid disadvantage.

According to the present invention there is provided a leverage hand tool comprising a body inclined upwardly from the front to the rear, and a handle at the rear end of the body for lifting, to lever upwardly an object, in use, on the front end of the body.

The hand tool is especially useful for levering car wheels onto wheel hub studs, and mention hereinafter of wheel should be construed as the object to be levered.

Therefore not only is there a mechanical leverage advantage in lifting the wheel, but also the incline of the body provides the advantage of lifting the wheel at an angle onto the studs.

The incline of the body could be formed in a number of ways, but preferably the body is a flat bar, and preferably a heel is fixed to the underside of the rear body edge to form the incline.

The heel preferably extends from both sides of the bar rear edge. Such a construction provides extra stability for the hand tool in two ways. Firstly a reasonable part of smaller wheels must be on the front of the body for sufficient leverage thereof, and such a wheel easily be rolled onto the front end of the body because of the extra stability.

Secondly once the wheel is engaged with the top stud of the wheel hub, the hand tool could be tilted to engage the side studs, and an extended heel gives mnre stability in this operation.

The longer the leverage length of the hand tool, the greater the mechanical advantage is obtained, but the bulkier the hand tool is for storage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the leverage length of the hand tool is extendable, most preferably telescopically, but also by means of for example an attachment to the handle.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the body of the hand tool on which the wheel is received is preferably formed as two spaced fingers between which the lower circumference of the wheel is received.

It will be appreciated that the present invention encompasses an arrangement where the rear handle is upwardly cranked or staggered relative to the front wheel receiving portion of the tool (and inclined should be construed) thereby performing the necessary wheel leverage. The general vertical distance between the front wheel receiving portion and handle will vary with wheel sizes.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a hand tool embodying the invention, levering a car wheel onto a wheel hub; Fig. 2 is an end view of the hand tool and car wheel of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of the tool and car wheel of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of the hand tool in Figs. 1 to 3; Figs. 5 and 6 are side perspective views of the hand tool of Fig. 4 but which axe also telescopically extendable; Fig. 7 is a front perspective view of a third form of telescopic extension; Fig. 8 is another embodiment of a leverage hand tool, different from those in Figs. 1 to 7, and is shown as a top and side perspective view; Fig. 9 is a top/side perspective and schematic view of a further embodiment of a leverage hand tool according to the invention;; Fig. 10 is a front/side perspective and schematic view of a similar leverage hand tool to that of Fig.

9; Fig. 11 is a further similar hand tool to that of Figs. 9 and 10; Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively front and side schematic views of the hand tool of Figs. 9, 10 ort levering a car wheel onto the hub; and Fig. 14 is a top/side perspective and schematic view of an extension bar.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a hand tool 13 levering a car wheel 10 onto studs 11 on the wheel hub 12. The hand tool comprises a flat bar 14 included from its front to rear end, a handle 15 mounted over the upper surface of the bar 14a, b at the rear end thereof, and a heel 1G fxedat the underside, rear end of the bar 14a, b to provide the said incline.

The wheel 10 is firstly lined up with the studs 11, then tilted backwards and the front end of the bar 14a, b wedged under it. The wheel is now at a convenient mounting position. As the handle is tilted, the wheel is levered upwards (and still angled), onto the topmost studs 11. On tilting the hand tool 13 now to the side, the remaining studs 11 can be engaged and the wheel 10 bolted in place. The hand tool therefore not only provides a levering advantage, but also presents the wheel at a convenient angle to the studs 11.

On tilting the hand tool 13 now to the side, the remaining studs 11 can be engaged and the wheel 10 bolted in place. The hand tool therefore not only provides a levering advantage, but also presents the wheel at a convenient angle to the studs 11.

The heel 16 as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, is perpendicular to the back edge of the bar and is approximately the same size thereof. Preferably, however, the heel extends from both ends of the back edge, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide a further advantage. Thus where the hand tool 13 is tilted to the side once the topmost studs 11 are engaged, the heel provides extra stability.

Furthermore, often it is convenient for good leverage to roll a small wheel onto the front end of the bar 14a, b also in this situation the extended heel 16 as shown in Fig. 8, provides extra stability. The heel 16 is a square cross-sectional bar (Fig. 8).

Also in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the handle 15 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the rear edge of the bar 14a, b thereby effectively increasing the leverage length of the bar 14a, b.

For ease of storage, the hand tool 12 can be extendable telescopically via various arrangements, such as shown in Figs. 5 to 7, from about 12 inches (30 cm) to about 18 inches (45cm). In Figs. 5 and 7 the front telescopic part of the bar is received within the hollow rear part 14b Fig. 6 on the underside of the rear part of the bar 14b, are attached spaced runners 17, along which the front telescopic part of the bar 14a slidingly extends. Since the mechanical lifting advantage increases with the leverage length, in the embodiment of Fig. 8, an extending attachment can be fitted over the handle 15. The handle, however, could also be telescopically extendable.

In a further embodiment of the invention the wheel 10 is lifted onto the wheel hub 12 via two spaced fingers. 18. These fingers. 18 are formed from a metal strip (Fig. 92 ox bar (Fig. 10) bent generally into a U-shape and lying horizontal in use.

A handle-ts above and staggered with respect to the fingers 18 is connected thereto by a bracket 19 extending vertically from the base of the fingers 18.

In use as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the lower circumference of the wheel 12 rests between the two fingers 18 (Fig. 12) so that downward leverage of the cranked handle 15 lifts the wheel 10 upwards preferably at an angle, onto the wheel hub 12.

As shown in Fig. 11 a flange 20 can be provided extending inwardly at right angles from the bottom edge of the fingers 18 to give better balance to the wheel 12 during leverage.

As before an extension bar 21 can axially receive the handle 15 for more effortless leverage.

Claims (15)

1. A leverage hand tool comprising a body inclined upwardly from the front to the rear, and a handle at the rear end thereof, for lifting, to lever upwardly an object, in use, on the front end of said body.

2. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is a flat bar.

3. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the upward inclination of the body from the front to the rear results from a heel fixed to the underside rear edge of the bod.

4. A leverage hand tool as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein the heel extends from both sides of the rear edge of the body.

5. A leverage hand tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the length of the hand tool is extendable.

6. A leverage hand tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body is extendable telescopically.

7. A leverage hand tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hand tool is extendable by an attachment to the handle.

8. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body is comprised of two spaced apart fingers.

9. A leverage hand tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the rear of the body.

10. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claims 1-6 wherein a front telescopic part of the body is accommodated within a hollow rear part of the body when not in use.

11. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claims 1-6 wherein spaced runners are located on the underside towards the rear part of the body along which a front telescopic part of the body can slidingly retract when not in use.

12. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claim 8 wherein the spaced apart fingers are formed from a metal strip bent into a U-shape and lying horizontal in use.

13. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claims 8 or 12 wherein the handle is connected to the base of the spaced apart fingers by a bracket extending vertically from the base of the spaced apart fingers.

14. A leverage hand tool as claimed in claims 8, 12 or 13 wherein a flange is provided extending inwardly at right angles from the bottom edges of the spaced apart fingers.

15. A leverage hand tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.