EP1809490A1

EP1809490A1 - Wheel manipulator

Info

Publication number: EP1809490A1
Application number: EP05787167A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henricus Hubertus Maria Ploegmakers
Original assignee: Af Smits Beheer Bv; Mwm Jacobs Beheer Bv
Current assignee: Af Smits Beheer Bv; Mwm Jacobs Beheer Bv
Priority date: 2004-09-14
Filing date: 2005-09-14
Publication date: 2007-07-25
Also published as: WO2006031109A1; NL1027036C2

Abstract

A wheel manipulator (1) has a wheeled, U-shaped frame (5) with thereon a vertical guide (7) along which a support (13) can be pushed. There is a ring-shaped disc (19) supported on bearings on the support (13), which can be turned manually. Three shafts (21) are supported on bearings on the disc, on which chain wheels (23) and arms (25) are fastened. A chain (27) is wrapped around the chain wheels (23). Securing elements (33) are fastened on the free extremities (25b) of the arms to secure the wheel (3). The chain (27) with the chain wheels (23) and the hydraulic cylinder (29) form devices for the synchronous turning of the arms (25). There is a large circular opening (41) in the centre of the support (13). The middle of the wheel (3) is freely accessible through this opening (41), so that the wheel nuts and bolts can be easily undone or fastened.

Description

Wheel manipulator

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a wheel manipulator comprising a frame provided with a vertical guide, a support that is movable along the guide, at least two arms that are each connected to the support with a first extremity and are provided with a securing element on the second extremities to secure a wheel. A vertical guide is defined as any guide that is not fully horizontal.

Wheel manipulators are for example used to change large, heavy wheels on for example tractors. These wheels are heavy and changing them manually is hardly or not easily possible. The wheel manipulators are usually propelled by wheels, which are under the frame and a handle fastened to the frame. The wheel manipulator allows the height of a wheel to be adjusted, by pushing the support along the guide, and to be moved completely as the whole wheel manipulator can be wheeled. Moreover, the arms are usually fastened to a carrier, which can be turned about an imaginary central axis, so that the wheel can be turned to align the bolt holes in the wheel accurately with other bolt holes or stud bolts on a wheel carrier.

Prior art

Such a wheel manipulator is known from Dutch patent application no.

8902989. To secure different sized wheels, this wheel manipulator has three arms whose lengths are adjustable as they are formed by two telescopic tubes that fit into each other.

Summary of the invention

An objective of the invention is to provide a wheel manipulator of the type described in the preamble in which the mechanism for securing a wheel is improved. To this end, the wheel manipulator according to the invention is characterized in that the arms by the first extremities have a turnable connection to the support. This also allows wheels of different diameters to be secured by arms of a fixed length. An embodiment of the wheel manipulator according to the invention is characterized in that the wheel manipulator comprises devices to turn the arms synchronously. This ensures that the centre between the securing elements on the second extremities of the arms is always in the same place, which is preferably precisely in front of the opening in the support. A constructively favourable embodiment of the wheel manipulator according to the invention is characterized in that the devices for synchronously turning the arms comprise chain wheels, which are fastened to the first extremities of the arms, and a chain, which is wrapped around the chain wheels. The devices for synchronously turning the arms also preferably comprise a cylinder-piston combination, which is fastened to the support with one extremity and to the chain with the other. The cylinder is preferably a hydraulic cylinder, in which oil is added under pressure preferably with a manual pump.

A further embodiment of the wheel manipulator according to the invention is characterized in that the wheel manipulator comprises devices to keep the securing elements in the same position when turning the arms. Preferably the devices possess a system of rods to keep the securing elements in the same position, which forms a parallelogram construction with the arm. This keeps the orientation of the securing elements the same when turning the arms.

A further disadvantage of the above known wheel manipulator is that it is difficult to remove and fasten a wheel from and to a wheel axle as access to the middle section of the wheel, where the bolt holes are, is made difficult by the presence of the guide and the support in front of the middle of the wheel.

A further embodiment of the wheel manipulator according to the invention in which this disadvantage is not experienced, is characterized in that when a wheel is secured the middle point of the wheel is in front of the support, in which the support is provided with an opening, which is in front of the middle point of the wheel. The middle of a wheel is freely accessible through this opening so that the wheel nuts or bolts can be easily undone or fastened. The opening preferably has dimensions that describe an imaginary circle with a diameter of at least 30 cm, and preferably at least 50 cm, so that even large wheels can be easily removed from and fastened to a vehicle. Moreover, the guide preferably comprises two parallel, vertical guides for this purpose, which are at least 30 cm, and preferably at least 50 cm, apart.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of drawings in which an embodiment of the wheel manipulator according to the invention is shown. In these drawings:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the wheel manipulator when a wheel is secured, in side elevation;

Figure 2 shows the wheel manipulator with a wheel, in front elevation; Figure 3 shows the wheel manipulator with a wheel, from the top; and

Figure 4 shows the wheel manipulator in front elevation, though now with a smaller wheel.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figures 1 , 2 and 3 show an embodiment of the wheel manipulator 1 according to the invention with a wheel 3 secured in respectively side, front and top elevation. The wheel manipulator 1 has a wheeled, U-shaped frame 5 with thereon a vertical guide 7, which is formed by two separated, vertical guides 9, 11. There is a support 13 between the guides, which can be pushed along the guide. The support is connected to a vertical, hydraulic cylinder 15, which is connected to a manual pump 17.

A ring-shaped disc 19, which can be turned manually on bearings, is present on the support 13. Three shafts 21 are supported on bearings on the disc on which chain wheels 23 and arms 25 are fastened. A chain 27 is wrapped around the chain wheels 23, which can be moved by a further hydraulic cylinder 29. This further hydraulic cylinder is also connected to a manual pump 31. The arms 25 are fastened to the shafts 21 by a first extremity 25a. Securing elements 33 to secure the wheel 3, are fastened to the second extremities 25b of the arms. The chain 27, the chain wheels 23 and the hydraulic cylinder 29 form devices to turn the arms 25 synchronously.

The securing elements 33, which can be turned on the arms 25, describe a smaller circle by turning the arms 25, so that wheels with a smaller diameter can be secured. The securing elements 33 are fastened to shafts 33b, which are supported on bearings in a way that they can turn in the arms 25.

These shafts 33b are connected via a system of rods 34 to the disc 19. Each system of rods has a rod that is parallel to the arm 25 and is connected by an extremity to the disc 19 in a way that it can turn, and by the other extremity in a way that it is hinged to a connecting rod, which is fastened to the shaft 33 b. This provides a parallelogram construction so that the orientation of the securing elements 33 remains the same when the arms 25 are turned.

Figure 4 shows the wheel manipulator 1 with a smaller wheel 35 to clarify the action of the wheel manipulator 1 (the system of rods 34 is not shown here to give a better view). The arms 25 here have the same length, but have been turned with respect to the position shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, which is shown here by broken lines.

The arms 25 are formed by two telescopic tubes 37 that slide into each other, which can be fastened with respect to each other by a pin 39. This allows the length of the arms 25 to be changed so that even larger or smaller wheels can be secured. There is a large circular opening 41 in the middle of the support 13, see figure 2. The opening in the support is in the centre of the securing elements 33. The middle of the wheel 3 is easily accessible through this opening 41, so that the wheel nuts or bolts can be easily undone or fastened. The opening 41 has a diameter of about 70 cm and the distance between the vertical guides 9, 11 is about 1 metre so that there is good access to the bolt holes even with large wheels.

The wheel manipulator 1 can be wheeled using a handle 43, which is connected to one of the wheel pairs 45, in which this pair of wheels also turn when the handle 43 is turned, see figure 3.

Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Wheel manipulator comprising a frame provided with a vertical guide, a support that is movable along the guide, at least two arms that are each connected to the support with a first extremity and are provided with a securing element on the second extremities to secure a wheel, characterized in that the arms by the first extremities are connected to the support in a way that they can turn.

2. Wheel manipulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the wheel manipulator comprises devices for the synchronous turning of the arms.

3. Wheel manipulator according to claim 2, characterized in that the devices for the synchronous turning of the arms comprise chain wheels, which are fastened to the first extremities of the arms, and a chain, which is wrapped around the chain wheels.

4. Wheel manipulator according to claim 3, characterized in that the devices for the synchronous turning of the arms also comprises a cylinder-piston combination, which is fastened to the support with an extremity and to the chain with the other extremity.

5. Wheel manipulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wheel manipulator comprises devices to keep the securing elements in the same position when the arms turn.

6. Wheel manipulator according to claim 5, characterized in that the devices for keeping the securing elements in the same position comprise a system of rods that forms a parallelogram construction together with the arm.

7. Wheel manipulator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the middle point of the wheel is in front of the support when a wheel is secured, in which the support is provided with an opening that is in front of the middle point of the wheel.

8. Wheel manipulator according to claim 7, characterized in that the measurements of the opening enable it to describe an imaginary circle with a diameter of at least 30 cm, and preferably at least 50 cm.

9. Wheel manipulator according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the guide has two parallel, vertical guides, which are at least 30 cm, and preferably at least 50 cm, apart.