GB2297387A

GB2297387A - Multi-purpose tool

Info

Publication number: GB2297387A
Application number: GB9600295A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Woollett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-30
Filing date: 1996-01-08
Publication date: 1996-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-08
Also published as: GB9600295D0; GB2297387B

Description

Mu1ti-Pupone Tool The present invention relates to engineering tools for use with bicycles end the like, end more particularly tools which can be used for wheel centring and truing, for chain repairs, and for various other bicycle maintenance and repair functions.

Wheels for vehicles such as bicycles, motor cycles, and cars, wheel components such as brake discs and drums, end other rotating components of machines generelly may become inaccurate; the two major forms of inaccuracy are displacement of the rim relative to the axle (so that the radius varies as the wheel rotates) and skewing of the plane of the wheel relative to the direction of the axle (so that the rim oscillates from side to side as the wheel rotates). There is therefore a need for a tool with which such dimensional inaccuracies (commonly known es buckle) can be measured.

This can be done by using a dial gauge or a probe mounted on a supporting device. Wheels can be repeired, and built in wheel jigs, truing stands or within position attached to machinery, by adjusting or replacing spokes with the assistance of spoke keys etc. If a jig or fixture is used to assist with these functions, a dial gauge or probe can be attached to it, to measure the inaccuracies of the rotating body. This will improve the dimensional build accuracy of the rotating body.

The centring of wheels in vehicle frames is sometimes necessary. A gauge to check this is therefore also required. A gauge to check the lateral offset between wheel hubs and rims is also needed when wheel building or repair.

Wheel building jigs, truing stands, etc are often however relatively large and expensive. The wheel or other rotating body often needs to be removed from the machine to use them. The jig needs a special clamp bracket attached to it so that a gauge can be releasably mounted on it to check the dimensions or dimensional inaccuracies in the wheel or rotating body.

Turning to chain repairs, drive chains on machines sometimes need to be adjusted in length by adding or subtracting chain links. Chains sometimes need to be split to remove them from machinery by using M link extractor tool. They need to be rejoined by riveting the links beck together using riveting tools.

Stiff chain links also need to be unseized when they ere still from riveting.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a simple multipurpose tool which can be used for wheel centring end truing, for chain repairs, and preferably also for various other bicycle maintenance and repair functions.

It will of course be realized that wheel centring and truing apparatus, chain repair devices, spoke keys, screwdrivers, socket drivers, G clamps, etc are of course already known. However, the use of individual tools for performing all these functions, would require a considerable number of tools which would be relatively heavier, more expensive, and less compact.

According to its main feature, the present invention provides a tool comprising a block having top, body, and bottom limbs forming a U shape, and a main screw engaging with a bore through the top limb and parallel with the body limb, characterized by wheel monitoring means on or in the body limb for adjustably positioning a probe element for wheel centring and truing, and fork means on the bottom limb opposite the mein screw adapted for chain repair.

In its preferred form, the invention provides a simple multi-purpose tool which cen perform as a wheel dimensional error checking gauge, an adjustable dial gauge support, a chain link splitter/riveter/unseizer, and a bit socket driver. This is perticulerly useful for cyclists and motor-cyclists.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of e tool embodying the invention end variations thereof, given by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. I is a partial perspective view of a first main form of the tool; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the tool in a slightly different use; Fig. 3 shows the tommy bar of the tool, and Fig. 3A shows a variant thereof; Fig. 4 shows further deteils relating to the main screw; Figs. 5 end 5A show the bottom limb of the block in more detail; Fig. 6 shows a modification of the tool; Figs. 7 to 10 show a second main form of the tool, with various modifica tions thereof; and Figs. 11 and I IA show further variants of the tommy bar.

Fig. 1 shows a first main form of the tool. (It should be noted that this Figure shows the portions concerned with wheel truing, but does not show the details of the portions concerned with chain repair.) The tool comprises a block 10 and a main screw 11. The main screw 11 has a hesd 20 through which a tommy bar 21 passes. The block 10 has three limbs which can for convenience be termed a top limb 12, a body limb 13, and a bottom limb 14. The top limb 12 has a vertical threaded hole through which the main screw 11 passes, and the body limb 13 has e projection 15 with various holes 17-19 therein. A probe rod 28 passes through one of the holes 18; hole 19 is threaded end receives a screw 75 which can be screwed down in hole 19 to lock the rod 28 in place.

Fig. 1 shows the tool being used to check the oscillation of a wheel 25.

For this, the tool is attached to a nearby frame member 26 of the machine carrying the wheel, by placing the block 10 around member 26 end tightening the main screw down onto that member. The main screw preferably has a pressure pad 27 mounted on its inner end, to minimize damage to the frame member 26; the pressure pad, and the inner surface of the bottom limb 14 of the block 10, mey have protective resilient pads (not shown) if desired. The probe rod 28 is then locked in position by screw 75 so thet its end lies adjacent to the side surface of the wheel 25 (eg at or slightly eway from any high spot on the wheel).

Any sideways oscillation of the wheel 25 (due eg to warping of the wheel) as it rotates can then be monitored, eg by eye, either statically (by rotating to successive positions) or dynamically (with the wheel rotating continuously). If desired, the variation of the distance between the wheel surface and the end of the probe rod 28 can be measured statically by feeler gauges, es indicated at 30.

The projection 15 preferably has a plurality of holes 18, and preferably also has holes through it in both directions, as indicated at 17 and 18; this increases its versatility. The holes 17 and 18 may be smooth, or they may be threaded so that a threaded probe rod may be engaged directly with the projection; a lock nut may of course be used in this case.

The tool cen obviously be used in a similar way for monitoring radial variations or inaccuracies of a wheel. For this, the tool will be mounted on a machine frame member at a position roughly in the plane of the wheel and outside the rim of the wheel, and the probe rod will be positioned roughly radially so that its inner end is adjacent to the rim of the wheel.

In place of the plain probe rod 28, a rod comprising a marker pen, or having a marker pen element at its end, may be used. This will allow high spots on a buckled wheel to be marked. The marker pen element may be attached to the mein part of the rod by e spring coupling (spring loaded plunger).

If desired, the tool may be used to support e dial gauge to enable more accurate checking of dimensional errors and sizes to be carried out. As shown in Fig. 2, e diel gauge 35 can be clamped to the projection 15, eg by using a plain nut and bolt (not shown) through one of the holes 17. The holes 18 and 19 can be used for similar purposes.

The tool can of course be used as a G-cramp, to clamp two or more components together in the block between the pressure pad 27 and the bottom limb 14 of the block.

The tommy ber 21 can be used by itself as a spoke key or spanner. For this, it has e head 40 with spoke key holes 41 of verying sizes, as shown in Fig.

3. Fig. 3A shows an alternative form of tommy ber, in which the slots are arranged differently.

The tommy bar can be graduated, as shown, with the zero point near its centre. It can then be used by itself to determine whether the wheel 25 is central, by placing the bar ecross the edge of the wheel against eg a peir of supporting forks and measuring the distances from the mid-line of the wheel rim that point to the two forks (one on each side of the wheel). The bar may have a pair of sliding collars (not shown) which cen be adjusted to lie ageinst the edges of the wheel rim and so automatically centre the bar against the wheel rim.

The tool cen also be used to set an offset gap between the wheel rim and wheel hub (this is commonly known as dishing). The probe rod 28 (which for this purpose should be gradueted like the tommy ber 21) can be used to measure the distance from the projection 15 to the wheel rim, either directly or by measuring the distance to e straight-edge of known width leid across the wheel hub.

In generel, therefore, there will be no need to buy a wheel building jig because the wheel can be edjusted in the vehicle frame, chassis or body member.

A bicycle could be simply turned upside down or suspended off the ground and the present tool attached to the vehicle frame. The tool may also be used with a wheel building jig, 8 wheel truing stand or trainer to enable the checking of component dimensions.

The main screw 11 can also be used as a driver for bits (eg hex bits) and sockets. For this, the pressure pad 27 is removable and replaceable by a suitable bit 45 or socket 46, as shown in Fig. 4. The bits and sockets have hexagonal adaptors or spigots 47 which fit into an effectively blind hexagonal recess 48 in the end of the main screw. The main screw cen be provided with means (eg a spring clip, magnetization, or e locking collar) to retain the pressure ped, bit, or socket. The bit 46 may be double-ended, with eg a flat blade at one end end a Phillips type screwdriver head at the other (not shown).

The block 10 can be provided with means (Figs. 7 and 8, discussed below) for retaining these components when they are not in use. Thus there may be a bore 85, passing longitudinally through the body limb 13 of the block 10, into which they slide; the tube may have a resilient lining 86 to retain these elements.

The main screw 11 may be hollowed, as shown at 50 in Fig. 9. Alternatively, there may be e retainer, preferably of or lined with resilient material, attached to the block 10 and in the form of a tube or having a set of holes into which the bits, etc fit. The main screw 11 may also heve a bore with a resilient liner for retaining certain detachable components if desired. (Instead of the bore 85 through the body limb 13, a tube can be attached to that limb.) Instead of the pressure ped 27 fitting directly onto or into the main screw 11, a pin (not shown) can normelly be resident in this main screw, with the pressure pad fitting onto the pin. The pressure pad may have a groove (not shown) across its face for improved engagement with rounded objects.

An alternative method of providing a hex bit/socket driver is to provide a suitable socket directly on the block 10.

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the tool of Fig. 1, in which the projection 15 extends for the full length of the body limb 13 of the block 10, and the bottom limb 14 has a V-shaped groove 76 for locating the tool on round machine freme sections. If desired, e sleeve (not shown) of rubber or similar meteriel may be placed around the limb 14, to protect the cycle frame when the tool is tightened onto it.

Fig. 9 shows a second main form of the tool. In plece of the projection 15, the body limb 13 of the block 10 has a through bore 85. The bore 85 cen have its ends partially closed, as shown et 89, to retain the liner. Further, the main screw 11 has, in place of the head 20 of the Fig. 1 mein screw, a head having a cross hole 51. An Allen key (not shown) can be inserted in the hole 51 to turn this main screw.

In this form of the tool, the probe element consists of the bit element 47, which is retained in the bore 85 by means of a resilient liner 86. The position of this probe element can be set by pushing it to a desired position in the liner 86, eg by using the shank of the Allen key.

Turning now to chain repair, drive chains on bicycles and similar machines sometimes need to be adjusted in length by adding or subtracting chain links.

Chains sometimes need to be split to remove them from machinery by using s link extractor tool. They need to be rejoined by riveting the links beck together using riveting tools. Stiff chain links also need to be unseized when they are still from riveting.

The present tool can be used as e duplex roller chain link splitter, riveter, and unseizer, for pushing out and driving in chain link pins and rivets of numerous sizes and freeing seized chains. For this, the bottom limb 14 of the block 10 is formed as shown in Fig. 5. A hole 56 is formed through the bottom limb, aligned with the main screw 11, and e pin bit 57 is placed in the end of the main screw. The chain 58 is placed with the rivet to be worked on over the hole 56. The limb 14 preferably has a shallow groove 55 ecross its upper face to locate the chain 58 and prevent it from slipping. A rivet can be pressed out of the chain into the hole 56 by lowering the main screw into the chain from above.

The limb 14 also has a pair of teeth 61 located beneath its main body, as shown, forming a fork with e gap 60. A chain cen be placed over these teeth es shown in Fig. 5A, with the teeth projecting between two successive links in the chain and e rivet held between them. The chain can then be worked on, eg for unseizing a seized rivet by lowering the pin bit 57 through the hole 56 onto the rivet. (For this, the chain links must obviously be lerge enough and the teeth 61 small enough for the chain links to fit over the teeth.) A rivet may also be loeded into the hole 56 and guided into the chain by applying force via the pin bit 57.

Fig. 7 shows a variant of the Fig. 5 arrangement. In place of the teeth 61 forming an integral part of the main body 10, there is a separate member 80 which is attached to the main body 10 by a screw 84, with a spacer 81 holding it away from the main body to provide a gap. The teeth 82 and gap 83 between them correspond to the teeth 61 and the gap 60 between them. The two ends of the member 80 are similar but of different sizes. so that the member 80 can be fixed to the body 10 in two different orientations. This allows chains of different sizes to be worked on. The member 80 can be of different material to the main body 10, and can readily be replaced. Fig. 7 also shows a variation of the Fig. 9 arrangement with two parallel through bores 85 through the body limb 13 of the block 10.

Fig. 8 shows a variant of the Fig. 7 arrangement, in which the member 80 is replaced by a multi-position member 87. The underside of limb 14 of the main body 10 is cut back, so the washer 81 of the Fig. 7 arrangement is not required.

Fig. 10 shows some further modifications of the Fig. 9 tool. The hole 56 and the hole for the retaining screw 84 are in reversed positions relative to the limb 13 of the block 10, so that the forks 82 of the member 80 are directed inwards rather than outwards. Further, the member 80 can be mounted on either side of the limb 14, as shown. It may be desirable to mount member 80 on the inside of the limb 14, as this allows the chain to be located more securely, trapping it between the member 80 and the limb 13.

Further, the bolt 84 does not engage in e threeded hole in the limb 14, but pesses through the hole and engeges with a threaded hole in the member 80 on the other side of the limb. This allows the hole to be slot-shaped rather than circular, so allowing adjustment of the distance between the element 80 and the limb 13.

In the tool shown in Fig. 10, the member 80 is formed with an enlargement obviating the need for the specer element 81. Alternatively, the outer end of the limb 14 of the block 10 may heve enlargements (not shown) where it faces the member 80, so that the forks 82 are spaced away from the adjacent surface of the limb 14.

Fig. 10 also shows a modification of the pressure pad 27 on the end of the main screw 11. The pressure pad consists of a disc with a spigot which engages in a hole in the end of the mein screw. The pressure pad of Fig. 10 has, as shown, the spigot offset from the centre of the disc. This enables the device to grip large objects better. As shown in Fig. 10, limb 12 may be shorter than limb 14; the pressure pad 27 can be placed with its offset spigot locating the outer lobe of the disc of the pressure pad further from the limb 13 than the main screw 11, ie in closer alignment with the outer end of limb 14.

Figs. 11 and 11A show a further form of the tommy bar 21, consisting of a bent segment 90 like an Allen key and a flat segment 91. The flat segment 91 includes two square spoke key cut-outs 41 in its edges; in addition, there are various sizes of hexagonal spanner hole 92 through the body of this flat segment. This bar can also be used as a tyre lever.

As shown in Fig. 11 A, the flat segment 92 is attached to the bent segment 91 with a slight twist, so thet the tommy bar can be located as shown in Fig. I 1A with the bent segment 90 through the hole 51 in the main screw 11 and the flat segment 91 flat against the side of the body limb 13 of the block 11. In this position, the tommy bar will retain any components stored in the hollow bore of the main screw 11.

Claims

Claims

A A tool comprising a block (10) having top (12), body (13), and bottom (14) limbs forming a U shepe, and a main screw (11) engaging with a bore through the top limb and parallel with the body limb, characterized by wheel monitoring means (15; 85) on or in the body limb for adjustable positioning a probe element (28) for wheel centring and truing, and fork means (60, etc; 80, etc) on the bottom limb opposite the main screw adapted for chain repair.
2 A tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the wheel monitoring means comprises a projection (15) on the body limb (13) of the block (10) and e probe rod (28) therethrough.
3 A tool according to claim 1, charecterized in thet the wheel monitoring means comprises e hole (85) through the length of the body limb (13) of the block (10) and a probe element (47) therein.
4 A tool eccording to any previous claim, cherecterized in thet the fork means comprise fixed projections (61) on the block (10).
5 A tool eccording to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fork means comprise a fork element (80; 87) and a screw (84) for attaching the fork element to the bottom limb (14) of the block (10).
6 A tool according to claim 5, characterized in thet the fork element can be attached to either side of the bottom limb (14).
7 A tool according to either of claims 5 and 6, charecterized in that the fork element can be rotated to at least 2 positions (Figs. 7 and 8).
8 A tool according to any previous claim, characterized in that the main screw (11) has a detachable pressure pad (27).
9 A tool according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressure pad has an offset spigot (Fig. 10).
10 A tool according to eny previous claim, characterized by a tommy bar (21) engaging with the main screw.
11 A tool according to claim 10, characterized in that the tommy ber has a head (40) having slots (41) acting as a spoke spanner.
12 A tool according to either of claims 10 and 11, characterized in thet the tommy bar has at least one hexagonal socket (92) therein.
13 A tool according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in thet the tommy bar includes a bent element (90) having a hexagonal section.
14 A tool according to any previous claim, characterized by a plurality of different elements (45, 46) each fittable into the end of the main screw (11).
15 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Peris Convention).