GB2499440A

GB2499440A - Trolley for moving vehicle wheels

Info

Publication number: GB2499440A
Application number: GB1202771.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Winstanley
Original assignee: EASYLIFE PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: EASYLIFE PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2012-02-17
Filing date: 2012-02-17
Publication date: 2013-08-21
Also published as: GB201202771D0

Abstract

Apparatus 1 for maneuvering wheels comprising a frame 3 for supporting the apparatus 1 on a surface. A shaft 5 is mounted to the frame 3 and a wheel support 7 is rotatably mounted to the shaft 5 and extends away from the shaft 5. The apparatus also has an adjustment means 27 having an actuator 31 connected to the wheel support 7 and moveable relative to the shaft 5. Movement of the actuator 31 relative to the shaft 5 causes the wheel support 7 to rotate about the shaft 5 thereby moving the end of the wheel support 7 remote from the shaft 5 toward or away from the frame 3 depending on the direction of motion of the actuator 31 relative to the shaft 5. The adjustment means 27 may have a double ended threaded stud 29 that may be rotated relative to the shaft 5. Rotation of the stud 29 may cause the actuator 31 to move relative to the shaft 5. The actuator 31 may have a threaded hole 33 that is mounted to the stud 29.

Description

1

Wheel Manoeuvring Apparatus The present invention relates to wheel manoeuvring apparatus.

5 Many transportation vehicles comprise one or more axles each of which has one or more wheels mounted thereto so that the wheels can rotate and permit the vehicle to move. Rotation of the wheels about the axles overcomes friction and therefore allows heavy vehicles and loads to be transported with relative ease. Often, the wheels are removably attached to the axle hubs so that, if they become damaged, they can be removed and repaired 10 or replaced. For example, a car usually comprises four pneumatic tyred wheels that are prone to puncture. When a tyre of a wheel is punctured it can no longer roll efficiently and must be replaced. Conventionally, this is done by taking the weight of the vehicle off the wheel using a car jack, removing any bolts that attach the wheel to the axle hub and removing the wheel for repair and replacement.

15

This approach is acceptable for vehicles such as family cars with relatively small, light wheels that can be manoeuvred easily by a person. However, such an operation is far more difficult, if not impossible, when dealing with larger, heavier wheels on vehicles with much greater loads, for example larger cars, utility vehicles, 4x4 off road vehicles, buses or 20 coaches. Such wheels are much more difficult to handle and manoeuvre and position relative to the axle hub for reattachment.

An object of the invention is to mitigate these difficulties.

25 According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for manoeuvring wheels comprising a frame for supporting the apparatus on a surface, a shaft mounted to the frame and a wheel support rotatably mounted to the shaft and extending away from the shaft, the apparatus further comprising an adjustment means having an actuator connected to the wheel support and moveable relative to the shaft, wherein movement of the actuator relative to the 30 shaft causes the wheel support to rotate about the shaft thereby moving the end of the wheel support remote from the shaft toward or away from the frame depending on the direction of motion of the actuator relative to the shaft.

2

Advantageously, the apparatus can be used to transport and raise and lower large wheels that cannot ordinarily be manoeuvred by one or more human users. It therefore enables large, heavy wheels to be easily transported and positioned relative to an axle hub for mounting to and dismounting from vehicles.

5

There may be more than one wheel support and at least one wheel support may extend away from the shaft in a direction opposite to at least one other wheel support. One actuator may be connected to at least one wheel support and another actuator may be connected to at least one other wheel support. The or each actuator may be pivotally connected to a wheel support.

10

The adjustment means may further comprise a rotatable element and one or more actuators may be connected to the rotatable element such that when the rotatable element is rotated the actuators are urged toward or away from the shaft depending upon the direction of rotation. The rotatable element may comprise a thread and the actuator may comprise a threaded hole 15 that receives the thread and wherein rotation of the rotatable element causes the actuator to travel along the thread. Longitudinal movement of the rotatable element relative to the shaft may be restricted.

The rotatable element may be rotated from outside of the frame. There may be a second 20 rotatable element arranged to engage the first rotatable element, the second rotatable element may extend from outside the frame into the frame. The first rotatable element and the second rotatable element may be angled relative to one another and comprise respective bevel wheels that engage one another. The first and second rotatable elements may be angled relative to one another.

25

There may be a ramp arranged to permit a wheel to be rolled up from the surface on which the apparatus is supported and onto the or each wheel support. There may be two wheel supports extending away from the shaft in opposite directions respectively, two actuators connected to respective wheel supports and the actuators may be arranged to move toward the 30 respective wheel supports to urge the ends of the wheel supports away from the frame.

One or more wheel supports may comprise a rotatable part to permit a wheel supported thereon to be rotated relative to the shaft.

3

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, an embodiment therefore will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

5

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an alternative perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is another alternative perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

10 Fig. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 supporting a wheel and to which is attached a ramp;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

15 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig, 10 is a side view of a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with a wheel supported thereon.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus 1 comprises a substantially rectangular steel frame 3 20 and a shaft 5 which extends between two opposite sides and bisects the frame 3. Two wheel supports 7 are rotatably mounted to the shaft 5 via respective hollow cylinders 9 that are arranged to receive the shaft 5. Each wheel support 7 has a rod 11 which is attached to the hollow cylinder 9 and extends substantially perpendicularly away from the shaft 5. A second rod 13 is attached to the end of the first rod 11 remote from the shaft 5 and extends 25 substantially perpendicularly to the first rod 11 so that it is substantially parallel with the shaft 5. The two second rods 13 are thus located at opposite ends respectively of the frame 3 and work together to provide a stable base for a wheel. Attached to the underside of the frame 3 at each corner is a caster 15 to enable the apparatus 1 to be easily manoeuvred with or without a wheel supported thereon.

30

A pair of cylindrical rubber or plastic pads 16 is mounted on the second rods 13 to provide cushioning for the wheel and to protect the apparatus from damage by a wheel supported thereon. The cylindrical pads 16 are rotatably mounted on the second rods 13 so that a wheel

4

supported on the apparatus 1 can be easily rotated. Referring to Fig. 10, a wheel supported on the apparatus 1 can be easily rotated on the pads 16 so that the wheel nut holes can be aligned with the holes of an axle hub. The apparatus 1 is therefore capable of fine rotational adjustment of the wheel relative to the axle hub.

5

The frame 3 comprises four sides, two of which 17 are substantially upright and opposite one another, and the other two of which 19 are substantially horizontal and located at opposite ends respectively. The upright sides 17 curve upwardly from their respective centres and peak toward their respective ends. A curved recess 22 is formed at each end of the upright sides 10 and is shaped to provide a seat for the second rods 13 of the wheel supports 7 when resting on the frame 3. The shaft 5 of the apparatus 1 extends substantially perpendicularly between and from the centre of the two upright sides 17.

An adjustment mechanism support 21 extends from the underside of the centre of the shaft 5. 15 The adjustment mechanism support 21 comprises a strut 23 at the end of which is formed a hollow cylinder 25 which supports part of an adjustment mechanism referred to generally as 27. The adjustment mechanism 27 comprises a double ended threaded stud 29 which extends through and is rotatably mounted to the adjustment mechanism support cylinder 25. The double ended stud 29 is threadless at its centre and is restricted within the cylinder 25 so that 20 it cannot move longitudinally with respect to the cylinder 25. The adjustment mechanism 27 further comprises a pair of actuators 31 which each comprise a hollow ring 33 with an internal thread that cooperates with the thread of the stud 29.

The actuators 31 each have a stump 35 that extends substantially perpendicularly from the 25 ring 33 and an arm 37 that is pivotally attached at one end to the stump 35. The two actuators 31 are mounted to the stud 29 at opposite ends respectively and arranged such that their corresponding stumps 35 and arms 37 are on opposite sides of the adjustment mechanism support cylinder 25 and such that the two arms extend toward the opposite end of the stud 29. The other end of each arm 37 is pivotally connected to a corresponding wheel support strut 30 39 that extends from the wheel support cylinders 9.

The wheel supports 7, the adjustment mechanism support 21 and the adjustment mechanism 27 are arranged such that one actuator 31 is connected to one wheel support 7 and the other

5

actuator 31 is connected to the other wheel support 7. The wheel supports 7, adjustment mechanism support 21 and adjustment mechanism 27 are further arranged relative to one another such that, when the wheel supports 7 are seated on the frame 3 in their recesses 22, as shown in Fig. 1, each wheel support strut 39 is substantially perpendicular to the 5 corresponding actuator arm 37. Since the actuator arm 37 is pivotally connected to the wheel support strut 39, movement of the actuator arm 37 toward the wheel support strut 39 causes the wheel support 7 to rotate about the shaft 5 which urges the end of the wheel support 7 remote from the shaft 5 upwardly and away from the frame 3.

10 Fixed to one end of the rotating stud 29 is a bevel wheel 41 whose working face is 45° to its axis. A rod 43 extends from one upright side 17 of the frame 3 to the bevel wheel 41 and is arranged to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stud 29 and bevel wheel 41. A second bevel wheel 45 whose working face is also 45° to its axis is fixed to the end of the rod 43 within the frame and arranged such that the working face of the second 15 bevel wheel 45 meshes with the working face of the first bevel wheel 41. A loop 47 is provided at the other end of the rod 43 outside the frame 3 to facilitate rotation of the rod 43 and, hence, rotation of the stud 29 through the action of the interfacing bevel wheels 41, 45.

Since the stud 29 is fixed longitudinally with respect to the adjustment mechanism support 20 27, rotation of the stud 29 causes the rings 33 of the actuators 31 to travel along the stud 29 due to the action of the thread. Depending on the direction of rotation of the rod 43 and, hence, the stud 29, the actuator rings 33 will either move toward or away from the adjustment mechanism support cylinder 25. Movement of the two rings 33 toward the support cylinder 25 causes the actuator arms 37 to act on the wheel support struts 39 and pushes them in a 25 direction away from the support cylinder 25. The point of attachment between the arm 37 and the wheel support strut 39 therefore follows an arcuate path in an upwards direction. The wheel supports 7 therefore rotate about the shaft 5 and the ends of the two supports 7 remote from the shaft 5 move in an upward direction away from the frame 3. Movement of the two rings 33 away from the support cylinder 25 returns the wheel supports 7 to the frame 3. The 30 height of the wheel support base formed by the two second rods 13 can therefore be adjusted relative to the surface on which the apparatus 1 is supported.

A detachable ramp 49 (shown in Fig. 7) is provided that may be pivotally attached to the

6

second rod 13 of a wheel support 7 and arranged to provide a ramp from the surface on which the apparatus 1 is supported up to the wheel base that is formed by the two wheel supports 7. The ramp facilitates mounting and dismounting of large wheels on the apparatus 1.

5 In use, the apparatus 1 is set in its rest position with wheel supports 7 seated against the frame 3, as shown in Fig. 1. If it is intended to remove a wheel from a vehicle, the vehicle is partly raised off the ground using a jack or other suitable device so that the vehicle weight is taken off the wheel. The apparatus 1 is then positioned adjacent the wheel so that the wheel is to the side of one of the upright sides 17 of the frame 3. The nuts of the wheel are removed from the 10 axle hub, thereby freeing the wheel so that the wheel can be manoeuvred onto the apparatus 1. If the wheel is too high off the ground for it to be easily manoeuvred onto the apparatus 1, the loop 47 and rod 43 may be rotated to raise the wheel supports 7 upwards and away from the frame 3. Thus, the wheel supports 7 can be brought closer to the wheel so that it can be more easily mounted onto the apparatus 1. Rotating the loop 47 and rod 43 in the opposite 15 direction lowers the wheel supports 7 back to the frame and thereby lowers the wheel from the axle hub. The wheel can then be transported to a desired location by wheeling the apparatus 1 away.

The apparatus 1 may also be used to position a wheel relative to an axle hub of a vehicle so 20 that the bolts can be easily aligned. First the wheel is positioned on the apparatus 1 so that it is supported by the second rods 13 of each wheel support 7. The apparatus 1 is then positioned relative to the axle hub so that the nut holes of the wheel are parallel to the nut holes on the axle hub. The loop 47 and rod 43 are then rotated to raise the wheel supports 7 and, hence, the wheel away from the supporting surface until the nut holes of the wheel are at 25 substantially the same height as the nut holes of the axle hub. The wheel is then rotated on the cylindrical pads 16 until the wheel nut holes are substantially aligned with the nut holes on the adjacent axle hub. Finer positional .adjustment of the wheel relative to the axle hub can then be made by manoeuvring the apparatus 1 on its casters 15 until the holes of the wheel and the axle hub are aligned.

30

It is of course to be understood that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

7

Claims

1. Apparatus for manoeuvring wheels comprising a frame for supporting the apparatus on a surface, a shaft mounted to the frame and a wheel support rotatably mounted to

5 the shaft and extending away from the shaft, the apparatus further comprising an adjustment means having an actuator connected to the wheel support and moveable relative to the shaft, wherein movement of the actuator relative to the shaft causes the wheel support to rotate about the shaft thereby moving the end of the wheel support remote from the shaft toward or away from the frame depending on the direction of 10 motion of the actuator relative to the shaft.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising more than one wheel support and wherein at least one wheel support extends away from the shaft in a direction opposite to at least one other wheel support.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein one actuator is connected to at least one 15 wheel support and another actuator is connected to at least one other wheel support.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the or each actuator is pivotally connected to a wheel support.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the adjustment means further comprises a rotatable element and wherein one or more actuators are connected to the

20 rotatable element such that when the rotatable element is rotated the actuators are urged toward or away from the shaft depending upon the direction of rotation.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rotatable element comprises a thread and the actuator comprises a threaded hole that receives the thread and wherein rotation of the rotatable element causes the actuator to travel along the thread.

25

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein longitudinal movement of the rotatable element relative to the shaft is restricted.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the rotatable element may be rotated from outside of the frame.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a second rotatable element 30 arranged to engage the first rotatable element, wherein the second rotatable element extends from outside the frame into the frame.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the first rotatable element and the second rotatable element are angled relative to one another and comprise respective

8

bevel wheels that engage one another.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first and second rotatable elements are angled relative to one another.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a ramp arranged to permit a wheel to be rolled up from the surface on which the apparatus is supported and onto the or each wheel support.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are two wheel supports extending away from the shaft in opposite directions respectively, there are two actuators connected to respective wheel supports and wherein the actuators are arranged to move toward the respective wheel supports to urge the ends of the wheel supports away from the frame.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more wheel supports comprises a rotatable part to permit a wheel supported thereon to be rotated relative to the shaft.

15. Apparatus as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.