US3036815A

US3036815A - Tire spreader

Info

Publication number: US3036815A
Application number: US61126A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles E Branick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-10-07
Filing date: 1960-10-07
Publication date: 1962-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-29

Description

c. E BRANICK 3,036,815

May 29, 1962 TIRE SPREADER Filed Oct. 7, 1960 2 heets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CHARLES E. BRANICK ATTORNEYS I May 2 6 c. E. BRANICK I 3,036,815

TIRE SPREADER Filed Oct. 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG- 3 516. 4

9 lNVENTOR.

CHARLES E. BRANICK .AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,036,815 TIRE SPREADER Charles E. Branick, Branick Manufacturing Co., P.0. Box 1937, Fargo, N. Dak. Filed Oct. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 61,126 8 Claims. (Cl. 254-503) My invention relates generally to pneumatic tire spreaders and more particularly to tire spreaders of the type which engage the opposed beads of the tire at circumferentially spaced points.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a novel pneumatic tire spreader which may be suspended from the ceiling of the room in which it is housed, under conditions where" floor space is at a premium.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which is particularly adaptable for inserting and removing air bags and curing rims in pneumatic tires prior to and after a retreading or vulcanizing operation, although obviously not restricted to such use.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which incorporates a minimum of working parts and which occupies a minimum of space.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is extremely easy to operate, which is positive in its action, and which presents a minimum of hazard to the operator.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is relatively inexpensive to produce and operate, which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel structure, some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the structure of FIG. 1, some parts being broken away and some parts shown in section;

FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of the structure of FIG. 1, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line -5-5 of FIG. 2.;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a view partly in horizontal section and partly in top plan as seen from the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a rectangular supporting frame which is adapted to be suspended from a ceiling or other overhead supporting structure A in a horizontal plane and in vertically spaced relation to the floor or ground, not specifically identified, by flexible chains or the like 2. The frame 1 comprises opposed pairs of side frame members, one each of one pair of said opposed side frame members being identified by the numeral 3 and one each of the other pair of said opposed side frame members being identified by the numeral 4. As shown, the frame members 3 are in the nature of shafts or axles, whereas the frame members 4 are in the nature of elongated rigid bars, the opposite ends of the latter journalling the opposite ends of the former. Spaced parallel cross members 5 having rigid tubular spacer sleeves 6 on their opposite ends which journal their reice spective members 3 therein impart rigidity to the rectangular frame 1.

Interposed between the spacer sleeves 6 and the extended ends of the frame members 4 and journalled for rotation on the extended outer end portions of the frame members 3 are bearing sleeves 7, each of which has a rigid trunnion 8 projecting raidally therefrom.

Spreader arms 9, four in number, each has its upper end portion rigidly secured to and journalled for rotation on one of said trunnions 8 for swinging movements. By this means it is obvious that each spreader arm 9 is mounted for swinging movements of the lower end thereof both in planes normal to the axes of the frame members 3 as well as parallel to said axes. Tying said spreader arms 9 together in opposed cooperating pairs 9a and 9b are a pair of

rigid guide bars

10, 11, respectively, each of which is provided at its outer end portion with slots 12 which receive the intermediate portion of one of said arms 9. As shown particularly in FIG. 5, the

bars

10, 11 and their respective slots 12 preclude lateral movements of the spreader arms 9 in the slots 12 but permit limited movements of said arms toward and away from each other within said slots between the abutment forming outer ends 13 and the abutment forming inner ends 14. Mounting said

guide bars

10, 11 and the pairs of spreader arms 9a, 9b carried respectively thereby for swinging movements toward and away from each other are a pair of hanger bars 15, one each having its lower end rigidly secured to one of said guide bars, as indicated at 16, and one each of which has its upper end mounted for swinging movements about the axis of one of said frame members 3. The lower end portions of each of the spreader arms 9 are provided with cooperating multiple hooks 17 for engagement of the opposed bead portions B of a conventional pneumatic tire C.

For the purpose of imparting spreading movements to the

guide bars

10, 11 and the opposed pairs of spreader arms 9a, 9b associated respectively therewith, I interpose a fluid pressure operated device, identified in its entirety by the numeral 18 between the said

guide bars

10, 11. As shown, the device 18 comprises a cylinder 19 which is pivotally secured on a horizontal axis to the guide bar 10, as indicated at 20, and a cooperating push rod equipped piston 21 which is pivotally secured to the guide bar 11 on an axis parallel to the pivotal connection 20, as indicated at 22.

When it is desired to spread the beads B of the tire casing C laterally for any given purpose, such as the placing therein or the removing therefrom of an inner tube or air bag, the casing C is lifted into engagement with the hooks 17 carried by one of an opposing pair of spreader arms 9a, 9b. The hook 17 of the opposing arm 9 is then caused to engage the same bead B in diametrically opposed relationship to the first-mentioned hook 17, coil tension springs 23 (see FIG. 1) secured to the extended upper ends 24 of the arms 9a tending to maintain said hooks 17 in their bead-engaging positions. Similar positioning of the book 17 associated with the arms 9a with the opposite bead B is then had. Further augmenting a firm grasp of the multiple hooks 17 with the opposed beads B of the tire C, are coil tension springs 25, opposite ends of which are tied to the arm extensions 24 at right angles to the springs 23. As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the springs 25 yieldingly bias the arms 9a, 9b and hooks 17 carried thereby away from each other and toward snug engagement with the tire bead C adjacent thereto.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects, and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that same may be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A suspension-type pneumatic tire spreader comprising a supporting frame, means for suspending said frame in a generally horizontal plane from an overhead support and in spaced relation to the floor, laterally spaced opposed pairs of opposed spreader arms, separate means pivotally mounting the upper end portions of said arms for swinging movements of the lower end portion of each pair toward and away from each other and for pivotal movements of each arm of a given pair toward and away from each other on an axis normal to the axis of swinging movement of each of said pairs, cooperating tire bead engaging hooks on the lower ends of each of said arms, power operated means for simultaneously moving the hook-equipped lower ends of each pair of arms toward and away from each other, means guiding each arm of each given pair and limiting movements thereof in directions away from each other.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with means yieldingly biasing the hook-equipped lower ends of each arm of a given pair away from each other.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in further combination with means yieldingly biasing each opposed pair of arms away from each other.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said frame is rectangular in shape and comprises opposed pairs of side frame members, and in which said pivotally mounting means comprises opposed trunnions on opposite ends of one pair of said frame members, means journalling said trunnions for rotation on their respective frame members, and means journalling one each of said arms on one of said trunnions for rotation in planes parallel to the longitudinal axes of their respective frame members.

5. The structure defined in claim 1' in which said lastrnentioned means comprises a pair of rigid guide bars each having slots in its opposite ends for reception of the intermediate portions of its respective spreader arms, said slots permitting limited movement of said arms toward and away from each other, and means suspending said guide bars from said frame for swinging movements toward and away from each other.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in which said power operated means comprises a fluid pressure operated device interposed between and pivotally supported by said guide bars.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 in further combination with means yieldingly biasing each opposed pair of arms away from each other.

8. The structure defined in claim 7 in further combination with means yieldingly biasing the hook-equipped lower ends of each arm of a given pair away from each other.

Branick Feb. 9, 1943 Stoehr May 8, 1945