WO1987007225A1

WO1987007225A1 - Wheel wrench support

Info

Publication number: WO1987007225A1
Application number: PCT/DK1987/000054
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kjeld Svendsen
Original assignee: Kjeld Svendsen
Priority date: 1986-05-26
Filing date: 1987-05-08
Publication date: 1987-12-03
Also published as: DK244586A; AU7483287A; DK244586D0

Abstract

A wheel wrench support for use in mounting vehicle wheels is press-fitted into the wheel rim (110) using a distendable link (30) which joins two beams (10) each with a hole (20) for the wheel wrench (130, 140), and each with a support shoe for the wheel rim. The distendable link may consist of a hinge (30) or a wedge arrangement which pushes the beams (10) away from each other. The support shoes which abut the wheel rim (110) may be releasably fastened to the beams (10). The support shoes may be provided with a clipped-on plastic or rubber profile.

Description

Wheel Wrench Support

In this patent application, the term "wheel wrench" de¬ notes a wrench for use in loosening and tightening the nuts that secure the wheel of a vehicle such as an au- tomoDile to its hub; such wrenches are also know as spider wrenches or lug wrenches .

The invention relates to a wheel wrench support which, as recited in tne introductory part of claim 1, has an abutting face for the wheel wrench which is rigidly connected to an abutting face for the wheel rim.

In a wheel wrench support of this kind which is known from U.S. Patent 3,262,341 the abutting face for the wheel wrench comprises a cyl indrical 1y shaped saddle connected, via a strut, to an arcuate shoe which serves as an abutting face for the wheel rim. In this patent document the support is shown placed on the lower part of a wheel rim in such a way that it supports the wheel wrench from below.

This known wheel wrench support does not seem to be us¬ able to support the wheel wrench when it is one of the upper wheel nuts which is to be loosened, by someone leaning himself onto the wheel wrench, to the left of the wheel nut, for pushing downward from above. The wrench will simply fall down unless the user holds it himself, because the support would have to be placed above the wrench. Yet, the method just described is the easiest way of exerting a high torque on the wrench.

Seen in relation to this known art, it is an object of the invention to devise a wheel wrench support of the kind as recited in the introduction to claim 1 , and which will support the wheel wrench effectively in loosening or tightening any one of the wheel nuts. This object is attained by providing a wheel wrench support whith the characteristics as recited in claim 1. The abutting face for the wheel wrench is shaped to surround the wheel wrench, and the abutting face for the wheel rim is connected to another abutting face for the wheel rim via a distendable link such that the wheel wrench support may be press-fitted between oppo¬ site portions of the inside of the rim.

Thus, the wheel wrench cannot fall out of the wheel wrench support as with the known support, because it is surrounded by the abutting face and the wheel wrench support supports itself in any position and supports the wheel wrench safely even against large forces from the wrench because it is press-fitted into the rim and thus transfers the wrench forces to the rim.

Preferred embodiments of the invention become apparent from the subclaims as follows:

In the embodiment as in claim 2, with removable abut¬ ting faces for the wheel rim, the wheel wrench support may be adapted for various rim types by changing abut¬ ting faces. This is particularly advantageous where the wheel wrench support is to be used on a vehicle with different rims, for example on the motor vehicle and a trailer.

The abutting faces for the wheel rim may advantageously be provided with a profile which is adapted to the cross-sectional profile of the rim, as in claim 3, to avoid deformation of the rim when the wheel wrench sup¬ port is press-fitted thereinto. To avoid damage to the surface of the rim, which may be painted, the abutting faces may, as in claim 4, be formed in a plastic or rubber element which is mounted on a carrier piece. A very sturdy embodiment is attained in accordance with claim 5 by having the distendable link connected with the abutting faces by beams which for example may have the shape of rectangular tubing, and where the abutting face for the wheel wrench simply may be the inner sur¬ face of a hole (or a ring) in one of the beams accor¬ ding to claim 6.

An embodiment, according to claim 7, wherein the wheel wrench support is provided with two holes for the wheel wrench in diametrically opposite relation is very handy in cross-tightening the wheel nuts which results in a very reliable wheel mounting, as is known.

Practice has shown that the distendable link may advan¬ tageously be provided in the form of a wedge arrange- ment, as in claim 8. According to claim 9 this may com¬ prise a substantially trapezoid-shaped wedge element which, when displaced in a predetermined direction, forces two reaction surfaces apart which are connected with the abutting faces for the rim. The displacement of the wedge element may in accordance with claim 10 be provided by a screw element. A wedge arrangement accor¬ ding to these claims has the advantage that the wheel wrench support is relatively well secured against loosening itself from vibrations or the like, and that the wedge arrangement' is a potentially rather flat and space-saving construction. This is important if the wheel wrench support is to be carried on a vehicle as a permanent accessory.

Preferred examples of embodiments of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the ac¬ companying drawings, wherein

Fig. 1A is a drawing of a wheel wrench support having a central hinge;

Fig . 1B shows the same wheel wrench support from the side and in a folded position prior to mounting it on a wheel rim with a profiled edge;

5 Fig. 2 shows the same wheel wrench support complete with an inserted wheel wrench, in its work position in a wheel rim and partially in cross section;

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional drawing of a distendable link for a wheel wrench support;

1ύ Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a releasable connection between an arcuate support shoe and a rectangular tube for use in a wheel wrench support;

Fig. 5 shows a different support shoe for a wheel wrench support; and

> Fig. δ shows an off-set support shoe for a wheel wrench support mounted with a profile element of plastic or rubber .

Fig. 1A is drawing of a wheel wrench support consisting of two equal hinged beams 10 of rectangular tubing, 0 each with a ring insert 20 welded into the beam and a support shoe 40 welded onto the end of the beam opposi¬ te the hinge 30 which support shoe comprises a support plate 50 fitted with an edge profile 60.

Fig. 1B shows the same wheel wrench support from the 5 side in a slightly folded position before mounting it on the rim of a wheel . Through folding, the support distance 70 between the edge profiles 60 has been dimi¬ nished, such that the wheel wrench support may be in- troduced behind an edge on the rim

The wheel wrench support is shown in its working posi¬ tion in a rim 110 on fig. 2. The rim 110 is of the kind used for tubeless tyres with an arcuate edge 120, and the wheel wrench support has been placed within this edge in the folded position, as shown in fig . 1B, and thereafter it has been straightened out. The wheel wrench support is dimensioned in such a way that when straightened out, it sits in a slight press-fit in the rim 110. Thus, the hinge 30 has the function of a dis- tender link for press-fitting the support between oppo¬ site parts of the inside of the rim.

A wheel wrench 130 with a transverse lever 140 is put through the upper ring 20 and over one of the wheel nuts 150 which is hidden by the wrench 130 in the draw¬ ing . The wheel nuts 150 are fitted on wheel bolts 160 for securing the wheel flanges 190, 200 of the two wheels 170, 180 to a flange 210 on the wheel axle 220 which is only shown schematically.

In using this wheel wrench support one may lean oneself onto the lever rod 140 and put all one's weight into pushing downward for loosening a wheel nut, without the wheel wrench 130 tilting over and sliding off the nut from the one-sided application of force, because the wrench is securely journaled in the ring 20 and has a countersupport in the nut. Practice has shown that with a certain amount of precaution one may even stand on the lever rod 140 and put all one's body weight into the turning of the wrench by jumping a little without the wrench 130 tilting off the nut. This is particular¬ ly advantageous because wheel nuts may sit very tight¬ ly. A distendable link which may be substituted for the hinge 30 between the beams 10 as hereinbefore described is shown on fig. 3. The beams 10 are made from rectan¬ gular tubing 300, 310 and in each beam there is by means of bolts 320 fixed a wedge-shaped counterpiece 330, 340 with a reaction surface 350, 360. The one 330 of the counterpieces is mounted in such a way that its reaction surface 350 lies outside the end of the corre¬ sponding rectangular tube 300, and the other rectangu¬ lar tube 310 is pushed over the protruding part of the counterpiece 330. The other counterpiece 340 is mounted a little drawn back in the other rectangular tube 310, and between the counterpieces there is positioned a trapezoidal wedge element 370.

The wedge element 370, which is a little narrower than the inner width of the rectangular tube 310, may be mo¬ ved across the longitudinal direction of the tube 310 by means of a bolt 380. The bolt 380, which is led through a slit 390 in one side of the rectangular tube 310, engages a nut 400 which is disposed in the wedge element 370.

When the bolt 380 is screwed into the nut 400 the wedge element 370 squeezes itself in between the counterpie¬ ces 330, 340, thereby driving the reaction surfaces 350, 360 away from each other. This serves to drive the abutting faces for the wheel rim, which are mounted on the rectangular tubes but not shown, radially outward, such that the wheel wrench support which has the dis¬ tendable link as shown in fig. 3 as its centerpart, may be press-fitted firmly into a wheel rim.

Instead of having the counterpiece of one rectangular tube protruding into the other rectangular tube, one might let both counterpieces protrude from the end of the tubes and arrange the trapezoidal wedge element in a separate piece of tubing to be positioned between the pieces of tubing with the counterpieces.

A releasable locking mechanism for coupling a support shoe 40 to one of the beams 10 is shown in fig. 4. The support shoe 40 is provided with a neck 410 which fits loosely into the beam 10 which is made of rectangular tubing . A spring 420 which is screwed in position on the outside of the beam 10 is provided with a locking pin 430 which projects into the beam through a hole 440 and into a through-going hole 450 in the neck 410 of the support shoe. The spring 420 is provided with an outwardly bent flap 460. Thus, one may easily with a finger bend the spring outwardly, and thus pull the locking pin 430 out of the hole 450 in the neck 410 of the support shoe and thereafter pull the neck out of the beam 10.

The neck of the support shoe is provided with a double taper as shown at 470 and may thus simply be pushed in¬ to the beam 10, and will lift the locking pin 430 and slide along beneath it until the pin is caught in the hole 450. The locking mechanism as shown is very simple and easy to operate .

Fig. 5 shows another support shoe 40 for releasable connection with the beam 10 where the abutting face 480 for the wheel rim is a cylinder section.

Fig. 6 shows a third support shoe 40 which has a simi¬ lar, but in this instance offset neck 410. This support shoe may be used on wheels where the wheel hub (see fig. 2) protrudes outward of the outer edge of the rim. The wheel wrench support is mounted outside of the rim with the offset support shoe turned towards it, so that the abutting face 480 for the wheel rim on the support shoe lies inside the wheel rim and can be fixed there¬ in .

The abutting face 480 of the support shoe is formed within a profiled plastic or rubber piece 490 which is mounted on (snaplocked on) a mounting piece 500 which is connected with the neck 410. By snapping on diffe¬ rently formed profile pieces 490 the support shoe of the wheel wrench support may thus be adapted for diffe- rent wheel rim cross section profiles.

Claims

Claims:

1. A wheel wrench support having an abutting face for the wheel wrench rigidly connected with an abutting face for the wheel rim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the abutting face (20) for the wheel wrench (130, 140) is shaped to sur¬ round the wheel wrench (130, 140) and that the abutting face (60, 480) for the wheel rim (110) is connected to another abutting face (160, 480) for the wheel rim (110) via a distendable link (30, Fig. 3) such that the wheel wrench support may be press-fitted between oppo¬ site portions of the inside of the rim.

2. A wheel wrench support as in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of the aDutting faces (60, 480) for the wheel rim is removably (Fig . 4) connected with the distendable link.

3. A wneel wrench support as in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one of the abutting faces (60, 480) for the wheel rim is formed with a profile which corresponds to the cross-sectional profile of the wheel rim.

4. A wheel wrench support as in claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the profiled abut¬ ting face (60, 480) for the wheel rim is the surface (480) of a plastic or rubber element (490) fitted on a carrier piece (500) .

5. A wheel wrench support as in any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the distendable link (30, Fig . 3) is connected with the abutting faces (60, 480) for the wheel rim (110) via two beams (10) .

6. A wheel wrench support as in claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the abutting face for the wheel wrench (130, 140) is the inner surface of a hole (20) in one of the beams (10) .

7. A wheel wrench support as in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the other beam (10) also is provided with a hole (20) which, when in use, is disposed diametrically opposite the first hole (20) in relation to the wheel rim (110), and whose inner surface may also serve as an abutting face for the wheel wrench ( 130, 140) .

8. A wheel wrench support as in any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the distendable link (30, Fig. 3) comprises a wedge arrangement.

9. A wheel wrench support as in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wedge arrange¬ ment comprises a suostantial ly trapezoidal wedge ele¬ ment (370) which is displaceably mounted between two reaction surfaces which are connected with the abutting faces for the wheel rim and which are radially movable in relation to the wheel rim in such a way that the abutting faces (350, 360) are forced away from each other when the wedge element (370) is displaced in a predetermined direction across the direction of movement of the reaction faces.

10. A wheel wrench support as in claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wedge arrange¬ ment comprises a screw element (380, 400) for dis¬ placing the wedge element (370) .