Hofmann Werkstatt-technik Gmbh

Klaus Ruhl

Lorenz Lenhardt

Josef Drechsler

Karl Rothamel

Andreas Fuchs

A balancing machine for vehicle wheels of different sizes and types includes a main shaft, structure for mounting a wheel on the main shaft, and for unbalance measurement which is related to at least one compensating plane of the wheel, sensing structure for detecting a spacing of the at least one compensating plane relative to the machine and for detecting a compensating radius on the wheel. The sensing structure includes a displaceable sensing lever of constant length, the sensing lever having at least a part assuming an angular position proportional to the compensating radius to be detected, a mechanism for pivotally mounting the sensing lever at a first end thereof, structure for displacing the pivotably mounted first end of the lever along a path of given length which is parallel to the main shaft, an element for supplying electrical output signals corresponding to sensed values to an evaluation member in which unbalance measurement values which are ascertained during at least one measuring run are evaluated for determining wheel unbalance and an angle measuring device for measuring an angular position, which is proportional to the compensating radius to be detected, of at least a part of the displaceable sensing lever. The angle measuring device is disposed at the pivot axis of the lever.

Vehicle wheel balancing machine having sensing means for sensing

In a balancing machine having an apparatus for sensing geometrical data of a rotary member to be balanced such as a motor vehicle wheel which can be clamped on a main shaft of the balancing machine, the apparatus has a measuring sensor arranged on a support bar of the balancing machine, which is parallel to the main shaft and fixed in its longitudinal direction. The measuring sensor is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the support bar and has a pivot head which is arranged on the support bar rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the support bar. The sensor also has a measuring sensing lever having a positively guided sensing head, wherein the measuring sensing lever is mounted pivotably on the pivot head and a sensing finger on the sensing head is movable toward and away from the wheel to be sensed, upon a pivotal movement of the measuring sensing lever, in parallel orientation with respect to the main shaft. An angle measuring means is arranged on the pivot head to detect the pivotal angle of the measuring sensing lever relative to the pivot head.

Balancing machine having an apparatus for sensing geometrical data of a

A balancing machine for motor vehicle wheels of different sizes and types has a clamp for clamping wheels on a main shaft of the machine. To measure an unbalance related to one or more compensating planes of the wheel, the machine determines the spacing of the compensating plane (or planes) relative to the machine and ascertains the compensating radius on the wheel. To perform this function, the machine has a sensing member which can be extended in a common plane with the longitudinal center line of the main shaft and which supplies electrical signals to an evaluation device in which unbalance measurement values which are ascertained during one or more measuring runs are evaluated to determine the unbalance of the wheel. The sensing member also has an angle measuring device that measures an angular position of the sensing member (or a part of the sensing member) which is proportional to the compensating radius to be detected.

Vehicle wheel balancing machine

Apparatus for positioning a rotary member such as a vehicle wheel at a balancing machine in such a way that the rotary member can be lifted into a position, at the level of the balancing machine measuring spindle, in which the longitudinal center lines of the measuring spindle and the rotary member are aligned with each other and the rotary member can be moved concentrically relative to the measuring spindle. The apparatus has two equal-length positioning arms which are pivotally connected at an apex point in a scissor-like arrangement and which are pivotable uniformly relative to each other about their connecting point in a plane which is perpendicular to the measuring spindle. The positioning arms connecting point is displaceable along a line which is perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the measuring spindle and which coincides with the line bisecting the angle formed by the positioning arms. A support member for supporting the rotary member from below and an abutment member for bearing against the rotary member in its upper portion are mounted to respective ones of the positioning arms at mounting points such that upon displacement of the positioning arms in the opposite direction to the longitudinal center line of the measuring spindle, the mounting points of the support member and the abutment member move along a common straight line towards the longitudinal center line of the measuring spindle.

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Gross-Ostheim, Germany

Klaus Ruhl