Other

S W Malinski

Thomas L Mueller

Jerome Gross

Large pneumatic tires of the class known as 'as earth mover' tires were originally proportioned for use on that type of wheel rim with a removable flange. As adapted for use with drop center rims, their large beads may not fit simultaneously within the drop center rim portion. Utilizing mounting equipment having concentric counter-rotating bead deflectors, no problem is encountered as to mounting the lower bead, which tends to stay at least partly in the drop center; however, this holds the upper bead elevated and interferes with inserting a starting portion of the upper bead therein. In the present method a starting portion of the upper bead is thrust sharply downward below the upper flange of the rim into the drop center; and the bead deflectors are counter-rotated for approximately one-third of their semicircular arcs. The horizontal thrust component is increased to shift more of the upper sidewall beyond center of the rim, to exert tension on the bead which permits the bed deflectors to move through approximately the second one-third of their arcs of travel. Then on raising the point of the thrust, the tire casing rotates sufficiently to draw the lower bead fully out of the drop center at the point of thrust, permitting the upper bead portion to drop fully into the drop center. This allows the upper sidewall to shift farther beyond center, to permit the bead deflectors to work over the remainder of their arcs.

Method of mounting large pneumatic tires

In that type of apparatus for mounting large size off-highway pneumatic tires on drop-center rims, in which two bead deflectors are moved simultaneously in opposite senses along semi-circular paths, the deflector arms are mounted on the upper ends of concentric shafts having gears at their lower ends, the inner shaft projecting below the outer shaft, each being engaged by an inward facing rack member positioned at suitable height. The two rack members are driven together by a linear actuator whose thrust is reacted through bushings mounted on the shafts above and below the gears. Hence the actuator force which turns the arms imposes no bending moment on the vertical sleeve or platform structure.

Concentric contra-rotating bead deflector mechanism for tire mounting

In that type of apparatus for mounting the largest sizes of pneumatic tires on drop-center wheels, where thrust is applied slantingly to drive one of the tire beads into the drop-center of the wheel preparatory to use of contra-rotating bead deflectors, the present invention provides for applying and manipulating such thrust forces with exceptional ease. Two hydraulic struts of equal size are mounted in a vertical plane, with their pistons extending to fittings on a common lateral shaft. The fitting of one actuator is a clevis which surrounds the fitting of the first. Their remote ends are spaced vertically, so that the thrust at the shaft is reacted truss-like by the triangulated cylinders. On the lateral shaft is mounted a thrust shoe, whose angle may be fixed perpendicular to either actuator; or it may be varied relative to one of the actuators by a hydraulic motor. By varying the length of the extension of the actuators, the shoe is moved at any chosen direction in the vertical plane. Using the hydraulic motor to vary the angle of the thrust shoe affords to the operator a new manipulative control over the thrust force.

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Tamaroa, IL, United States of America

S W Malinski