Safety barrier for rim holding tire changers

Abstract

A safety device which can be retrofitted onto existing rim holding tire changers or provided as a feature of such devices by the original equipment manufacturer. Applicant's safety feature is a barrier, in the preferred embodiment a U-shaped steel tube approximately 18' across and 5' in height, mounted to the tower of the device. The actuator for applying pressure during the bead seating process (and during the inflation process) consists of two buttons on the opposite side of the barrier from the table top on which the tire and rim sit during the process. To actuate the pressure during the bead seating step of the process, both buttons must be depressed. This requires that the operator uses both hands to actuate the system. Also, the actuator being located on the opposite side of the barrier from the table top requires the operator the walk behind the barrier in order to actuate this step of the process. In addition, being required to use both hands to apply the pressure, the operator cannot reach his head over the table top to see if the bead has been seated. Thus, in order to operate the system, the operator is removed from the potential explosion area during the application of the pressure that would cause the explosion and is behind the barrier that will protect him from the effects of the explosion.