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US 12,545,217 B1Granted
Wheel-stabilizing chock systems
AssigneeBiddle and Winters Partnership
InventorsDouglas Glenn Biddle, James Michael Winters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for stabilizing a vehicle wheel during installation while the vehicle wheel is suspended above a ground surface and not under load. A support structure is configured with a plurality of teeth or engagement points in a staggered and distributed configuration to engage the tread portion of the suspended tire and resist wheel rotation during torquing of wheel fasteners.
Claims18
An apparatus for assisting in torquing of a wheel to a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- a pair of side members each side member having a bottom portion, a rear portion, and a curved upper portion;
- at least one base plate spanning the bottom portion of the side members, forming a base of the apparatus;
- a plurality of toothed rails spanning the side members at positions along the curved upper portion;
- each toothed rail of the plurality of toothed rails comprising a plurality of teeth configured to engage with a tread portion of a tire mounted to the wheel and prevent rotation of the wheel during torquing;
- and
- the plurality of toothed rails includes a first rail type and a second rail type arranged in an alternating configuration, the first rail type having teeth positioned such that peaks of the teeth on the first rail type are configured to align with valleys positioned between the teeth on an adjacent second rail type, thereby forming a staggered arrangement of teeth across the plurality of toothed rails.
3 more elements
A method for attaching a vehicle wheel to a vehicle with proper torque, the method comprising:
- suspending the vehicle wheel, including a tire, in an elevated position such that the vehicle wheel is above a ground surface and not under load;
- placing a wheel-stabilizing apparatus adjacent to the tire, the wheel-stabilizing apparatus comprising
- a pair of side members each side member having a bottom portion, a rear portion, and a curved upper portion;
- at least one base plate spanning the bottom portion of the side members, forming a base of the apparatus;
- a plurality of toothed rails spanning the side members at positions along the curved upper portion;
- each toothed rail of the plurality of toothed rails comprising a plurality of teeth configured to engage with a tread portion of a tire mounted to the wheel and prevent rotation of the wheel during torquing;
- and
- the plurality of toothed rails includes a first rail type and a second rail type arranged in an alternating configuration, the first rail type having teeth positioned such that peaks of the teeth on the first rail type are configured to align with valleys positioned between the teeth on an adjacent second rail type, thereby forming a staggered arrangement of teeth across the plurality of toothed rails;
- engaging the plurality of toothed rails with a tread surface of the tire such that the staggered arrangement of teeth mechanically interlock with tread grooves of the tire to inhibit substantial rotation of the vehicle wheel;
- and
- torquing wheel fasteners to a specified torque value while the vehicle wheel remains suspended and restrained by the wheel-stabilizing apparatus.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.