Tire cleaning system with tire spreader

A method of cleaning the interior of a tire comprising:

• positioning the tire so as to locate a means for cleaning the tire within the inner circumference thereof;
• then moving the tire in a direction substantially normal to its axis towards the cleaning means to bring the beads of said tire into contact with a pair of members associated with said cleaning means to spread said beads apart to admit the cleaning means into the tire interior;
• and
• rotating the tire during the cleaning thereof, whereby the tire beads are spread apart to admit the cleaning means as the tire is moved toward the cleaning means.

A tire cleaner comprising:

• cleaning means for cleaning an interior tire surface during rotation of the tire;
• tire rotation means operatively associated with the cleaning means for causing rotation of the tire during cleaning;
• tire transport means operatively associated with the cleaning means for moving the tire into position for cleaning;
• and
• tire spreading means operatively associated with said cleaning means to spread the tire beads for admitting said cleaning means into the tire interior, said spreading means including a pair of members movable between first and second positions relative to each other, said members in said first position adapted to engage opposed tire beads as said transport means moves said tire into cleaning position, and means for moving at least one of the members away from the other member to said second position in response to contact of said one member with said tire beads.

A tire cleaner comprising:

• cleaning means for cleaning an interior tire surface during rotation of the tire;
• tire rotation means operatively associated with the cleaning means for rotating the tire during cleaning;
• tire transport means operatively associated with the cleaning means to move the tire into position for cleaning;
• tire spreading means operatively associated with the cleaning means to spread the tire bead during cleaning;
• and
• semi-automatic control means connected to the cleaning, rotation, transport and spreading means to coordinate the actions thereof, said semi-automatic control means including position sensing means for sensing the position of the tire being cleaned;
• sequence control logic means connected to said position sensing means for controlling the sequence of the cleaning, rotation, transport and spreading means;
• and response means connected to said sequence logic control means, said cleaning, rotation, transport and spreading means for controlling the actions thereof.