Wheel straightening method and apparatus
AssigneeWheel Wizard International, Inc.
InventorThomas E. Douglas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aluminum automobile wheels are straightened by exerting gentle pressure on the wheel to urge the wheel back to its original shape. If the metal does not move under pressure, the wheel is heated, and pressure again exerted, the process continuing until the wheel becomes round. A C-shaped wheel mount carries a spindle which mounts a hub. The hub rigidly receives the wheel, and the hub is selectively rotatable, and the wheel mount is selectively rotatable about a horizontal axis. The wheel is gently brought back to shape without excess heat or excess working to damage the metal. A final metal spinning step relieves stresses in the metal and brings the wheel to final tolerances.
Claims8
Wheel straightening apparatus, for straightening aluminum automobile wheels, said apparatus comprising wheel mounting means having a horizontal axle, said wheel mounting means being generally C-shaped and including an upper arm and a lower arm extending horizontally, a wheel support carried by said lower arm and including a vertical axle extending perpendicularly to said lower arm, a hub selectively fixable to said vertical axle for receiving the wheel to be straightened, and fastening means to fix said wheel to said hub, bearing means for receiving said horizontal axle, and a base for supporting said bearing means, gauge means carried by said wheel mounting means and disposable adjacent to said hub, said mounting means further including means for selectively locking said vertical axle against rotation, a latch pin mounted on said base, a latch plate on said wheel mounting device for cooperation with said latch pin for selectively preventing rotation of said wheel mounting means about said horizontal axle, and a plurality of tools for exerting forces on a wheel to be straightened mounted on said hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.