Method of and apparatus for introducing polverulent material into a tire

An apparatus for introducing a pulverulent material into a tire through a tire valve stem comprising:

• (a) an essentially rigid and essentially cylindrical container defining a chamber for confining a predetermined amount of pulverulent material, said chamber having an essentially vertical axis and opposite first and second ends, an air inlet at said first end and an air outlet at said second end, said air outlet being higher than said air inlet whereby compressed air flows upwardly through said chamber, said air inlet and said air outlet being axially remote and non-aligned whereby the confined pulverulent material is subjected to pressurized cyclonic air currents when pressurized air is introduced through said air inlet,
• (b) means for establishing a flow path for pressurized air extending from an intake for pressurized air to said air inlet of said chamber, said flow path having a pressure regulator therein, and
• (c) means for introducing an admixture of pressurized air and said pulverulent material into a tire through an associated tire valve stem under the influence of the pressurized cyclonic air currents,
• the volume of said chamber being sufficient to contain an amount of pulverulent material sufficient to effect dynamic balancing of said tire and an associated wheel assembly but insufficient to fill said tire.

A portable apparatus for introducing a pulverulent material into a tire through a tire valve system comprising:

• (a) an upright chassis having therein a means for forming a flow path for compressed air, said chassis having therein an air intake adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized air, and a pressure regulator;
• (b) an upright rigid cylindrical container defining a chamber for containing pulverulent material said container having first and second ends, said second end being above said first end, said container further including an air inlet at said first end and outlet for a mixture of air and pulverulent material at said second end, wherein said inlet and said outlet have non-aligned axes whereby compressed air flows upwardly through said chamber and cyclonic currents are created within said chamber by pressurized air flow therethrough;
• and
• (c) means for conveying an admixture of pressurized air and said pulverulent material from said chamber and for introducing said admixture into a tire through an associated tire valve stem under the influence of pressurized cyclonic air currents, the volume of said air chamber being sufficient to contain an amount of pulverulent material sufficient to effect dynamic balancing of said tire and an associated wheel assembly but insufficient to fill said tire;
• and
• (d) means for securing said chassis and said container together to form a portable unitary assembly.