Apparatus and method for straightening damaged or bent wheels

A wheel straightening machine for metal wheels having a known non-true radial zone comprising:

• (a) a fixture upon which said wheel rests, said fixture having means for rigidly holding said wheel so that said non-true radial zone is located at a predetermined position on said fixture;
• (b) measuring means located at said predetermined position and having movable means that indicate an initial preselected setting corresponding to said known non-true radial zone and a final preselected setting indicative of a known nominal-true condition of the radial zone;
• (c) means for applying heat to said wheel in a controlled manner while said wheel is being held in said fixture to raise the temperature of said radial zone to the wheel's somewhat softened state;
• and
• (d) means for radially applying a suitable pressure to said heated radial zone so that said measuring means moves from its initial setting to its final setting.

A wheel straightening machine for metal wheels having a known non-true radial zone comprising:

• (a) a fixture having rotating means, said fixture having means for rigidly attaching and holding said wheel to said rotating means, said wheel being rotated so that said non-true radial zone moves at a predetermined lateral location and in a predetermined manner;
• (b) measuring means located so as to contact said predetermined location of said non-true radial zone, said measuring means having movable means that indicate an initial preselected setting corresponding to said known non-true radial zone and a final setting corresponding to a known final-true-condition of said radial zone;
• (c) means for applying heat to said wheel in a controlled manner while said wheel is being rotated so as to raise the temperature of said wheel's radial zone to the wheel's somewhat softened state;
• (d) at least a pair of compression rollers oppositely positioned and spaced apart from each other so as to continuously contact opposite sides of said rotating wheel until said non-true radial zone is restored to its final true condition.

A wheel straightening machine for metal wheels having a damaged zone with a known radial runout, known lateral runout and a known length, said damaged zone constituting a known non-true radial zone, and said machine comprising:

• (a) a first fixture upon which said wheel rests, said fixture having means for rigidly holding said wheel so that said non-true radial zone is located at a predetermined position on said fixture;
• (b) first measuring means located at a first predetermined position and having movable means that indicate an initial preselected setting corresponding to said known non-true radial zone and a final preselected setting indicative of a known nominal-true condition of the radial zone;
• (c) means for applying heat to said wheel in a controlled manner while said wheel is being held in said fixture to raise the temperature of said radial zone to the wheel's somewhat softened state;
• (d) means for radially applying a suitable pressure to said heated radial zone so that said measuring means moves from its initial setting to its final setting;
• (e) a second fixture having rotating means and adapted to receive said wheel having the final preselected setting from the first fixture, said fixture having means for rigidly attaching and holding said wheel to said rotating means, said wheel being rotated so that said non-true radial zone moves at a predetermined lateral location and in a predetermined manner;
• (f) second measuring means located so as to contact said predetermined location of said non-true radial zone, said second measuring means having movable means that indicates an initial preselected setting corresponding to said known nominally true condition of the radial zone, the final preselected setting from the first fixture, and a final setting corresponding to a known final true condition of said radial zone;
• and
• (g) at least a pair of compression rollers oppositely positioned and spaced apart from each other so as to continuously contact opposite sides of said rotating wheel until said nominally true condition of the radial zone is restored to its final true condition.