Tire plug insertion tool

Abstract

A tire plug insertion tool for sealing a repair plug in a punctured pneumatic tire on an automobile or vehicle wheel. In a preferred embodiment the tile plug insertion tool is characterized by an elongated handle having a flanged wheel-engaging shaft adjustably and pivotally mounted in a slot in one end of the handle. A carriage sleeve is slidably and adjustably mounted on the handle and a plug insertion shaft having a bifurcated bottom end, extends downwardly from pivotal attachment to the carriage sleeve. After the wheel having the punctured tire is optionally removed from the automobile or vehicle, the flanged bottom end of the vertical wheel-engaging shaft is caused to removably engage the cupped wheel rim or hub, and the handle is extended horizontally over the tire tread. The plug insertion shaft is then located above the puncture opening in the tire tread, by manually sliding the carriage sleeve and suspended plug insertion shaft along the handle and securing the carriage sleeve in place. A resilient, band-shaped repair plug is inserted between the bifurcations of the plug insertion shaft, which is next extended into the puncture opening in the tire casing by pivoting the handle downwardly on the wheel engaging shaft. Upon lifting the plug insertion shaft from the puncture opening by pivoting the handle upwardly, the repair plug becomes detached from the plug insertion shaft, sealing the opening.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.