Multiple lug nut removal tool
OwnerJoseph M. Kressinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A housing has five sockets extending beyond the front face thereof, spaced to simultaneously engage the lug nuts securing a wheel to a vehicle. Each socket has secured to a peripheral portion a satellite gear that engages a universal gear. The universal gear has a drive surface allowing it to be driven in a conventionally opposite direction to simultaneously remove the lug nuts and then driven in the opposite rotational direction by a pneumatic wrench to simultaneously secure the lug nuts securing the replacement wheel to the vehicle, greatly reducing the time needed for a wheel/tire change. This tool has the potential for greatly reducing the time required for a pit stop in stock car racing giving a huge advantage to the team so equipped.
Claims9
A multiple lug nut removal tool comprising
- a) multiple individual socket assemblies for simultaneously engaging each lug nut that attaches a wheel to a vehicle, each socket including a nut-engaging socket having a nut-engaging end and an opposite end and a satellite gear attached to each of said individual nut-engaging sockets intermediate said nut-engaging end and said opposite end for rotationally driving said individual nut-engaging socket in both rotational directions;
- b) a universal drive gear directly engaging each of said satellite gears for simultaneously rotating all of said individual socket assemblies in either of said rotational directions;
- c) a housing including an inner plate, an outer plate and a peripheral wall extending between said inner plate and said outer plate, said housing encasing said satellite gears, a portion of each socket, and said universal gear;
- d) a drive surface attached to said universal drive gear;
- whereby a pneumatic wrench engages said drive surface and, by rotating said drive surface in a direction opposite to a desired drive direction for said socket assemblies, simultaneously remove and replace all lug nuts securing the wheel.
A multiple lug nut removal tool for use in NASCAR racing comprising
- a) multiple individual socket assemblies for simultaneously engaging each lug nut that attaches a wheel to a vehicle, each socket including a nut-engaging socket having a nut-engaging end and an opposite end and a satellite gear attached to each of said individual nut-engaging sockets intermediate said nut-engaging end and said opposite end for rotationally driving said individual nut-engaging socket in both rotational directions;
- b) a universal drive gear directly engaging each of said satellite gears for simultaneously rotating all of said individual socket assemblies in either of said rotational directions;
- c) a housing including an inner plate, an outer plate and a peripheral wall extending between said inner plate and said outer plate, said housing encasing said satellite gears, a portion of each socket to ensure proper alignment thereof, and said universal gear;
- d) a drive surface attached to said universal drive gear;
- whereby a pneumatic wrench engages said drive surface and, by rotating said drive surface in a direction opposite to a desired drive direction for said socket assemblies, simultaneously remove and replace all lug nuts securing the wheel of a NASCAR vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.