System and method for processing a tire-wheel assembly
AssigneeAndroid Industries LLC
InventorsLawrence J. Lawson, Robert Reece, Joshua J. Hicks, Barry A. Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.
Claims5
A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly, comprising the steps of:
- arranging the tire relative to a tire support member of the apparatus, wherin a tire-engaging device is rotably-supported upon the tire support member, wherein;
- a first portion of a sidewall surface of the tire is arranged adjacent an upper surface of the tire support member, and wherein,
- a second portion of the sidewall surface of the tire is arranged adjacent a first portion of the tire-engaging device, and wherein,
- a third portion of the sidewall surface of the tire is arranged adjacent a second portion of the tire-engaging device;
- partially arranging the wheel within a passage of the tire such that one or both of an upper bead of the tire and a lower bead of the tire is/are not entirely arranged about a circumference of the wheel;
- moving the wheel through a gap formed by a first tire engaging post and a second tire engaging post of the apparatus;
- utilizing the movement of the wheel to impart corresponding movement of the tire through the gap for
- contacting the tire with the tire engaging posts,
- causing one or both of a substantially circular, upper tire opening and a substantially circular, lower tire opening that form the passage of the tire to be manipulated to have a substantially non-circular form to permit both of the upper bead of the tire and the lower bead of the tire to be arranged about the circumference of the wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.