Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ WO 95/1727~ 217 9 5 9 ~ PCTICA94100~7
llREEL REPAI~ 8TA~ID
The present invention relates to a method and
device for repairing wheel rims, and more particularly,
5 to a method and device ~or repairing the metal rims of
bicycles and motor vehicle wheels arter the rims have
been dented or bent out of shape.
As is well, known, the wheels of most, i~ not
all, bicycles and motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks,
10 motorbikes, etc., consist of two main parts: a circular
metal or alloy rim and a rubber tyre ~ i ~posed
circumrerentially around the periphery of the rim. One
of the main ~UL~O9e.1~ of the rim i5 to provide ~LLU~.LULe~1
~.LL.~ Lh to the wheel. Herein, the term "metal rim" will
15 be used to refer to a ri~ made of metal or alloy.
Arter excessive and repeated use, the metal
wheel rims of motor vehicles may become damaged in a
number of ways. For examplQ, a metal wheel rim may
become dented or rL _~uLæd, or the metal wheel rim may be
20 distorted from a circular shape. As well, portions o~
the metal rim may become worn, etc. Thus, after
excessive use, o~pe~ ly when the vehicle i~ used in
rough terrain or under heavy loads, or when the vehicle's
wheels encounter a pothole or curb, the metal rim of the
25 wheels may become dented or bent so that the wheels are
no longer circular, but rather take on an "oval" shape.
Such a bent or oval wheel rim can cause potontiillly
serious problems to the proper and safe operation of the
motor vehicle. If a metal wheel rim is in any way
30 damaged, the motor vehicle wheel will be off balance,
resulting in excessive vibration and may also result in
~ aLur6 1085 of air PL~SDULa in the tires. In
addition, even newly manufactured wheel rims after
casting may be bent slightly out of shape and of f
35 balancQ, thus also posing a similar problem and a safety
hazard .
In accordance with one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a device useful for
repairing the metal rims of bicycle or motor vehicle
WO 95/17271 ~ . PCT/CA91/007~7
~179~96 2
wheels. According to a further aspect of the present
invention, a method is provided for repairing the metal
rims of motor vehicle and bicycle wheels.
An embodiment of the present invention will now
S be described by way of example only with reference to the
a ~nying drawings, in which like numerals denote like
parts in the several views, and in which:
Figure 1 is a peL~ecLive view of a wheel
repair stand with a damaged wheel fltted;
Figure 2 is a peL,~- Live view on an enlarged
~cale of the ~ ts Or the wheel repair stand of
Figure l;
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure
2;
15 FigurQ 4 is a per,~e.i~ive view of a -rlt
used to support a wheel on the ~tand of Figur~2 2;
Figure S is a plan view o~ thQ _ ~ of
Figure 4;
FigurQ 6 iB an ~l~rloded ViQW of the damago~d
whe~l mounted on the stand;
Figure ~ is an enlarged view showing
application of a repair tool to the damaged wheel; and
Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure
7.
Figur~ 9 iB a front elevation of an alternative
o~oA; ~ l of a wheel repair stand shown in Figure 1.
Figure 10 is a view on the line 10-10 of Figure
9.
Referring to Figure 1, a wheel repair stand 10
30 1 n~ P a machine frame 12 welded from channel section
~LL~ LC~1 steel and having uprights 12a and a horizontal
beam 12b. The U-framed channel irons of frame 12 are
sQcurely connected together, preferably by welding or
other means, to m;nimi7e vibration and ~.~ t of the
35 entire device 10. The frame 12 is bolted to the floor
with bolts 14, or other such securing means, to ensure
~ WO 95117271 2 1 7 9 ~ 9 ~ P~T/C~9 ~/00717
that the overall structure of device lo does not move or
vibrate substantially while in use.
Slots 13 are formed in the inner faces of
uprights 12a to receive a connecting block 15. Block 15
5 is secured to the frame uprights 12a by bolts 17 located
in slots 13 to inhibit relative ~
A pair of cross beams 16 ,18 are welded to
either side of the uprights 12a and braced with
triangular fillets 19. I'he beams 16,18 are _~LU~ ~ULCIl
10 ~teel rh~nn~l ~2 positioned at approximately one metre from
the f loor to provide a convenient work height . A
turntable 20 is located between the beams 16,18 and is
secured to the upper and lower rlanges Or the beams by
plateL 21.
Turntable 20 incll~A~ a tubular hou~ing 23
having tub- 20 a central bore 22 to receiv~ a shart 24.
Shart 24 is mad- Or high tensile steel and is fitted into
the bore 22 as be~t shown in Figure 3. Th~ shart 24 is
rotatably located by a pair of fltting bearings 26, 28,
respectively, that are located at opposite ends of the
housing 23 against shoulders 25. Upper end 34 of shaft
24 has an enlarged head 27 that overlies the bearing 26.
The lower end 30 Or shaft 24 is threaded to receive a
bolt 32 to secure sha~t 24 axially . As such, shaft 24
is able to rotate rreely about its longitudinal axis once
it is in place.
The size of sllaft 24 is selected so as to be
able to receive various sizes Or motor vehicle wheel
rim~, as more rully described hereinbelow. Thus,
dirrerent si2ed sharts ~Day be needed ,l~r~n~lin-J on the
variety of size- Or the wheel rim to be repaired. The
two ritting bearings 26, 28 will, accordingly, also be of
dirferent sizes dep~n~l;n~ on the 5ize of shaft 24 used.
Typically, most wheel rims of cars can be mounted on the
35 same size shaft 24, whereas a larger shaft 24 is required
for truck wheel rims. As well, each of the fitting
bearings 26, 28 and the sha~t 24 will preferably be
wo gs/17271 PCTICA94100717
~1 79~96 4
structurally larger and aLrullc"er where the metal rims of
larger truck wheels are to be repaired.
The head 27 of shaft 24 has an internally
threaded bore 36 to receive a bolt 37. Typically, the
width of wheel rims that can be repaired with the device
10 ranges from the wheel rims of bicycles to the wheel
rims for trucks. A wheel is mounted on the shaft 24 by
a 6upport plate 38, an example of which is shown in Figs.
4 and 5. The support plate 38 i5 pre~erably made of
metal and is generally disc-shaped. The wheel rims of
motor Yehicles include rer~inin-j holes d;~rosed at
regular intervals through which bolts can be inserted for
mounting and retaining the wheel rim on thQ motor
vehicle ' s axle . The number of such retaining holes
depends on the size of the wheel rim and type o~ motor
vehicle, and typically varies from threQ to eight holes.
Accordingly, a number o~ dirferent conflgurations o~
support plates will be reyuired to ~ ~' t- thQ
di~erent type~ o~ wheel in th~ exampl~ shown. Th-
support platQ 38 shown is d-~igr~' for use with a four
hole wheel rim.
As can be seen from Fig-. 6 and 8 the plate 38
has a top sur~ace 48 and a bottom sur~ace S0. A circular
counterbore 44 is r--hinr,~d into thQ bottom surface 50 of
plate 38 and i~ intendQd to recQivQ th- head 27 o~ shaft
24 therQin. The top surface 48 of plate 38 inrllldr~c
undercut sl ~ y~ 46 (Figure 4) that radiate from a
c-ntre hole 42 . Each slideway 46 i nrlll~r~ a narrowed
opening 54 and a wider portion 56. The head 43 of a bolt
40 is received in the wider portion 56 with its shank 41
projecting through the opening 54. The bolt 40 can thus
~lid~ radially in the rh_nnr lc 46, but neverthelQss is
retained on the plat- 38 against axial ~G t. The
hole 42 is counterbored, as indicated at 52, to
~ te the head of a bolt 37 which extends into the
threaded bore 36 in shaft 24.
W0 9~117271 ~ ~ 7 9 5 9 6 PCTICA9S1~0717
Referring back to Fig. 2, and ~lso to Fig. 6,
once plate 38 i5 mounted and secured to the top end 34 of
shaft 24, a wheel rim 64 can then be mounted onto plate
38. The wheel rim is retained thereon by inserting the
5 shanks 41 of bolts 40 through the retaining holes Or the
wheel rim 64, and securing it axially with suitable nuts
68 which are threaded on to shanks 41.
Wheel rim 64 i5 radially locat~d on plate 38 by
USQ of a r-~hin--~ support member 67 as shown in Fig. 8.
10 Support member 67 is formed from a pair of C~ Lic
cylinders, one of which, 69, is wider than the other 71.
The diameter of narrower cylinder 71 is slightly smaller
than the diameter of counterbore 52 on plate 38, thereby
allowing narrowed cylinder 71 to fit snugly therein and
15 has a cylindrical recess 73 to ~ te the head of
bolt 37. The diameter of wider portion 69 will vary
~-~r~nAinq on the diameter of the hub Or the wheel rim 64
to be repaired. Sincf~ hub 8iZ~ generally varies with
wheel size, the d~ r Or wider portion 69 will v~ry
20 according 80 that it is slightly smaller than th<~ hub,
thus allowing a snug rit when the wheel hub is slipped
over wider portion 69.
The operation Or the device is best seen from
Figures l, 6 and 7. A shaft 24 with a head height
25 appropriate for the width and of fset Or the rim to be
repaired is inserted into f itting bearings 26, 28 (not
shown in Figure 6) and retained by lock bolts 32. Head
27 of shal~t 24 is inserted into ~ -a portion 44 on
bottom side 50 and bolt 37 is used to retain plate 38.
30 The support member 67 is ~itted over bolt 66 and into
counterbore 52 of plate 38 so that the head of bolt 66 is
received within recess 73. Wheel rim 64 is mounted onto
plate 38 as shown, with the hub of wheel rim 64 slipped
over support member 67. Shanks 41 Or each bolt 43 are
35 then inserted through the retaining holes Or the wheel
rim 64. Nuts 68 are used to securely retain wheel rim 64
Wo 95/17271 PCT/CAs~/~07l7
21~9~96
on plate 38. Once~ mounted, wheel rim 64 can be rotated
with sha~t 24 relative to frame 12.
To check for eccentricity of the wheel 64 a
measuring in~LL, -nt 72 capable of moving along upper
5 surface of beams 18 is utilised as seen in Figure 1.
Measuring ina~L, ~ 72 includes a relatively massive
base 76 to slide along the beams 16, 18 and an upright
post 78 that extends from base 76 at a 90 angle.
Slidably mounted on post 78 is a sleeve 80 having a
10 tightening screw 82. Sleeve 80 can slide vertically
along post 78 and can be retained at a desired location
on post 78 by tightening screw 82. Extending at a 90
angle from sleeve 80 is a pointer 84 that can be adjusted
relative to post ~8.
The ils_LL, ~ 72 is used to d~termine which
areas of a wheel rim 64 are dented or bent into an oval
shapQ, thereby reguiring repair, by positioning th~
polnter against the rim and rotating thQ wheel rQlative
to th~l fram~. Di~ e will b~ 1 by
departure of the pointer from the rim ~nd tho~e areas
marked .
Onc~ the defects in the whe~l have been
determined, the wheel may be repaired by application of a
force from a hydraulic power set 98 or other extensible
tool. The power set 98 is secured to a connecting block
15 which i~ secured in an appropriate one of the slots
13. ThQ po~ition of the block 15 is chosen to suit the
particular dirQction in which ~orce is to be applied to
correct that dQ~Qct.
Hydraulic pow~r set 98 i~, typically a 10 ton
set made by 81ack Hawk for use with car wheels, 20 ton
for truck wheels, and 4 ton for motor cycle wheels. Set
98 comprises a cylinder 100 and piston 102 combination.
A handle and pump (not shown) allow the user to
hydraulically "pump" the piston 102 out of cylinder 100,
and in the preferred . '~ t, the set 98 can apply up
to 10 tons o~ yr6s ,uLa. One end 104 of set is fitted
~ WO 95/17271 21~ 9 ~ 9 ~ PCTICA9~100717
with a press tip 106. Press tip 106 comprises a curved
mild steel member 108 and a retainer 110 (Fig. 7).
Retainer 110 releasably attached to member 108. Retainer
110 can be located at any desired position on member 108,
5 and prererably, retainer 110 is attached at a eith~r a
30O~ 45, 60, 75 or 90 angle.
Once the wheel rim 64 is mounted and secured on
plate 38, measuring ir.i,~. ~ 72 can be moved toward
wheel rim 64 so that the tip Or pointer 84 is placed
adjacent to outer wall 113 Or wheel rim 64. By rotating
wheel rim 64, pointer 84 can be used to determine which
areas of rim 64 are dented. Ir rim 64 is not dented,
then outer wall 113 will lemain at approximately the same
relative distance from pointer 84 as the rim 64 rotates.
15 on the other hand, i~ there is a dent, that distance will
very, thereby indicating the location Or the dent.
The wheel rim 64 is tested rrom the top of the
wheel rim outer wall 113 to the bottom. Pointer 84 c~n
b~ moved vertically by ~lidlng sleev~ 80 along po2~t 78.
20 Wh~n a dent~d ar~a is located, the po3ition Or the power
set 98 i5 then ad~usted to allow the press tip 108 to
apply pr~s..uL æ on the dented area and thus repair that
area. Once the dented area is repaired, wheel rim 64 is
tested again to ensure the repair of the dented area did
not cause a dif rerent area Or the wheel rim 64 to become
dented or bent out Or shape. During the trimming
process, the shart permits the natural position Or the
rim to be adjusted for optimum application of the forces
but resists axial ~ . The radial loads applied are
3 0 taken by the support member 3 7 to ensure accurate
application of the rorces from the hydraulic set.
Ir an area Or an inner wall of the wheel rim 64
is damaged, the hydraulic power set 98 can still be used
in the same fashion to repair that area. The distance
35 between tube 20 and an inner wall is usually sur~iciently
great to allow the power set 98 to f it therein. The
distance between tube 20 and the inner wall can be as
WO 91;/17271 2 t i g 5 9 6 PCTICA94/00717 ~
small as 2 inches since porto power sets haviny cylinders
that small are currently available on the market. The
spacing of the beams 16 ,18 also permits the power set 98
to be applied ~rom below rim.
If any portion of the surface of the wh~el rim
64 is cracked or torn, or ir the wheel rim 64 cracks or
tears when pLe~ rom tho hydraulic power set 98 is
applied thereto, an argon alloy gas torch or other
suitable torch can be used to weld together the torn
portion of the rim 64. Th~ wheel rim 64 i8 then checked
again and repaired as required to ensure that it is
circular .
Once the wheel rim 64 is found to be
sub61 AntiAl ly circular and thus repaired, it is removed
~rom the device 10 and the wheel rim 64 can then be
subjected to further repair or re~urbishing if de~ired.
For example, the wheel rim 64 may be polished, paint~d,
QtC .
Finally, th- whQ~l rim 64 is, pr~forably, then
ch~cked on a typical motor vehicl~ wheel l -lAn~ Ar to
ensure that the wheel rim 64 is b~ n~ within the
spQcif ied calibration without a tyr~ on the wheel rim 64 .
Ir thQ wheel rim does fall within thn k^l~n~ ;n7
specification, then the tyrR i~ fitted onto th~ wheel
rim A~ well, even newly manuractured wheel rim~ are
oftRn out o~ calibration and not within , - f icntion,
th~r~forn th~ device 10 and process Or the present
inv~ntion can be used to ensure that brand new wheel rims
arc not dented or bent and thu!~ fall within specified
calibrations.
An alternative arr~nq L is shown in Figures
9 and 10 to ~acilitate the repair o~ the internal
surfaces Or the wheel. Like re~erence numerals will be
used to denote like c ~s with the suf~ix "a" added
~or clarity. Referring therefore, to Figure 9, support
beams 16a, 18a are provided with a series of aligned
holes 110 to one side of the turn table 20a. The aligned
-
WO 95/~7271 2 ~ 7 9 5 9 ~ PCTICA9-~100717
g
holes 110 receive a bolt 112 that pivotally supports a
lever 114. ~ushes 116 inhibit lateral r ~,, t of the
lever 114 relative to the beams 16a, 18a.
The lower end of lever 114 is drilled to
5 receive a pin 118 for connection to hydraulic power set
98a. The power set 98a is attached through a bracket 15a
to the f rame 12 .
The upper end of lever 114 is bored as
indicated at 120 to receive tool bits (not shown) of
lo di~ferent standard configurAtion~.
With the arrA-, t shown in Figures 9 and 10,
the lever 114 may be po~itioned rAdially inwArdly Or the
rim of a wheel mounted on the turn tabl~ 2 Oa and a
radially outward force applied through the hydraulic
power set 98a. The position Or the lever 114 may be
adju~ted on the beams 16a, 18a to a:_ ~te di~erent
diameters of wheel and di~rerent tools may be ~itted to
the upper end o~ lever~ 114 a:~ n~c~ Ary.
The positioning o~ the power set 98a below the
20 beams 16a, 18a enables di~rerent hydraulic cylinders to
be utilized in the power set with longer strokes if
n~C~c~ry. Clearly the position o~ the power sets 98a
can be ad~usted on the frame 12 to suit particular
requirements although generally it i8 preferable for the
25 cylinder to be ~ posed parallel to the beams 16a, 18a.
In summary, the device and method of the
present invention is userul ~or repairing metal wheel
rims used on motor vehicles. Essentially, any type of
dent on the wheel rim can be repaired so that thQ wheel
30 rim is rendered round again. The device and method o~
the present invention can be used on any type of wheel
rim, for example, those used on cars, trucks, motorbikes,
etc. Preferably, the wheel rim is made of ~ minllm, but
it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
35 any metal wheel rim can be repaired accordingly.
It will be understood by persons skilled in the
art that modif ications and alterations are possible to
wo 95/17~71 PCT/CA94/00717
2~7~9~ lo
the present invention . All such nodif ications and
alterations are considered to be within tlle scope Or this
invention .
