This invention relates to dollies useful for the removal, moving and mounting of vehicle tires. More particularly, the dolly is useful in mounting and unmounting large vehicle tires from a vehicle.
The military uses a variety of tactical ground vehicles, all of which use large truck tires. When changing or rotating the tires the troops are required to lift and position the tires, which is a difficult and time-consuming job. It is particularly difficult for the smaller members of the armed services who may lack both the strength and height necessary to position the large tires on an axle which is a substantial height above ground level. Wheeled dollies useful for removing or mounting vehicle wheels are known in the art. Generally such devices are constructed with a mainframe having upright standards and a second frame supported on the mainframe, which holds a tire assembly and is movable vertically on the upright standards to lift and position the tire. Such devices are by nature heavy and bulky. The combination of weight and storage space required by such structures makes them unsuitable for use in military units, which are deployed throughout the world.
It would be desirable to have a folding, lightweight tire dolly that can be easily stored as part of the equipment for tire changing and rotation on a military vehicle. Such a device should be of simple construction, collapsible to minimum space requirement, and allow for easy loading of the tire on the dolly for transport. The dolly should also have means to allow the tire to be rotated on the dolly into a position where the holes in the wheel rim are aligned with the threaded axle studs on which the tire assembly is mounted.
The present invention provides a foldable tire dolly having the desired characteristics outlined above. The dolly is useful for moving and positioning a vehicle tire assembly consisting of a tire mounted on a normal wheel rim which is designed to be attached to the threaded studs of an axle assembly. The dolly of this invention has a rectangular base member, preferably adjustable in length, designed to accommodate tires of various sizes. The rectangular base member is further mounted on a plurality of casters that can be used to move the dolly over a variety of surfaces.
The rectangular base member has a pair of adjustable wings, which are hinged to opposite ends of the rectangular base member. The hinges allow one of the wings to be positioned to form a ramp so that a tire can be easily rolled onto the rectangular base member and the wing raised to a supporting position where in combination with the wing on the opposite end of the rectangular base member the vehicle tire assembly will be held in a centered position on the base member. Adjustable positioning members are associated with the wings and rectangular base member with one end of the positioning member being attached to the base member and the other end attached to one of the wings. The positioning members can be adjusted so as to hold the wings in contact with the tire to keep the tire from excessive movement on the base member. The positioning memberes also intersect the angle between the associated wing and the base member to hold the tire in position on the dolly during movement of the dolly with the tire.
The tire dolly of this invention has a plurality of bearing surfaces with at least one bearing surface being mounted on each wing and one bearing surface on the rectangular base member to allow rotation of the tire into position so the wheel rim can engage the threaded studs on the axle.
In the accompanying drawing:
Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts and initially to
The rectangular base 12 is mounted on a plurality of casters 32, which allow the tire dolly 10 to be moved over the ground while carrying the tie assembly. The type of caster or wheel chosen can be determined by the ground over which the dolly is to be moved, softer soils generally requiring a wider caster to allow movement.
The rectangular base 12 has two wings 34 attached to the rectangular base member 12 one wing being attached to each end of the rectangular base. The wings 34 are fastened to the rectangular bade 12 by means of hinges 36, which allows the wings to rotate inward towards the rectangular base 12 to a point where the wing is in contact with the tire assembly loaded on the dolly 10. The wings 34 also have the edge hinged to the base undercut 37 so that the wing can rotate outward past horizontal to a position where the end of the wing opposite the hinge touches the ground this forms a ramp allowing a tire assembly to be rolled up the ramp on to the base member 12. This will eliminate lifting of heavy tire assemblies and thereby improves safety and lessens the chance of injury. Each of the wings 34 has at least one bearing member 30 on its surface to allow a tire assembly on the dolly 10 to be rotated on the dolly; this allows the wheel rim to be rotated so the holes in the rim align with the threaded studs on the axle.
A pair of adjustable arcuate braces 38 are formed of curved arms 40, 42. Arm 40 has one end firmly attached to its associated wing 34, and arm 42 has one end attached to its associated base member 14. Once the rectangular base 12 has been adjusted for width and the wings 34 are positioned so they are juxtaposed the tire, threaded fasteners 44 can be placed in a slot 46 in the arms 40, 42 and secured with a complimentary nut 48. The resulting arcuate braces 38 not only position the wings 34 but provide a side support for the tire assembly to help keep the tire assembly on the dolly 10 as it is moved.
In
Various alterations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention and it is understood this invention is limited only by the following claims.
The invention described herein may be made, used and licensed by and for United States Government purposes without paying me any royalty.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1964119 | Hendry | Jun 1934 | A |
2392830 | Baum | Jan 1946 | A |
2414383 | Merriam | Jan 1947 | A |
2569050 | Gref et al. | Sep 1951 | A |
2573728 | Pugh, Sr. | Nov 1951 | A |
2664685 | Phelps | Jan 1954 | A |
2969245 | Wilson | Jan 1961 | A |
3066946 | Nelson | Dec 1962 | A |
3830387 | Virnig | Aug 1974 | A |
3843000 | Bennett | Oct 1974 | A |
4121788 | McMahon | Oct 1978 | A |
4286369 | Fusco | Sep 1981 | A |
4465421 | Murillo | Aug 1984 | A |
4692082 | Smith | Sep 1987 | A |
4796909 | Kirkendall | Jan 1989 | A |
4854803 | Coccaro | Aug 1989 | A |
4900215 | Nowell | Feb 1990 | A |
4913459 | Smeitink | Apr 1990 | A |
4976449 | Lotspeich et al. | Dec 1990 | A |
5039123 | Smeitink | Aug 1991 | A |
5161932 | Johnson | Nov 1992 | A |
5248235 | Poten et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
5257443 | Tanimura et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5433469 | Cassels | Jul 1995 | A |
5568956 | Benefield | Oct 1996 | A |
5709520 | Pish | Jan 1998 | A |
5732960 | Elam | Mar 1998 | A |
5870824 | Lilja et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5984611 | Warner | Nov 1999 | A |
6079777 | Simmons et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
6095745 | Garnett | Aug 2000 | A |
6179542 | Haven | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6382644 | Rawlings | May 2002 | B1 |
6390759 | Novak et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6540470 | Smith et al. | Apr 2003 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040156700 A1 | Aug 2004 | US |