The field of the invention pertains to wheels for vehicles, such as cars, trucks, dual-wheel heavy trucks, trailers, etc., and, in particular, to the positioning of a wrench to facilitate tightening or loosening wheel nuts for the wheel.
Normally a wheel wrench having a socket is employed to tighten or loosen wheel nuts that hold the wheel onto the vehicle.
A problem is that the wrench (with a socket, an extension, a ratchet and a breaker bar/speed handle) used to loosen the wheel nuts can and often does slip from the nut when the handle of the wrench tool is moved. The slipping of the wrench can cause rounding of the points of the nut. Another problem is that both of the user's hands are needed to remove wheel nuts when using a single handle. One hand holds the socket on the wheel nut and the other hand applies force to the breaker bar. Use of the breaker bar requires balancing; while pushing down on the breaker bar the user needs to pull up with the other hand to balance the end of the extension and to give leverage to the other hand.
Should the wrench socket slip from the nut, the wrench can move and can cause the user to lose balance and/or the wrench can hit the user's legs, causing bruising or breaking. Thus, a need existed for a wheel nut tool that helps the user to maintain the socket of the wrench on the nut of the wheel without causing injury or discomfort to the person using the wrench.
The invention is a device for positioning a socket of a wrench in close controlled centered proximity to a nut holding a wheel to a vehicle. The device holds the socket in a desired orientation aligned with the centerline of the wheel nut and allows leverage to be applied to the wheel nut. A stabilizer device and a sleeve can further stabilized the socket extension.
The device of the invention comprises a monolithic star body fittable to an inner diameter of a wheel after placing the socket to the nut. The device is removable following use to assist with attaching the wheel or removing the wheel by tightening or loosening and removing the wheel nuts.
The body of the device is comprised from steel, other metals, fiberglass or other materials. Lighter weight materials are useful when the body of the device must be large to use with a large wheel. The body can have a star shape or other shape that has an outer diameter that approaches the size of the inner diameter of the wheel. The body fits into the inner diameter of the wheel. Apertures are provided through the body along the base circle of the wheel. An aperture is also provided for the protrusion of an axle hub. Alternately, the device can be designed to fit over a wheel rim.
To use the wheel nut tool of the invention, a socket is placed on a wheel nut and the body of wheel nut tool is placed into the inner diameter of the wheel with an aperture of the wheel nut tool being lined up over the socket drive receptacle. An extension for the socket is placed through the wheel nut tool and engaged with the socket drive receptacle. A handle is then attached to the extension and the handle is turned to rotate the wheel nut in the desired direction. The handle can use a ratchet head with a short handle or a longer handle for more leverage. A speed handle having a T-shape or an impact tool can also be used. One hand use can be made with a single handle because the body of the invention maintains the extension centered on the socket and hence also centered on the wheel nut.
The wheel nut tool stabilizes and maintains the socket extension in alignment with the centerline of the wheel nut. Wobble of the extension is limited. The user does not have to apply one hand to keep the socket and extension on the wheel nut and also aligned with the centerline of the wheel nut. Using both hands on the handle allows leverage to be placed on the breaker bar or handle for the socket through the socket extension. The wheel nut tool allows use of both hands on the handle creating greater force. The star shaped body for the wheel nut tool limits any lateral movement from the socket to be distributed among the other points of the body beside the point though which the socket extension is placed. A longer extension handle can be employed to exert greater leverage to the wheel nut. An impact tool can also be used in conjunction with the wheel nut tool. A crank handle can also be used.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description when read with in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements throughout the several views, in which:
Illustrated in
Now turning to
As shown in
Now turning to
In use, socket 16 is placed onto wheel nut 14. Body 28 of device 10 is then fitted to inner diameter 30 of wheel 12. Extension 18 is placed through aperture 32 of body 28 and ratchet head 20 with handle 22 or 38 or speed handle 40 is attached to extension 18. Thereafter, handle 22 or 38 or speed handle 40 is rotationally operated to tighten or loosen wheel nut 14.
Stabilizer device 48 is shown in
Device 10 for use with the front wheel of a vehicle is depicted in
Device 10 is depicted in
It is to be understood that the device herein described could be employed for uses and purposes beyond those for stabilizing a tool for the rotation of wheel nuts for the attachment and removal of a vehicle wheel.
Having described the invention, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20060042430 A1 | Mar 2006 | US |