AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE WIDTH CHUCK APPARATUS FOR TIRE TESTING SYSTEM

• Main Authors: QUINN CHRISTY, JELLISON FRANK R, REYNOLDS DENNIS ALLYN, LEES DAVID W SR, BORMET FRANCIS J, CUKELJ RICHARD, NEIFERD KEITH A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.10.2010
• Subjects: DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES; MEASURING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REPAIRING, OR CONNECTING VALVES TO, INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIESIN GENERAL; TESTING; TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES ORSTRUCTURES; TESTING STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSPORTING; TYRE CHANGING OR REPAIRING; TYRE INFLATION; VEHICLE TYRES; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved chuck apparatus which provides an increased stroke length for storing various size tires, and applies a substantially constant force to lock the chuck members together. SOLUTION: The adjustable width chuck apparatus includes a first chuck adapted to receive a half-rim for contacting the bead of a tire, a first chuck including a rotatable spindle including a tapered male portion; a second chuck adapted to receive a half-rim for contacting the bead of a tire and movable toward and away from the first chuck; a second chuck including an extensible, rotatable chuck member, including a tapered female portion configured to receive the tapered male portion of the rotatable spindle; and a fluid-pressure-operated actuator operable to extend the chuck member with respect to the second chuck to move the tapered female portion into engagement with the tapered male portion of the spindle, wherein the actuator is disposed on an external portion of the chuck and provides a visual indication of the position of the extensible, tapered female portion of the chuck member with respect to the second chuck. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT