Machine for fitting and removing tires and wheel rims for vehicles

1. A machine for fitting and removing tires and wheel rims for vehicles, comprising: a frame; supporting means mounted at said frame for coupling and turning a rim, onto/from which a tire is to be fitted/removed, about a rotation axis; and a working assembly movably supported by said frame and comprising a working head for fitting and removing said rim and said tire, first actuation means operatively connected with said working head far translational actuation in a direction that is substantially parallel to said rotation axis, a pusher, provided at said working head that is substantially tubular, is arranged substantially transversely to said rotation axis, and is provided with an abutment surface that is adapted for working contact with a side of said tire, at least one removal tool for removing said tire from said rim, and second actuation means that are operatively connected with said at least one removal tool for causing alternate movement thereof between an inactive configuration, in which the removal tool is at least partially accommodated within said pusher, and at least one active configuration, in which the removal tool protrudes at least partially from said pusher, said second actuation means comprising guiding means for guiding said at least one removal tool, said guiding means comprising at least one slot that is provided at a side wall of said pusher, and at least one pivot that is connected to said at least one removal tool and arranged so as to slide along said at least one slot.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one removal tool is completely accommodated inside said pusher in the inactive configuration.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said working head comprises a supporting tool for supporting said tire provided at said pusher.

4. The machine of claim 3 , comprising third actuation means for translational actuation of said working head in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis, said third means being arranged at said working head.

5. The machine of claim 4 , wherein said third actuation means comprises at least one third fluid-medium actuator.

6. The machine of claim 3 , wherein said supporting tool is arranged in a cantilevered manner at said pusher on an opposite side thereof with respect to said abutment surface.

7. The machine of claim 3 , wherein said rotation axis lays substantially horizontally.

8. The machine of claim 3 , wherein said rotation axis lays substantially vertically.

9. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said abutment surface is shaped with a contoured protrusion that extends toward said tire that forms a wedge-shaped element.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one removal tool comprises a hook-shaped end adapted to abut against an internal surface of said tire.

11. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot is formed monolithically with an internal lateral surface of said pusher.

12. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot is a trough slot.

13. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said at least one slot is constituted by a plurality of portions that are connected to each other so as to form a broken line path.

14. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said guiding means comprise at least two slots which are substantially identical and are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical configuration so as to face each other on opposite sides of said pusher, said pivot comprising ends thereof that are each arranged for sliding motion along a respective one of said slots.

15. The machine of claim 1 , wherein said guiding means comprise two pairs of slots and two pivots, said pivots having respective ends thereof that are each arranged for sliding motion along the slots of a corresponding pair of said slots.

16. The machine of claim 15 , wherein said pivots are arranged substantially transversely to said at least one removal tool and are connected to said tool, respectively proximate to a centerline and at an opposite end thereof, with respect to said hook-shaped end.

17. A machine for fitting and removing tires and wheel rims for vehicles, comprising; a frame; supporting means mounted at said frame for coupling and turning a rim, onto/from which a tire is to be fitted/removed, about a rotational axis; and a working assembly movably supported by said frame and comprising a working head for fitting and removing said rim and said tire, first actuation means operatively connected with said working head for translational actuation in a direction that is substantially parallel to said rotation axis, a pusher, provided at said working head that is substantially tubular, is arranged substantially transversely to said rotation axis, and is provided with an abutment surface that is adapted for working contact with a side of said tire, at least one removal tool for removing said tire from said rim, and second actuation means that are operatively connected with said at least one removal tool for causing alternate movement thereof between an inactive configuration, in which the removal tool is at least partially accommodated within said pusher, and at least one active configuration, in which the removal tool protrudes at least partially from said pusher, said second actuation means comprise motion means for producing alternating rectilinear motion, said motion means being operatively connected with said at least one removal tool, said first actuation means comprises at least one first fluid-medium actuator that acts in a direction that is substantially parallel to said rotation axis.

18. The machine of claim 17 , wherein said motion production means are connected with said at least one removal tool through at least one linkage.

19. The machine of claim 17 , wherein said motion production means comprises at least one second fluid-medium actuator that acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to said rotation axis.