Wheel reconditioning station
The present invention provides a compact and portable wheel reconditioning station that enables a technician to rotate and index a wheel while a tire is mounted thereto and while the wheel remains mounted on a vehicle. The device allows a technician to quickly and easily rotate or reposition a wheel by depression of a foot pedal to leave his hands free to manipulate the various tools that are used during the reconditioning process.
1. A device for facilitating the reconditioning of an automotive road wheel while such road wheel remains attached to an automobile and has a tire mounted thereon, comprising:
a portable chassis;
a drive mechanism for generating rotation, supported by said chassis;
a drive roller, rotatably supported by said chassis, rotationally driven by said drive mechanism and configured to engage and rotate a tire mounted to a wheel which is in turn mounted to an automobile; and
a mechanism for controlling rotation of the drive roller by hands-free operation.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said drive mechanism comprises an electric motor.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said mechanism for controlling rotation of said drive roller comprises a foot pedal.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein said footpedal serves as an on and off switch for rotating said drive roller at a preselected speed.
5. The device of claim 3 , wherein said footpedal enables adjustment of the rotational speed of said drive roller.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said control mechanism allows a direction of rotation to be reversed.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein rotation is transferred from said drive mechanism to the drive roller by a drive belt.
8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a cradle configured for transferring load exerted by a tire on said drive roller to the ground so as to support said drive roller and anchor said device.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein said drive roller is capable of rotating an automotive wheel at a rotational speed of up to about 20 rpm.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein said drive roller is capable of rotating said automotive wheel at rotational speeds between 2 rpm and 20 rpm.
11. A device for facilitating the reconditioning of an automotive road wheel mounted on a tire and carried from an automobile hub, comprising:
a portable chassis;
drive means mounted on said chassis;
roller means mounted on said chassis and coupled with said drive means and configured to, upon actuation of said drive means, engage and rotate said wheel; and
hands free control means for controlling said drive means.