Abstract: A vehicle wheel balancer, comprising a support frame (1), a rotatable drive head (3) adapted removably to receive a wheel to be balanced, and a protective member enclosing the mounted wheel so as to prevent undesirable projection of particles outwardly and to protect the operator during rotation of the wheel. The protective member is in two parts comprising a first cover (6) fixed relative to the support frame (1) and a second cover (7) swingably retractable about a substantially horizontal axis (8) of rotation, so as to reduce the mass that must be displaced and to permit manual opening and closing of the protective member without mechanical assistance and without a counterweight and to reduce the floor space of the balancer.

Abstract: A rotatable drive spindle for quick mounting comprises a hollow shaft (10) mounted rotatably in two bearings (3a, 3b) and a control rod (9) passing through the hollow shaft (10) and displaceable between a locking position and an unlocking position. A prestressed resilient spring is provided continuously to urge the control rod (9) toward the first locking position and a pneumatic jack (6) is provided to act against the spring (19) and press the control rod (9) toward the unlocking position. This jack (6) is mounted relative to the hollow drive shaft (10) and to the control rod (9) with an arrangement analogous to that of a hub puller, which is to say in a manner such that pulling on a configuration (11) secured to the hollow drive shaft (10) presses on the control rod (9) but does not exert any force on the bearings (3a, 3b).

Abstract: A device for rapid securement on a screw-threaded drive shaft, such as a wheel balancer, includes a body 1 with at least one gripping handle 2. The body 1 is closed by a cover 3 and contains a resilient return spring 7 of a rotatable actuating member 8 adapted to radially displace two blocks 13 with screw-threaded combs for engaging the drive shaft. The actuating member and the two blocks are interconnected by a mounting with the aid of a groove 14 and a pin 15. Use for the rapid securement of bodies to be balanced on a balancer, e.g. a vehicle wheel.