Abstract: A machine for coating granular articles and the like includes a rotating drum or a coating pan (1), which receives a predetermined mass of articles to be treated. The machine includes also a tubular manifold (4), whose axis is parallel to the axis of said coating pan (1) and which communicates with an outer first pipe (5). A plurality of perforated hollow bodies (14) extend from said manifold (4) and are dipped into the moving mass of the articles to be treated. A second pipe (6) communicates with the coating pan (1), so as to create a flow of air for ventilating the articles. The perforated hollow bodies (14) are telescopic, so as to allow adjustment of their length in order to change the depth of penetration thereof in the moving mass of the articles inside the coating pan (1). The perforated hollow bodies (14) have a distal part (14b), which is inclined with respect to the hollow body vertical axis and whose cross-section is oblong with pointed ends.

Abstract: A device moves and orients spraying nozzles (4) inside a coating pan (1). The spraying nozzles (4) are carried, arranged in a line, by a shaft (5), which rotates on a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the rotating drum (1). The shaft (5) is supported by a support frame (7), which is fastened to a bar (10), which is rotated to adjust the distance between the spraying nozzles (4) and the free surface (20) of said mass of articles (2) being treated. The shaft (5) is fastened to the lever mechanism (16,17) of a positioning member (15) for changing the inclination of the spraying nozzles (4), so as to maintain constant their orientation with respect to said free surface (20) of the mass of articles (2).

Abstract: The process of the invention can be used for measuring angles characteristic of wheels of a motor vehicle, in which a light signal is produced by a light beam having a predetermined direction with respect to which an angle to be measured is measured, the angle being formed between the direction of the light beam and a reference axis of the goniometer which reference axis is perpendicular to the linear optical sensor. The linear optical sensor is constituted by a plurality of contiguous and aligned photo-sensitive elements, by means of which elements an image of the light signal can be read. The image is constituted by an ordered totality of intensities of incident radiations recorded on the photo-sensitive elements. Measurement of the angle is a direct function of a distance of the image from an origin for measurement of distances in longitudinal direction, which is defined by an intersection of the reference axis with a longitudinal axis of the sensor.

Abstract: The machine for dismounting and fitting tires comprises a chuck which is rotatable about a rotation axis, on which a motor vehicle wheel can be fitted. Two arms are mounted either side of the chuck, the arms being hinged about two pivots superiorly bearing two tools able, by effect of rotations of the arms in both directions about the pivots, to move along at least one transversal plane to a wheel mounted on a chuck. Each tool is destined to operate contactingly with a bead of the tire. The arms are connected one to another by a length-adjustable con rod, hinged to the arms.

Abstract: A tire changing machine having a self-centering platform with a vertical axis is provided with a safety device for releasably locking on the platform a wheel with a tire. The device is particularly useful during tire-inflating operations to prevent an operator from suffering injury due to an explosion of the tire. The device comprises a stem which is vertically slidable with respect to a horizontal arm, the stem inferiorly bearing a plate interacting contactingly with the wheel placed on the platform. A retaining organ exhibits a hole in which a vertical rod which is solidly constrained to the arm is inserted with a predetermined degree of play. The retaining organ is hinged to the stem in such a way as to be able to assume at least one locked position in which it prevents the stem from rising.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for balancing motor vehicle wheels having rims formed by continuous radially-directed tracts alternating with spaces, according to which, after having a first time determined an amount and exact geometrical position of correction weights, a method employing the following phases is applied: a) application of a weight, whose position on the rim and amount are theoretically exact and calculated by the processor after the start phase: the weight being applied at a spoke 12 situated at a position on the rim which is closest possible to an exact position, if there is no spoke 12 at the exact position; b) determination of the effective position at which the weight has been materially applied with respect to the exact position as calculated by the processor; c) the use of geometric parameters defining the effective position in order to calculate the residual unbalance deriving from the new real configuration of the weights so that a theoretically-calculated exact geometrical position

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for balancing motor vehicle wheels, comprising the phases of: mounting a wheel on a rotatable shaft, setting the shaft and wheel in rotation, reading off any forces due to an imbalance in a wheel by means of force transducers, processing signals coming from the transducers by means of a processor, in order to provide an indication of an entity and geometrical arrangement of masses to be applied to the wheel in order to correct any detected imbalance. With the method, a balancing speed is determined in accordance with at least one parameter indicating an inertia to rotation of the wheel, according to a correspondence in which a balancing speed is lower for a wheel having higher inertia.

Abstract: A drying device for a coating machine equipped with a rotary pan (1), in which the products to be coated are introduced, includes air injecting means (5) for supplying air to dry the products inside the rotary pan (1), and an exhaust air pipe (7), equipped with perforated hollow head pieces which can be removed, adapted to be immersed in a heap of products to be coated. The pipe (7) is supported by sliding means (21) which are moved in a direction longitudinal to the same pipe between a working position, in which the exhaust pipe (7) is operated, and an advanced position, so as to allow maintenance operation on the exhaust pipe (7) performed from outside through the front opening (3a) of the pan (1).

Abstract: A method for calculating vehicle wheel alignment, comprising: use of two television cameras arranged in such positions as to frame and observe two different visual angles contemporaneously of a single wheel of a vehicle; designation of geometrical entities characteristic of said single wheel by means of which a plane of said wheel is identified; calculation of two transformations between coordinates of at least three unaligned points of said plane of said wheel and position of said correspondences respectively on focal planes on which images of said television cameras are formed, by means of two application matrices; calculation of said application matrices obtained by means of observation of the two television cameras of a set of points positioned in a known way in space; calculation of two inverse applications through which it is possible to derive coordinates in space of three unaligned points of said wheel plane starting from a knowledge of the coordinates of said points of focal planes of said two televi

Abstract: The device for inflating pneumatic tires comprises an inlet of pressurized air and an outlet for sending the air into a pneumatic tire. A first circuit of the device is divided into an initial tract and a final tract, which connects the inlet with the outlet, passing through a first on-off valve provided with a membrane. A second circuit of the device connects the inlet with a first chamber of the first on-off valve. The first chamber is also connected to a pressure regulator connected at outlet to a second on-off valve, which intercepts the air flow. A third circuit connects the outlet to a first chamber of the second on-off valve.

Abstract: The invention refers to procedure and equipment wherein there is a bi-directional communication between a central processing unit (3) and peripheral processing units (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) associated to measuring devices (1) applied on vehicle wheels by means of a ring structure in which the data circulates in only one direction with a mono-directional or simplex transmission in the single ring tracts between one unit and an immediately successive one. A screened cable or an infrared cable is used.