Abstract: A machine for removing and mounting tires from and onto respective wheel rims has a base (1;20), a platform (3;22) rotating on the base, and a column (7; 26) which extends vertically upwards from the base to the side of the platform and supports, one following the other, two mutually slidable elements one of which carries at its end a tool (15; 33) which is to operate on the tire bead. The element which supports the tool is secured to the center of the wheel rim.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel balancing method includes determining, by using an electronic computing device, the position of the application plane and the angular position of each weight within a range about prechosen balancing planes, computed on the basis of weight values chosen by the operator from a finite number of values available in practice. A wheel balancing apparatus includes a rotary shaft on which a vehicle wheel is mounted, and the electronic computing device discussed above.

Abstract: A system for measuring the wheel base of an automobile frame and the transverse and longitudinal offsets of its steered wheels which comprises a first device and a second device to be applied by known means to two automobile frame wheels positioned on the same side, said first device comprising two light emitting diodes (LEDs) located a known distance (d) apart, measured in the horizontal plane, and said second device comprising optical angle measurement means arranged to measure the angle (.alpha.) subtended between the light rays emitted by said light emitting diodes.

Abstract: A system for measuring the characteristic attitude angles of the wheels of an automobile frame utilizing optical sensors positioned on the wheels of the automobile frame to feed data to a central processor arranged to convert them into angular values, and four identical measurement devices fixed in mutually symmetrical arrangement to the wheels of the automobile frame in such a manner as to interact with the devices positioned on the adjacent wheels, each device comprising two identical measurement units positioned in mutually perpendicular vertical planes and each comprising angle measurement means positioned vertically and horizontally, having a single common reading unit, the angle measurement means having a light source directed towards a diaphragm, downstream of which there are located, in succession a cylindrical converging lens and a reading unit consisting of CCD-type optical sensors perpendicular to the axis of the lens, downstream of which there is a container for liquid of high refractive power thr

Abstract: An implement for facilitating the mounting of tires onto respective wheel rims, typically for tire removal machines including a horizontal self-centering unit (4) and a projecting horizontal arm (6), on the end of which there slides a height-adjustable vertical rod (8) which is provided lowerly with a tool (9) for mounting and removing tires (10). The tire mounting machine includes a shaped arm which at one end is provided with a projecting profiled head (18), and at its other end is mounted rotatable and slidable on said vertical rod (8) so as to occupy a raised rest position and a lowered working position in which said head can be inserted between the edge of a wheel rim (44) locked by the self-centering unit and the bead (110) of the tire (10) to be mounted, the head resting against that wheel rim part (42) forming the seat for receiving the bead.

Abstract: A bead release device for tire removal machines comprises an arm (60) which at one end is intended to be hinged on a vertical axis (6) to the base (1) of a tire removal machine (100), while at its other end it supports a positionable bead release tool (66), the arm being coupled with unilateral engagement to the rod (9) of a pneumatic cylinder-piston unit which is associated with the base, the unilateral engagement being achieved by a plurality of aligned equidistant identical notches (111) provided in the end longitudinal portion of the rod and by a coupling member (18) which is provided on the arm (60) and is arranged to occupy a rest position in which it allows the arm (60) and the rod (9) to slide freely relative to each other, and a working position in which it maintains the arm and rod coupled together.

Abstract: A tire-removal machine comprises a frame (1) with a self-centering unit (4) for locking the wheels in a horizontal position in front of an overlying tool head (13) for mounting/removing the respective tires. The self-centering unit is connected to the frame (1) by way of a vertically lying articulated parallelogram having one the (55-66) formed by said frame, to the side (5-6) opposite the preceding there being hinged the self-centering unit in such a manner that this unit is able to occupy a lowered wheel loading/unloading position in which it is close to the floor and inclined to the side opposite the frame, and a raised working position, selectable at will, in which it arranges the wheel horizontal and within the radius of action of the tool head.

Abstract: A self-centering device for locking aircraft undercarriage wheel rims comprises a hollow telescopic shaft (14, 15) on which a wheel rim (30) is to be mounted, and which is traversed by a slidable rod (16) with which there engages by bilateral engagement at least one coupling member (23) which is provided at the free end of the shaft (14, 15) and is arranged to engage with and disengage from a sliding thrust cone (27) which clamps the wheel rim against a backing cone (127) or (227), the cone and backing cone resting on the outer conical bearing rings (300) associated with the wheel rim (30).

Abstract: A fluid-driven multi-cylinder operating unit, particularly for tire removal machines comprising a rotor (3) with a radial series of equidistant coplanar, single-acting cylinder-piston units (5, 6) fed in succession by an annular distributor (15), with their rods interacting, by way of end rollers (9), with a track (10) which is coaxial to the rotor (3) and fixed to the stator (1) and which includes a succession of semicylindrical cavities (11) in a number less than the number of cylinder-piston units (5, 6) and joined together by cusps (12); there being provided a valve for throttling the pressurized fluid feed pipe to said cylinder-piston units.

Abstract: A lifting unit with an incorporated piezoelectric transducer comprises an extendable trolley (1-4) with a frontwardly tapered plan profile and is upperly provided with a flat vertical compass structure (5) which is symmetrically disposed about the main axes of the underlying trolley (1-4) and has its arms converging towards a horizontal box member (6) containing a piezoelectric transducer (15), at which the arms are linked together and at which there is provided, above the box member (6) a positionable lifting and support saddle (21) which is disposed transversely to the flat vertical compass structure (5).

Abstract: A hydraulic system for lifts provided with two independently supported parallel platforms comprises at least two cylinder-piston units (80, 81) for raising the platforms, a metering device (7) for feeding identical quantities of fluid to said two units, and a balancing device (74, 75) operated by means (31, 32) for measuring the height difference between the platforms and arranged to feed a quantity of supplementary fluid to that cylinder-piston unit (80) or (81) operating the lower platform by withdrawing it from that cylinder-piston unit (81) or (80) operating the higher platform.