Abstract: A valve hole punching apparatus for a vehicle wheel wherein the punch and the bill punching a valve hole in the wheel wall can be adjusted in inclination. In such an apparatus, a wheel into which a valve hole is to be punched is brought to the punching position with its axis maintained in a vertical position. The wheel portion to be punched is punched out by the inclined punch and the bill positioned at a right angle. As a result, handling of the wheel is very easy and punching can be done very smoothly.

Abstract: A wheel rim forming machine including a fixed frame having four vertically extending columns. Due to the frame structure, the forming force acting at the top and bottom rolls of the machine are borne evenly through tensile forces acting in the four columns. Thus, no bending deformation occurs in the columns. Further, because the columns are not exposed to bending forces, they can be formed with a relatively small cross-section and thus the frame structure is compact. Therefore, access to the guide rolls and their support structure is facilitated and high grade adjustment of the guide rolls is possible.

Abstract: A top roll exchanging apparatus for a rim shape forming machine. The top roll exchanging apparatus includes a movable bearing device for supporting a top roll shaft and a top roll loading/unloading arm provided on an extension of the top roll shaft. The movable bearing device is movable between an engaging position wherein the movable bearing device rotatably supports the top roll shaft and a waiting position wherein the movable bearing device is spaced from the extension of the top roll shaft. The top roll loading/unloading arm is movable toward and away from the top roll shaft and is rotatable about a mid-portion thereof. A top roll is exchanged by removing the movable bearing device from the engaging position, moving the top roll loading/unloading arm to load and unload top rolls and finally returning the movable bearing device to its original position.

Abstract: An apparatus for chamfering through press forming edges of a rim element is provided upstream of a flaring machine for forming a rim shape on a disk wheel manufacture line. The apparatus includes a pair of edge rolls having vertically extending axes and having respective groove members formed therein. A wall of a rim element conveyed into the apparatus is axially squeezed between the edge rolls at the groove members thereof and the edges of the rim element is press formed. Since a rim element conveyed into the apparatus has still an axially straight extending wall, the rim element has a high rigidity in the axial direction of the rim element and therefore, an undesirable deformation does not occur in the rim element during the press forming.

Abstract: A flaring apparatus including at least one of die member positional adjustment apparatus and a defective rim element ejecting apparatus. The positional adjustment apparatus includes a connecting shaft provided between a die member mounting block and a link mechanism for moving the mounting block. The connecting shaft has shaft portions, axes of which are radially offset from each other. By rotating the connecting shaft, the die member position can be adjusted. Therefore, there is no need to provide a shim between the die member and the mounting block. The defective rim element ejecting apparatus includes a pressure sensing switch which can detect an increase in pressure within a space defined by a rim element and the die members during flaring.

Abstract: A disk insertion apparatus for inserting a disk into a rim element of a disk wheel. The disk insertion apparatus includes a first disk inserting machine for preliminarily inserting a disk into a rim element and a second disk inserting machine for completing the insertion of the disk into the rim element to a predetermined, final position. The second disk inserting machine is mounted downstream of the first disk inserting machine along the rim flow lines.