Patent US3869798A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3869798A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Quick-check aligner
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-12-19
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1993-12-19
Abstract
Abstract An optical-transit aligner for vehicle wheels. The aligner comprises two separate aligner posts each hung by a simple contact mount, without clamping attachments, upon different and opposite wheels of a vehicle under test. An optical sight, including a camber and toe target, is fixed to the upper end of each aligner post. Camber and toe readings of both wheels are taken without resort to manual adjustments of the optical sights. An optional run-out arm, including a friction contact wheel, can be pivotally coupled to an aligner post, which has been removed from a wheel mounted position and floor supported, to determine the degree of wheel wobble.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward D Wilkerson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:17
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M17/00; G01M17/007; G01M17/013
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, an upper extension arm adjustably coupled to a general midportion of the aligner post, a mounting hanger carried by an end of the upper extension arm remote from the aligner post, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim in the assembly, a lower extension arm fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the lower extremity of the aligner post, and a contact arm carried by an end of the lower extension arm remote from the aligner post with the contact arm and the lower extension being disposed generally perpendicular to one another and in the same plane so that the projecting extremities of the contact arm nest against second and third contact reference points on the wheel rim on the assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, an upper extension arm adjustably coupled to a general midportion of the aligner post, a mounting hanger carried by an end of the upper extension arm remote from the aligner post, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim in the assembly, a lower extension arm fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the lower extremity of the aligner post, and a contact arm carried by an end of the lower extension arm remote from the aligner post with the contact arm and the lower extension being disposed generally perpendicular to one another and in the same plane so that the projecting extremities of the contact arm nest against second and third contact reference points on the wheel rim on the assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
190 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, an upper extension arm adjustably coupled to a general midportion of the aligner post, a mounting hanger carried by an end of the upper extension arm remote from the aligner post, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim in the assembly, a lower extension arm fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the lower extremity of the aligner post, and a contact arm carried by an end of the lower extension arm remote from the aligner post with the contact arm and the lower extension being disposed generally perpendicular to one another and in the same plane so that the projecting extremities of the contact arm nest against second and third contact reference points on the wheel rim on the assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
190 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, an upper extension arm adjustably coupled to a general midportion of the aligner post, a mounting hanger carried by an end of the upper extension arm remote from the aligner post, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim in the assembly, a lower extension arm fixed to and projecting perpendicularly from the lower extremity of the aligner post, and a contact arm carried by an end of the lower extension arm remote from the aligner post with the contact arm and the lower extension being disposed generally perpendicular to one another and in the same plane so that the projecting extremities of the contact arm nest against second and third contact reference points on the wheel rim on the assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
The combination of claim 1 in which the lower extension arm and the contact arm form a supporting base when the aligner unit is dismounted from the wheel tire assembly comprising a run-out arm pivotally mounted to the lower extremity of the aligner post, a run-out wheel rotatably supported on the run-out arm, and a run-out indicator actuated by the run-out arm in response to contact variations caused by displacement of the run-out wheel by a rotating assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, a mounting hanger adjustably coupled to the post to assume different floor heights, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim of the assembly, and means coupled to the post including second and third contact elements for contacting second and third mounting referenCe points on the wheel rim of the assembly generally symmetrically disposed and equidistant from the first mounting reference point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
131 words
In an optical-transit aligner unit for a wheel-tire assembly, the improved assembly mount comprising an elongated aligner post adapted for generally vertical disposition by support upon an assembly to be checked for alignment, a mounting hanger adjustably coupled to the post to assume different floor heights, said mounting hanger being the sole mounting hanger of the aligner unit, the mounting hanger including a friction element for frictionally engaging the uppermost portion of a tire tread and a second element for contacting a first mounting reference point on the wheel rim of the assembly, and means coupled to the post including second and third contact elements for contacting second and third mounting referenCe points on the wheel rim of the assembly generally symmetrically disposed and equidistant from the first mounting reference point.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
The combination of claim 3 in which the lower extension arm and the contact arm form a supporting base when the aligner unit is dismounted from the wheel tire assembly, comprising a run-out arm pivotally mounted to the lower extremity of the aligner post, a run-out wheel rotatably supported on the run-out arm and adapted for contact against the assembly by removal of the aligner unit from a mounted position in the assembly and resting the lower contact arm and the lower extension of the unit on the assembly support surface and pivoting the run-out arm toward the assembly to rest the wheel against the assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of claim 4, comprising a run-out indicator having elements coupled to the run-out arm and also to the post whereby the relative position of the elements in response to rotation of the assembly renders an indication of run-out.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |