Tire changing machine

Claim 1

A machine for use in facilitating the removal and replacement of an inflatable vehicle tire on a wheel rim, comprising: (a) a base cabinet containing a vertically disposed linear actuator having a cylindrical piston extendable and retractable between first and second elevations; (b) a turntable journaled for rotation atop said base cabinet about said cylindrical piston as an axis; (c) means for rotating said turntable alternatively in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction about said axis; (d) a wheel support table attached in parallel, vertically spaced-apart, superposed relation to said turntable, said wheel support table having a plurality of radially movable wheel rim clamping jaws slidably joined thereto; (e) means coupling said piston of said vertically disposed linear actuator to said plurality of movable clamping jaws for sliding said jaws from one radial position to another on said wheel support table when said piston of said vertically disposed linear actuator is extended and retracted between said first and second elevations for releasibly securing a vehicle wheel to said wheel table; (f) a horizontally disposed linear actuator affixed to and contained within said base cabinet and having a reciprocally movable piston rod extending through a side wall of said base cabinet; (g) a lever arm pivotally secured at one end thereof to the outer surface of said side wall of said base cabinet and a shoe plate affixed to the other end thereof, said piston rod of said horizontally disposed linear actuator being coupled to said lever arm at a point intermediate said one and said other ends; and (h) means for initially aligning said shoe plate in the bead area of said inflatable vehicle tire prior to actuation of said horizontally disposed linear actuator, whereby upon actuation of said horizontally disposed linear actuator, movement of said lever arm breaks the seal between said bead and said wheel rim.