초록 ▼

A factory layout including a track circuit, one or more wheeled carts for traversing the track circuit and a tire/wheel assembly carried by the wheeled cart. One or more work stations can be positioned at locations along the track circuit. Various wheeled cart embodiments are disclosed and various w

A factory layout including a track circuit, one or more wheeled carts for traversing the track circuit and a tire/wheel assembly carried by the wheeled cart. One or more work stations can be positioned at locations along the track circuit. Various wheeled cart embodiments are disclosed and various work station configurations are disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system, comprising: a mounting mechanism for joining a tire to a wheel to form a mounted tire-wheel assembly, wherein the mounting mechanism is a tire/wheel mounting work station including: a working head, a shaft extending from said working head, and a working arm assembly attached to said sha

1. A system, comprising: a mounting mechanism for joining a tire to a wheel to form a mounted tire-wheel assembly, wherein the mounting mechanism is a tire/wheel mounting work station including: a working head, a shaft extending from said working head, and a working arm assembly attached to said shaft, wherein said working arm assembly includes a working end and an extension cylinder, wherein said extension cylinder is selectively adjustable in a radial direction with respect to the shaft the working arm assembly; anda wheeled cart movably-positioned upon a prescribed path, wherein the wheeled cart supports the wheel and the tire, wherein the prescribed path traverses the tire/wheel mounting work station for permitting the wheeled cart to be positionally-interfaced with the tire/wheel mounting work station, wherein the wheeled cart includes: a base portion connected to wheels, a shaft portion extending from the base portion, a support member having a lower surface and an upper work surface, wherein the lower surface is connected to the shaft portion, and a post member connected to and extending away from the upper work surface, wherein said working arm assembly includes an interconnected triangular linkage assembly having a first bar, a second bar, and a third bar, wherein the first bar is non-movably-arranged in a fixed orientation relative to the second bar and the third bar, wherein the second bar includes a first end that is pivotably-connected to a first end of the first bar to permit the second bar to be movably-arranged in a non-fixed orientation relative to the first bar, wherein the third bar includes a first end that is pivotably-connected to a second end of the first bar to permit the third bar to be movably-arranged in a non-fixed orientation relative to the first bar, wherein a second end of the second bar is pivotably-connected to a second end of the third bar. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said working head is horizontally manipulatable. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said working head is vertically manipulatable. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said shaft is rotatable. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said working arm assembly rotates with said shaft upon rotation of the shaft. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein rotation of the shaft causes said working end to move along a circular path. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein said working end includes a wheel adapted to engage a tire bead region of a tire. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein, prior to positionally-interfacing the wheeled cart with the tire/wheel mounting work station, the tire of the tire-wheel assembly is disposed upon the wheel in an un-mounted orientation. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein, after the wheeled cart is positionally-interfaced with tire/wheel mounting work station, the tire/wheel mounting work station manipulates the un-mounted orientation of the tire to be arranged in a different orientation relative to the wheel, wherein the different orientation includes a mounted orientation such that the tire is mounted to the wheel. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a post-receiving female portion defined by a lower portion of the shaft of the work station, wherein the post member of the wheel cart is matingly-coupled with the post-receiving female portion upon vertically manipulating the working arm assembly. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wheel of the tire-wheel assembly is disposed upon and supported by the upper work surface of the wheeled cart, wherein the post member extends through an opening of the wheel. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tire of the tire-wheel assembly is initially disposed upon the wheel in an un-mounted orientation, wherein, upon rotation of the working end, the working end contactively engages and circumscribes a sidewall surface of the tire in order to manipulate the un-mounted orientation of the tire to a different orientation relative to the wheel, wherein the different orientation includes a mounted orientation such that the tire is mounted to the wheel. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the second bar is extendable or retractable upon pivoting the second bar relative to the first end of the first bar, wherein the second bar includes the extension cylinder. 14. A tire installing work station, comprising: a working head,a shaft extending from said working head, anda working arm assembly attached to said shaft, wherein said working arm assembly includes a working end and an extension cylinder, wherein said extension cylinder is selectively adjustable in a radial direction with respect to the shaft, wherein said working arm assembly includes an interconnected triangular linkage assembly having a first bar, a second bar, and a third bar, wherein the first bar is non-movably-arranged in a fixed orientation relative to the second bar and the third bar, wherein the second bar includes a first end that is pivotably-connected to a first end of the first bar to permit the second bar to be movably-arranged in a non-fixed orientation relative to the first bar, wherein the third bar includes a first end that is pivotably-connected to a second end of the first bar to permit the third bar to be movably-arranged in a non-fixed orientation relative to the first bar, wherein a second end of the second bar is pivotably-connected to a second end of the third bar. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second bar is extendable or retractable upon pivoting the second bar relative to the first end of the first bar, wherein the second bar includes the extension cylinder.