A wheel clamp for mounting a wheel aligning tool on a wheel rim and in a plane parallel to that of the wheel rim is disclosed. A lower bracket, a center sliding bracket and an upper clamping bracket are all mounted on a pair of parallel rods. The lower bracket is fixed to one end of the parallel rods, and two rim-engaging fingers project rearward therefrom. The upper clamping bracket slides freely on the parallel rods, and a single rim-engaging finger projects rearward therefrom. The upper sliding bracket may be positioned on the parallel rods so that the three rim-engaging fingers bear against either the inside surface or the outside surface of a peripheral lip found on the wheel rim. A clamping mechanism mounted on the upper clamping bracket fixes the upper bracket to the parallel rods and stresses the three-rim engaging fingers against either the outside or the inside surface of the peripheral lip, depending on which direction a knob on the clamping mechanism is turned. Alternative mounting means are provided on the center sliding bracket which allow the wheel clamp to be mounted directly on the lug bolts of a vehicle wheel.
A wheel position, e.g., alignment, gauging device which mounts to a rear sidewall of a tire is disclosed. The device has a tripod, preferably of cast metal, with each of its three legs contacting the outside sidewall of the tire. The legs meet at a flat surface which supports an adjustable plate. A central shaft mounted to the plate is capable of supporting a signal projector used in measuring alignment. Two grippers grab the rear sidewall of the tire and securely hold the device in place, the grippers being attached to the adjustable plate by respective arms. Each arm is rotatably mounted to the plate. Springs are connected to rods which pass through the arms to bias the arms away from the tire. To attach the device, the tripod is placed in position on the outside sidewall of the tire, and handles attached to the arms are used to push the grippers, against the bias of the springs, over the tire's tread so that they grip the rear sidewall. With this construction, the alignment device mounts and is supported by the tire rather than the wheel, so it is unnecessary to lift the car to perform wheel alignment.
A rotundity gage for measuring the roundness of a wheel tread of a railway wheel. The gage includes a measuring device and is adjustable so as to be capable of measuring different size wheels.
Apparatus for determining ride height includes an adapter removably mountable on a wheel of a vehicle while the wheel is mounted on the vehicle, an arm movably mounted with respect to the adapter for movement from a rest position to extended, measuring positions, and distance determining circuitry. The arm has a first end for contacting the vehicle when the arm is extended, contact between the arm and the vehicle halting movement of the arm. The distance traveled by the arm from its rest position to contact with the vehicle is a function of the ride height of the vehicle. The circuitry determines the distance of travel of the arm from its rest position to contact with the vehicle and determines ride height from the distance of travel. The method of determining ride height includes mounting a sensor housing on a wheel of a vehicle while the wheel is mounted on the vehicle, which sensor housing contains at least one sensor for obtaining wheel alignment measurements and defines a path therein. A ride height measuring arm is moved along the path in the sensor housing from a rest position until the measuring arm contacts the vehicle, the distance traveled by the measuring arm from its rest position to contact with the vehicle being a function of the ride height of the vehicle. The distance of travel of the measuring arm from its rest position to contact with the vehicle is determined to find ride height.
A device for locating a wheel and tire rim assembly on a right angular plane to the axis of a vehicle's axle by aligning the optical projection from a light source supported on the wheel or tire rim assembly to a remote target with a movable indicator positioned thereon.
