Apparatus for supporting automotive tires

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting automotive tires is provided having a hanger pin adapted to fit through the mount hole of a vehicle wheel. The apparatus is intended to be installed on an automotive hoist at a height approximately the same as that of a tire of a vehicle disposed on the hoist. A worker removing a wheel from the vehicle disposed on the hoist can thus hang the wheel on the apparatus without significantly bending at the waist.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tire support apparatus for use in association with an automotive hoist for supporting a tire/wheel assembly, comprising: 
 a mount body disposed on the hoist; and    a support body disposed on the mount body, the support body being sized and adapted to receive a tire/wheel assembly placed thereon.    
     
     
         2 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mount body comprises a front plate, means for mounting the front plate onto the hoist, and a support bracket disposed on the front plate, and the support body comprises a support arm having first and second ends, the support arm pivotably supported by the support bracket at the first end and having a spindle disposed on the second end, the spindle sized to fit through a mount hole of the tire/wheel assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mount body includes a support bracket and the support body comprises a spindle disposed on a support arm, and the support arm is pivotably supported by the support bracket.  
     
     
         4 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the support body is pivotable relative to the hoist.  
     
     
         5 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising means for releasably holding the support body in open and closed positions.  
     
     
         6 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the support body swivels in a substantially horizontal plane.  
     
     
         7 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the support body swivels in a substantially vertical plane, and further comprising means for stopping the support body from swiveling below a predetermined position.  
     
     
         8 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mount body is at about the same height as a tire/wheel assembly mounted on a vehicle disposed on the hoist.  
     
     
         9 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting the height of the mount body relative to the hoist.  
     
     
         10 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the apparatus is constructed of aluminum.  
     
     
         11 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mount body comprises a weld.  
     
     
         12 . The tire support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the hoist comprises a vertical support, and the mount body is disposed on the vertical support at a height about 4-5½ feet from the floor.  
     
     
         13 . An automotive hoist, comprising: 
 at least one substantially vertical support member;    a plurality of substantially horizontal lift arms, the lift arms being vertically movable and adapted to support an automobile disposed thereon; and    at least one tire support arm on at least one of said vertical support member or horizontal lift arms for supporting an automotive tire/wheel assembly.    
     
     
         14 . The automotive hoist of  claim 13  wherein the tire support arm is disposed on at least one of the horizontal lift arms.  
     
     
         15 . The automotive hoist of  claim 13  wherein the tire support arm is disposed on the vertical support at a height between about 3-7 feet from a floor.  
     
     
         16 . The automotive hoist of  claim 15  wherein the tire support arm is disposed at about the same height as a tire of an automobile elevated on the hoist.  
     
     
         17 . The automotive hoist of  claim 15  wherein the tire support arm is disposed at a height such that an individual removing the tire/wheel assembly from the automobile will not have to bend significantly at the waist to hang the tire/wheel assembly on the support arm.  
     
     
         18 . A method for temporarily retaining a vehicle wheel, comprising the steps of: 
 elevating a vehicle on an automotive hoist so that a support arm disposed on the hoist is at about the same height as a wheel of the vehicle;    removing the wheel from the vehicle;    placing the wheel on the support arm;    removing the wheel from the support arm substantially without bending over; and    reinstalling the wheel onto the vehicle.    
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the support arm is pivotable relative to the hoist between open and closed positions, and further comprising the steps of pivoting the support arm to the open position prior to removing the wheel from the vehicle, and pivoting the support arm to the closed position after removing the wheel from the support arm.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the support arm is installed on a vertical support member of the hoist at a height about chest high to a person.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the support arm is installed on the hoist such that an individual removing the wheel from the vehicle does not have to bend significantly at the waist to guide the wheel over the hanger.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the support arm is installed on a vertical support member of the hoist in a manner so that the height of the support arm is adjustable, and further comprising the step of adjusting the height of the support arm to be about chest high to an individual executing the method prior to elevating the vehicle on the hoist.  
     
     
         23 . An automotive hoist having a tire/wheel assembly support disposed thereon, the tire/wheel assembly support comprising: 
 means for supporting a tire/wheel assembly; and    means for mounting the supporting means to the hoist.    
     
     
         24 . The tire support of  claim 23 , further comprising means for pivoting the supporting means about an axis.  
     
     
         25 . The tire support of  claim 24  wherein the axis is substantially vertical.  
     
     
         26 . The tire support of  claim 23  wherein the mounting means further comprises means for adjusting the vertical position of the supporting means.