Apparatus and method for tire inflation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for simply and inexpensively positioning mounted automobile and truck tires for effective setting of a bead, with subsequent inflation in an efficient manner. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus is a wheel-like structure with an outer rim in the shape of a polygon, such as a circle, octagon, hexagon, or square. The outer rim supports a plurality of mounting brackets adapted to hold tires for inflation. The tires are not in the same horizontal plane as the outer rim. Tires that have been mounted on wheel rims are placed on the mounting brackets, a bead is set by a blast of air, and an air inflation hose is connected to the tire. The wheel rotates, so that additional tires can be placed on subsequent mounting brackets, resulting in a series of tires being inflated continuously and simultaneously. When a tire is completely inflated, the hose is disconnected and the tire removed from the device for storage, shipping or further handling.

1 . An apparatus for inflating tires, comprising:
 an outer rim with one or more mounting brackets, each mounting bracket adapted to hold a tire;   a center hub, attached to the outer rim by connecting means;   means for inflating a tire with air when on a mounting bracket; and   means for causing said outer rim to rotate around the center hub;   wherein the tires are not aligned on the same horizontal plane as the outer rim.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting means is a plurality of spokes extending from the center hub to the outer rim. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said inflation means comprises one or more air hoses. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an air pressure manifold providing air to the inflation means. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further wherein said air pressure manifold is suspended above the center hub, and rotates in conjunction with the outer rim. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support wheels supporting the outer rim. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a mounting bracket comprises an inverted L-shaped bar with a bend of approximately 90 degrees, with a bar extending across the inside of the bend and affixed to the outer rim so that the short part of the L-shape extends inside the outer rim while the long part of the L-shape extends outside the outer rim. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a cross-piece affixed perpendicular to the long part of the L-shape. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting bracket further comprises two bars affixed at angles to the long part of the L-shape. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein two or more tires are simultaneously inflated while on the mounting brackets. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer rim periodically rotates so that tires to be inflated can be mounted on the mounting brackets while previously-mounted tires are being inflated. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating means comprises a motor located in the center hub. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer rim is a circle or polyhedron. 
   
   
       14 . A method of inflating multiple tires, comprising the steps of:
 mounting an uninflated tire onto a mounting bracket affixed to a rotating outer rim, wherein the tire is not aligned in the same horizontal plane as the outer rim;   connecting an air inflation hose to the tire;   initiating inflation of the tire;   causing the outer rim to rotate one step so that an empty mounting bracket or a bracket with a fully inflated tire is in position to receive the next tire.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of setting the bead on the tire prior to connection of an air inflation hose to the tire. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 automatically stopping inflation of the tire after the air pressure reaches a pre-set point.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 disconnecting the air inflation hose from a fully inflated tire; and   removing the fully inflated tire from the mounting bracket.   
   
   
       18 . A method of inflating multiple tires, comprising the steps of:
 mounting a first uninflated tire onto a first mounting bracket affixed to a rotating outer rim;   causing the outer rim to rotate one step;   mounting a second uninflated tire onto a second mounting bracket affixed to the rotating outer rim;   causing the outer rim to rotate one step;   mounting a third uninflated tire onto a third mounting bracket affixed to the rotating outer rim;   setting the bead on the first, second and third uninflated tires;   connecting air inflation hoses to the first, second and third uninflated tires; and   initiating inflation of the first, second and third uninflated tires;   wherein the tires are not aligned in the same horizontal plane as the outer rim.