Wheel rim strip assembly

Abstract

Nylon strip wrapped peripherally around rim of spoked wheel having radial spoke apertures and valve stem hole, nipples extending through apertures and connected, respectively, to outer ends of spokes, strip frictionally engaging outer ends of nipples to prevent puncture of subsequently mounted tire on rim by accidentally loosened nipple, and having aperture cut therethrough after mounting on rim to coincide with valve stem hole, together with novel method of so mounting strip on wheel rim and apparatus for accomplishing same comprising strapping means, wheel support means including pin cooperating with valve stem hole to properly locate wheel in a loading position which is adjustable to accommodate different diameter wheels, manually operable control means to initiate lowering of support means, switch means automatically operable to stop support means, to present wheel to strapping means and initiate cyclic actuation thereof to wrap nylon strip peripherally around rim, tension, cut and secure ends of strip together, and piercing means operable to cut an aperture in mounted strip coinciding with valve stem hole and to initiate upward movement of support means to return same to loading position.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for mounting a nylon strip around the periphery of the rim of a spoked wheel having a valve stem hole therethrough and spokes with their outer ends secured to said rim by nipples extending therethrough, .Iadd.comprising strapping means, .Iaddend.wheel support means including locator means cooperating with said valve stem hole to properly position said wheel thereon when in a loading position, manually operable control means for initiating movement of said support means to an operative position relative to said strapping means, switch means automatically operable to stop movement of said support means in said operative position and to initiate cyclic actuation of said strapping means to wrap a nylon strip peripherally around said rim, tension, cut and secure the ends of said strip together, and piercing means operable in response to completion of said cyclic actuation of said strapping means to cut an aperture in said strip coinciding with said valve stem hole and to initiate movement of said support means to return said wheel to loading position. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said wheel support means is adjustable to vary the loading position thereof relative to said strapping means to accommodate wheels of different diameters. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said piercing means is operatively mounted on said wheel support means to insure uniform operation thereof regardless of the diameter of the wheel with which it is being employed. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said locator means comprises a pin for receiving said valve stem hole. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said piercing means comprises a rotatable tubular cutter movable during a piercing operation coaxially relative to said pin. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said piercing means is mounted on said wheel support means and comprises a rotary cutter normally disposed in a retracted inoperative position, and cyclically operable means for moving said cutter to operative position in axial alignment with the valve stem hole of a wheel mounted on said support means and retracting said cutter to inoperative position. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus for mounting a nylon strip around the periphery of the rim of a spoked wheel having a valve stem hole therethrough and spokes with their outer ends secured to said rim by nipples extending therethrough, comprising strapping means, wheel support means including locator means cooperating with said valve stem hole to properly position said wheel thereon, means for initiating cyclic actuation of said strapping means to wrap a nylon strip peripherally around said rim, tension, cut and secure the ends of said strip together, and piercing means operable in response to completion of said cyclic actuation of said strapping means to cut an aperture in said strip coinciding with said valve stem hole.