Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR ENABLING A PNEUMATIC TUBE OF A VEHICLE TYRE TO BE INFLATED TO A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE VALUE

Abstract

A device for enabling a pneumatic tube of a vehicle tyre to be inflated, quickly and easily, to a predetermined pressure value. The said device comprises a housing having first and second mouths. The first mouth is attachable to the air inlet of the valve of the said tube and the second mouth is attachable to the air outlet of an air inflator. A spring-loaded member is reciprocably mounted within a main passage in the housing and normally closes the ©aid passage under spring force. The first end of the said member is however actuated by the pin at the said air outlet which causes the member to move linearly and actuate the pin at the said air inlet to open the said valve and thus permit air from the said inflator to pass through the main passage and inflate the said tube. A by-pass passage communicates with the main passage wherein at least one outlet orifice is provided on the housing- This by-pass passage is provided with a spring-loaded one way pressure release outlet valve which normally closes the by-pass passage under spring force. Means are provided for pre-setting the spring force acting on said outlet valve to a value equal to the predetermined pressure valve

Full Text

This invention relates to a device for enabling a pneumatic tube of a vehicle tyre to be inflated, quickly and easily, to a predetermined pressure value. The expression "pneumatic tube" in this specification includes other pneumatic articles, which are intended to be inflated to predetermined pressure valves, and to which the device proposed herein is applicable . e.g. inflatable wading pools for children, inflatable floats in the form of beds for swimmers to lie upon, inflatable top and sporting articles and so on. The device proposed herein can be manufactured to suit the correct tyre pressure values for different vehicles, such that during inflation of tube of a tyre of a specific vehicle, the pressure is built up only to the predetermined value and not above it or below it. According to one version of the said device, the pressure will be pre-set to the predetermined value at the factory itself and once so pre-set, the device is sealed so that it cannot be re~set by the user. According to another version, the said device can be pre-set to a desired value by the user. In this case, the device is not sealed, but enables the user to pre¬set it to a desired pressure value. This is useful in cases where the user may not strictly follow the tyre manufacturer's recommended pressure value, for various reasons - Another advantage of this invention is that air leaks from the tube valve of the tyre are virtually eliminated because the device acts as a further check against such leaks. The device herein also contributes to lower fuel consumption and less wear and tear on tyres by reason of correct tyre pressure being maintained. At automotive air inflation stations, considerable time is saved, since it will no longer be necessary for vehicles to be parked near the inflator for long periods for inflating the tube of each wheel and manually adjusting the pressure in the tube to the desired value. Once inflated, the pneumatic tube tends to retain the pressure inside it for longer periods. Other benefits of this invention will be apparent from the following further description thereof. The device, according to this invention, for enabling a pneumatic tube of a vehicle tyre to be inflated, quickly and easily, to a predetermined pressure value, comprises a housing having first and second mouths, the first mouth being attachable to the air inlet of the valve of the said tube and the second mouth being attachable to the air outlet of an air inflator; a spring-loaded member reciprocably mounted within a main passage in the housing and normally closing the said passage under spring force, the first end of the said member, however, being actuated by the pin at the said air outlet to cause the member to move linearly and actuate the pin at the said air inlet, to open the said valve and permit air from the said inflator to pass through the main passage and inflate the said tube; a by-pass passage communicating with the main passage and with at least one outlet orifice provided on the housing, said by-pass passage being provided with a spring-loaded one way pressure release outlet valve, normally closing the by-pass passage, under spring fo?-ce; means for pre-setting the spring force acting on said outlet valve to a value equal to the predetermined pressure value, such that whenever the inflation air pressure in the main passage exceeds the pre-set pressure value, the said outlet valve is actuated, by the air pressure within the by-pass passage, to open the by-pass passage and thus permit the air within the main passage and the by-pass passage to be bled through the outlet orifice to atmosphere, with an audible noise, thereby preventing further inflation of the tube. This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of various possible embodiments of the device proposed herein, wherein Fig.l illustrates the said embodiment in sectional elevation Fig.2 illustrates an end view and Fig.3 illustrates the said embodiment externally. A housing H has first and second mouths Ml and M2 the mouth Ml being attachable to the air inlet A of the valve of the pneumatic tube and the second mouth M2 being attachable to the air outlet of an air inflator. A spring-loaded member D (spring indicated by E) is reciprocably disposed within a main passage P in the housinc), the first end F of the said member being actuated by the pin of the outlet of the air inflator to cause the said member to travel along the direction of the arrow 1 and thus cause the second end J of the said member to actuate the pin K of the said air inlet A, to open the said valve and permit air from the said inflator to pass through the main passage P and inflate the said tube. A by-pass passage L communicates with the main passage P and with outlet orifices N on the housing, said by¬pass passage being provided with a spring-loaded one way pressure release outlet valve Q (spring indicated by R) having means for pre-setting the force of the spring R to a value equal to the predetermined pressure value, such that whenever the inflation pressure in the main passage exceeds the pre-set value, the outlet valve Q is actuated, by the air pressure within the by-pass passage L, causing the air within the main passage and the by-passage to be bled through the outlet orifices to atmosphere, thereby preventing further inflation of the tube. Whenever the air inflator is removed the member D reverts in the direction of the arrow 2 to its normal position (as illustrated ) closing the main passage P. According to one of the forms of the means for pre¬setting the force of the spring R of the outlet valve a movable base member S is provided within the housing. The base member can be raised or lowered within the housing, such as, by way of threaded engagement between the exterior of the base member and the interior of the housing, to compress or decompress the spring R to the extent necessary for adjusting the force of the spring R to the pre~set pressure value- According to one of its forms the base member S is immovably sealed after the force of the spring is pre¬set as aforesaid. Alternatively, according to another form, the base member is not sealed, but continues to remain movably disposed within the housing to enable the user to alter the setting when required. This form of the device is not recommended, since wrong settings can result in damage to the tube and ultimately to the tyre itself. The base V of the device is provided with a flexible cover W which covers the outlet orifices N such that whenever air escapes through the said orifices, the movement of air to atmosphere beneath the cover makes an audible noise indicating that the pressure has reached the predetermined value. Y is a dust cap provided for closing the mouth M2. The terms and expressions herein are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention in excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated and described, but it is understood that various other embodiments of the device proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention I Claim: 1. A device for enabling a pneumatic tube of a vehicle tyre to be inflated to a predetermined pressure value, comprising a housing having first and second mouths, the first mouth being attachable to the air inlet of the valve of the said tube and the second mouth being attachable to the air outlet of an air inflator; a spring- loaded member reciprocably mounted within a main passage in the housing and normally closing the said passage under spring force, the first end of the said member, however, being actuated by the pin at the said air outlet to cause the member to move linearly and actuate the pin at the said air inlet, to open the said valve and permit air from the said inflator to pass through the main passage and inflate the said tube; a bypass-passage communicating with the main passage and with at least one outlet orifice provided on the housing, said bypass- passage being provided with a spring- loaded one way pressure release outlet valve, normally closing the bypass-passage, under spring force; means for presetting the spring force acting on said outlet valve to a value equal to the predetermined pressure value, such that whenever the inflation air pressure in the main passage exceeds the preset pressure value, the said outlet valve is actuated, by the air pressure within the bypass passage to open the bypass passage and thus permit the air within the main passage and the bypass passage to be bled through the outlet orifice to atmosphere thereby preventing further inflation of the tube. 2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said means comprise a movably disposed base member provided within the housing, said base member compressing the spring of the said outlet valve to the extent necessary for pre-setting the force of the spring to the pre¬determined value. 3. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the base member is immovably fixed to the housing after pre¬setting the force of the spring of the outlet valve member. 4. A device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the base member remains movataly disposed within the housing after pre-setting the force of the spring of the outlet valve member. 5. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the base is provided with a flexible cover for snugly covering the said outlet orifices, the air escaping through the orifices, beneath the cover, to atmosphere, producing an audible sound, indicating that the pressure has reached the predetermined value. 6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the said second mouth is provided with a dust cap. 7. A device for enabling a pneumatic tube of a vehicle tyre to be inflated, to a predetermined pressure value, substantially as hererin described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0345-mas-2001 abstract duplicate.pdf

0345-mas-2001 abstract.pdf

0345-mas-2001 claims duplicate.pdf

0345-mas-2001 claims.pdf

0345-mas-2001 correspondence others.pdf

0345-mas-2001 correspondence po.pdf

0345-mas-2001 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

0345-mas-2001 description (complete).pdf

0345-mas-2001 drawings duplicate.pdf

0345-mas-2001 drawings.pdf

0345-mas-2001 form-1.pdf

0345-mas-2001 form-19.pdf

0345-mas-2001 form-26.pdf