US3379401A - Automotive wheel lug wrench support - Google Patents

Description

A ril 23, 1968 F. PELLEGRINO I AUTOMOTIVE WHEEL LUG WRENCH SUPPORT Filed June 14, 1966 INVENTOR. EQA/VK ELLEGR/NO United States Patent 3,379,401 AUTOMOTIVE WHEEL LUG WRENCH SUPPORT Frank Pellegrino, Gowanda, N.Y., assignor of one-half to Edward R. Sweda, Gowanda, N.Y. Filed June 14, 1966, Ser. No. 557,543 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-407) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combination of a vehicle wheel wrench with an adjustable support, the wheel wrench having crossed arms and socket wrench formations at the ends of the arms. The support comprises a base member having an upwardly extending tubular portion with a vertical slot in the wall of the tubular portion and vertically spaced lateral notches along such slot, and a vertically extending support member telescoping within the tubular portion and having a projecting arm adapted to engage any of the lateral notches to retain the support in adjusted vertical position. The support is recessed across its upper end to provide bearing support for a shank portion of the lug wrench.

This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the tightening and removal of vehicle wheel retaining nuts or screws and particularly to a device for securely supporting a vehicle wheel l-ug wrench during such operations.

When vehicle wheel lug nuts or screws have been securely tightened it is often extremely diflicult to remove them, particularly under emergency road conditions when tire trouble develops and especially in the case of women or drivers who may not be in full strength and health. The device of the present invention greatly factilitates Wheel nut or screw tightening or loosening operations under such conditions and by such persons.

Briefly speaking, the device of the present invention is adapted to support a lug wrench in a position of engagement with a vehicle wheel nut or screw in such a way that a user can stand on the wrench handle and thus use his or her full weight to tighten or loosen a wheel nut or screw. The device is particularly adaptable for use with a so-called speed wrench of the type which consists of two crossed bars which are rigidly secured to each other and each of which has socket wrench formations at its opposite ends, usually of different sizes to accommodate nuts and screws of various standard sizes.

The present device is readily adjustable as to height and is very conveniently and simply associated with a lug wrench to support the same in a position for use, which support is nevertheless secure and safe and effectively permits standing upon or even jumping upon a projecting portion of the lug wrench to apply very substantially turning forces to the wrench, even in the hands of a woman or a person not possessed of full physical strength.

While a single specific embodiment of the principles of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described in detail in the following specification, it is to be understood that such embodiment is by Way of example only and that various mechanical modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is limited only as defined in the appended claim.

3,379,401 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a general elevational view of one form of the the vehicle wheel lug wrench support of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 shown in a position of use in conjunction with a lug wrench and a vehicle wheel, FIG. 2 being taken from the left-hand side of the support shown in FIG. 1.

In the drawing like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral 10 designates generally a base member which includes a bottom support plate 11 and a collar 12 which may be welded thereto as indicated at 13 in FIG. 1. A tubular support post 14 slip fits into collar 12 for ready assembly and disassembly and convenient storage. Post 14 has a vertical slot 15, one side edge of which has a series of keyhole notches 16 as clearly shown in FIG. 1.

A second tubular support post 18 telescopes within post 14 and is vertically adjustable. A rod 19 fixed to post 18 extends radially therefrom and provides a very simple and convenient means of vertical adjustment. Post 18 is slipped downwardly into post 14 with rod 19 sliding in slot 15 and the latter may be moved laterally into any of the key slots or notches 16 to set the device at any desired position of vertical adjustment.

A pair of diametrically opposed notches 20 in the upper end of post 18 have half round lower edges to provide good bearing support for a selected rod portion of a lug wrench. A pin type of locking member is designated 22 and extends through aligned openings in the upper portion of post 18 to retain the rod portion of a lug wrench in the recesses or notches 20.

FIG. 2 illustrates the support structure of FIG. 1 in a position of use in association with a vehicle wheel 25 and a lug wrench of the cross or speed wrench type which is designated generally by the numeral 26 in FIG. 2. Wrench 26 has a socket 27 in engagement with a lug nut of wheel 25 and an aligned rod portion 28 resting in the notches 20 of support post 18.

As shown in FIG. 2 the other rod portion 29 of wrench 26 which extends at right angles to rod portion 28 is thus presented in a position wherein a user may step on either end thereof to apply a powerful rotative force to the securely supported wrench in either direction depending upon whether a nut or screw is to be tightened or loosened and upon the direction of the threads thereof since some wheel nuts or screws are provided with left-hand threads.

It will be noted that the entire device is readily disassembled for compact storage, is set up for use in an extremely simple manner, and gives solid rotative support to a lug wrench when in its proper position and proper height adjustment for use.

I claim:

1. In combination, an automotive wheel lug wrench and a support therefor, said lug wrench having a shank with a socket formation at one end and an arm projecting radially from the shank at a medial point therealong, said support comprising a base member including an upwardly extending tubular portion having a vertical slot in the wall thereof extending downwardly from the top of such tubular portion, vertically spaced lateral notches along a side edge of said slot, a vertically extending support member telescoping within said tubular portion and having a radiating arm adapted to move vertically in said slot and engage any of said lateral notches by rotative movement of said support member to retain the latter in a desired position of vertical adjustment relative to said base member, said support member being recessed diametrically across its upper end to provide bearing support for a shank portion of said lug wrench lying at the opposite side of said radially projecting arm from said socket formation, and detachable means for retaining said lug wrench shank portion in said bearing support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Crosby 248176 X Deacon et a1 248-3S2 Combs et al 248407 X Baer 248-407 Willoughby 248-176 X Johnston 248-407 X 10 JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.

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