A tool attachable to a valve stem of a tire grips and removes the valve core from the valve stem prior to introduction of sealant through the tool into the tire. Subsequently, the valve core, which has been stored in the tool, may be reinserted into the valve stem. An external pressurized gas source may then be attached to the tool so that gas may be injected through the tool and the valve stem of the tire into the tire.

A valve cap and core tool has an elongate shaft terminated by a valve core head at one end and a valve cap head at a second end. The valve cap head has an elastomeric sleeve that is sufficiently elastic to slightly stretch about and securely engage a valve cap. The valve core head has an elastomeric sleeve, and coaxial with and interior of the sleeve is a rigid tube that terminates distal to the shaft at a bifurcated end. The rigid tube bifurcated end is designed to drop around and engage with a valve core, and with continued rotation unthread the valve core. Within the core of the rigid tube, and preferably securely engaged therewith, is an elastomeric tube. The elastomeric tube is of appropriate diameter and sufficiently elastic to securely grab and retain the valve core.

An apparatus and method for mounting and inflating tires is described that is suitable for quickly sealing the beads of a tire to the rim of a wheel. The present invention delivers a high volume of pressurized air to an interior of a tire through a nozzle. The apparatus of the invention is particularly well suited for tire changing machines and tire mounting subsystems. The apparatus includes a tire changing station, an air supply controller, and a nozzle capable of delivering a high volume of pressurized fluid into an interior of a tire through a valve stem hole of the wheel rim.

An air chuck includes a body and a valve core interface. The body includes output, interface, and input ports. The body defines a first passageway that extends between the output and interface ports. The input port defines a second passageway that is in fluid communication with the first passageway. The valve core interface is slidably coupled with the body and is slidable between extended and retracted positions. The valve core interface includes a shaft and a knob. The shaft includes proximal and distal ends. The distal end is at least partially disposed in the first passageway. The knob is coupled with the proximal end of the shaft. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the body and is selectively rotatable in either tightening or loosening directions via the knob. The distal end of the shaft comprises a grasping feature that is configured to grasp a valve core of a valve stem.