A bead guide includes a columnar portion having a cylindrical side surface, and a guide plate extending from a distal end of the columnar portion. Through rotation of the bead guide, an expansion bar rotation driving section selectively switches the bead guide between a first position at which the guide plate is retreated radially inwardly from an outer circumferential end of a wheel, and a second position at which at least a part of the guide plate protrudes radially outwardly from the outer circumferential end of the wheel. The bead guide is switched from the first position to the second position so that the guide plate is caused to enter below an upper bead.

A tire changing tool head, or a mount/demount head for a tire changing machine, includes a head body and a tongue member. The tongue member is pivotally attached to the head body at a pivoting joint. The tongue member includes a tongue shoulder and a tongue blade for engaging a tire bead during tire installation. The tongue member includes a non-metal material, such as a polymer, for preventing wheel rim damage in some embodiments. The head body includes a bead lifter tool protruding therefrom. In some embodiments, the head body and bead lifter tool include a metal material.

A tire changing tool head, or a mount/demount head for a tire changing machine, includes a head body and a tongue member. The tongue member is pivotally attached to the head body at a pivoting joint. The tongue member includes a tongue shoulder and a tongue blade for engaging a tire bead during tire installation. The tongue member includes a non-metal material, such as a polymer, for preventing wheel rim damage in some embodiments. The head body includes a bead lifter tool protruding therefrom. In some embodiments, the head body and bead lifter tool include a metal material.

There is provided a tire-mounting/removing robot capable of automatically grasping a spent or used tire in which a tire wheel is mounted, a tire-mounting/removing system in which the tire wheel can be automatically removed from and mounted in the spent or used tire in which the tire wheel is mounted by using this tire-mounting/removing robot, and a tire-gripping head used in the tire-mounting/removing robot and the tire-mounting/removing system. Hand portions that grasp a tire or a tire wheel, and mechanisms that open and close the hand portions are provided. The hand portion includes a claw portion in an end portion of the hand portion, and this claw portion includes a first claw portion to be locked onto an edge portion of a rim of the tire wheel to grasp the tire wheel or a tire wheel-mounted tire in which this tire wheel is mounted, and a second claw portion to be locked onto a bead portion of a tire wheel-non-mounted tire to grasp the tire wheel-non-mounted tire.

There is provided a tire-mounting/removing robot capable of automatically grasping a spent or used tire in which a tire wheel is mounted, a tire-mounting/removing system in which the tire wheel can be automatically removed from and mounted in the spent or used tire in which the tire wheel is mounted by using this tire-mounting/removing robot, and a tire-gripping head used in the tire-mounting/removing robot and the tire-mounting/removing system. Hand portions that grasp a tire or a tire wheel, and mechanisms that open and close the hand portions are provided. The hand portion includes a claw portion in an end portion of the hand portion, and this claw portion includes a first claw portion to be locked onto an edge portion of a rim of the tire wheel to grasp the tire wheel or a tire wheel-mounted tire in which this tire wheel is mounted, and a second claw portion to be locked onto a bead portion of a tire wheel-non-mounted tire to grasp the tire wheel-non-mounted tire.

The present invention relates to a lubricating agent for mounting or releasing a tire bead, comprising alkaline electrolyzed water and a lubricant component. The lubricant component comprises a lubricant base oil, which is made up of a mineral oil and/or a synthetic oil, and a surfactant. The present invention relates to a method for producing a lubricating agent for mounting or releasing a tire bead, the method comprising: mixing an alkaline electrolyzed water with a lubricant component. A tire and wheel assembly method, comprising: applying the above lubricating agent onto a contact surface of the wheel with a tire bead, and thereafter assembling the tire onto the wheel having had the lubricating agent applied thereon. A method for dismantling a tire and wheel integrated together, comprising: causing the above lubricating agent to seep onto a part of a contact surface of a wheel and a tire bead, and thereafter releasing the tire from the wheel. The provided is a lubricating agent for mounting or releasing a tire bead allows mounting a tire easily onto a wheel, at a bead seating pressure of 300 kPa or less; leaves little residual component after mounting; and enables easy releasing of a tire from a wheel. The present invention provides a tire and wheel assembly method and dismantling method in which the lubricating agent for mounting or releasing tire beads is utilized.

A debeading device for tire changing machines includes a swing arm having a hinging end hinged to a base of a tire changing machine and swinging in a swing plane between an active debeading position toward the base and an inactive position away from the base; a debeading tool supported at a free end of the arm, opposite to the hinging end; an actuator for reciprocatingly rotating the arm between the active and inactive positions, which includes an externally screw-threaded member supported by the base and rotatably actuated by a motor and screwingly/unscrewingly engaged in a matingly threaded hollow member associated with the arm.

A tire changing machine includes a base having a pedal-operated control system located on one side, a rotating platform which defines a surface upon which wheels of vehicles can be fixed, and which is supported by the base, a column rising from the base, an operating arm hinged to an upper area of the column, which can be oriented in a plane transverse to the column and parallel to the plane of the platform, between a work position facing the platform and an opposite rest position facing away from the platform and having a hinging end and an opposite end having a connection for a device holding work tools, a selector unit being interposed between the hinging end and the column, for selecting an orientation of the operating arm in its work position.

A tool for seating a tubeless tire on a rim using pressurized gas includes a cylindrical pressure vessel with a pistol grip extending radially from the tank. The tool includes a rapid opening gas valve positioned between the cylindrical pressure vessel and a nozzle. In some embodiments the nozzle includes a jet configured to receive pressurized gas from the cylindrical pressure vessel into a chamber of the nozzle so that as the stream of gas enters the chamber, the Venturi effect causes air to enter the chamber through air intake ports and the stream of gas and air from the air intake ports is blown out of the outlet of the nozzle. The tire is seated on the rim by positioning the system so that the air from the nozzle rapidly blows into the tire between the bead of the tire and the rim upon the valve being opened.

A tire changing machine includes a base having a pedal-operated control system located on one side, a rotating platform which defines a surface upon which wheels of vehicles can be fixed, and which is supported by the base, a column rising from the base, an operating arm hinged to an upper area of the column, which can be oriented in a plane transverse to the column and parallel to the plane of the platform, between a work position facing the platform and an opposite rest position facing away from the platform and having a hinging end and an opposite end having a connection for a device holding work tools, a selector unit being interposed between the hinging end and the column, for selecting an orientation of the operating arm in its work position.