GB793306A - Improvements in or relating to spare wheel carriers - Google Patents

Abstract

793,306. Spare-wheel carriers. FORD MOTOR CO., Ltd. Dec. 2, 1955 [Dec. 14, 1954], No. 36177/54. Class 136(1) A bell crank lever 2 constituting the lifting lever for the spare-wheel is pivotally mounted on a support bracket 1. At the longer end of the lever a bar 3 is provided to be engaged by a hooked end of a rod 4 which is passed through the central hole in the spare wheel and retained in position by an outer disc 5 and an inner retainer spring member 6. The effective length of the rod 4 is adjustable by means of a nut 7. A slot in the end of the shorter arm of the bell crank lever engages an internally threaded trunnion block 8a of an assembly 8 the sleeve 8b of which is supported by a bracket 9 on the rear of a chassis cross member. A spindle 10 having a screwed portion at the rear end passes through the sleeve and is mounted in a bracket 11 on the front of the cross member. A clamp bracket 13 is slidably mounted in the front end of the sleeve 8b. The bracket 13 is restricted in its sliding movement by a spring 17 which abuts the bracket 9. A clamp 12 is suspended from a pin 18 in the bracket 13 and is provided on each side with an elongated hole 19 through which passes a pin 14. The pin 14 also passes through holes in the bracket 1. In operation the spare wheel is pushed under the rear of the vehicle and is lifted slightly at its rear end to engage the hooked end of the rod 4 over the bar 3 at the rear end of the lifting lever 2. A wheel brace is then inserted through a hole in the rear panel and engaged with the hexagonal end of the spindle 10. Rotation of the spindle 10 causes the trunnion block and sleeve assembly 8 to move along the spindle 10 and raise the lever 2 and the spare wheel. As rotation of the spindle 10 continues the lever 2 raises the wheel rim into contact with locating brackets 15. As the rotation is continued the trunnion 8a is now free to travel along the slot in the shorter arm of the lever 2 without tending to raise the wheel. A collar 16 on the end of the sleeve 8b engages with the clamp bracket 13 which in turn moves the clamp 12 into engagement with the bar 3 on the lever 2. Rotation is continued until upward pull of the clamp on the bar 3 causes the weight of the spare wheel to be transferred from the lever 2 to the clamp. To lower the wheel the wheel brace is rotated in the opposite direction thus enabling the trunnion and sleeve assembly 8 to travel back along the slot in the lever 2. This movement allows the return spring 17 to push the clamp 12 via bracket 13 free from the bar 3. Continued rotation then allows the lever 2 to lower the wheel.