FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, rule 13]
“BEARING HUB INSTALLATION TOOL”
NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE APPLICANT:
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company having its registered office at Bombay
House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai 400 001, Maharashtra, INDIA.
Nationality: Indian
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to axle assembly of the automobiles and more particularly relates to a tool for assisting installation of wheel hub on the axle assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automobiles are equipped with axles, front axles and rear axles. Typically, the front axle (or axles) of the automobile are steerable. The front axles and rear axles are configured to carry a wheel hub assembly at opposite ends thereof. Particularly, the wheel hub assembly is installed on knuckles on opposite ends of the axles. Wheels carried by on each of the wheel hub assemblies. The main purpose of the assembly on an automobile is to carry the wheel load, rotate the wheel, and enable the automobiles to be driven without exerting much effort.
During installation of the wheel hub assembly on the knuckles of the axles, the alignment and position arrangement of wheel hub assembly is very important from the point of view of the functional efficiency and durability. Preferably, the Front Hub assembly system should be mounted on Stub Axle in such a manner that it can smoothly rotate on Spindle without exerting too much steering effort.
The wheel Hub assembly mounting arrangement also plays an important roll in avoiding the Tyre wear, vehicle drag and also in decreasing the steering effort.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The objective of invention is to provide a reliable, simple and economical tool for installation of bearing hub assembly on a knuckle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a better alignment of the bearing hub assembly on stub axle.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention is to keep the bearing mounting face of the stub axle free from any scratches and maintain the hub ply within acceptable limits.

Further objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The various embodiment of the present invention relate to a bearing hub installation tool. The bearing hub installation includes a tubular member configured to be removably engaged with end portion of a stub axle, an abutment portion integral to the tubular member, the abutment portion being configured to align with a lateral portion of the bearing hub, and an elongated lever configured to be removably inserted in a hole of a rear portion of the tubular member such that the rotation of the elongated lever moves the abutment portion on the stub axle to push the bearing hub on the stub axle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional side view of a bearing hub installation tool with a portion of an axle assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the bearing hub installation tool, according to an embodiment of the invention, and
FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional side view of a bearing hub installation tool, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and
FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the bearing hub installation tool, according to another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting the same.
FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 illustrates various views of a sectional side of a bearing hub installation tool 100 with a portion of an axle assembly 200, according to an embodiment of the invention. It may be apparent to those skilled in the art that the axle assembly 200

may be a front or a rear axle, without deviating from the spirit of the invention. Typically, a frame or chassis of a vehicle (not shown) includes a left and a right vehicle beams (not shown) extending longitudinally from a front to a rear of the vehicle and the axle assemblies such as the axle assembly 100 is attached to both the left and right vehicle beams to support the vehicle.
The axle assembly 200 includes an axle beam 202. The axle beam 202 of the axle assembly 200 may be secured to the vehicle. A cylindrical bore is provided at an end portion of the axle beam 202. Similarly, a cylindrical bore is also provided at opposite end portion of the axle beam 202. For the purpose of brevity the subsequent description will only be with reference to one side of the axle beam 202, as it shall be apparent to those skilled in the art that similar components may be present on the opposite side of the axle beam 202.
The axle assembly 200 further include a kingpin 204 of cylindrical configuration received within the cylindrical bore on the axle beam 202. Referring again to the FIG. 1, a knuckle 206 is rotatably engaged with the kingpin 204. More specifically, the knuckle 206 includes a first arm 208, a second arm 210 and an end portion 212 carrying the first arm 208 and the second arm 210. The first arm 208 and the second arm 210 extend towards one side of the end portion 212 and connect to the kingpin 204, such that the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206 is free to move with respect thereto. A wheel hub 102, also referred to as “bearing hub 102,” is required to be mounted on the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206.
The bearing hub installation tool 100, of the present invention, may be employed for the installation of the bearing hub 102 on the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206. A perspective view of the bearing hub installation tool 100 (hereinafter also referred to as “tool 100”) is illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The bearing hub installation tool 100 includes a tubular member 104. The tubular member 104 is configured to be removably engaged with an end portion of the stub axle 206. Particularly, the tubular member 104 includes a threaded internal face 110 and a tapered outer face 112, best shown in FIG. 3. As would be known to those skilled in the art, the knuckle 206 includes a threaded

portion at the end thereof. The internal threaded face 214 of the tubular member 104 is configured to be theadably engaged with the threaded portion of the knuckle 206.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the bearing hub installation tool 100 further includes an abutment portion 106 and a rear portion 108, integral to the tubular member 104. The abutment portion 106 has a cylindrical configuration and has an external diameter bigger than the external diameter of the tubular member 104. The abutment portion 106 is configured to be aligned with a lateral portion (not numbered) of the bearing hub 102. The bigger external diameter of the abutment portion 106, enables the abutment portion 106 is configured to be aligned with the lateral portion of the bearing hub. It may herein be noted that the abutment portion 106 may, in alternative embodiments, be configured to be stuck to any other part of the bearing hub 102. The rear portion 108 includes a through hole. In an embodiment of the present invention, the hole on the rear portion 108 is circular in cross section, and in other embodiments the hole may have any other configuration, without deviating from the spirit of the present invention.
The bearing hub installation tool 100 furthermore includes an elongated lever 114. The elongated lever 114 is configured to be removably inserted in the hole of the rear portion 108 of the tubular member 104, best shown in FIG. 3. The elongated lever 114 has a cylindrical configuration. In the disclosed embodiment, the elongated lever 114 has a circular cross section, which corresponds to the circular hole of the rear portion 108 the tubular member 104.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a pair of handles 116 may be disposed at end portion of the tubular member 104. The pair of handles 116 may be removable therefrom. Additionally, a relief groove is provided to relief the bearing hub installation tool 100 after mounting bearing hub 102 over Stub axle 206.
Referring now to FIG. 4 illustrating an alternative embodiment of the present invention of the bearing hub installation tool 100 in which the rear portion 108 the tubular member 104 is replaced by a nut-shaped portion 118 integrated to the abutment portion 106. The may be joined to the abutment portion 106, by any joining process known to those skilled in the art, such as welding.

During the utilization of the bearing hub installation tool 100 for installing the bearing hub 102 the knuckle 206, the bearing hub 102 is positioned on the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206. Thereafter, the tubular member 104 is engaged with the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206. With the engagement of the tubular member 104 with the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206, the abutment portion 106 gets aligned with the lateral portion of the bearing hub 102. Subsequent rotation of the elongated lever 114 rotates the abutment portion 106. Since the abutment portion 106 is theadably engaged with the knuckle 206, the abutment portion 106theadably moves on the knuckle 206 thereby pushing the bearing hub 102 thereon.
In the alternative embodiment, disclosed in FIG. 4, upon the engagement of the tubular member 104 with the end portion 212 of the knuckle 206, a conventional spanner may be engaged with the nut-shaped portion 118. The rotation of the nut-shaped portion 118 moves the abutment portion 106 on the knuckle 206 for pushing the bearing hub 102 thereon.
The foregoing description provides specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated that these embodiment are described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous other alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.

Referral Numerals Description
100 Bearing hub installation tool, Tool
102 Bearing hub, Wheel hub
104 Tubular member
106 Abutment portion

108 Rear portion
110 Threaded internal face
112 Tapered outer face
114 Elongated lever
116 Pair of handles
118 Nut-shaped portion
200 Axle assembly
202 Axle beam
204 Kingpin
206 Knuckle, Stub axle
208 First arm
210 Second arm
212 End portion

We claim:
1. A bearing hub installation tool comprising,
a tubular member configured to be removably engaged with an end portion of a stub axle,
an abutment portion integral to the tubular member, the abutment portion being configured to align with a lateral portion of the bearing hub, and
an elongated lever configured to be removably inserted in a hole of a rear portion of the tubular member such that the rotation of the elongated lever moves the abutment portion on the stub axle to push the bearing hub on the stub axle.
2. The bearing hub installation tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular member includes a threaded internal face and a tapered outer face.
3. The bearing hub installation tool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the threaded internal face of the tubular member engages with a threaded portion of the stub axle.
4. The bearing hub installation tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rotation of the elongated lever theadably moves the tubular member over the stub axle, thereby pushing the abutment portion along a longitudinal axis of the stub axle to push the bearing hub on the stub axle.
5. The bearing hub installation tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated lever has a circular cross section corresponding to the hole of the rear portion of the tubular member.
6. The bearing hub installation tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated lever includes a pair of removable handle members disposed at free ends thereof.
7. A bearing hub installation tool comprising,
a tubular member configured to be removably engaged with end portion of a stub axle,

an abutment portion integral to the tubular member, the abutment portion being configured to align with a lateral portion of the bearing hub, and a nut-shaped portion integrated with the abutment portion, the nut-shaped portion configured to be rotated such that the rotation of the nut-shaped portion moves the abutment portion along a longitudinal axis of the stub axle to push the bearing hub on the stub axle thereby installing the bearing hub on the stub axle.