Bead breaking unit

The bead breaking unit for tyre changing machines comprises: -a bead breaking arm having a substantially horizontal longitudinal direction, a first extremity hinged to the base frame of a tyre changing machine around a substantially vertical rotation axis and a bead breaking tool able to carry out the bead breaking of the tyre of a wheel; - an operating actuator for the movement of the bead breaking arm interposed between the base frame and the bead breaking arm; and - a control lever, associated with the bead breaking arm in the proximity of a second extremity and able to control the operating actuator, wherein the control lever is hinged around a oscillation axis substantially horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction and is associated with return means for the maintenance of the control lever in a substantially vertical balance position, the operating actuator being controlled in a first direction for the bead breaking of the tyre, when the control lever is rotated towards the wheel starting from the balance position.