CA2157940C - Wheel and tire safety guard - Google Patents
Wheel and tire safety guardInfo
- Publication number
- CA2157940C CA2157940C CA002157940A CA2157940A CA2157940C CA 2157940 C CA2157940 C CA 2157940C CA 002157940 A CA002157940 A CA 002157940A CA 2157940 A CA2157940 A CA 2157940A CA 2157940 C CA2157940 C CA 2157940C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- wheel
- safety guard
- restraining member
- restraining
- vehicle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/34—Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
- Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)
Abstract
This invention can reduce the danger of wheels and tires accidentally coming off moving vehicles. A restraining member positioned in front of the wheels of a vehicle can prevent the wheels and tires from coming off the vehicle, in the event of failure in the wheel fastening mechanism or in the tire. The restraining member can be conveniently installed on, and removed from the vehicle body via attachment means in the form of an enclosure with a locking pin. The dimensions of the restraining member can be adjusted to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles. The restraining member may be provided with a handle to facilitate holding the member during installation and removal. A fault detector may be provided in the vicinity of the member to warn the driver when a loosened wheel rubs against the member, by sensing physical vibrations. Alternatively the fault detector may warn the driver, by sensing smoke around the wheel area.
Description
WHEEL AND TIRE SAFETY GUARD
5 Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a device for preventing a wheel from entirely leaving its axle or a vehicle which it supports.
10 Background of the Invention The problem of wheels and tires accidentally coming off moving vehicles continues to pose a danger to the safety of people and property both inside and outside such vehicles. This problem may occur due to a failure in the fastening mechanisms, such as nuts and bolts, between a wheel 15 and the vehicle or due to a faulty tire. Although attempts have been made to increase the reliability of such fastening mechanisms and of the tires themselves, no mechanical system is yet fail-proof.
Summary of the Invention This invention can reduce these dangers by providing a restraining member to be installed on the vehicle body in front of the wheel to prevent the wheels and tires from coming off the vehicle. The invention provides means for convenient installation and removal of the restraining member for wheel repair and maintenance.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a safety guard for preventing a wheel from coming off the body of a moving vehicle, the safety guard comprising:
~a) a restraining member being sized and made of a material suitable for restraining a wheel applying force against it, said member having a portion for being positioned in front of7 and close to, an outer face of the wheel to block its movement away from the vehicle body;
5 (b) attachment means for removably attaching the restraining member to the vehicle body about the wheel.
The dimensions of the restraining member can be adjusted to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles. The restraining member may be provided with a handle to facilitate holding the 10 member during installation and removal.
If a wheel or a tire becomes accidentally loose while rotating, it will rub against the restraining member, thereby causing vibrations and smoke which can be detected by certain embodiments of the invention to provide quick warning to the vehicle driver.
Brief Description of the Drawings Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings in which:
20 Figure 1 is a front view of a restraining member in accordance with the invention shown, attached to a vehicle and in place for use;
Figure 2 is a detailed side view of attachment means shown in less detail in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a section of the line II--II taken through the attachment means of Figure 2; and, Figure 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention including extension 25 means for adjusting the dimensions of a restraining member.
A
l)escription of the Invention The safety guard in the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, includes a restraining member l having a middle section 2, a first arm 3 and a second arm 4; the arms are disposed at the first and 5 second ends of the member respectively. The middle section 2 of the restraining member l is positioned in front of, and close to, an outer face A of a wheel B to block its accidental movement away from the body of a moving vehicle C. A "vehicle" hereby means any ground transportation means, such as a truck, trailer, automobile, bus, tractor or any other moving machinery, and a "vehicle body" means any part of the vehicle other than the wheels, such as a 10 chassis, frame, fender, floor, or railing.
The member 1 can be made of any material suitable for restraining the wheel B whenever applying force against the member l due to the wheel B being accidentally loosened from its normal position. The member l can be of any suitable shape, cross section and size, however, in 15 the exemplary embodiment, is a bar with first and second arms 3 and 4, and a middle section 2 to be positioned in front of the wheel face A. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the member l is of sufficient length to be in front of the face A of more than one wheel B. In this respect, "wheel" is hereby used to collectively mean at least one of a plurality of wheels and their tires, all of which being located on one side of the vehicle.
A first attachment means 5 and a second attachment means 6 are secured to the vehicle body C, by fastening means in the form of mounting bolts 7, in the vicinity of the wheel B, with the two attachment means 5 and 6 being positioned on opposite sides of the wheel outer face A. The first and second arms 3 and 4 cooperate with the attachment means 5 and 6 to allow for 25 convenient installation and removal of the member l, through any suitable complementary mechanisms. In the embodiment of Figure l, the first attachment means 5 comprises a first enclosure 5 which, as shown in Figure 2, has a hollow first core 9 with a first opening l O towards the wheel B, and a cross section of substantially similar shape to, but slightly larger size than, the cross section of the first arm 3. Similarly, the second attachment 6 comprises a second enclosure 30 having a hollow second core (not shown) with a second opening l l towards the wheel, the cross -section of the second core being of substantially similar shape to, but slightly larger size than, the cross section of the second arm 4. In another embodiment shown in Figure 3, the first enclosure 5 further includes a bore 12 at an angle from, preferably perpendicular to, the first core. In this embodiment a removable locking pin 8 of a similar length to, but of smaller cross section than 5 the bore 12, is inserted into the bore 12 to prevent the first arm 3 from sliding into the first enclosure S past the location of the pin 8. The locking pin 8 and the bore 12 can have either threaded or unthreaded surfaces to provide a locking effect.
The restraining member 1 is installed by first moving the first arm 3 towards the first opening 10 10 and sliding it into the first core 9 of the first enclosure 5, then pushing the edge of the first arm 3 past the bore 12 until the edge of the second arm 4 no longer covers the second opening 11, then sliding the second arm 4 towards the second opening 11 into the second core (not shown) of the second enclosure 6 until the bore 12 becomes clear of the edge of the first arm 3, and finally inserting the locking pin 8 into the bore 12. The member 1 is as conveniently lS removed from the vehicle body C by reversing these steps.
In one aspect of the invention, the dimensions of the restraining member 1 are adjusted to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles by providing extension means 13, an example of which is illustrated in Figure 4. The extension means 13 is preferably located at the member middle 20 section 2. In the embodiment shown, such extension means 13 are provided by having the member middle section 2 separated at an intermediary point and having the two separate member parts joined by a coupler 13 which can take the form of a third enclosure that is open from both ends. The coupler 13 is adapted freely to embrace the two separated member parts allowing them to slide closer together or farther apart as required while a portion of each member part 25 remains substantially inside the coupler 13. When the required member length is attained, the two member parts are secured to the enclosure, by fastening means in the form of bolts 14.
In another aspect of the invention, the restraining member comprises a handle 15 attached preferably to the member middle section 2. This handle 15 facilitate holding the member 1 30 during installation on, and removal from, the vehicle body C.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a fault detector 16 is provided which is positioned adjacent to the restraining member 1. In operation, in the instance when the wheel B is accidentally loosened from its normal position, it rubs against the member 1 causing vibrations 5 and smoke. One form of the fault detector 16 comprises means for sensing physical vibrations around the area of the wheel B. Another form of the fault detector 16 comprises means for sensing smoke around the wheel area.
Of course, numerous other embodiments may be envisaged, without departing from the spirit 10 and scope of the invention.
'~
5 Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a device for preventing a wheel from entirely leaving its axle or a vehicle which it supports.
10 Background of the Invention The problem of wheels and tires accidentally coming off moving vehicles continues to pose a danger to the safety of people and property both inside and outside such vehicles. This problem may occur due to a failure in the fastening mechanisms, such as nuts and bolts, between a wheel 15 and the vehicle or due to a faulty tire. Although attempts have been made to increase the reliability of such fastening mechanisms and of the tires themselves, no mechanical system is yet fail-proof.
Summary of the Invention This invention can reduce these dangers by providing a restraining member to be installed on the vehicle body in front of the wheel to prevent the wheels and tires from coming off the vehicle. The invention provides means for convenient installation and removal of the restraining member for wheel repair and maintenance.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a safety guard for preventing a wheel from coming off the body of a moving vehicle, the safety guard comprising:
~a) a restraining member being sized and made of a material suitable for restraining a wheel applying force against it, said member having a portion for being positioned in front of7 and close to, an outer face of the wheel to block its movement away from the vehicle body;
5 (b) attachment means for removably attaching the restraining member to the vehicle body about the wheel.
The dimensions of the restraining member can be adjusted to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles. The restraining member may be provided with a handle to facilitate holding the 10 member during installation and removal.
If a wheel or a tire becomes accidentally loose while rotating, it will rub against the restraining member, thereby causing vibrations and smoke which can be detected by certain embodiments of the invention to provide quick warning to the vehicle driver.
Brief Description of the Drawings Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings in which:
20 Figure 1 is a front view of a restraining member in accordance with the invention shown, attached to a vehicle and in place for use;
Figure 2 is a detailed side view of attachment means shown in less detail in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a section of the line II--II taken through the attachment means of Figure 2; and, Figure 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention including extension 25 means for adjusting the dimensions of a restraining member.
A
l)escription of the Invention The safety guard in the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, includes a restraining member l having a middle section 2, a first arm 3 and a second arm 4; the arms are disposed at the first and 5 second ends of the member respectively. The middle section 2 of the restraining member l is positioned in front of, and close to, an outer face A of a wheel B to block its accidental movement away from the body of a moving vehicle C. A "vehicle" hereby means any ground transportation means, such as a truck, trailer, automobile, bus, tractor or any other moving machinery, and a "vehicle body" means any part of the vehicle other than the wheels, such as a 10 chassis, frame, fender, floor, or railing.
The member 1 can be made of any material suitable for restraining the wheel B whenever applying force against the member l due to the wheel B being accidentally loosened from its normal position. The member l can be of any suitable shape, cross section and size, however, in 15 the exemplary embodiment, is a bar with first and second arms 3 and 4, and a middle section 2 to be positioned in front of the wheel face A. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the member l is of sufficient length to be in front of the face A of more than one wheel B. In this respect, "wheel" is hereby used to collectively mean at least one of a plurality of wheels and their tires, all of which being located on one side of the vehicle.
A first attachment means 5 and a second attachment means 6 are secured to the vehicle body C, by fastening means in the form of mounting bolts 7, in the vicinity of the wheel B, with the two attachment means 5 and 6 being positioned on opposite sides of the wheel outer face A. The first and second arms 3 and 4 cooperate with the attachment means 5 and 6 to allow for 25 convenient installation and removal of the member l, through any suitable complementary mechanisms. In the embodiment of Figure l, the first attachment means 5 comprises a first enclosure 5 which, as shown in Figure 2, has a hollow first core 9 with a first opening l O towards the wheel B, and a cross section of substantially similar shape to, but slightly larger size than, the cross section of the first arm 3. Similarly, the second attachment 6 comprises a second enclosure 30 having a hollow second core (not shown) with a second opening l l towards the wheel, the cross -section of the second core being of substantially similar shape to, but slightly larger size than, the cross section of the second arm 4. In another embodiment shown in Figure 3, the first enclosure 5 further includes a bore 12 at an angle from, preferably perpendicular to, the first core. In this embodiment a removable locking pin 8 of a similar length to, but of smaller cross section than 5 the bore 12, is inserted into the bore 12 to prevent the first arm 3 from sliding into the first enclosure S past the location of the pin 8. The locking pin 8 and the bore 12 can have either threaded or unthreaded surfaces to provide a locking effect.
The restraining member 1 is installed by first moving the first arm 3 towards the first opening 10 10 and sliding it into the first core 9 of the first enclosure 5, then pushing the edge of the first arm 3 past the bore 12 until the edge of the second arm 4 no longer covers the second opening 11, then sliding the second arm 4 towards the second opening 11 into the second core (not shown) of the second enclosure 6 until the bore 12 becomes clear of the edge of the first arm 3, and finally inserting the locking pin 8 into the bore 12. The member 1 is as conveniently lS removed from the vehicle body C by reversing these steps.
In one aspect of the invention, the dimensions of the restraining member 1 are adjusted to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles by providing extension means 13, an example of which is illustrated in Figure 4. The extension means 13 is preferably located at the member middle 20 section 2. In the embodiment shown, such extension means 13 are provided by having the member middle section 2 separated at an intermediary point and having the two separate member parts joined by a coupler 13 which can take the form of a third enclosure that is open from both ends. The coupler 13 is adapted freely to embrace the two separated member parts allowing them to slide closer together or farther apart as required while a portion of each member part 25 remains substantially inside the coupler 13. When the required member length is attained, the two member parts are secured to the enclosure, by fastening means in the form of bolts 14.
In another aspect of the invention, the restraining member comprises a handle 15 attached preferably to the member middle section 2. This handle 15 facilitate holding the member 1 30 during installation on, and removal from, the vehicle body C.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a fault detector 16 is provided which is positioned adjacent to the restraining member 1. In operation, in the instance when the wheel B is accidentally loosened from its normal position, it rubs against the member 1 causing vibrations 5 and smoke. One form of the fault detector 16 comprises means for sensing physical vibrations around the area of the wheel B. Another form of the fault detector 16 comprises means for sensing smoke around the wheel area.
Of course, numerous other embodiments may be envisaged, without departing from the spirit 10 and scope of the invention.
'~
Claims (9)
1. A safety guard for preventing a wheel from coming off the body of a moving vehicle, the safety guard comprising:
(a) a restraining member being sized and made of a material suitable for restraining a wheel applying force against it, said member having a portion for being positioned in front of, and close to, an outer face of the wheel to block its movement away from the vehicle body;(b) attachment means for removably attaching the restraining member to the vehicle body about the wheel.
(a) a restraining member being sized and made of a material suitable for restraining a wheel applying force against it, said member having a portion for being positioned in front of, and close to, an outer face of the wheel to block its movement away from the vehicle body;(b) attachment means for removably attaching the restraining member to the vehicle body about the wheel.
2. A safety guard as defined in claim 1 wherein the restraining member has a substantially U-shape, the centre portion of which is for being positioned in front of, and close to, an outer face of the wheel to block its movement away from the vehicle body.
3. A safety guard as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein the attachment means comprises an enclosure being sized to receive one end portion of the restraining member.
4. A safety guard as defined in claim 3 wherein the enclosure includes a bore and a locking pin sized to removably fit inside the bore for locking said end portion of the restraining member to the enclosure.
5. A safety guard as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein the restraining member further comprises extension means for adjusting the member dimensions to fit different sizes of wheels and vehicles.
6. A safety guard as defined in claims 1 or 2 further comprising a handle attached to the restraining member for holding the member during installation and removal.
7. A safety guard as defined in claims 1 or 2 further comprising a fault detector positioned adjacent to the restraining member for sensing when a loosened wheel rubs against the member, to warn the vehicle driver.
8. A safety guard as defined in claim 7 wherein the fault detector comprises means for sensing physical vibrations.
9. A safety guard as defined in claim 7 wherein the fault detector comprises means for sensing smoke.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002157940A CA2157940C (en) | 1995-11-17 | 1995-11-17 | Wheel and tire safety guard |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002157940A CA2157940C (en) | 1995-11-17 | 1995-11-17 | Wheel and tire safety guard |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2157940A1 CA2157940A1 (en) | 1997-05-18 |
| CA2157940C true CA2157940C (en) | 1998-01-06 |
Family
ID=4156577
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002157940A Expired - Lifetime CA2157940C (en) | 1995-11-17 | 1995-11-17 | Wheel and tire safety guard |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2157940C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2195895A1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-07-24 | Donald W. Welch | Wheel retainer for motor vehicle safety |
-
1995
- 1995-11-17 CA CA002157940A patent/CA2157940C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2157940A1 (en) | 1997-05-18 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US5314201A (en) | Locking system for a semitrailer sliding undercarriage | |
| US4934489A (en) | Tandem tire brake | |
| US5435418A (en) | Emergency brake system for wheeled vehicles | |
| US6070893A (en) | Vehicle wheel retention system | |
| US5381680A (en) | Retractable wheel lock assembly | |
| US5823586A (en) | Truck wheel containment frame | |
| US4175410A (en) | Vehicle wheel engageable blocking device | |
| US5647621A (en) | Backup protection device | |
| US4694936A (en) | Exterior brake for tandem tires | |
| US5769186A (en) | Wheel chock for tandem wheels | |
| CA3044413A1 (en) | Vehicle frontal safety guard | |
| CA2157940C (en) | Wheel and tire safety guard | |
| CA2228022C (en) | Wheel retainer and loose wheel indicator for a vehicle | |
| US5975572A (en) | Wheel and tire safety guard | |
| US20100181784A1 (en) | Collision Barrier Device For Projecting Loads | |
| US6279950B1 (en) | Axle crutch | |
| EP1870291B1 (en) | Communication bumper particulary for semitrailer | |
| CA2292095A1 (en) | Bumper integrated school bus safety arm | |
| US6095562A (en) | Restraining system for truck and trailer wheels | |
| US5954151A (en) | Wheel restraint safety system | |
| CA2207692C (en) | Restraining system for truck and trailer wheels | |
| US2461758A (en) | Tire-protecting skid | |
| CA2247999A1 (en) | Lift jack for wheeled vehicle | |
| US4381122A (en) | Safety attachment for a front vehicle bumper | |
| US10358112B2 (en) | Immobilizer device for a wheel |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20151117 |
|
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20151117 |