CA2287729A1 - Twin disc multi-piece wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-disc wheel for a tractor having an axle and a hub mounted on the axle includes a rim having an inner surface. A stub disc having a centrally-disposed access opening is connected to the inner surface of the rim. An anchor disc is also connected to the inner surface of the rim in a spaced apart disposition from the stub disc. The anchor disc and the stub disc are each configured to be connected to an appropriate hub that is, in turn, connected to the axle of the tractor. The connection between the stub disc and the axle hub is achieved by a removable attachment disc that is bolted to both the hub and the stub disc. A provision of the pair of discs between the rim and the axle allows the forces experienced by the tire to be transferred to the axle through both discs thereby spreading the force over two discs instead of the single disc of the prior art.

Description

EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
TWIN DISC MULTI-PIECE WHEEL
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial s No. 60/107,399, filed November 6, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field to This invention generally relates to tractor wheels and, more particularly, to a tractor wheel designed to hold a flotation-type tire for off road use.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a tractor wheel that allows a flotation-type tire to be used with a tractor having a bar-type axle by providing multiple plates within the wheel rim to evenly distribute the force from the tire to Is the axle over the multiple plates.
Background Information Flotation-type tires are known in the art to be useful with off road machinery to provide traction to the machinery over soft ground. Flotation-type ?o tires are generally relatively wide and carry a deep tread that is designed to create traction between the tractor and soft ground without clogging. It is thus known in the art that it is desirable to use flotation-type tires with off road equipment.

EXPRESS MAIL N0. E1829799028US
Various types of agricultural tractors are also known in the art. These tractors have been primarily used in the past for agricultural tasks and have not used large, flotation-type tires for these tasks. In recent times, these traditionally agricultural tractors are being employed for other tasks such as road building. .
s One task in particular is the task of pulling a scraper behind the tractor to smooth or grade a road surface. In performing this task, the tractor wheels and axles are subjected to significantly larger forces than they were designed for. The risk of breaking an axle on the tractor significantly increases as the scraper load increases. It is thus desired in the art to provide a wheel for a tractor that is to better able to withstand the force of pulling a scraper.
Another problem with using the agricultural-type tractors for heavier road building tasks is that the tires traditionally used on these tractors are not flotation-type tires. It is desirable to use flotation-type tires on the road building equipment because the tires do not create deep ruts in the ground and the tractors are frequently used on relatively soft ground. It is thus desired in the art to provide a wheel for a tractor that allows a flotation-type tire to be used with an agricultural-type tractor.
One solution to the wheel problem is to mount double wheels on each axle of the tractor to provide the desired flotation and to achieve the desired ?o traction. Although the double wheels function well, they create at least two problems. First, the width of the double wheels exceeds the width of a typical scraper and thus the scraper does not cover the tracks made by the wheels of EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
the tractor. Another problem with the double wheels is that the tractor cannot be carried on a typical trailer because the width of the double wheels exceeds the width of a typical trailer. The extra set of wheels thus has to be removed from the tractor prior to trailering the tractor from place to place.
s To overcome these problems, flotation-type tires have been mounted directly to rims that are then mounted directly to the single hub disposed on each of the axles of the agricultural-type tractor. Although these arrangements function, the forces experienced by the large flotation-type tires while pulling a scraper easily approach the maximum forces of the single hubs on the tractors.
to These arrangements thus increase the possibility that the hub or axle of the tractor will break during use requiring replacement and down time. It is thus desired in the art to provide an arrangement of mounting a flotation-type tire to a bar axle of a tractor that strengthens the connection between the axle and the tire to better withstand the forces experienced during road building tasks.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a wheel for a tractor capable of being used with a flotation-type tire.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a ?o .. tractor having a pair of discs that connect to the axle of the tractor to evenly distribute the load from the tire to the axle.

EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor that has inner and outer discs that mount to the axle of the tractor with the outer disc allowing access to the inner disc so that the lug nuts of the inner disc may be tightened.
s A further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-disc wheel for a tractor that can be reinforced with reinforcement sleeves.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-disc arrangement for a tractor wheel that may be configured to work with a wide variety of wheel sizes and types.
to An additional objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tire that may be used on a variety of different types of tractors having bar-type axles.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor that decreases the transport width of the tractor when the tractor has flotation-type tires on the wheels.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a reinforced wheel for a tractor that is adapted to be used.with a flotation-type tire that has multiple pieces that can be disassembled for retorquing, maintenance, or replacement.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a twin disc multi-?o piece wheel that is of simple construction, that achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner, that solves the problems and that satisfies the needs existing in the art.

EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method of providing a wheel for a tractor wherein the connection between the wheel and the axle of the tractor is formed at two spaced apart locations.
These and other objectives and advantages are achieved by a wheel for s a tractor having an axle, comprising a rim having an inner surface; and first and second connection assemblies connected to the inner surface of the rim, each of the connection assemblies adapted to connect with the axle of the tractor to spread the load from the rim to the axle over both of the connection assemblies.
Other objectives and advantages of the invention are achieved by a to method of fabricating a wheel for a tractor having an axle, the method including the steps of providing a rim having a first anchor disc; providing a first hub;
connecting the first hub to the first anchor disc and the axle of the tractor;
connecting a second disc to the rim in a location spaced from the first anchor disc; providing a second hub; and connecting the second hub to the second disc I s and the axle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best modes in which applicants contemplate applying the principles, are set forth in the ?o following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
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Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a prior art wheel having a single disc mounted to a single hub on a bar-type axle;
Fig. 2 is an exploded sectional view showing the wheel of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the wheel of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the wheel of the present invention shown along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing an alternative embodiment of the wheel of the present invention.
to Similar numbers refer to similar parts through the drawings and specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A prior art wheel is depicted in Fig. 1 and is indicated generally by the Is numeral 2. Wheel 2 includes a rim 4 that is supported on an axle 6 by the connection of a hub 8 with a support plate 10. Support plate 10 is welded to the inner surface 12 of rim 4. The connection between support plate 10 and hub 8 is formed with a plurality of lug bolts 14 and lug nuts 16 as is known in the art.
It has been found that when a flotation-type tire 18 is mounted on wheel 2 ?o having single support plate 10, the forces generated by wheel 2 and tire 18 come close to, if not exceed, the maximum allowed force of support plate 10, hub 8, and/or axle 6.

EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
The wheel of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 20 in Figs. 2-4. Wheel 20 includes a generally a cylindrical rim 22 having a flange 24 that is integrally formed with rim 22. An outer flange (not shown) is detachably connected to the outer end of rim 22 such as flange 19 as shown in s Fig. 1. Rim 22 is configured to receive a flotation-type tire similar to tire 18 discussed above. Rim 22 may be provided in various lengths and diameters depending on the specific tire used with rim 22 and the specific tractor used with rim 22.
In accordance with one of the objectives of the present invention, wheel l0 20 distributes the tire load to an axle 30 over two spaced apart connection assemblies 32. Each connection assembly 32 includes elements that cooperate to connect axle 30 to the inner surface 34 of rim 22. The use of connection assemblies 32 allows the forces transmitted to axle 30 to be distributed overa length 36 of axle 30 and allows connection assemblies 32 to share in bearing t s the loads from the tire.
Wheel 20 of the present invention is preferably used with a bar-type axle that extends from the suspension of a tractor. One tractor that has been successfully used with wheel 20 of the present invention is a model 9400 tractor from the John Deere Corporation of Illinois. The John Deere model 9400 tractor ?o is provided for purposes of illustration and is not to limit the application of wheel 20. Other similar tractors may also be fitted with wheel 20 to distribute tire loads over pairs of connection assemblies 32 to their axles.

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In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the innermost connection assembly 32 includes an anchor disc 40 connected to inner surface 34 of rim 22. Anchor disc 40 may be welded to interior surface 34 or connected thereto by other suitable connectors that are known in the art. For instance, s anchor disc 40 may be bolted to rim 22 by suitable bolts to allow anchor disc 40 to be easily removed from rim 22. Anchor disc 40 includes a central opening 42 sized to receive axle 30 therethrough. Anchor disc 40 further includes a plurality of bolt holes 44 disposed in a pattern to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of threaded bolt holes 46 disposed in an axle hub 48. A bolt 41 is disposed to through each hole 44 and is threadedly received in each hole 46 to securely connect axle hub 48 to anchor disc 40. It is known and understood in the art that bolts 41 must be periodically torqued to maintain a secure connection between axle hub 48 and anchor disc 40. Axle hub 48 is connected to axle 30 in a manner that is known in the art such as by providing a key (not shown) is between axle 30 and axle hub 48.
The outermost connection assembly 32 includes a stub disc 50 connected to inner surface 34 of rim 22. Like anchor disc 40, stub disc 50 may be welded to rim 22 or may be attached thereto by other suitable connectors that are known in the art. Stub disc 50 is generally ring-shaped having an outer ?o diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of rim 22 and having an inner surface 52 defining a centrally-disposed access opening 53 through stub disc 50. Stub disc 50 has a plurality of bolt holes disposed about its body.
s EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
Preferably, there are 16 bolt holes 54 disposed in stub disc 50. As shown in Fig.

2, access opening 53 allows a person working on wheel 20 to insert his hand through access opening 53 of stub disc 50 to reach bolts 41 in anchor disc 40.
Access opening 53 thus allows a person to torque bolts 41 periodically to maintain the required tight connection between anchor disc 40 and axle hub 48.
In other embodiments of the present invention, access opening 53 may not be provided and access to bolts 41 would have to be achieved through the inner end of wheel 20. The problem with this design is that the inner end is against the tractor and access is thus extremely limited.
to An attachment disc 60 is provided to create a connection between stub disc 50 and a wedge lock-type hub 62 that is, in turn, securely connected to axle 30. Hubs that function similarly to wedge lock-type hub 62 are known in the art and include mechanisms for creating a secure connection between hub 62 and axle 30. Hub 62 includes a plurality of threaded bolt holes 64 about its outer p periphery that correspond to a plurality of corresponding bolt holes 66 in attachment disc 60. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, eight bolt holes 64 and 66 are provided. A bolt 68 extends through each hole 66 and is threadedly received in holes 64 to create a secure connection between attachment disc 60 and hub 62. Similarly, bolts 70 extend through bolt holes ?o in attachment disc 60 and through holes 54 in stub disc 50 to provide a secure connection between attachment disc 60 and stub disc 50. Each of bolts 68 and 70 may be torqued relatively easily through the outer end of wheel 20.

' EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
In accordance with the objectives of the present invention wheel 20 transfers tire force from the tire to axle 30 through each connection assembly thereby evenly distributing the forces to both hubs 48 and 62. The risk of breaking either hub 48 or 62 is thus significantly reduced in wheel 20 of the s present invention.
An alternative embodiment of the wheel of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 100 in Fig. 5. Wheel 100 includes many of the same elements as wheel 20 and the same numbers are used to describe those similar elements. Wheel 100 includes a reinforcement sleeve 102 that is disposed between an anchor disc 104 and rim 22. Anchor disc 104 includes a large centrally-disposed opening 106 that receives an axle hub 108 that is of a different configuration than axle hub 48 described above. Reinforcement sleeve 102 is a cylindrical sleeve that is welded to rim 22 to provide additional support to anchor disc 104 and allows anchor disc 104 to be first welded to sleeve 102.
~s With disc 104 welded to sleeve 102 the process of positioning disc 104 in rim 22 is easier because sleeve 102 may sit in rim 22 while being welded to rim 22.
This configuration allows disc 104 to be easily configured with respect to the longitudinal center line of wheel 100.
In one embodiment of the present invention, each disc 40, 50, 60 is ?o __ fabricated from three 1/4 inch thick material with sleeve 102 being fabricated from 1/4 inch thick material. Sleeve 102 may be approximately 10 inches in length. Discs 40 and 50 may be spaced apart approximately 11 inches in the ~o - EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
preferred embodiment of the present invention. Bolts 41, 68, and 70 may be appropriately sized to be received in hubs 48 and 62 and may be 1/4 inch bolts.
Disc 40 may be positioned approximately 18 inches from the inner end of rim 22.
Access opening 53 may have an outer diameter of approximately 11 inches.
s Rim 22 may have approximately a 30.5 inch inner diameter. These dimensions are provided as one example of wheel 20 with other dimensions and configurations being contemplated by the present invention.
The concepts of the present invention can also be used to retrofit an existing rim. In such a process, the rim already has a rim anchoring disc to attached to a hub that is connected to the axle of the tractor. Stub disc 50 is then welded to the inside of the rim and a wedge lock-type hub is provided for the axle. Attachment disc 60 is then provided to connect stub disc 50 to the wedge lock-type hub. By using this method, a person may refrofit an existing wheel rim to strengthen the connection between the wheel rim and the axle of is a tractor.
Accordingly, the improved multi-disc wheel is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device that achieves all the enumerated objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.
2o In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied ' EXPRESS MAIL NO. E1829799028US
therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown s or described.
Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the manner in which the multi-disc wheel is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, to parts, and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.
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Claims (19)

1. A wheel for a tractor having an axle, comprising:
a rim having an inner surface; and first and second connection assemblies connected to said inner surface of said rim, each of said connection assemblies adapted to connect with the axle of the tractor to spread the load from the rim to the axle over both of said connection assemblies.

2. The wheel of claim 1, wherein:
one of said connection assemblies is a stub disc connected to said inner surface of said rim, said stub disc having a centrally-disposed access opening;
and the other of said connection assemblies is an anchor disc connected to said inner surface of said rim, said anchor disc being spaced from said stub disc.

3. The wheel of claim 2, wherein said rim has an inner end and an outer end, said stub disc disposed between said inner end and said anchor disc.

4. The wheel of claim 3, further comprising an attachment disc removably connected to said stub disc.

5. The wheel of claim 4, wherein said attachment disc has a central opening, said attachment disc disposed between said stub disc and said outer end of said rim.

6. The wheel of claim 5, wherein said stub and anchor discs are welded to said rim.

7. The wheel of claim 2, wherein said rim has a flange at said inner end and a flange at said outer end, said flange at said outer end is selectively removable from said rim.

8. The wheel of claim 2, further comprising a reinforcement sleeve connected to said inner surface of said rim, one of said discs connected to said reinforcement sleeve.

9. The wheel of claim 8, wherein said reinforcement sleeve is welded to said rim and said anchor disc is welded to said reinforcement sleeve.

10. The wheel of claim 2, wherein said stub disc and said anchor disc are spaced apart approximately 11 inches.

11. The wheel of claim 2, wherein said stub disc has a plurality of bolt holes and a nut connected to said stub disc at each of said bolt holes, said nuts being disposed between said stub disc and said anchor disc.

12. The wheel of claim 2, wherein said anchor disc has a centrally-disposed hub-receiving opening.

13. A wheel for a tractor having an axle comprising:
a rim having an inner surface;
first and second hubs adapted to mount on the axle;
a stub disc connected to the inner surface of the rim;
an anchor disc connected to the inner surface of the rim, said anchor disc being spaced from said stub disc;
said anchor disc connected to one of said hubs;
an attachment disc connected to said stub disc; and said attachment disc connected to the other of said hubs whereby the forces experienced by said rim are transferred to the axle of the tractor at two spaced apart locations.

14. The wheel of claim 13, further comprising a reinforcement sleeve connected to said rim, said anchor disc connected to said reinforcement sleeve.

15. The wheel of claim 13, wherein said attachment disc is removably connected to said stub disc.

16. The wheel of claim 13, wherein said stub disc has an access opening.

17. A method of fabricating a wheel for a tractor having an axle, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a rim having a first anchor disc;
providing a first hub;
connecting the first hub to the first anchor disc and the axle of the tractor;
connecting a second disc to the rim in a location spaced from the first anchor disc;
providing a second hub; and connecting the second hub to the second disc and the axle.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of providing an attachment disc and connecting the second disc to the second hub with the attachment disc.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of providing a reinforcement sleeve, connecting the reinforcement sleeve to the rim, and connecting one of the discs to the reinforcement sleeve.