GB2244460A

GB2244460A - Increasing wheel traction

Info

Publication number: GB2244460A
Application number: GB9012282A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luigi Bussandri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-06-01
Filing date: 1990-06-01
Publication date: 1991-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 2010-06-01
Also published as: GB9012282D0; GB2244460B

Abstract

In a device for improving the traction of a motor vehicle wheel by increasing the unsprung weight a plate 11 is adapted to be secured co-axially with a vehicle road wheel by means of bolts 17 which also serve to hold the road wheel itself in place. The plate 11 has a spindle 14 which projects axially away from the wheel and a weight 23 is rotatably mounted on that spindle. The weight has an opening 26 to one side, whereby the weight will not rotate notwithstanding rotation of the road wheel to which the weight is attached. <IMAGE>

Description

TRACTION DEVICE The present invention relates to a traction device and, in particular, to a device for improving the traction of cars and like vehicles.

It is known to attach to the wheels of tractors a device for improving traction which comprises a fixed weight. The device is fixed to one or more of the wheels of the tractor and by providing increased weight in each wheel to which it is attached it enables that wheel better to grip the ground. Also, while the weight is fixed, nevertheless because a tractor wheel usually rotates only relatively slowly, any problems due to imbalance or the like are of little consequence.

However, the known device cannot be applied where there is any significant imbalance and/or the speed at which the wheel rotates is relatively high.

I have now found surprisingly that the effectiveness of a traction device to be attach to a vehicle wheel can be improved if the device is mounted in relation to the wheel so that when the wheel rotates the traction weight of the device remains stationary.

In that manner any imbalance is not exaggerated by rotation. Also, deliberate imbalance between the upper and lower portions of the traction weight can be use4 further to improve traction.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a device for use in improving the traction of cars and like vehicles, which device comprises a plate mountable centrally on a hub of a vehicle wheel arrangement, support means outstanding from the plate in a direction away from the hub when the plate is mounted thereon, a traction weight mountable on the support means to provide a downward component of mass and mounting means whereby the traction weight can be mounted on the support means such that when the plate rotates with the wheel the traction weight can remain stationary.

In the device of the invention the plate may be of any suitable shape or thickness. Preferably, however, the plate is a circular plate or disc. Preferably also, the plate has through apertures corresponding to those whereby the vehicle wheel is fixed to the vehicle axle.

Thus, preferably, the through apertures should permit the plate to be fixed to the wheel hub by bolts passed through the wheel and screwed into the hub mounting of the axle.

Preferably, in the device of the invention, the support means is a spindle. Preferably also, the mounting means comprises a rotatable bearing.

So as to achieve the necessary improved traction in a vehicle having one or more wheels on which the device is mounted, the device includes a traction weight. Again, like the plate the traction weight may be any suitable shape or thickness. Preferably, however, the traction weight is disc-shaped or circular and has a weight typically of from about 5 to about 100 kilos, depending on the application. More preferably, the traction weight has a weight of from about 20 to about 30 kilos where the application is in relation to a car.

Preferably, the traction weight is mounted on the support means in an asymmetric arrangement whereby more of its mass is below the support means than above the support means. Alternatively, and preferably, the traction weight may be mounted on the support means in a symmetrical arrangement and its upper half may include a portion of diminished mass. Thus, the traction weight may preferably include a through aperture at or about its centre whereby the weight can be mounted on the support means and one half of the traction weight which can be the upper half when mounted on the support means may include a portion which has been cut away to reduce the mass of the traction weight in that half.

In one aspect of the invention, the traction weight preferably includes a rotatable bearing for mounting the traction weight on said support means.

Furthermore, the device preferably includes means to space the plate away from the hub and to ensure that the plate is centrally mountable thereon. Preferably, said spacer means comprise a plurality of sleeves adapted to fit around the stem of a wheel bolt and having bevelled ends. Thus, where the hub has four fixing points for bolts or the like in the axle mounting four said sleeves may be used. In that manner, and by virtue of the bevelled ends of the sleeves, the necessary centring of the plate can be achieved as the plate is fixed to the hub. For example, if that fixing is by standard bevelled bolts, centring is achieved in the same manner as by the bevelled heads of known fixing means such as bolts.

In the device of the invention, the various components may be made of any suitable material.

However, preferably one or more of the plate, support means or traction weight are formed of steel, especially stainless steel.

The invention also includes a conversion kit for use in improving the traction of cars and like motor vehicles comprising one or a plurality of devices according to the invention. Preferably, such a kit comprises four said devices.

In addition, the invention includes a car or like motor vehicle which has mounted on two or more of its wheel hubs a device according to the invention.

Preferably, such a vehicle includes a said device mounted on each hub of the vehicle.

The device of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a device in accordance with the invention having one form of traction weight; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a device in accordance with Figure 1 mounted on a vehicle wheel hub; and Figure 3 shows a perspective view of another form of traction weight for use as part of a device in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, that shows a device in accordance with the invention comprising a disc-shaped plate 11 mountable on a hub of a vehicle wheel arrangement having four through apertures 12 and a central boss 13. The apertures 12 have conical mouths at each end thereof and the central boss has extending outwardly therefrom a spindle 14. The spindle 14 has an end section 15 of reduced diameter which is threaded and which can accommodate a nut such as a castellated hexagonal nut 16 as shown.

Associated with the plate 11 are bolts 17 and sleeves 18. For clarity only one bolt and sleeve are snown, but in practice there will be four of each i.e.

one of eah for each through aperture 12.

The bolts 17 may be standard hexagonal bolts as shown In which the heads have a bevelled underneath surface 19 as shown in Figure 2. Also, the opposite ends of the sleeves 18 have bevelled end surfaces 21 and 22 as shown in Figure 1.

In addition, the device shown includes a circular traction weight 23 usually of about 30 kilos having at its centre a bearing 24 having a central through aperture 25. The bearing 24 is preferably a ball bearing which is arranged such that when the traction weight is mounted on the spindle 14 by passing the spindle 14 through the aperture 25, the spindle can rotate with the bearing 24 while the traction weight 23 remains stationary. Also, in that stationary position more of the mass of the traction weight 23 will be below the bearing 24 and spindle 14, because the traction weight 23 includes a portion in its upper half of diminished mass, that is to say cut-away portion 26.

In use a device as shown in Figure 1 is assembled on a car hub 31 as shown in Figure 2. The hub 31 as shown is associated with a wheel 32 and an axle 33 in accordance with conventional design and has bolted thereto a plate 11. The plate 11 is bolted to the hub 31 through the front of wheel 32 using four bolts 17 (only two being shown), one through each aperture 12, and four sleeves 18 (only two shown). The bolts have a bevelled underneath surface 19 which matches each outer conical mouth of apertures 12, and the sleeves 18 have bevelled end surfaces 21 and 22 which respectively match the outer conical mouth of the fixing apertures in the wheel and each inner conical mouth of apertures 12.

Thus, when the bolts are tightened the mating of the conical/bevelled surfaces ensures that the tightened bolts centre the plate 11 so that the device is mounted centrally of the hub and thereby causes the minimum disturbance to the balance of the overall vehicle wheel arrangement.

As shown in Figure 2, the traction weight 23 is mounted via its bearing 24 on spindle 14 and is held in place by locking nut 16. In the arrangement as shown the traction weight can remain stationary in use with portion 26 above the bearing 24 and the plate 11 together with spindle 14 can rotate with the vehicle hub 31.

Finally, referring to Figure 3, that shows another form of traction weight 23' in which bearing 24' is set in a half of the weight 23' which is intended to be uppermost in use. Thus, the assymetric bearing 24' can effectively provide an upper portion of diminished mass when the traction weight 23' is mounted as shown, for example, in Figure 2.

As will he appreciated the invention is not limited to the details described specifically above.

For example, the traction weight may include in its upper half a multiplicity of smaller through apertures rather than cut-away portion 26. Also, the hub fixing arrangement may be varied and the material from which the device is constructed may be other than say steel.

Thus, numerous variations may be made to the traction device of the invention provided they are within the spirit and scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A device for use in improving the traction of cars and like vehicles, which device comprises a plate mountable centrally on a hub of a vehicle wheel arrangement, support means outstanding from the plate in a direction away from the hub when the plate is mounted thereon, a traction weight mountable on the support means to provide a downward component of mass and mounting means whereby the traction weight can be mounted on the support means such that when the plate rotates with the wheel the traction weight can remain stationary.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the plate is a circular plate.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plate has through apertures corresponding to those whereby the wheel is fixed to the vehicle axle.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the through apertures permit the plate to be fixed to the wheel hub by bolts passed through the wheel and screwed into the hub mounting of the axle.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support means is a spindle.

A A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means comprises a rotatable bearing.

7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the traction weight is disc-shaped.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the traction weight is mounted on the support means in an asymmetric arrangement whereby more of its mass is below the support means than above the support means.

9. A device according to any one of claim 1 to 7, wherein the traction weight is mounted on the support means in a symmetrical arrangement and its upper half includes a portion of diminished mass.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the traction weight includes a through aperture at or about its centre for mounting on the support means and one half of the traction weight which can be the upper half when mounted on the support means includes a portion which has been cut away to reduce the mass of the traction weight in that half.

11. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the traction weight includes a rotatable bearing for mounting the traction weight on said support means.

12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, which includes means to space the plate away from the hub and to ensure that the plate is centrally mountable thereon.

13. A device accorzins to claim 1.2, w > .erei n s spacer means comprise a plurality of sleeves adapted to fit around the stem of a wheel bolt and having bevelled ends.

14. A device according to claim 13, wherein there are four said sleeves.

15. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the plate, support means or traction weight are formed of stainless steel.

16. A device according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described.

17. A device for use in improving the traction of cars and like vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. A conversion kit for use in improving the traction of cars and like motor vehicles comprising one or a plurality of devices according to any one of the preceding claims.

19. A kit according to claim 18 comprising four said devices.

20. A car or like motor vehicle which has mounted on two or more of its wheel hubs a device according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

21. A vehicle according to claim 20 which includes a said device mounted on each hub of the vehicle.

22. A traction weight assernbly, which assembly comprises a traction weight and means to mount the traction weight on vehicle wheel arrangement, the mounting means being constructed and arranged such that the traction weight can remain stationary when the vehicle wheel rotates.