GB2393488A

GB2393488A - Wheel nut indicator mount

Info

Publication number: GB2393488A
Application number: GB0321848A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Brawley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-18
Filing date: 2003-09-18
Publication date: 2004-03-31
Anticipated expiration: 2023-09-18
Also published as: GB2393488B; GB0321848D0

Abstract

A wheel nut indicator mount (1) has a body (2) with a socket (5) for engagement with a wheel nut (6) and supports a wheel nut indicator (7) in a desired orientation of the body displaced axially outwardly of the wheel nut. Preferably, two or more of the mounts can be stacked together to enable the wheel nut indicator to be used when a step ring is fitted to the vehicle wheel. The mount is closed at the outer end to protect against dust. The closed outer end has a removable end cap to make it easier to grip the mount for removing the mount.

Description

- 2393488

DESCRIPTION

WHEEL NUT INDICATOR MOUNT

This invention relates to a mount for a wheel nut indicator.

British Patent Specification No. GB 2242720 discloses a wheel nut

5 indicator comprising a ring which can be pushed onto a wheel nut. The ring has internal splines or grooves for mating engagement with the nut. A pointer projects radially outwardly from an exterior of the ring. Typically in use an indicator is mounted on each wheel nut and pointers on adjacent pairs of indicators are aligned so that any slackening of a wheel nut on a wheel stud will 10 be indicated by the pointers moving out of alignment.

For public protection a step ring is fitted to the front wheel of trucks to stop legs from being cut by burrs on the wheel nuts. Such step rings are supplied in various depths. Many of these step rings are secured on the wheel by the wheel nuts which are below the surface of the step ring making it impossible to fit the 15 wheel nut indicators on the wheel nuts.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming this problem.

According to the invention there is provided a wheel nut indicator mount comprising a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut and means for supporting a wheel nut indicator in a desired orientation on the body displaced 20 axially outwardly of the wheel nut.

Preferably, said mount is adapted for stacking two or more of the mounts together.

In one embodiment the body comprises an inner part and an outer part and a socket formed in the inner part for engagement with the wheel nut, the outer part comprising means for engagement and support of the wheel nut indicator in a desired orientation and being engageable with the socket of another similar mount 5 for stacking the mounts.

The outer part may comprise an exterior of hexagonal section.

The socket may comprise a complementarily-splined side wall.

In one embodiment an endless series of splines having an axial orientation extends around an exterior of the outer part.

10 The wheel nut indicator mount preferably further comprises a dust cover at an outer end of the outer part.

The dust cover may comprise an end wall formed integrally with the outer part. Alternatively, the dust cover may comprise a removable end cap which is engageable with the outer end.

15 Preferably, the socket comprises a bore of hexagonal section.

Alternatively, the socket may comprise a bore having an endless series of splines having an axial orientation and extending about an inner wall of the bore.

The wheel nut indicator mount preferably further comprises finger grip means provided on the body.

20 In one embodiment the body comprises an inner part and an outer part, the outer part comprises an end wall and the finger grip means comprises a finger insertion hole in the end wall.

A closure flap may be mounted in the finger insertion hole. The closure

t flap may be formed by an arcuate slit in the end wall, the closure flap being attached to the end wall by a hinge connection extending between opposite ends of the slit.

The flap may comprise a tear-open flap defined by an arcuate line of 5 weakness in the end wall. Preferably, along the arcuate line of weakness the material of the end wall is of reduced thickness to permit the flap to be parted from the end wall along the line of weakness by pushing the flap inwardly to break the material along the line of weakness, leaving the flap still connected to the end wall by a hinge portion extending between opposite ends of the line of 1 0 weakness.

The resilience of the material from which the mount is formed preferably allow deflection of the flap about the hinge portion for finger insertion and then allows the flap to spring back into the opening to close the opening upon removal of the finger.

15 in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a wheel nut indicator mount comprises a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut, means for engaging and supporting a wheel nut indicator in a desired orientation on the body and finger grip means on the body.

The body preferably comprises a tubular body having an outer end closed 20 by an end wall, said finger grip means comprising a finger insertion hole in the end wall.

The wheel nut indicator mount preferably further comprises a closure flap mounted in the finger insertion hole. The closure flap may be formed by a arcuate

slit in the end wall, said flap being attached to the end wall by a hinge connection extending between opposite ends of the slit.

Preferably the mount is adapted for stacking interengagement of two or more mounts.

5 The wheel nut indicator mount preferably further comprises means for longitudinal adjustment of a wheel nut indicator on the body.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a wheel nut indicator mount comprises a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut and means for engaging and supporting a wheel nut indicator on the body in a 10 desired orientation, said engaging means allowing longitudinal adjustment of the wheel nut indicator on the body.

Preferably the engaging means is adapted for sliding engagement with the wheel nut indicator.

Preferably the engaging means comprises an exterior portion of the body 15 of hexagonal section.

The engaging means may comprise an endless series of splines having an axial orientation, extending around an exterior of the body.

Preferably the mount is adapted for stacking interengagement of two or more of the mounts.

20 In one embodiment the body comprises a stepped exterior with an inner part and an outer part, the socket being formed in the inner part and the engaging means being formed on the outer part, the outer part being engageable within the socket of the inner part of another similar mount for stacking the mounts.

The wheel nut indicator mount preferably further comprises finger grip means on the body.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in 5 which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a wheel nut indicator mount according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mount; Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the mount; 10 Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing the mount in use mounted on a wheel nut and supporting a wheel nut indicator; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the mount in another position of use; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the mount in a further position of 15 use; and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a pair of stacked mounts in use for mounting a wheel nut indicator on the wheel nut.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. I to 3 thereof, there is illustrated a wheel nut indicator mount according to the invention indicated 20 generrally by the reference numeral 1. The mount 1 has a stepped body 2 having an inner part 3 and an outer part 4. A socket 5 is formed in the inner part 3 for engagement with a wheel nut 6 as shown in Fig. 4. A conventional wheel nut indicator 7 is slidably engagable with the outer part 4 for mounting the wheel nut

indicator 7 on the wheel nut 6 spaced outwardly of the wheel nut 6.

The socket 5 in the inner part 3 has a bore with an endless series of splines 10 having an axial orientation extending about an inner wall of the bore. I hese splines 10 allow the mount I to be slidably engaged with the wheel nut 6, the body 5 2 of the mount 1 being a push fit onto the wheel nut 6 so taint it securly grips and retains the mount 1 on the wheel nut 6.

The outer part 4 has an eterior of hexagonal section of similar size to the nut 6 with which the mount I is to be used. Thus, as shown in Fig. 7, two or more of the mounts 1 can be stacked together by inserting the outer part 4 of one mount 10 into the socket 5 of an adjacent mount 1 to thus increase the depth of the mount 1 and distance at thwich the wheel nut indicator 7 is supported outwardly of the wheel nut 6.

The outer part 4 has a hollow interior which extends upwardly from the socket 5. An end wall 12 integrally formed with the outer part 4 closes an outer 15 end of the outer part 4 so that the mount 1 also forms a dust cover preventing ingress of dust and moisture to the wheel nut 6 and threaded wheel stud on which the wheel nut 6 is mounted.

To facilitate removal of the mount I from a wheel nut 6 a finger grip is provided in the end wall 12. The finger grip is formed by an arcuate slit 14 in the 20 end wall 12. This slit 14 defines a finger insesrtion hole in the end wall 12 within which a flap 15 sits with a hinge 16 formed between spaced-apart ends of the slit 14 by which the flap 15 is connected to the end wall 12, the flap 15 being integral with the mount 1. The flap 15 can be pushed inwardly pivoting about the hinge

r 16 upon insertion of a users finger to grip the end wall l 2 and pull the mount 1 from the wheel nut 6. Upon removal of the finger the flap 15 will spring back into the hole to close the hole in the end wall.

In use, the mount l is pushed onto a wheel nut 6 as shown in Fig. 4. The 5 socket 5 engages the hexagonal outer surface of the wheel nut 6. T he splines 10 grip and securly hold the mount I on the wheel nut 6. A wheel nut indicator 7 of the type described for example in GB 2242720 can then be pushed onto the outer part 4. The wheel nut indicator 7 essentially comprises a ring 20 having internal splines or grooves for mating engagement with the hexagonal exterior of the outer 10 part 4 which as previously mentioned has the same dimensions as the whel nut 6.

A pointer 21 projects radially outwardly from an exterior of the ring 20.

It will be noted taint the invention provides a mount I which can be used to mount the wheel nut indicator 7 outwardly of a wheel nut 6. This affords clearance of a step ring the outer surface of which is indicated by the broken line 15 x-x in Fig.s 4 through 7. The wheel nut indicator 7 is a tight fit on the outer part 4 such that it will hold itself in any location along the outer part 4. A number of different engagement locations are shown in Figs. 4 through 7. Thus the mount 1 can accommodate a range of different step rings of different depth allowing longitudinal adjustment of the wheel nut indicator 7 relative to the wheel nut 6 to 20 provide clearance of the step ring. Where extra depth is required two or more of the mounts 1 can be stacked together as shown in Fig. 7.

The mount may be manufactured *om any suitable material. Plastics is the preferred material. and in particular polyethylene.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

f CLAIMS

I. A wheel nut indicator mount comprising a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut and means for supporting a wheel nut indicator in a desired orientation on the body displaced axially outwardly of the wheel nut.

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2. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mount is adapted for stacking two or more of the mounts together.
3. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body comprises an inner part and an outer part and a socket formed in the inner part for engagement with the wheel nut, the outer part comprising means for engagement 10 and support of the wheel nut indicator in a desired orientation and being engageable with the socket of another similar mount for stacking the mounts.
4. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer part comprises an exterior of hexagonal section.
5. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 4, wherein the socket 15 comprises acomplementarily-splined side wall.
6. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, comprising an endless series of splines having an axial orientation extending around an exterior of the outer part.
7. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, further 20 comprising a dust cover at an outer end of the outer part.
8. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 7, wherein the dust cover comprises an end wall formed integrally with the outer part.
9. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 7, wherein the dust

cover comprises a removable end cap which is engageable with the outer end.
10. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims I to 9, wherein the socket comprises a bore of hexagonal section.
11. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims I to 9, 5 wherein the socket comprises a bore having an endless series of splines having an axial orientation and extending about an inner wall of the bore.
12. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, further comprising finger grip means provided on the body.
13. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 12, wherein the body 10 comprises an inner part and an outer part, the outer part comprises an end wall and the finger grip means comprises a finger insertion hole in the end wall.
14. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 13, comprising a closure flap mounted in the finger insertion hole.
15. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 14, wherein the 15 closure flap is formed by an arcuate slit in the end wall, the closure flap being attached to the end wall by a hinge connection extending between opposite ends of the slit.
16. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 14, wherein the flap comprises a tear-open flap defined by an arcuate line of weakness in the end wall.

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17. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 16, wherein along the arcuate line of weakness the material of the end wall is of reduced thickness to permit the flap to be parted from the end wall along the line of weakness by pushing the flap inwardly to break the material along the line of weakness, leaving

the flap still connected to the end wall by a hinge portion extending between opposite ends of the line of weakness.
18. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the resilience of the material from which the mount is formed allows 5 deflection of the flap about the hinge portion for finger insertion and then allows the flap to spring back into the opening to close the opening upon removal of the finger.
19. A wheel nut indicator mount comprising a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut, means for engaging and supporting a wheel nut 10 indicator in a desired orientation on the body and finger grip means on the body.
20. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 19, wherein the body comprises a tubular body having an outer end closed by an end wall, said finger grip means comprising a finger insertion hole in the end wall.
21. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 20, further 15 comprising a closure flap mounted in the finger insertion hole.
22. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 21, wherein said closure flap is formed by a arcuate slit in the end wall, said flap being attached to the end wall by a hinge connection extending between opposite ends of the slit.
23. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 19 to 22, 20 wherein the mount is adapted for stacking interengagement two or more mounts.
24. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 19 to 23, further comprising means for longitudinal adjustment of a wheel nut indicator on the body.

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25. A wheel nut indicator mount comprising a body having a socket for engagement with a wheel nut and means for engaging and supporting a wheel nut indicator on the body in a desired orientation, said engaging means allowing longitudinal adjustment of the wheel nut indicator on the body.

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26. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 25, wherein the engaging means is adapted for sliding engagement with the wheel nut indicator.
27. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the engaging means comprising an exterior portion of the body of hexagonal section.

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28. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the engaging means comprises an endless series of splines having an axial orientation, extending around an exterior of the body.
29. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 25 to 28, wherein the mount is adapted for stacking interengagement of two or more of the 15 mounts.
30. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 25 to 29, wherein the body comprises a stepped exterior with an inner part and an outer part, the socket being formed in the inner part and the engaging means being formed on the outer part, the outer part being engageable within the socket of the 20 inner part of another similar mount for stacking the mounts.
31. A wheel nut indicator mount as claimed in any of claims 25 to 30, further comprising finger grip means on the body.
32. A wheel nut indicator mount substantially as herein described, with

reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.