GB2429683A

GB2429683A - Tyre traction aid

Info

Publication number: GB2429683A
Application number: GB0518050A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Tanat Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-06
Filing date: 2005-09-06
Publication date: 2007-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-06
Also published as: GB0518050D0; GB2429683B

Abstract

A set of shoes (S) are retained in close contact with a tyre tread by mounting on radially extending rods (R) coupled to T-pieces (T) with ends held in a hub (CB). The rods (R) are adjustable with the T-pieces (T) to cater for different wheel sizes. The shoes (S) have slots which accept hooks (LP) of the rods (R).

Description

TYRE GRIP

This invention relates to a method of applying temporarily an accessory to the road wheels of vehicles to improve their grip in adverse conditions.

BACKGROUND

Road going vehicles which venture into areas where the conditions between the driving wheels and the surface on which they travel reduced, to such an extent that they can often not progress, This may be due to a combination of circumstances e.g. reduced grip through rain or snow, a surface, which has poor grip, e.g. a field or pulling an unusual load e.g. a boat or caravan.

If the conditions are frequently met and are anticipated this problem is usually tackled by either using specialised vehicles, such as for exampk four wheel drive, change the wheels for specialised ones e.g. studded tyres, or by applying to the wheel, equipment that improves the grip, such as tyre chains.

The use of a four wheel drive vehicles for towing a caravan or a boat on holiday often dictates that this is also used as either the family car or the second family car. Four- wheel drives are not renowned for being cheap to purchase, or for their economy.

Tyre chains are applied in situations where the increase in grip required is usually of a transient nature, which does not warrant the expense of a set of specialised wheels, e.g. studded tyres.

The chains are usually applied in less than ideal situations, often in less than ideal conditions usually in dirty and wet conditions after the vehicle has lost all or most of its traction. Tyre shoes that fit over the tyre have been described but they may require a sem.i permanent fixing to be bolted on to the wheel in anticipation of inclement conditions.

OUTLINE

This invention describes a product, which improves the grip of the wheel, is easily applied in difficult conditions without jacking up of the wheel, and easily removed and stored. It consists of shoes that fit over the tyre that are prevented from moving circumferentially by a rod held into a hub. Radial movement is allowed. The shoes may be of different shapes with different tread patterns.

The shoes are applied to the wheel after the T-piece/threaded unit has been attached. The T part of the shoe and threaded rodlT-piece unit is located in the hub. This is repeated for the other shoes. When they are all in position the lid is placed on to the hub and secured.

The tensioning device/s are then applied.

AN EXAMPLE TO ILLUSTRATE THE PRINCIPLE.

The invention consists of a central hub (H Figi) that is shaped to receive the inner ends of the T-pieces (T Fig 1). These are held in the grooves (G Fig 5) in the hub so that they can move in a radial direction but are held firmly within the hub and prevented from moving sideways.

THE 1-PIECES AND THREADED ROD The T-piece (T) in Fig I is threaded on to the rod to a predetermined length appropriate to the wheel to which it is about to be fitted. An indication of the length can be by marks on the rod either marked on flats on the rod or a scale along the rod. This will allow the same apparatus (T-piece and threaded rod) to accommodate different wheel and tyre combinations of different diameters. The shoe is now placed over the tyre and the T part of the 1-piece placed in the shaped cut out area in the Hub as seen in Figi. This process is repeated until all the shoes are in place. The T-pieces can be gently held in position within the hub by a piece of compressible material placed in the center of the hub The length of the rods and I pieces when properly adjusted will keep tension on the rod/T piece unit and keep the hub central.. The 1-pieces once positioned in the hub and the grooves are captured within the hub by means of a lid (1 FigS) that is closely applied to the hub. This lid is kept in place by an easily removable but secure device such as a nut or a spring clip or pin.

The shoe is attached to the threaded rod (R) by means of a detachable link that allows some movement between the shoe and the threaded rod, in one plane only. As an example for illustration but not exclusively, by means of the Locking Peg (LP) in Fig 2 that is aligned along the long axis of the rod. To attach the shoe it is turned through 90 degrees and the peg on the threaded rod passed through the locating slot in the shoe, rotating the shoe to its position as shown in Fig I will lock the shoe against the rod.

The shoes are attached to the ends of the threaded rods so as to be able to move in one plane in relation to the ends of the threaded rods and allowed to rock on the circumference of the wheel to allow for deformation of the tyre but held rigidly in position over the tread of the tyre.

THE SHOES

The tyre is shown diagrammatically in Fig I (T) with, for illustrative purposes four shoes (5) equally spaced around the circumference of the tyre. The number of shoes can be varied and would be a matching of shoes of appropriate size and hubs containing the appropriate number of slots.

The shoes are shaped as shown in Fig 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows a side view of the shoe, the surface SC being the surface in contact with the road surface, the slot LS being the slot through which the locating pin (LP) in Fig 2 is passed. Fig 4 shows an end view of the shoe OP being the outer side and IP the inner side when the shoe is placed over the tyre. The distance between IP and OP as shown by the arrow (WofT), will be the width of shoe required for a width of tread of tyre.

The shoes may be a solid shoe, or may have windows cut to allow spacing along the tyre tread. The inner surface of the shoe will be of a roughened texture to allow sufficient friction between the tyre and the shoe to resist any movement during rotation. Equally, the outer surface may be of different shapes or textures. For illustrative purposes for example the outer surface could be studded or even have spade like projections to give a deep grip on very soft surfaces.

The whole is kept taught with the shoes in firm apposition to the tyre surface by the application of a force pulling the shoes and the attached rods towards the center of the hub. This in this example is achieved by passing material over the hooks on the end of the threaded rod. As an illustration, but not exclusive, the materiel could be shock cords made into loops.

These individually might not be strong enough but a number placed on one after another would be. The advantage being that individually they would be easy to place in position and remove and collectively as strong as required.

Claims

1. A system of shoes that fit removably over a wheel to present a surface to improve the grip of the wheel.

2. A system of shoes as described in Claim I that are held in position by rods.

3. A system of shoes as described in claims land 2 that are flexibly in one plane attached to the rods.

4. A system of shoes as described in claims 1,2 and 3 that are prevented from moving circumferentially by the rods being held in a shaped hub.

5. Rods as described in Claims 2, 3 and 4 that are in two pieces threaded one into the other so as to vary their lengths to a pre-determined amount.

6. Rods as described in Claims 2,3,4 and 5 that are held sufficiently firm to prevent circumferential movement but allow radial movement within the hub.

7. A Hub as described in Claims 4 and 6 that is shaped to accept the rods.

8. A Hub as described in Ci aims 4,6and 7 that has a lid' that fits closely to the hub and thereby keeps the rods in place.

9. A hub and lid as described in Claim 8 that has an easily removable stud to keep the lid in place during use.

10. An apparatus as described in Claims 1 to 8 that has a protuberance on the Rod/shoe unit to capture a tensioning device.

11. A tensioning device as described in Claim 10 to assist in keeping the shoe in firm contact with the wheel during use.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

1. A system to improve the grip of the driven wheel of a vehicle, consisting of a central device that is located at the center of the wheel, that holds a number of radial rods in such a way that they are secure from moving circumferentially but allowed to move individually in a radial direction. The rods have attached in a movable and removable method, shoes which are applied to the external diameter of the wheel. The shoes may be of a variable size and pattern. Expandable ties tension the whole.

2. A system of shoes as described in Claim 1 that are held in position by adjustable rods.

4. A system of shoes as described in claims 1,2 and 3 that are prevented from moving circuniferentially by the rods being held in a shaped hub.

6. Rods as described in Claims 2,3,4 and 5 that are held sufficiently finn to prevent circumferential movement but allow limited radial movement of individual rods within the hub.

7. A Hub as described in Claims 4 and 6 that is shaped to accept the rods and allow limited radial movement but prevent circumferential movement.

8. A Hub as described in Claims 4,6and 7 that has a easily removable lid' that fits closely to the hub and thereby keeps the rods in place.

10. An apparatus as described in Claims 1 to 8 that has a protuberance on the Rodishoe unit to capture a tensioning device.