GB554924A - Improvements in and relating to wheels for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

554,924. Spring wheels. BROWN, F. W. Dec. 22, 1941, Nos. 16468/41, 10241/42 and 17696/42. [Class 79 (i)] [Also in Group XXXIV] A spring wheel has a rim formed of segments 1 supported by levers 3 mounted on crank axles 49 and connected by links b, 6 to equalising levers 8 and quadrants 10 controlled by springs 19 arranged in the sides of the wheel. In the construction shown there are eight segments 1, each with its levers 3, 8, but each equalising lever 8 is connected by links 9 to the end of one quadrant and an intermediate part of an adjoining quadrant. The extent of each quadrant is indicated by arrows in Fig. 1. The equalising levers 8 are pivoted at one third of their length from one end to arms 7 pivoted at e to the wheel and connected to the links 6. The pivots of the levers 8 on the arms 7 are arranged alternately nearer the hub and nearer the rim; on those alternate levers having this pivot nearer the hub the inner and short link 9 is connected to the middle part of a quadrant 10 and the outer long two-part link 9 is connected to the rear end of the next quadrant, while on the other set of alternate levers the short link 9 is connected to the forward end of one quadrant and the long link is connected to the middle part of the next quadrant. The forward end of each quadrant is connected by a link 22 and crank-lever 21 to the corresponding spring 19, and the middle of the quadrant is connected by a crank lever 26 and a link 25 to the link 22. The coil of each spring 19 is of oval shape with thickened ends as shown in Fig. 9. The links 22 are normally held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by means of pivoted arms 23, bearing against pivoted stops 24; when these stops are turned aside the links 22 move to the dotted line position 27 so that the springs 19 give less support 50 the segments 1 and lengthen the ground contact of the wheel. The segments are connected together at their ends by short links 30, Fig. 4, and are connected by pivots to links 17 mounted on cranks 18 on the wheel. The levers 3 are connected by cranks 63 to the segments, by cranks 49 to the wheel hub or frame 70, and by links b, 6 to the arms 7, and are also interconnected by means of arms 2 pivoted at 16 and each connected by aspring s to a lever 3 of one segment and by a link 15 and link 6, b to the lever 3 of the next segment. The rim segments may be formed of corrugated spring steel and are covered by a continuous detachable tread comprising segmental steel bands 34 and an outer tread of steel or rubber secured thereto. The wheel is made asymmetrical as shown in Fig. 2, and the annular gap between the tread and a metal plate 46 is closed by a flexible cover 41. The segments 1 may be contracted together to allow the tread to be put on by disconnecting the links 30.