MXPA99009134A - Wheel of multiple pieces with geme discs - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-disc wheel for a tractor having an axle and hub mounted on the axle includes a rim having an inner surface. A rod disc is connected to the inner surface of the rim. An anchor disc is also connected to the inner surface of the rim in an arrangement spaced from the rod disc. The anchor disk and the stem disk are each configured to connect with an appropriate hub that in turn connects to the tractor shaft. The connection between the stem disk and the shaft hub is achieved by a removable connecting disk that is bolted to both the hub and the stem disk. A supply 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, thus dispersing the forces on the discs instead of the single disc of the prior art.

Description

WHEELS OF MULTIPLE PIECES WITH TWIN DISCS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of the provisional patent application of the US. Serial No. 60 / 107,399, filed November 6, 1998. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field This invention is generally related to tractor wheels and more particularly to a tractor wheel designed to hold a floating type tire for use outside. of road. 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 shaft to provide multiple plates within the wheel rim, to evenly distribute the force of the tire. pneumatic to the shaft on the multiple plates. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Flotation-type tires are known in the art to be useful with off-highway machinery, to provide traction to machinery on soft ground. The flotation type tires are generally relatively wide and caa contact surface with the deep floor that is designed to create traction between the tractor and the soft ground without clogging In this way it is known in the art that it is convenient to use flotation type tires with off-road equipment. Various types of agricultural tractors are also known in the specialty. These tractors have usually been used in the past for agricultural tasks and have not used large flotation type tires for these tasks. In recent times, these traditional agricultural tractors are used for other tasks such as road construction. One task in particular is the task of pulling a tractor behind the tractor to level a road surface. When performing this task, the wheels of the tractor and the axes are subjected to forces significantly greater than for those that were designed. The risk of breaking an axle in the tractor increases significantly as the load on the tractor increases. In this way, it is desired in the art to provide a wheel for a tractor that is better able to withstand the pull force of a tractor. Another problem with using agricultural type tractors for heavier road construction tasks is that the tires traditionally used in these tractors are not flotation type tires. It is convenient to use flotation type tires in road construction equipment, because tires do not create deep furrows in the ground and tractors are often used in relatively soft terrain. Thus, it is convenient 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 tractor shaft to provide the desired buoyancy and achieve the desired traction. Although they work well, double wheels will create at least two problems. First, the width of the double wheels exceeds the width of a typical trailer and in this way the trailer does not cover the tracks left by the wheels of the tractor. Another problem with double wheels is that the tractor can not be transported in a typical trailer because the width of the double wheels exceeds the typical trailer width. The extra set of wheels in this way has to be removed from the tractor before being towed from one place to another. To overcome these problems, flotation-type tires have been mounted directly on rims that are then mounted directly on the single hub arranged on each of the axles of the agricultural type tractor. Although these structures work, the forces experienced by floating type tires large, while pulling a trailla easily approach the maximum forces of simple cubes on tractors. These structures in this way create the possibility that the hub or shaft of the tractor will break during use requiring replacement and non-operational time. In this way it is desired in the art to provide a structure for mounting a flotation-type tire to a bar axle of a tractor that reinforces the connection between the axle and the tire to better withstand the forces experienced during construction tasks. highway. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor capable of being used with a flotation-type tire. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor having a pair of discs that are connected to the tractor shaft to uniformly distribute the load of the tire to the axle. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor having inner and outer discs that are mounted on the tractor shaft with the outer disc that allows access to the inner disc of the tractor. so that the wing nuts of the inner disc can be tightened. A further object of the present invention is to provide a multi-disc wheel for a tractor that can be reinforced with reinforcing sleeves. Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-disc structure for a tractor wheel that can be configured to work with a wide variety of sizes and types of wheels. A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tire that can be used in a variety of different types of tractors having bar-type axes. A further object of the present invention is to provide a wheel for a tractor that decreases the transport width of the tractor when the tractor has tires of the flotation type in the wheels. Another object of the present invention is to provide a reinforced wheel for a tractor that is adapted to be used with a flotation type tire having multiple parts, which can be disassembled for re-application of torque, maintenance or replacement.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-piece wheel of twin discs which is simple in construction, which achieves the stated objectives in a simple, economical and efficient way, which solves the problems and which satisfies the existing needs in the specialty. . Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for supplying a wheel for a tractor wherein the connection between the wheel and the tractor shaft is formed in two spaced locations. These and other objects and advantages are achieved by a wheel for a tractor having an axle comprising a rim having an inner surface; and first and second connection structures adapted to the inner surface of the rim. Each of the connecting structures are adapted to connect with the tractor axle to disperse the load from the rim to the axle on both connecting structures. Other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by a method for manufacturing a wheel for a tractor having an axle, the method includes the steps of providing a rim having a first anchor disk; provide a first cube; connect the first hub to the first anchor disc and the tractor shaft; connect the second disk to the tire at a spaced site from the first anchor disk; provide a second cube; and connect the second cube to the second disk and the axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention illustrating the best ways in which applicants contemplate applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are illustrated in the drawings and are pointed out particularly and distinctly and set forth in the appended claims . Figure 1 is a sectional view of a prior art wheel having a single disc mounted on a single hub on a bar-type shaft; Figure 2 is an exploded sectional view showing the wheel of the present invention; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the wheel of the present invention; Figure 4 is an end view of the wheel of the present invention illustrated on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to the Figure 3 showing an alternative embodiment of the wheel of the present invention. Similar numbers refer to similar parts through the drawings and specification. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES A prior art wheel is illustrated in Figure 1, and is generally indicated by the number 2. Wheel 2 includes a rim 4 which is supported on an axle 6 by the connection of a hub 8 with a support plate 10. The support plate 10 is welded to the outer surface 12 of the rim 4. The connection between the support plate 10 and the hub is formed with a plurality of bolts with a butterfly head 14 and nuts with a butterfly head 16, as it is known in the specialty. It has been found that when a flotation type tire 18 is mounted on a wheel 2 with a single support plate 10, the forces generated by the wheel 2 and the tire 18 approach, if not exceed, the force given or tolerated. maximum of the support plate 10, hub 8 and / or axis 6. The wheel of the present invention is generally indicated by No. 20 in Figures 2 to 4. The wheel 20 includes a cylindrical rim 22 having a flange 24 integrally formed with the rim 22. An outer flange (not shown) is detachably connected at the outer end of the rim 22 such as the flange 19 as illustrated in Figure 1. The rim 22 is configured to receive a tire of the type of Flotation similar to tire 18 discussed above. The rim 22 can be provided in various lengths and diameters, depending on the specific tire used with the rim 22 and the specific tractor used with the rim 22. According to one of the objects of the present invention, the wheel 20 distributes the tire load to an axle 30 on two spaced connecting structures. Each connecting structure 32 includes cooperating elements for connecting the shaft 30 to the inner surface 34 of the rim 22. The use of connecting structures 32 allows the forces transmitted to the shaft 30 to be distributed over a length 36 of the axis 30 and it allows connecting structures 32 to share the load support of the tire. The wheel 20 of the present invention is preferably used with a bar-type shaft extending from the suspension of a tractor. A tractor that has been successfully employed with the wheel 20 of the present invention is a Model 9400 tractor from the John Deere Corporation of Illinois. The John Deere model 9400 tractor is provided for illustration purposes and is not intended to limit the application of the wheel 20. Other similar tractors may also be coupled with the wheel 20 to distribute tire loads on pairs of connecting structures 32 to their axles. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the innermost connection structure 32 includes an anchor disk 40 connected to the inner surface 34 of the rim 22. The anchor disk 40 can be welded to the inner surface 34 or connected by other convenient connectors known in the art. For example, the anchor disc 40 can be bolted to the rim 22 by suitable bolts, to allow the anchor disc 40 to be easily removed from the rim 22. The anchor disc 40 includes a central opening 42 dimensioned to receive the axle 30. intern The anchor disc 40 further includes a plurality of bolt holes 44 arranged in a pattern to cooperate with a corresponding plurality of threaded bolt holes 46 disposed in a hub hub 48. A bolt 41 is disposed through each hole 44 and it is threadedly received in each hole 46, to securely connect the shaft hub 48 to the anchor disk 40. It is known and understood in the art that bolts 41 must be torqued periodically to maintain a secure connection between the hub of shaft 48 and anchor disc 40. Shaft hub 48 is connected to shaft 30 in a manner that is known in the art such as by providing a key (not shown) between shaft 30 and shaft hub 48. The outermost connecting structure 32 includes a rod disc 50 connected to the inner surface 34 of the rim 22. As the anchor disc 40, the disc of Rod 50 can be welded to rim 22 or can be connected by other convenient connectors that are known in the art. The rod disc 50 generally has a ring shape having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the rim 22 and has an inner surface 52 defining a centrally disposed access opening 53 through the rod disc 50. The disc of rod 50 has a plurality of bolt holes disposed relative to its body. Preferably, there are 16 bolt holes 54 disposed in the rod disc 50. As illustrated in Figure 2, the access opening 53 allows a person working on the wheel 20 to insert his or her hand through the opening of the bolt. access 53 of the rod disc 50 to reach the bolts 41 on the anchor disc 40. The access opening 53 in this manner allows a person to torque the bolts 41 periodically to maintain the required clamping connection between the disc of anchor 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 the access in this way is extremely limited.

A connecting disk 60 is provided to create a connection between the rod disc 50 and a wedge type wedge 62 which in turn securely connects to the shaft 30. Cubes that function similarly to the wedge of the wedge type 62 are known in FIG. the specialty and include mechanisms for creating a secure connection between the hub 62 and the shaft 30. The hub 62 includes a plurality of threaded pin holes 64 relative to its outer periphery, which correspond to a plurality of corresponding bolt holes 66 therein. connecting disc 60. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 8 bolt holes 64 and 66 are provided. A bolt 68 extends through each hole 66 and is threaded into holes 64 to create a secure connection between the disc 60 and the hub 62. Similarly, the bolts 70 extend through the bolt holes 72 in the connecting disc 60 and through the holes 54 in the rod disc 50 for provide a secure connection between the connecting disc 60 and the rod disc 50. Each of the bolts 68 and 70 can be torqued relatively easily through the outer end of the wheel 20. According to the objectives of the present invention, the wheel 20 transfers tire force from the tire to the shaft 30 through each structure of the tire. connection 32, in this way evenly distributing the forces to both hubs 48 and 62. The risk of breaking any hub 48 or 62 in this manner is significantly reduced in the wheel 20 of the present invention. An alternate embodiment of the wheel of the present invention is generally indicated by the number 100 in Figure 5. The wheel 100 includes many of the same elements as the wheel 20 and the same numbers are used to describe those similar elements. The wheel 100 includes a reinforcing sleeve 102 which is disposed between an anchor disc 104 and the rim 22. The anchor disc 104 includes a centrally disposed large aperture 106 which receives a hub of axis 108 which is of a different configuration than the hub of shaft 48 described above. The reinforcing sleeve 102 is a cylindrical sleeve joined by rim weld 22, to provide additional support to the anchor disc 104 and allow the anchor disc 104 to first be welded to the sleeve 104. When the disc 104 is welded to the sleeve 102, the process of placing the disc 104 on the rim 22 is easier because the sleeve 102 'can rest on the rim 22 while it is welded to the rim 22. This configuration allows the disc 104 to be easily configured with respect to the longitudinal center line of the wheel 100.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each disk 40, 50, 60 is made of a material with a thickness of 8,255 cm (3 1/4") with a sleeve 102 made from .635 cm (1/4") material. of thickness. The sleeve 102 may be approximately 25.4 cm (10") in length The disks 40 and 50 may be spaced approximately 27.94 sm (11") in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The bolts 41, 68 and 70 can be sized appropriately to be received in the hubs 48 and 62 which can be .635 cm (1/4") bolts. The disc 40 can be located approximately 45.72 cm (18") from the inner end of the rim 22. The access opening 53 can have an outer diameter of approximately 27.94 cm (11") Rim 22 may be approximately 77.47 cm (30.5") in internal diameter. These dimensions are provided as an example of the wheel 20, with other dimensions and configurations contemplated by the present invention. The concepts of the present invention can also be used to modify the mass production of an existing rim. In this procedure, the rim already has a rim anchor disc connected to a hub that connects to the tractor shaft. The rod disc 50 is then welded to the inside of the rim and a wedge type wedge lock is provided for the axis. The connecting disc 50 is then provided to connect the rod disc 50 with the wedge of the locking wedge type. By using this method, a person can modify the mass production of an existing wheel rim to reinforce the connection between the wheel rim and the axle of a tractor. Accordingly, the improved multi-disc wheel is simplified which provides an effective, safe, economical and efficient device that achieves all the enumerated objectives, eliminates difficulties encountered with previous devices and solves problems and obtains new results in the specialty. In the previous description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding; but unnecessary limitations should not be implied beyond the requirement of the prior art, because these terms are used for descriptive purposes and are widely considered. Still further, 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 or described. Having now described the characteristics, discoveries, and principles of the invention, the manner in which the multi-disk wheel is constructed and employed, the characteristics of the construction and the new and useful advantageous results obtained, the new and useful structures, devices, elements, assemblies, parts and combinations, are established in the appended claims.

Claims (19)

1. CLAIMS 1.- A wheel for a tractor having an axle, characterized in that it comprises: a rim having an interior surface; and first and second connecting structures with the inner surface of the rim, each of the connecting structures are adapted to connect with the tractor shaft to disperse the load from the rim to the axle on both connecting structures.
2. 2. The wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: one of the connection structures is a rod disc connected to the inner surface of the rim, the rod disk has a central opening arranged centrally; and the other of the connection structures is an anchor disc connected to the inner surface of the rim, the anchor disc is spaced from the rod disc.
3. 3.- The wheel in accordance with the claim 2, characterized in that the rim has an inner end and an outer end, the rod disc is disposed between the inner end and the anchor disc.
4. 4.- The wheel in accordance with the claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises a connection disc removably connected to the rod disc.
5. 5. The wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that the connecting disk has a central opening, the connecting disc is arranged between the rod disc and the outer end of the rim.
6. 6. The wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that the anchor and rod disks are welded to the rim.
7. 7. - The wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that the rim has a flange at the inner end and a flange at the outer end, the flange at the outer end is selectively removable from the rim.
8. 8. The wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises a reinforcing sleeve connected to the inner surface of the rim, one of the discs connected to the reinforcing sleeve.
9. 9.- The wheel in accordance with the claim 8, characterized in that the reinforcing sleeve is welded to the rim and the anchor disk is welded to the reinforcement sleeve.
10. 10. The wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that the rod disc and the anchor disc are spaced approximately 27.94 cm (11")
11. 11. The wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that the disc of rod has a plurality of bolt holes and a nut connected to the rod disc in each of the bolt holes, the nuts are arranged between the stem disk and the anchor disk.
12. 12. The wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that the anchor disc has a hub receiving opening arranged centrally.
13. 13. A wheel for a tractor having an axle, characterized in that it comprises: a rim having an interior surface; first and second cubes adapted to mount on the shaft; a rod disc connected to the inner surface of the rim; an anchor disc connected to the outer surface of the rim, the anchor disc is spaced from the rod disc; the anchor disk is connected to one of the cubes; a connection disc with the rod disc; and the connecting disc is connected to the other of the hubs so that the forces experienced by the rim are transferred to the tractor axle in two spaced locations.
14. 14. The wheel according to claim 13, characterized in that it also comprises a reinforcement sleeve connected to the rim, the anchor disk connected to the reinforcement sleeve.
15. 15. - The wheel according to claim 13, characterized in that the connecting disc is removably connected with the rod disc.
16. 16. The wheel according to claim 13, characterized in that the rod disk has an access opening.
17. 17.- Method for manufacturing a wheel for a tractor having an axle, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: providing a rim having a first anchor disc; provide a first cube; connect the first hub with the first anchor disc and the tractor shaft; connecting a second disk to the tire at a spaced location on the first anchor disk; provide a second cube; and connect the second cube with the second disk and the axis.
18. 18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of providing a connection disk and connecting the second cube with the connection disk.
19. 19. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises the steps of providing a reinforcing sleeve, connecting the reinforcing sleeve with the rim and connecting one of the discs, with the reinforcing sleeve.