US3557909A

US3557909A - Wheel chock with pinched tip

Info

Publication number: US3557909A
Application number: US810939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles J Neumann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-27
Filing date: 1969-03-27
Publication date: 1971-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-26

Abstract

The wheel chock includes a base plate with a raised tip at the end of the plate adjacent to the wheel. The chock also includes a slanted surface inclined at an angle away from the base plate and the tip for providing a contact surface for the wheel when the chock is pushed into position with the tip pinched between the wheel and the ground surface. The slanted surface is reinforced and supported against the base for opposing the contact force of the wheel. The bottom of the plate is serrated to improve the gripping force of the chock against the ground. The tip and the slanted surface are located relative to each other so that the wheel contacts the slanted surface after the tip has been pinched between the wheel and the ground surface. In one embodiment, a slot is provided at the upper end of the slanted surface. The slot is configurate for mating with a raised tip of a second chock so that the two chocks can be assembled together in reverse order for easy storage and/or shipment.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Charles J. Neumann I 3816 N. Snowden, Long Beach, Calif.

90808 1 [21] Appl. No. 810,939 [22] Filed Mar. 27, 1969 [45} Patented Jan. 26, 1971 [54] WHEEL Cl-lOCK WITH PINCHED TIP 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Fig.

[52] 11.5. C1 188/32 [51 Int. Cl B60t 3/00 [50] Field of Search 188/32 [56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,115 10/1942 Staley 188/32 2,591,348 4/1952 George. 188/32 2,810,459 10/1957 Nitz 188/32 2,851,127 9/1958 Smith 188/32 FOREIGN PATENTS 922,396 l/1955 Germany 188/32 274,112 6/1957 Switzerland ABSTRACT: The wheel chock includes a base plate with a raised tip at the end of the plate adjacent to the wheel. The chock also includes a slanted surface inclined at an angle away from the bass: plate and the tip for providing a contact surface for the wheel when the shock is pushed into position with the tip pinched between the wheel and the ground surface.

The slanted surface is reinforced and supported against the base for opposing the contact force of the wheel. The bottom of the plate is serrated to improve the gripping force of the chock against the ground. The tip and the slanted surface are located relative to each other so that the wheel contacts the slanted surface after the tip has been pinched between the wheel and the ground surface.

in one embodiment, a slot is provided at the upper end of the slanted surface. The slot is configurate for mating with a raised tip of a second chock so that the two checks can be assembled together in reverse order for easy storage and/or shipment.

PATENTEUJANZSIB?! 3.557309 INVENTOR CHARLES J. NEUMANN I ATTORNEY WHEEL CI-IOC K WITH PINCHED TIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a wheel chock and more particularly to a wheel chock which has a raised tip at one end of the chock base to prevent the chock from slipping out of wheel engagement when the tip is pinched between the wheel and a ground surface.

2. Description of Prior Art The prior art is represented by three primary patents. U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,774 to Charles R. Eckhart, issued Jul. 2, I957 for a Wheel Chock, teaches a chock comprising a nonmetallic material. The chock includes a base plate which is provided with cleats for improved gripping force and a concave upwardly inclined wheel-contacting surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,l l l, to Miguel Lisboa, issued Jan. 10, 1967, for an Automobile Wheel Block also teaches a chock comprised of a nonmetallic material. The chock has a base plate, partially serrated, which terminates in an inclined surface to form a tongue. The chock also includes a concave, upwardly inclined surface having a trough-like configuration. The inclined surface extends between the reinforcing rear member 18 and the tongue portion 24 of the chock.

In both the above patents, the chock is designed so that the wheel surface substantially mates with the concave inclined surface between the tip end of the base plate and a rear member. The angle is selected so that the wheel rolls into contact with the curved surface. Both devices depend upon the downward force generated by the contact to prevent the chock from slipping forward.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,111 provides two transversely spaced tire-engaging members to prevent inadvertent transverse movement. Neither of the patents, however, teach any means for preventing forward movement of the chock.

U.S. Pat. No. l,376,l 12, to J. L. Raney, issued Apr. 26, 1921, for a Vehicle Wheel Lock, provides arm means 6 and 7 which swing around a tire rim to prevent the chock from being pulled or pushed forward. The arm means are also used to lock the chock in place. I

However, no means are provided by any of the patents to counteract the forward force (parallel to the ground surface) which is exerted on the chock as the wheel rolls against the upward surface. Excluding the Raney patent, the above devices assume that the downward force and the frictional force at the base of the chock members prevent any movement due to the forward component of force. As a result, both devices have the inherent problem of preventing the chock from being spurted," or pushed forward, from under the wheel after being placed in position. Although the Raney device prevents forward movement of the chock, it is relatively complicated.

A chock is needed which includes a simple means of developing a downward force at the tip of the chock for preventing forward slipping of the chock when the wheel rolls into contact with the slanted surface of the chock. By providing a gripping force at the tip, it would be possible to manufacture chocks without the concaved and curved surfaces as taught by the referenced patents. It would also be possible to eliminate the curved arms 6 and 7 of the Raney patent. The present invention provides the chock having the required gripping force at its tip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the invention comprises a wheel chock which has a raised tip at the end of the base member which is forced between the wheel surface and ground surface. As a result, the tip is pinched between the tire and the ground surface to provide a downward and positive locking force at the tip. The downward force holds the chock in position under the wheel and opposes the force exerted by the wheel on the chock. Two chocks may be placed in position on both sides of the wheel to prevent the wheel from moving in either direction.

The chock also includes a rear member extending vertically from the other end of the base and a slanted surface which extends at an angle from the'base to the rear member. The slanted surface is positioned relative to the pinched tip so that the wheel is in contact with the slanted surface after the chock has been positioned with the tip beneath the tire. As a consequence, when the wheel attempts to roll, it contacts the slanted surface and a downward force is produced which, with the downward force produced at the tip of the wheel chock, prevents the wheel from rolling and also prevents the wheel chock from being pushed forward. The downward forces are large relative to the force component parallel to the ground so that the parallel component of force is substantially minimized.

The base is provided with serrations to improve the gripping force of the chock on the ground surface.

In other embodiments, the upper end of the slanted surface (away from the base) includes a slot for mating with the tip of a second chock. As a result, two chocks can be placed in reverse order adjacent to each other for being easily shipped and stored.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved wheel chock.

It is another object of this invention to provide a wheel chock having a raised tip pinched between a wheel and a ground surface for overcoming the forward forces generated on the chock when the wheel attempts to roll forward.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wheel chock having a raised tip which is pinched between a tire and the ground surface and which has a slanted wheel-contacting surface.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wheel chock which does not require the use of a concave surface for contacting a wheel.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved wheel chock using a raised tip which is pinched between a wheel and ground surface for eliminating the neces sity of additional arms for contacting the rim of the wheel.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wheel chock which avoids the necessity for a concave surface between a base and a rear member by including a pinched tip at the end of the base member adjacent to a wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wheel chock with a slot along its top surface which mates with a tip portion of a similar chock in reverse order so that the chocks can be easily stored and shipped. These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent when taken in connection with the description of the FIG., a brief description of which v follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The FIG. illustrates one embodiment of a chock in position under a wheel and shows a dotted outline of a second chock which could be joined to the first chock for storage and shipment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of wheel chock 1 positioned for preventing wheel 2 from rolling. The chock 1 comprises a partially serrated base plate 3 approximately as wide as the width of wheel 2. The serrations 4 could be replaced by other designs although serrations appear in the preferred embodiment.

The base plate has a tip portion 5 with a slightly reduced height and slanted portion which terminates at raised tip 6. Tip 6 is shown as having a round cross section which extends across the width of the base plate 2. In other embodiments, different configurations may be used. The height of the tip should be small enough to permit it to be easily inserted between wheel 2 and ground surface 7 and large enough to produce a relatively large downward force at the tip area. The downward force generated when-the tip is pushed under the tire, as shown, is illustrated by the force arrow, F,,, The tip should also be made small enough to permit the chock to be easily removed after the necessity for placing the chock under the wheel has been eliminated.

Slanted, or upwardly inclined, member 8 is connected to, or formed with, the relatively thick portion 9 of the base member 3 adjacent to tip portion 5. The slanted member 8 is inclined at an angle such that the wheel 2 does not contact the surface until after the tip 6 is pinched between the wheel and the ground surface. If the wheel contacted the surface of member 8 before the tip 6 was pinched under the wheel, the antislip effect might not be achieved. It is important that the downward force on the tip 6 be generated at least simultaneously with the contact of the wheel 2 against member 8.

Ideally, when tip 6 is pushed under the wheel 2, the wheel contacts the surface of member 8 approximately two thirds of the distance between the base member and the other end 10 of the member 8 which is connected to, or formed with, rear member 11. Rear member 11 is orthogonal to the base member 3.

Reinforcing member 13 is connected between member and the intersection 12 of rear member 1 l and base member 3 for reinforcing the member 8. Reinforcing member 13 prevents the force exerted by the contact of the wheel against surface 8 from damaging the chock. All the members of the chock have a width equal to the width of the chock.

As indicated in the FIG, when the wheel 2 contacts surface 8, two forces are generated as represented by the arrows, F,, and F,. F, represents the downward force and F, represents the forward force on the chock l. The combination of the downward force at the pinched tip, F and the downward force F}, at the contact point, are large relative to the forward force F, so that the chock does not slip forward when the wheel contacts the surface of member 8.

Although many materials and methods may be used to produce 'the wheel chock, the preferred method is to extrude the chock as an integral member from aluminum. Extruded aluminum provides a lightweight, and sturdy wheel chock which is satisfactory for most applications. The chock is suitable for blocking the wheel movement of most wheeled vehicles such as automobiles, airplanes, trailers, etc.

Slot 14 is provided at end 10 of member 8 to interlock, or mate, with the tip 15 of the chock member 16 shown by dotted outline. The tip 15 of chock l6 mates with slot 14 and tip 6 of chock l mates with slot 17 of chock 16 to permit the chocks to be easily stored and/or shipped.

In an operation'involving two chocks for two wheels, the chocks are removed and one chock such as chock l is pushed under the wheel, or two, so that the tip 6 is pinched between the tire and the ground surface. The other chock may be similarly positioned under another wheel. As indicated above, when the tip is pinched under the tire, the outer surface of the tire should be in contact with the surface of member 8. If the wheel attempts to roll forward, the downward forces exerted by the contact point and at the tip oppose the forward force of the wheel and prevents the movement. The positive locking action of the tip 6 against the ground surface 7 prevents the chock from being piished forward out of engagement from under the tire. i

In another application, two chocks may be positioned on both sides of a wheel to prevent both forward and backwards rolls by a wheel. I claim: i

l. A wheel chock for preventing rolling motion of a wheeled vehicle, said chock comprising:

a base member having a raised ridge extending orthogonally across the tip of said base member for being forced between the surface of the wheel'and aground surface for preventing motion of said chock due to contact between the wheel and the chock;

a slanted member inclined at an angle from said base member adjacent to said tip portion, said member being spaced and inclined at an angle relative to said raised ridge for c'ontactin said wheel after said raised ridge is forced between s'ai wheel and said ground surface, said base member having an area of reduced thickness immediately adjacent to the ridge for permitting the surface of said wheel to contact said slanted member'after the raise ridge is positioned under the wheel whereby the surface of said wheel contacts said ridge so that the downward force on the wheel chock is concentrated at said raised ridge and at the contact point between the wheel and the slanted surface, and a rear member extending from said base member to provide support for said slanted rriember,'wherein the intersection between the rear member and said slanted member includes a slot having a configuration for mating with'the orthogonally extending raised ridge of a second chock for permitting said chocks to be connected in reverse order for easy storing and shipping.

Claims

1. A wheel chock for preventing rolling motion of a wheeled vehicle, said chock comprising: a base member having a raised ridge extending orthogonally across the tip of said base member for being forced between the surface of the wheel and a ground surface for preventing motion of said chock due to contact between the wheel and the chock; a slanted member inclined at an angle from said base member adjacent to said tip portion, said member being spaced and inclined at an angle relative to said raised ridge for contacting said wheel after said raised ridge is forced between said wheel and said ground surface, said base member having an area of reduced thickness immediately adjacent to the ridge for permitting the surface of said wheel to contact said slanted member after the raise ridge is positioned under the wheel whereby the surface of said wheel contacts said ridge so that the downward force on the wheel chock is concentrated at said raised ridge and at the contact point between the wheel and the slanted surface, and a rear member extending from said base member to provide support for said slanted member, wherein the intersection between the rear member and said slanted member includes a slot having a configuration for mating with the orthogonally extending raised ridge of a second chock for permitting said chocks to be connected in reverse order for easy storing and shipping.