US3644002A

US3644002A - Wheel weight assembly for a tractor

Info

Publication number: US3644002A
Application number: US63093A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert Barth; Klaus Hauk
Original assignee: Deere and Co
Current assignee: Deere and Co
Priority date: 1969-08-20
Filing date: 1970-08-12
Publication date: 1972-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-22
Also published as: FR2058397B1; ES382825A1; DE1942315B1; FR2058397A1; GB1297824A; CA918191A

Abstract

Individual, ring-shaped wheel weights are provided as ballast for increasing the traction of a tractor. The weights are constructed to be mounted coaxially, one against the other, in numbers sufficient to supply the ballast desired. The first weight mounted is bolted to the outer face of the wheel disc and the weights added thereafter are secured in succession only to the adjacent previously mounted weight. The connection between the adjacent weights is effected by a pair of interengaged hook and shoulder connection parts in cooperation with a bolt which is inserted into and held by a nut in an opening formed by cooperating, U-shaped grooves in the adjacent weights. The hooks, shoulders and grooves are so disposed relative to each other that by tightening the nut on the bolt the hooks of the weight being mounted become tightly engaged with the shoulders of the adjacent mounted weight.

Description

United States Patent Barth et al.

[ Feb. 22, 1972 OTHER PUBLICATIONS German Printed App. No. 1,279,496 Oct. 1968. German Printed App. No. 1,263,520 Mar. 1968.

Primary Examiner-Richard J. Johnson Individual, ring-shaped wheel weights are provided as ballast Attorney-H. Vincent Harsha, Harold M. Knoth, William A. Murray, John M. Nolan, Raymond L. Hollister and Jimmie R. Oaks ABSTRACT for increasing the traction of a tractor. The weights are constructed to be mounted coaxially, one against the other, in

numbers sufficient to supply the ballast desired. The first weight m and the weights added thereafter are secured in succession only to the adjacent previously mounted weight. The connecounted is bolted to the outer face of the wheel disc tion between the adjacent weights is effected by a pair of interengaged hook and shoulder connection parts in cooperation with a bolt which is inserted into and held by a nut in an opening formed by cooperating, U-shaped grooves in the adjacent weights. The books, shoulders and grooves are so disposed relative to each other that by tightening the nut on the bolt the hooks of the weight being mounted become tightly FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Australia ..301/41 W engaged with the shoulders of the adjacent mounted weight.

15 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 22 me I NVENTORS HUBERT BARTH KLAUS HAUK tightening a nut WHEEL WEIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR A TRACTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a wheel weight assembly, and more particularly relates to an assembly of the type wherein selected numbers of individual weights are mounted in side-toside engagement on the outer face of a wheel disc.

A wheel weight assembly of this type is known (West German Pat. No. 1,279,496) in which the individual weights are provided, on their side facing away from the wheel disc, with projecting peripheral portions in the form of annular carrier rims, and on their sides facing the wheel disc, with an annular flange cast integrally with the weight and adapted to be supportingly engaged with the carrier rims of an adjacent weight. The carrier rim has an obliquely inclined and roughened inner surface and is spaced apart from and surrounds an axially projecting conical flange which serves for the mutual centering of the weights. The conical flange is provided with a central bore for receiving a special fastening screw which has a threaded bore in its head for receiving a like fastening screw for securing an adjacent subsequently mounted weight.

This known arrangement has the disadvantage that the opposed engaging surfaces of adjacent weights do not cooperate to prevent a weight which has just been engaged with a mounted weight from slipping therefrom, and since the operator must use at least one hand to insert the fastening screw, it is difficult for the operator to apply enough force to prevent such slipping. A further disadvantage is that only the outermost fastening screw can be retightened once the weights are assembled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a novel wheel weight assembly of the type wherein a desired number of individual weights are supported on a wheel disc with the first weight being secured directly to the outer face of the wheel disc and the other being added one at a time and secured to the previously mounted weight to form an assembly of side-to-side mounted weights.

It is an object of the invention to provide individual weights which are flat and circular and which have hook and shoulder parts on their opposite sides, the hook parts, of a weight being mounted. being disposed to engage and hangingly support the weight from shoulder parts of an adjacent mounted weight so as to free both hands of an operator for completing the fastening of the weight to the mounted weight.

Another object is to provide weights, having in addition to the hook and shoulder parts, U-shaped grooves in their opposite sides and wherein the groove of a weight being mounted is axially aligned with a groove of the adjacent mounted weight and cooperates therewith to provide a receptacle for a clamping bolt for securing the weights together.

Still another object is to dispose the hood and shoulder parts and the grooves in such relationship to each other that upon on the clamping bolt, the opposed hook and shoulder parts of the adjacent weights will become more securely interlocked.

Another object is to provide clamping bolts, each of which is responsible for securing only a single weight, and which are so positioned that nuts thereon may be retightened regardless of the bolts location in the weight assembly.

Yet another object is to provide weights which include connections for securing them to the wheel disc and having centering parts so that any weight may be selected as the first to be mounted on the wheel disc and may be centered with respect to the wheel axis.

These and other objects will become apparent from the ensuring description and the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a front view ofa wheel weight mounted on a wheel disc.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 but showing weights in addition to the first mounted weight.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, there is partly shown a wheel disc 10, which forms, for example, part of a rear tractor wheel. A ring-shaped wheel weight 12 is detachably fastened to the disc 10 and for this purpose includes three equispaced, radial recesses 14 along its inner circumference. The recesses 14 each include opposed

conical surfaces

16 and 18 which converge towards each other from the opposite sides of the weight 12 and receive conical centering washers 20. Extending through the washers 20 and through the wheel discs 10 are bolts 22 which are held in place by nuts 24. When the nuts 24 are properly tightened. the washers 20 act against the

surfaces

16 and 18 to dispose the weight 12 in centered relationship to the axis of the wheel disc 10.

The ballast carried by the wheel disc 10 may be increased from that provided by the weight 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, by connecting additional identical weights l2 successively one to another until the desired amount of ballast is assembled. For this purpose, each of the weights 12 is constructed such that neighboring weights cooperate to form three points of connection.

Specifically, on the inner side of each of the weights 12, there is a pair of hooks 26 spaced approximately from each other about the axis of the weight, and on the outer side of the weight is a pair of similarly spaced shoulders 28. The hooks 26 are arranged to hangingly suspend a weight being mounted from the shoulders 28 of a neighboring mounted weight, thus forming two points of connection. As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the hooks 26 and shoulders 28 are similarly inclined and the pair of interfaces of the engaged surfaces of the hooks and shoulders of neighboring pairs of weights are tangent to a conical surface generated about and having its apex on the weight axis. This inclination operates to center the neighboring weights with relation to each other. Centering is further aided' by a recess 30 and a nose 32, respectively on the inner and outer sides of the weight 12 midway between the pair of hooks 26 and the pair of shoulders 28. The nose 32 is shaped complementary to the recess 30 and, in the case of neighboring weights, the nose of one weight is located in the recess of the other weight.

Diametrically opposite from the recess 30 and the nose 32 and respectively on the same sides of the weight 12 are a pair of parallel,

U-shaped grooves

34 and 36. One end of the groove 34 terminates at a shoulder 38 located along the inner circumference of the weight 12 and one end of the groove 36 terminates at a shoulder 40 in a recess 42 located along the outer circumference of the weight 12.

In the case of neighboring weights 12, the groove 34 of one weight is in alignment with the groove 36 of the other weight to form an opening with the

shoulders

38 and 40 at the opposite ends thereof. The neighboring weights are held together by a clamping bolt 34 which is inserted into the opening so that ahead at one end bears against the shoulder 40 and a nut 46 at the other end bears against the shoulder 38. The recess 42 is dimensioned to engage the head of the bolt 44 and prevent it from turning when the nut 46 is tightened. The

aligned grooves

34 and 36 are inclined axially and radially toward a point of intersection with the axis of the weight 12. This inclination is steeper with respect to the axis than that of the interfaces of the engaged pairs of hooks 26 and shoulders 28, and when the nut 46 is tightened, the hooks become more tightly engaged with the shoulders. To insure that there will always be an area contact between engaging surfaces of the hooks 26 and the shoulders 28, each of the weights 12 is provided at its outer side with a bearing surface 48 located diametrically opposite from the recess 32.

To facilitate handling of the weights 12, they are provided with diametrically opposite handhold cutouts 50 from which recessed portions 52 extend at the inner surface of the weights to provide clearance between a mounted weight and weights being mounted or dismounted to prevent a handler from pinching his fingers.

The wheel weights 12 are assembled for support by the wheel disc as follows:

Assuming that it is desired to mount ballast to the disc 10 amounting to the combined weight of three of the weights 12, a first weight 12 is selected for connection directly to the outer face of the wheel disc 10. Three bolts 22 are then inserted into the respective openings provided for them in the wheel disc 10. A pair of the centering washers are placed on each bolt and the nuts 24 are started on the bolts. The first weight 12 is then lifted into position with the pairs of conical centering washers 20 on each bolt being received in the

conical surfaces

16 and 18 provided at the opposite sides of the weights in the recesses 14. The nuts 24 are then tightened so that the washers 20 act against the

surfaces

16 and 18 to center the first weight with respect to the wheel axis.

The wheel disc 10 is then rotated about the wheel axis to position the first wheel weight 12 so that the pair of shoulders 28 are above the wheel axis and are equispaced to the opposite sides of the vertical plane containing the axis. A second weight is then lifted by gripping the handhold cutouts 50 and is hangingly suspended on the first weight by engaging the hooks 26 of the second weight with the shoulders 28 of the first weight.

Since the pair of interfaces between the engaged hooks 26 and shoulders 28 are inclined and converge downwardly toward the wheel axis, the force of gravity acts to keep the hook and shoulders engaged, thus permitting the operator to release both hands from the handhold cutouts. The inclination of the hooks and shoulders acts to center the weights with respect to each other and the wheel axis. The first and second weights are then secured together by inserting one of the clamping bolts 44 together with a nut 46 into the U-shaped

grooves

34 and 36 of the first and second weights respectively. This is accomplished by merely pulling the bottom portion of the second weight slightly away from the first weight. Alternatively, the nut 46 may first be removed from the bolt 44 permitting the bolt to be inserted upwardly into the

grooves

34 and 36 without the second weight being swung from the first. At this time the nut 46 is tightened, and since the head of the bolt is received in the recess 42, it is kept from turning. Since the inclination of the bolt 44 is greater with respect to the wheel axis than that of the hooks and shoulders, the hooks and shoulders will become more tightly engaged by tightening the nut 46. The third weight can then be connected to the second weight in the above-described manner.

It is to be noted that the nuts 46 are accessible from the inside of the ring-shaped weights l2 and may be retightened, regardless oftheir position in the assembled weights.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple weight assembly in the class described, comprising: a first weight having mounting means for the affixation thereof to a support or the like; said first weight having an outer side and being provided thereat with a pair of shoulders; said shoulders respectively including a pair of spaced apart engaging surfaces which are upwardly facing and are inclined to converge downwardly toward the weight inner side when the first weight is in a position for assembly; a second weight outwardly of said first weight and having an inner side and being provided thereat with a pair of hooks respectively having downwardly facing surfaces inclined parallel to and engaged with said upwardly facing surfaces of said shoulders of said first weight; whereby said second weight may be hangingly suspended from said first weight to free both hands of the operator; a first, upwardly inclined groove in the outer side of said first weight located below and vertically between said first pair of shoulders; a second upwardly inclined groove in said inner side of said second weight located below and vertically between said pair of hooks and being axially aligned with said first groove; and a clamping bolt inserted into said grooves and having a nut tightened on one end thereof so as to secure the first and second weights together.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the inclination of said grooves is steeper than the inclination of thc engaged hook and shoulder surfaces whereby said hook and shoulder surfaces will become more tightly engaged when said nut is tightened.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second weights include upper and lower edges with respect to their position when being mounted; a central opening in each of the first and second weights between their upper and lower edges, and the upper end of said groove in the inner face of said second weight opening into said opening; said bolt being inserted into the last-mentioned groove such that the nut is located at the upper end thereof whereby said nut is accessible and may be tightened through said opening.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the inner and outer sides of said first and second weights are generally planar and the hooks and shoulders of the weights are arranged such as to permit the weights to be assembled in sideto-side engagement.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said weights are circular and wherein said engaged surfaces of the pairs of hooks and shoulders converge toward a common point on the axis of the weights.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said engaged surfaces of said pairs of hooks and shoulders are angularly spaced approximately about the axis of the weight.

7. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the weights are ring-shaped, thus defining a central opening therein between their upper and lower edges, and the upper end of said groove in the inner face of said second weight opening into said opening; said bolt being inserted into the last-mentioned groove such that said nut is located at the upper end thereof whereby said nut is accessible and may be tightened through said opening.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second weights are identical whereby they may be mounted in any order in the assemblyv 9. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said mounting means includes at least three equispaced recesses in the inner circumference of said ring-shaped weights, said recesses each including a pair of axially aligned conical surfaces converging towards each other from the inner and outer sides of the weights; conical centering washers located in said conical surfaces of said first weight and bolts inserted into said washers and being adapted for insertion into said support; and nuts on the bolts.

10. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the interfaces of the engaged surfaces are inclined towards a common point on a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the inner and outer sides of said first and second weight elements and are tangent to the surface of a cone generated about the axis and having its apex at said common point.

11. A multiple weight assembly in the class described, comprising: a first weight having mounting means for the affixation thereof to a support or the like; and first weight having an outer side and being provided thereat with a pair of spaced apart shoulders; said shoulders respectively including a pair of engaging surfaces which are upwardly facing and are inclined to converge downwardly toward the weight inner side when the first weight is in a position for assembly; a second weight outwardly of said first weight and having an inner side and being provided thereat with a pair of hooks respectively having downwardly facing surfaces inclined parallel to and engaged with said upwardly facing surfaces of said shoulders of said first weight; whereby said second weight may be hangingly suspended from said first weight to free both hands of the operator, and clamping means securing said second weight to said first weight and serving as the sole connection between said first and second weights.

12. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein the interfaces of the engaged surfaces are inclined towards a common point on a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the inner and outer sides of said first and second weight elements and are are circular and wherein said engaged surfaces of the pairs of hooks and shoulders converge toward a common point on the axis of the weights.

15. The invention defined in claim 14 wherein said engaged surfaces of said pairs of hooks and shoulders are angularly spaced approximately about the axis of the weight.

Claims

1. A multiple weight assembly in the class described, comprising: a first weight having mounting means for the affixation thereof to a support or the like; said first weight having an outer side and being provided thereat with a pair of shoulders; said shoulders respectively including a pair of spaced apart engaging surfaces which are upwardly facing and are inclined to converge downwardly toward the weight inner side when the first weight is in a position for assembly; a second weight outwardly of said first weight and having an inner side and being provided thereat with a pair of hooks respectively having downwardly facing surfaces inclined parallel to and engaged with said upwardly facing surfaces of said shoulders of said first weight; whereby said second weight may be hangingly suspended from said first weight to free both hands of the operator; a first, upwardly inclined groove in the outer side of said first weight located below and vertically between said first pair of shoulders; a second upwardly inclined groove in said inner side of said second weight located below and vertically between said pair of hooks and being axially aligned with said first groove; and a clamping bolt inserted into said grooves and having a nut tightened on one end thereof so as to secure the first and second weights together.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the inclination of said grooves is steeper than the inclination of the engaged hook and shoulder surfaces whereby said hook and shoulder surfaces will become more tightly engaged when said nut is tightened.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the inner and outer sides of said first and second weights are generally planar and the hooks and shoulders of the weights are arranged such as to permit the weights to be assembled in side-to-side engagement.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said engaged surfaces of said pairs of hooks and shoulders are angularly spaced approximately 90* about the axis of the weight.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said first and second weights are identical whereby they may be mounted in any order in the assembly.

9. The invention defineD in claim 8 wherein said mounting means includes at least three equispaced recesses in the inner circumference of said ring-shaped weights, said recesses each including a pair of axially aligned conical surfaces converging towards each other from the inner and outer sides of the weights; conical centering washers located in said conical surfaces of said first weight and bolts inserted into said washers and being adapted for insertion into said support; and nuts on the bolts.

12. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein the interfaces of the engaged surfaces are inclined towards a common point on a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the inner and outer sides of said first and second weight elements and are tangent to the surface of a cone generated about the axis and having its apex at said common point.

13. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein the inner and outer sides of said first and second weights are generally planar and the hooks and shoulders of the weights are arranged such as to permit the weights to be assembled in side-to-side engagement.

14. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said weights are circular and wherein said engaged surfaces of the pairs of hooks and shoulders converge toward a common point on the axis of the weights.

15. The invention defined in claim 14 wherein said engaged surfaces of said pairs of hooks and shoulders are angularly spaced approximately 90* about the axis of the weight.