US3837709A

US3837709A - Dual wheel assembly

Info

Publication number: US3837709A
Application number: US00284356A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Williamson
Original assignee: Erie Malleable Iron Co
Current assignee: Erie Malleable Iron Co; Gunite Emi Corp
Priority date: 1972-08-28
Filing date: 1972-08-28
Publication date: 1974-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-24
Also published as: CA986969A

Abstract

A spacer block for a dual wheel assembly. The spacer block has a curved bottom to rest on the outside diameter of the wheel spoke and tapered dovetail flanges on the sides of the block receive the tapered side flanges of the spoke so that the spacer block is held against rotation with the rim should the rim slip relative to the wheel. The blocks have inclined protrusions on their ends which are forced under the rims thereby holding the rims rigidly against an inclined surface on the spokes.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Williamson Sept. 24, 1974 DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY 2,757,971 8/1956 Malthaner 301 13 SM [75] Inventor: Russell K. Williamson, Erie, Pa. Primary ExaminerR1chard J. Johnson [73] Ass1gnee: Erie Malleable Iron Company, Er1e, Attorney, Agent, & Myers a.

[22] Filed: Aug. 28, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 284,356 A spacer block for a dual wheel assembly. The spacer block has a curved bottom to rest on the outside diameter of the wheel spoke and tapered dovetail flanges (g1 on the Sides of the block receive the tapered side [58] Fie'ld SM 12 13 flanges of the spoke so that the spacer block is held against rotation with the rim should the rim slip relative to the wheel. The blocks have inclined protrusions [56] References Cited on then ends wh1ch are forced under the r1ms thereby UNITED STATES PATENTS holding the rims rigidly against an inclined surface on 2,001,407 5 1935 Burger 301 13 SM the Spokes 2,280,746 4/1942 Burger 301/13 SM 2,599,248 6/1952 Forbes 301/13 SM 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures 1 DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY REFERENCE TO PRIOR ART The spacer block disclosed herein constitutes an improvement over the spacer block disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,971 in its configuration which provides structure to hold the block in place and thereby reduce rim slippage.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved spacer block for releasably attaching onto a spoke of a cast metal wheel to space apart the rims of two tires mounted in spaced parallel relation on the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spacer block having an improved tapered flange arrangement for supporting it on a spoke of a wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved spacer block constructed to be retained securely on a spoked end of a wheel and used to space apart the dual rims mounted on the wheel.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectional view of a wheel according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of a spacer block and rim.

FIG. 3 is a partial isometric view of a spoke of a wheel of the type on which the spacer block is useful.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the spacer block according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a spacer block according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the spacer block according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now with more particular reference to the drawings, a wheel 10 is shown having a hub 11 of a conventional type that has suitable outboard bearing cup 14 and a suitable inner bearing cup 14' for mounting it on an axle. A hub cap 12 of a conventional type is held in place by cap screws 13. Two different types of rims are shown mounted on the wheel; the first is inboard rim 15 shown to be of a flat base type, the second or outboard rim 16 is of a type used for supporting tubeless tires. The spoke 19 shown is of a tubular type with a hollow 31 extending through it. The inner rim has a band 17 which provides a surface which is inclined and which rests on the complimentary shoulder which is fixed to the spoke 19. The surfaces 36 on the outer end of the spokes lie in a cylinder and it is on these partial cylindrical surfaces that the curved underside 32 of the blocks rest.

A plurality of lugs 40 are fastened to spoke 19 by bolts or studs and nuts 18 and each lug 40 has a shoulder 25 which engages the shoulder 24 on the rim. Shoulder 26 is formed on the spacer at one end and a shoulder 27 is formed at the opposite end. These shoulders engage the

rim bands

17 and 41 and the spacer block 2l urges the rim band 17 to ride up on the shoulder 20 when the lug 40 forces the shoulder on the lug under the rim member 41 thereby exerting a force on the underside of the rim band 17 and the rim band 41.

The spoke 19 will be one of a plurality of spokes, for example, there may be three spokes, or more spokes, distributed around the wheel. A brake drum 22 of a conventional type is fixed to the spokes by bolts 23. The spacer blocks 21 are supported one on the outer end of each of the spokes 19. The spacer blocks 21 may be made with a plurality of ribs 33 joined by laterally extending ribs 34 connected by webs 35. The blocks have a relatively smooth undersurface that rests on the outboard ends 36 of the spokes and overhanging

dovetailed flanges

28 and 29 underlie the enlarged

ends

37 and 38 of the spokes. The

ends

37 and 38 taper outwardly and the blocks are tapered from left to right as shown in FIG. 6 so that the

flanges

28 and 29 completely underlie the

overhanging flanges

37 and 38 of the spoke ends.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a wheel having an inboard rim and an outboard rim,

a hub,

a plurality of spokes extending radially from said hub,

each said spoke having a spoke shoulder surface inclined radially and axially outwardly and having opposite outwardly flaring longitudinally extending side surfaces at the radially outward end of the spoke,

said inboard rim having a complimentary shoulder on said rim inclined axially and radially inwardly of said wheel whereby said rim shoulder rests on said complimentary shoulder surface,

a plurality of spacer blocks,

each said spacer block being disposed between said outboard rim and said inboard rim,

said spacer blocks resting on said spokes and adapted to slide axially thereon a limited amount,

each of the opposite ends of said blocks having an inclined engaging shoulder engaging said outboard rim and said inboard rim,

said inclined engaging surfaces being adapted to be forced against and under said rims between said spoke and said rim,

and lug means having a tapered shoulder adapted to engage said outboard rim on the side thereof remote from said inboard rim,

said lug means having a lug stud and nut for clamping said outboard rim between said lug means and said block and said inboard rim between said block and said rim shoulder,

flange means extending downwardly from each rib and slidably underlying the flared side surfaces of said spoke, thereby sliclably and radially securing said block to said spoke against relative rotation.

Claims

1. In combination, a wheel having an inboard rim and an outboard rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes extending radially from said hub, each said spoke having a spoke shoulder surface inclined radially and axially outwardly and having opposite outwardly flaring longitudinally extending side surfaces at the radially outward end of the spoke, said inboard rim having a complimentary shoulder on said rim inclined axially and radially inwardly of said wheel whereby said rim shoulder rests on said complimentary shoulder surface, a plurality of spacer blocks, each said spacer block being disposed between said outboard rim and said inboard rim, said spacer blocks resting on said spokes and adapted to slide axially thereon a limited amount, each of the opposite ends of said blocks having an inclined engaging shoulder engaging said outboard rim and said inboard rim, said inclined engaging surfaces being adapted to be forced against and under said rims between said spoke and said rim, and lug means having a tapered shoulder adapted to engage said outboard rim on the side thereof remote from said inboard rim, said lug means having a lug stud and nut for clamping said outboard rim between said lug means and said block and said inboard rim between said block and said rim shoulder, and shoulder means on each said block comprising a reinforcing rib extending along substantially the entire length and on each side of said block and slidably overhanging said flared side surfaces of said spoke, and further comprising an engaging flange means extending downwardly from each rib and slidably underlying the flared side surfaces of said spoke, thereby slidably and radially securing said block to said spoke against relative rotation.