Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Wheel – Detachable wheel section
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-06
2001-11-06
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Wheel
Detachable wheel section
C301S111040, C029S273000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312058
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for use in centering a wheel on its supporting hub.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The vehicle wheels and particularly those for highway trucks require to be carefully and accurately attached to the hub so that they properly rotate around the central axis of the hub.
Recent redesigns in the conventionally available hub and wheel construction utilize a central projecting portion from the hub which enters into a central receptacle or hole in the wheel. The wheel is received onto a plurality of studs with each stud co-operating with a respective hole in the wheel. The recent designs have however provided sufficient clearance between the stud and the hole in the wheel so that some movement can occur thus allowing a centering action defined by the projecting portion in the central hole.
However the present inventor has found that these arrangements are unsatisfactory and that the wheels are often mounted off center so that they are out of balance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention, therefore to provide an improved method arranged for providing an improved centering of the rim on the hub.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of centering a wheel rim on a wheel hub of a vehicle comprising:
the wheel hub having a plurality of wheel support studs carried on the hub in a pattern surrounding a central axis of the hub, each stud having a male screw thread thereon extending from an outer end thereof at least partly toward the hub;
the wheel having a central disk portion for mounting on the hub and a surrounding rim portion for carrying a tire on the rim for rotation around the axis on the rim and the hub;
the wheel having a plurality of holes through the disk portion from an outer surface of the rim to an inner surface thereof, each hole defining a cylindrical hole surface for receiving therethrough and surrounding a respective one of the studs;
the method comprising providing at least three female threaded fasteners each for engaging onto a respective one of the studs for clamping the wheel to the hub each having a sleeve portion and a nut portion;
inserting the sleeve portion between the cylindrical inner surface and the threaded portion of the stud as a sliding fit inside the cylindrical inner surface so as to accurately locate the hole relative to the stud for centering the wheel on the hub;
and engaging a female thread of the nut portion onto the threaded portion of the stud to engage the outer surface of the wheel to clamp the wheel to the hub;
the at least three fasteners being spaced angularly around the hub;
and, with the wheel so centered, engaging conventional nuts onto the remaining studs to hold the wheel in place.
The fasteners can be removed after the rim is held in place by the conventional nuts and are replaced by conventional nuts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2533707 (1950-12-01), Ash
patent: 3649079 (1972-03-01), English
patent: 3960047 (1976-06-01), Liffick
patent: 4708397 (1987-11-01), Weinmann
patent: 2508057 (1976-09-01), None
Battison Adrian D.
Stormer Russell D.
Williams Michael R.
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