Self-centering bicycle wheel and axle assembly

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A BIFURCATED WHEEL MOUNTING FORK, A SELF-CENTERING WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING, (A) AN ELONGATED SHAFT, (B) AN ELONGATED TUBULAR HUB, RECEIVING SAID SHAFT IN COAXIAL RELATIONSHIP, (C) A SET OF BALL BEARINGS ON EACH END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT AND WITHIN THE END PORTIONS OF SAID HUB, (C'') A PAIR OF ANNULAR RETAINERS REVOLUBLY MOUNTING THE BALLS OF EACH SET, SAID RETAINERS BEING FORMED OF RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TO AFFORD EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION THEREOF, (D) A PAIR OF INNER RACEWAYS COMPRISED BY AN ANNULAR GROOVE LOCATED NEAR EACH END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, EACH RETAINER RESILIENTLY EXPANDING FOR SLIDING RECEPTION UPON AN RESPECTIVE END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, AND RESILIENTLY CONTRACTING TO SEAT SAID BALL BEARINGS IN A RESPECTIVE INNER RACEWAYS, (E) A PAIR OF CUPS, EACH INCLUDING AN ANNULAR DISC APERTURED TO RESPECTIVELY MOUNT UPON A RESPECTIVE END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT TO ABUT A SET OF BALL BEARINGS, SAID DISC BEING CONCENTRICALLY FORMED WITH, (E'') AN ANNULAR RIB EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE PLANE OF SAID DISC AND RECEIVED WITHIN THE END PORTION OF THE HUB, EACH SAID RIB CLOSELY ENCIRCLING A RESPECTIVE SET OF BALL BEARINGS TO RESIST UNDESIRED RESILIENT EXPANSION OF THE RETAINER, AND DISLODGEMENT OF SAID BALL BEARINGS FROM SAID INNER RACEWAYS, (E'') AN OUTER RACEWAY FOR SAID BALL BEARINGS BEING FORMED INTERIORLY OF EACH CUP AT THE JUNCTION OF SAID DISC AND RIB, (F) A HUBCAP MOUNTED UPON EACH END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, OUTWARDLY OF SAID CUPS, AND ENCLOSING A RESPECTIVE END PORTION OF SAID TUBULAR HUB TO RESIST ESCAPE OF LUBRICANT FROM SAID HUB, AND TO RETAIN A RESPECTIVE CUP WITHIN SAID HUB, (G) MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID HUBCAPS TO MAINTAIN THEIR POSITION ON SAID HUB, (H) A SHOULDER LOCATED NEAR EACH END PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, AND RESPECTIVELY EQUALLY SPACED AXIALLY OF THE SHAFT FROM SAID INNER RACEWAY, (I) THE BIFURCATIONS OF SAID WHEEL MOUTING FORK BEING APPROPRIATELY APERTURED TO RECEIVE THE END PORTIONS OF SAID SHAFT, AND SAID SHOULDERS BEING RESPECTIVELY ENGAGED BY OPPOSING FACES OF SAID BIFURACTIONS WHEREBY SAID WHEEL IS SUITABLY CENTERED FOR ROTATION ABOUT SAID SHAFT, BETWEEN SAID BIFURCATIONS.