Rim structure

Claim 1

A MULTIPLE-PIECE VEHICLE WHEEL RIM FOR MOUNTING A TIRE THEREON COMPRISING: (A) AN ANNULAR RIM BASE HAVING (1) AN ANNULAR RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FACING GUTTER ALONG ONE EDGE THEREOF, (2) AN ANNULAR RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FACING LOCK RING SEATING SURFACE ADJACENT THE AXIALLY INNER EDGE OF THE GUTTER, (3) A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RIM BASE OPPOSITE THE GUTTER, AND (4) A TIRE BEAD SEAT ON THE RADIALLY OUTER FACE OF THE RIM BASE ADJACENT THE FLANGE TO RECEIVE ONE BEAD OF THE TIRE WHEN MOUNTED THEREON; (B) A REMOVABLE ANNULAR BEAD SEAT BAND TELESCOPICALLY MOUNTED ON THE RIM BASE AND HAVING (1) A RADIALLY OUTER FACE, (2) A RADIALLY INNER FACE, (3) A FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE AXIALLY OUTWARD EDGE OF SAID BEAD SEAT BAND, (4) A BEVELED SEATING SURFACE LOCATED AT THE AXIALLY OUTER AND RADIALLY INNER CORNER OF THE BEAD SEAT BAND, SAID BEVELED SURFACE LYING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOCK RING SEATING SURFACE ON THE RIM BASE WHEN THE BEAD SEAT BAND IS ASSEMBLED THEREON, AND (5) A TIRE BEAD SEAT ON THE RADIALLY OUTER FACE OF THE BEAD SEAT BAND ADJACENT THE FLANGE TO RECEIVE ONE BEAD OF THE TIRE MOUNTED THEREON; (C) AN ANNULAR ELASTOMERIC SEAL RING BETWEEN THE RIM BASE AND THE BEAD SEAT BAND; AND (D) AN ANNULAR TRANSVERSELY SPLIT LOCK RING OF SUBSTANTIALLY "L" SHAPED CROSS SECTION HAVING (1) A BODY PORTION EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY INTO THE GUTTER OF THE RIM BASE TO PREVENT AXIALLY OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LOCK RING AND THE BEAD SEAT BAND ON THE RIM BASE, (2) AN INTEGRAL ANNULAR RIB EXTENDING AXIALLY INWARDLY FORM THE BODY PORTION AND ENGAGING THE BEVELED SEATING SURFACE OF THE BEAD SEAT BAND AND THE LOCK RING SEATING SURFACE TO PROVIDE POSITIVE CONCENTRIC POSITIONING OF THE BEAD SEAT BAND WITH RESPECT TO THE RIM BASE AND TO TRANSMIT LOADS FROM THE BEAD SEAT BAND TO THE LOCK RING SEATING SURFACE ON THE RIM BASE AND (3) ALL THE AREA OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK RING AND THE RIM BASE BEING IN THE GUTTER OF THE RIM BASE AND AXIALLY INWARDLY THEREOF.