US3608970A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Emergency wheels
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1968-11-18
•
Granted: 1971-09-28
•
Expires: 1988-11-18
Abstract
Abstract In the art of automotive emergency wheels that are used when a vehicle road tire has been punctured, an invention in which the emergency wheels used are of the type adapted to be mounted on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged tire. The invention comprises a method for installing the wheel, and lightweight emergency wheels having narrow-section tubeless tires suitable for practicing the method. Preferred embodiments of the wheel used in the method incorporate as an integral part of the wheel disk a reservoir for pressurized fluid for inflating the tire. In the method, it is not necessary to jack up the vehicle to install the emergency wheel. In use, the emergency wheel, with its tire in the uninflated condition, is fastened on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged tire. After the emergency wheel is fastened in place, its tire is inflated. This raises the vehicle off its damaged tire and into substantially its normal attitude such that it can be driven safely at reasonable speeds until repair facilities are reached. Also proposed in an emergency wheel construction in which a displacement of the sidewall produced by the inflation of the tire causes clamping means to be forced automatically over the vehicle road wheel rim such that the emergency wheel is clamped thereon pneumatically. A further embodiment uses the pressurized fluid utilized for inflating its tire to actuate the fasteners used to mount the wheel.
Inventors
- 👤 William P Strumbos
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:59
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60B; B60B11/00; B60B11/10; B60C; B60C17/00; B60C5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
The method for mounting an emergency wheel having a pneumatic tire so as to suppOrt an axle member of a vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of the road wheel mounted on said axle member to thereby enable said vehicle to be operated comprising the steps of providing an emergency wheel having a rim portion mounting a pneumatic tire, said tire having an uninflated width substantially less than that of said road tire and said rim having a diameter less than that of said road wheel and tire rim, fastening the emergency wheel rim with its tire in the uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire with a lower portion of said uninflated tire laterally deflected over a collapsed portion of the deflated vehicle road tire, and inflating the tire of said emergency wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel such that the vehicle is supported with the load substantially off the damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
The method for mounting an emergency wheel having a pneumatic tire so as to suppOrt an axle member of a vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of the road wheel mounted on said axle member to thereby enable said vehicle to be operated comprising the steps of providing an emergency wheel having a rim portion mounting a pneumatic tire, said tire having an uninflated width substantially less than that of said road tire and said rim having a diameter less than that of said road wheel and tire rim, fastening the emergency wheel rim with its tire in the uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire with a lower portion of said uninflated tire laterally deflected over a collapsed portion of the deflated vehicle road tire, and inflating the tire of said emergency wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel such that the vehicle is supported with the load substantially off the damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
245 words
An emergency wheel adapted for use with the road wheel of a vehicle so as to support an axle member of said vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of said road wheel mounted on said axle member, said road wheel including a tire mounting rim having an axially extending rim flange, said emergency wheel comprising a wheel body having a rim, one lip of said rim having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the rim flange of said road wheel fitted within and against said rim flange, an inflatable tire having an uninflated width substantially less than said vehicle road tire and an uninflated flexible configuration so as to be laterally deflectable to fit over and above a collapsed portion of a deflated vehicle road tire and an inflated diameter substantially equal to the inflated vehicle road tire secured to said rim, fastener means mounting the emergency wheel with its tire in an uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire and with said lip of said rim seated within and radially supported by said rim flange of said road wheel, and inflation means for inflating the tire of said emergency wheel after said emergency wheel has been mounted on said vehicle road wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel with the load substantially off said damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
245 words
An emergency wheel adapted for use with the road wheel of a vehicle so as to support an axle member of said vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of said road wheel mounted on said axle member, said road wheel including a tire mounting rim having an axially extending rim flange, said emergency wheel comprising a wheel body having a rim, one lip of said rim having a diameter less than the inner diameter of the rim flange of said road wheel fitted within and against said rim flange, an inflatable tire having an uninflated width substantially less than said vehicle road tire and an uninflated flexible configuration so as to be laterally deflectable to fit over and above a collapsed portion of a deflated vehicle road tire and an inflated diameter substantially equal to the inflated vehicle road tire secured to said rim, fastener means mounting the emergency wheel with its tire in an uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire and with said lip of said rim seated within and radially supported by said rim flange of said road wheel, and inflation means for inflating the tire of said emergency wheel after said emergency wheel has been mounted on said vehicle road wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel with the load substantially off said damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein the wheel body is of the disk type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein the wheel body having a rim is of the annular disk type.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein said fastener means comprise clamp-type means, each of said clamp means having when assembled with said emergency wheel an inboard end and an outboard end, said inboard end having means adapted for engagement with the vehicle road wheel structure, and said outboard end having means for applying a force on said emergency wheel whereby said emergency wheel is moved into operative engagement with the vehicle road wheel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
167 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein the fastener means comprise a plurality of fasteners adapted for mounting the emergency wheel on the outside surface of the vehicle road wheel, each of said fasteners having when assembled with said emergency wheel an inboard end and an outboard end, said inboard end having means for engaging said road wheel structure, said outboard end having structure operatively associated with means for applying a force on said fastener, inflatable means on the outboard side of said emergency wheel engaging said force-applying structure of each of said fasteners, valve means for admitting fluid under pressure into said inflatable means, and locking means associated with each of said fasteners, said locking means having a locked and an unlocked position, said locked position serving to lock said fasteners against movement, said unlocked position freeing said fasteners to permit a pressure caused displacement of said inflatable means whereby saiD displacement brings said emergency wheel into operative engagement with said vehicle road wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the sidewalls of the tire of the emergency wheel has sufficient flexibility when said tire is in the deflated state to permit said tire to be manipulated such that said emergency wheel can be mounted for use.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
147 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 2 wherein the fastener means comprise a plurality of fasteners adapted for engagement with the wheel structure of the vehicle road wheel, and wherein said fastener means further comprise an annular arrangement of latching means associated with the inboard sidewall of the emergency tire, said arrangement being spaced radially outward from the emergency wheel rim in concentric relationship therewith, said sidewall having an annular area of reduced wall thickness in operating proximity with said arrangement of latching means and in concentric relationship therewith whereby the inflation of said emergency tire after the emergency wheel has been fastened in place causes a displacement relatively outwardly of the sidewall in the region of the reduced wall thickness such that the outwardly displaced portion of said sidewall forces said latching means into a clamping engagement with the rim of said vehicle road wheel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 8 wherein the annular arrangement of latching means associated with the inboard sidewall is a ring of hook-shaped fingers of high-strength, resilient material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 8 wherein the annular arrangement of latching means associated with the inboard sidewall are contoured projecting areas of said sidewall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
211 words
An emergency wheel adapted for use with the road wheel of a vehicle so as to support an axle member of said vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of said road wheel mounted on said axle member comprising a wheel body having a rim, an inflatable tire secured to said rim, fastener means adapted to mount the emergency wheel with its tire in an uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire, and inflation means for inflating the tire of said emergency wheel after said emergency wheel has been mounted on said vehicle road wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel with the load substantially off said damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation wherein said inflation means comprise a pressurized fluid reservoir incorporated in the body structure of said emergency wheel, first valve means for admitting fluid under pressure into said reservoir, conduit means defining a fluid passage between the interior of said fluid reservoir and the interior of the emergency tire, and second valve means in said conduit means whereby pressurized fluid from said reservoir can be admitted into the interior of said emergency tire to thereby inflate it.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
211 words
An emergency wheel adapted for use with the road wheel of a vehicle so as to support an axle member of said vehicle in case of damage to the road tire of said road wheel mounted on said axle member comprising a wheel body having a rim, an inflatable tire secured to said rim, fastener means adapted to mount the emergency wheel with its tire in an uninflated state on the vehicle road wheel outboard of the damaged road tire, and inflation means for inflating the tire of said emergency wheel after said emergency wheel has been mounted on said vehicle road wheel whereby said axle member is raised and supported by said emergency wheel with the load substantially off said damaged road tire to thereby put the vehicle in condition for immediate operation wherein said inflation means comprise a pressurized fluid reservoir incorporated in the body structure of said emergency wheel, first valve means for admitting fluid under pressure into said reservoir, conduit means defining a fluid passage between the interior of said fluid reservoir and the interior of the emergency tire, and second valve means in said conduit means whereby pressurized fluid from said reservoir can be admitted into the interior of said emergency tire to thereby inflate it.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 11 wherein the body structure comprises first and second concentric disk members joined in a sealed relationship with one another at their peripheries and having a spaced relationship with one another intermediate said peripheries to thereby form the fluid reservoir.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
226 words
An emergency wheel as defined in claim 11 wherein the valve and conduit means include first normally closed valve means, second normally closed valve means, said conduit means having an opening exteriorly of the reservoir, said valves being positioned coaxially in tandem in said conduit means, said first valve having a coaxial spring-loaded valve pin which serves when depressed to open said valve and having first and second depressed positions, said first valve pin being depressed to its first position to thereby admit fluid to said reservoir when said exterior opening of said conduit is connected to a pressurized fluid supply, said second valve having a coaxial spring-loaded valve pin Which serves when depressed to open said valve, said second valve pin being depressed by said first valve pin when in its said second position, a cup-shaped valve cap adapted to fit on the exterior outlet end of said conduit and having first and second positions thereon, said cap having a valve actuating stem projecting coaxially from the inside end wall thereof, said valve actuating stem being adapted when said cap is in its second position to depress said first valve pin into its second position whereby the placing of said valve cap into its second position opens said second valve to pass fluid into said tire through said conduit means to thereby inflate said tire.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |