Support belt for deflated tubeless tire

Claim 2

A support belt adapted to be used in a tubeless tire to support a wheel rim when the tire thereon becomes deflated, comprising: a. generally circular support means extending circumferentially of the rim and projecting radially outwardly beyond the wheel rim, said support means including a flexible band; and b. releasable means positioning said support means relative to the rim during normal inflation of the tire and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of said support means relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface, said releasable means including a selflubricating material betweEn said band and rim for accommodating relative movement between said band and rim when the tire is deflated.

Claim 3

A support belt adapted to be used in a tubeless tire to support a wheel rim when the tire thereon becomes deflated, comprising: a. generally circular support means extending circumferentially of the rim and projecting radially outwardly beyond the wheel rim, said support means including a flexible band; b. releasable means positioning said support means relative to the rim during normal inflation of the tire and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of said support means relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface, said releasable means including a self-lubricating material between said band and rim for accommodating relative movement between said band and rim when the tire is deflated; c. means for securing said support means in position on the rim; and d. said support means including a metal band extending circumferentially of the rim and wherein said securing means includes:

Claim 4

A support belt adapted to be used in a tubeless tire to support a wheel rim when the tire thereon becomes deflated, comprising: a. generally circular support means extending circumferentially of the rim and projecting radially outwardly beyond the wheel rim, said support means including a flexible band; b. releasable means positioning said support means relative to the rim during normal inflation of the tire and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of said support means relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface, said releasable means including a self-lubricating material between said band and rim for accommodating relative movement between said band and rim when the tire is deflated; c. means for securing said support means in position on the rim; and d. said support means including a metal band extending circumferentially of the rim and wherein said securing means includes:

Claim 5

connector means secured to the other end of said band and extending across the first end of said band and having an opening coincident with the opening of said nut; and

Claim 6

connector means secured to the other end of said band and extending across the first end of said band and having an opening coincident with the opening of said nut; and

Claim 7

bolt means for engaging said nut and connector to lock said band on the rim.

Claim 8

bolt means for engaging said nut and connector to lock said band on the rim.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 wherein said releasable means comprises plastic material disposed between the support means and the rim and having a self-lubricating characteristic with respect to metal.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 1 wherein said releasable means comprises teflon material disposed between the support means and the rim.

Claim 11

A support belt adapted to be used in a tubeless tire to support a wheel rim when the tire thereon becomes deflated, comprising: a. a metal band extending circumferentially of the rim; b. means securing the ends of said metal band together to form a continuous band; c. positioning means secured to the inner periphery of said metal band for maintaining said metal band in a spaced apart coaxial relationship with respect to the rim during normal inflation of the tire; and d. release means disposed between the positioning means and the rim and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of the positioning means relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface, said release means comprising plastic material having a self-lubricating characteristic with respect to metal when forced to slide thereagainst.

Claim 12

A support belt adapted to be used in a tubeless tire to support a wheel rim when the tire thereon becomes deflated, comprising: a. a metal band extending circumferentially of the rim; b. means securing the ends of said metal band together to form a continuous band; c. positioning means secured to the inner periphery of said metal band for maintaining said metal band in a spaced apart coaxial relationship with respect to the rim during normal inflation of the tire; and d. release means disposed between the positioning means and the rim and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of the positioning means relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface, said release means comprising plastic material having a self-lubricating characteristic with respect to metal when forced to slide thereagainst.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 5 wherein the release means comprises Teflon material.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 5 wherein the positioning means comprises resilient metal strip means having portions which extend inwardly of the metal band at spaced apart locations around the circumference thereof.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 5 wherein the positioning means comprises a plurality of bowed spring members which extend inwardly toward the wheel rim.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 5 wherein the positioning means compriese: a. a plurality of bowed spring members having their mid parts secured to the inner periphery of said metal band with the two free ends of each bowed spring member extending inwardly toward the wheel rim; and b. a plurality of curved tension strips individually fastened between the two ends of different ones of the bowed spring members, the concave sides of such tension strips facing inwardly toward the wheel rim.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 9 including release means secured to the concave sides of the tension strips and operable when the tire deflates to accommodate movement of the tension strips relative to the rim as the rim rotates with the deflated tire against a surface.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 10 wherein the release means comprises strips of plastic material.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 10 wherein reLease means comprises strips of teflon material.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 12 wherein the strips of teflon material are provided with radially-extending retainer nipples which are located in cooperating holes or openings in the tension strips, such construction facilitating the replacement of the strips of teflon material when same becomes worn.