US3828836A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety wheel and tire securing assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-12-13
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Granted: 1974-08-13
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Expires: 1992-12-13
Abstract
Abstract This specification discloses four basic embodiments of a safety wheel and tire assembly that is mounted on the rim of a conventional vehicle wheel. In each embodiment, a safety wheel is provided in the form of a two-part safety rim which is erected into a position in which the beads of the tire are clamped against the flanges of the wheel rim and a lubricated rolling surface is provided at a radius appreciably less than the radius of the tire when inflated. Mechanism is provided to adjust the safety rim into a position for installation and removal by applying lateral pressure to the side walls of the tire. Latches hold the safety rim in erected position and are released either by the lateral pressure aforesaid or by a tool that is inserted through a hole in the wheel rim that is normally closed by a removable plug.
Inventors
- 👤 C Bradley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:10
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C17/00; B60C17/04; B60C15/00; B60C15/02; B60C15/028; B60C15/06; B60C17/041; B60C17/044; B60C17/10; B60C19/00; B60C2019/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
241 words
For installation in a conventional inflatable tire including a flexible tread portion and flexible side walls which terminate in beads, and which tire is mounted on a wheel rim including a drop center and flanges on the opposite sides thereof which are engaged by the tire beads, a safety rim comprising: a. two relatively movable members in said tire which are adjustable into at least an erected effective functioning position and an installation and removal position; b. each of said members having a part defining a rolling surface when the members are erected and which rolling surface has a diameter substantially midway the diameter of the tread portion of the tire when the tire is inflated and that of said drop center; c. means on said members for restrainingly engaging the tire beads when said members are erected; d. mechanism within said tire connecting said members in assembled relation and including elements in operating relation to inner surfaces of the tire when said tire is deflated and external pressure is applied to the tire to render said mechanism responsive to said pressure to move said member into erected effective position; e. latches on said members for securing said members in erected position and including release means responsive to lateral pressure applied externally of the side walls of the tire, and f. means operatively mounted on said members to move said members into a dismantled ineffective position when said latches are released.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
241 words
For installation in a conventional inflatable tire including a flexible tread portion and flexible side walls which terminate in beads, and which tire is mounted on a wheel rim including a drop center and flanges on the opposite sides thereof which are engaged by the tire beads, a safety rim comprising: a. two relatively movable members in said tire which are adjustable into at least an erected effective functioning position and an installation and removal position; b. each of said members having a part defining a rolling surface when the members are erected and which rolling surface has a diameter substantially midway the diameter of the tread portion of the tire when the tire is inflated and that of said drop center; c. means on said members for restrainingly engaging the tire beads when said members are erected; d. mechanism within said tire connecting said members in assembled relation and including elements in operating relation to inner surfaces of the tire when said tire is deflated and external pressure is applied to the tire to render said mechanism responsive to said pressure to move said member into erected effective position; e. latches on said members for securing said members in erected position and including release means responsive to lateral pressure applied externally of the side walls of the tire, and f. means operatively mounted on said members to move said members into a dismantled ineffective position when said latches are released.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which the rolling surface is lubricated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which said wheel rim is formed with an access opening adjacent to said drop center, together with a removable plug closing said access opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The safety rim of claim 3 in which the plug comprises a head and a conical portion separated by an annular groove which receives the edge of the wheel rim defining the access opening, said plug being removable from said access opening by pressure applied thereto externally of the wheel rim.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The safety rim of claim 4 in which the plug has a cylindrical extension projecting from the conical portion thereof and which projects externally of the wheel rim when the plug is in position closing said access opening, said extension being engageable by a tool to pull the plug through the access opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which said relatively movable members are two arcuate segmental members with a spring hingedly connecting said arcuate members where they meet at one end and the latch mechanism is associated with the other meeting ends, said spring constituting the means for moving the members into dismantled position when the latch is released.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
The safety rim of claim 6 in which the latch comprises an arcuate tongue having one end secured to one of the segmental members and the other end engaging the other of said segmental members, a cam mounted on said last mentioned segmental member and engaging said tongue, and spring means biasing said cam into clamping engagement with said tongue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The safety rim of claim 7 in which each of said segmental members has a semi-cylindrical flange at its outer edge and which flanges define the rolling surface, a radial wall and an inner cylindrical wall having portions which clampingly engage the tire beads.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The safety rim of claim 7 in which there is a multiplicity of said cams.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The safety rim of claim 7 in which an axially extending cam release rod is associated with said cam and is operable by lateral pressure applied externally through a side wall of a tire.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which said relatively movable members are two generally cylindrical members of fixed diameter and are relatively movable axially, said connecting means comprising a plurality of angularly spaced apart sets of bell cranks, each set of bell cranks comprising a pair of bell cranks each having an outer arm and an inner arm, said bell cranks being pivotally connected at the joinder of the inner and outer arms, the ends of said outer arms being pivotally connected to said cylindrical members, feet on the ends of said inner arms which clampingly engage said tire beads and wheel rim when the safety rim is erected, the latches secure said cylindrical members in contracted position and spring means biasing said bell cranks into a position in which the outer arms are expanded.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The safety rim of claim 11 in which each of said cylindrical members is formed with an inwardly extending radial flange on the edge more closely adjacent to the other cylindrical member and the latch clampingly engages said flanges.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The safety rim of claim 11 in which a spring means takes the form of a tension coil spring having its ends connected to the inner bell crank arms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
100 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which said relatively movable members are ring-like plates of fixed diameters and the connecting means comprises a plurality of angularly spaced apart toggle mechanisms, each of said toggle mechanisms including a radially movable operating bar having an outer end engageable by the tread portion of a tire when external pressure is applied thereto to move said bar radially inwardly and cause said toggle to spread said plates, each of said plates having an inner end portion which clampingly engages a tire bead and wheel rim when said plates are expanded by the toggle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The safety rim of claim 14 in which the inner edges of said ring-like plates are formed with diametrically opposed recesses which define areas of a diameter greater than that of the flanges on the wheel rim to permit installation of the safety rim on the wheel rim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
The safety rim of claim 14 in which each toggle mechanism includes a pair of inner links pivotally mounted on a common pivot to said operating bar and the outer ends of which are pivotally connected to said plates, and a pair of outer links pivotally mounted on a common pivot to said operating bar and the outer ends of which are pivotally connected to said plates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
79 words
The safety rim of claim 16 in which the operating bar is formed with a notch and a latch comprises an axially movable latch rod having a projection receivable in said notch, a spring biasing said latch rod into the position in which said projection is received in the notch, said latch rod extending through an opening in one of the plates and engageable by pressure applied externally through the side wall of a tire to release said latch.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The safety rim of claim 17 in which one of the outer links carries an actuating arm which extends through an opening in the other of said plates whereby an end thereof is subject to lateral pressure applied through another side wall of the tire to move said operating bar radially outwardly.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
180 words
The safety rim of claim 1 in which said relatively movable members take the form of a pair of annuli of fixed diameter, a plurality of angularly spaced lugs, each of said lugs comprising a pair of lugs on each annulus, a link pivotally mounted at its outer end on each lug, a plurality of shoes corresponding in number to the number of said sets of lugs with the outer end of each link pivotally connected to each shoe, each of said shoes having a pair of feet which clampingly engage a tire bead and wheel rim when the safety rim is erected, said pivotal connections of said links to said shoes being disposed radially inwardly of the pivotal coNnection of said links to said lugs whereby contracting movement of said annuli causes said lugs and links to move said shoes into erected position, a latch mechanism for securing said annuli in contracted position and torsion springs associated with the pivotal mountings of said links on said lugs to move said shoes radially outwardly when the latch mechanism is released.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The safety rim of claim 19 in which each annulus is formed with an inwardly extending radial flange on the edge which confronts the other annulus and the lugs are located closely adjacent to said flanges, said latch mechanism cooperating with said flanges to secure said annuli in contracted position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-12 | 1978-02-11 | 1978-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-12 | 1982-02-11 | 1982-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-12 | 1986-02-11 | 1986-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |