US4019782A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automotive wire wheel and manufacturing method
Assignee: APPLIANCE INDUSTRIES Inc
•
Filing: 1975-05-02
•
Granted: 1977-04-26
•
Expires: 1995-05-02
Abstract
Abstract An improved automobile wheel with wire spokes and a novel method for making a spoked wheel. A metal spoked automotive wheel for tubeless tires having an outer circular rim with drop center adapted for receiving a tire is attached to a tubular hub assembly having means for receiving wire spokes. Wire spokes extend radially outward from the hub with terminal threads adapted for mounting a felly with threaded spoke nipples. The improved wheel center includes a narrow concentric inner felly of solid cross-section with holes for receiving the spoke nipples and peripheral portions for engaging the tire rim drop center. The felly has spaced-apart radial nipple-receiving holes and is integrally joined to the drop center of the rim at the flange.
Inventors
- 👤 Merlyn R. Reppert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:50
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60B; B60B21/00; B60B21/06; B60B21/02; B60B21/023; B60B21/068; B60B25/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
In a metal spoked automotive wheel comprising a tubeless tire rim with a drop center, a hub having openings for receiving wire spokes, a plurality of wire spokes extending radially outward from the hub and having threads to cooperate with threaded spoke nipples; the improvement comprising a solid metal felly of substantially uniform solid cross-sectional configuration and comprising an inner annular surface and having nipple receiving holes formed therein at varying predetermined positions and angles for cooperation with the hub openings to mount the spokes therebetween, and means to integrally join said felly to the rim drop center.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a metal spoked automotive wheel comprising a tubeless tire rim with a drop center, a hub having openings for receiving wire spokes, a plurality of wire spokes extending radially outward from the hub and having threads to cooperate with threaded spoke nipples; the improvement comprising a solid metal felly of substantially uniform solid cross-sectional configuration and comprising an inner annular surface and having nipple receiving holes formed therein at varying predetermined positions and angles for cooperation with the hub openings to mount the spokes therebetween, and means to integrally join said felly to the rim drop center.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The wheel of claim 1, said integral joining means comprising weld bead means joining said annular surface to said rim drop center.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The wheel of claim 1, said integral joining means comprising a substantially continuous weld bead joining said rim drop center to a radially disposed rear surface of said felly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The wheel of claim 1, said integral joining means comprising a plurality of separate weld beads joining said rim drop center to a radially disposed rear annular surface of said felly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The wheel of claim 1, wherein the felly is not axially wider than the drop center.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The wheel of claim 1, wherein the spoke nipples are connected to the spokes with female threads for receiving the spoke threads, and each have an enlarged niple portion rotatably received within the felly opening to permit adjustment of spoke tension.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The wheel of claim 1, wherein said nipple holes are drilled in said felly.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of forming an automotive wire wheel center comprising the steps of forming an inner solid felly of metal which is relatively thin radially and relatively narrow axially, drilling said felly to provide nipple holes at varying predetermined positions and angles therein, forming a hub piece having a back flange and a front hub shell, forming hub spoke holes in said back flange and in said front hub shell, said hub piece having an axial length substantially greater than that of said felly, positioning the inner felly and the hub piece concentrically with respect to each other, mounting spoke nipples in the felly nipple holes, installing threaded wire spokes through the hub spoke holes of the hub piece, connecting the spokes to the spoke nipples in the felly, tightening the spokes to a substantially uniform torque to provide a preliminary adjustment of lateral and radial run-out, and machining the center periphery to a true radial run-out.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
157 words
A method of forming an automotive wire wheel center comprising the steps of forming an inner solid felly of metal which is relatively thin radially and relatively narrow axially, drilling said felly to provide nipple holes at varying predetermined positions and angles therein, forming a hub piece having a back flange and a front hub shell, forming hub spoke holes in said back flange and in said front hub shell, said hub piece having an axial length substantially greater than that of said felly, positioning the inner felly and the hub piece concentrically with respect to each other, mounting spoke nipples in the felly nipple holes, installing threaded wire spokes through the hub spoke holes of the hub piece, connecting the spokes to the spoke nipples in the felly, tightening the spokes to a substantially uniform torque to provide a preliminary adjustment of lateral and radial run-out, and machining the center periphery to a true radial run-out.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said hub spoke holes are formed by piercing and countersinking the back flange and the front hub shell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of producing a tubeless tire wheel free of spoke holes in its rim, comprising the step of integrally joining the inner felly of the wheel center produced by the method of claim 8 to a tubeless tire rim by welding the rim drop center to said felly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
A wire spoke wheel center assembly adapted for mounting in a tubeless tire rim comprising an outer circular solid metal member of substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration and formed with a plurality of drilled holes at varying predetermined positions and angles to retain wire spoke nipples for rotational movement therein, and a hub assembly comprising a hub and front and back flanges connected by front and back wire spokes to said spoke nipples.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
A wire spoke wheel center assembly adapted for mounting in a tubeless tire rim comprising an outer circular solid metal member of substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration and formed with a plurality of drilled holes at varying predetermined positions and angles to retain wire spoke nipples for rotational movement therein, and a hub assembly comprising a hub and front and back flanges connected by front and back wire spokes to said spoke nipples.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The center of claim 11, and said hub assembly also comprising a hub mounting rim affixed to the back of the hub assembly.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle wheel comprising a tire rim integrally joined to the wire spoke wheel center assembly of claim 11, said rim being formed with a single opening adapted to mount means to control the pneumatic inflation of a tire on said rim.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US703029A
Cited
US1474716A
Cited
US1507615A
Cited
US2014751A
Cited
US2551783A
Cited
US3008770A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-25 | 1980-10-25 | 1981-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-25 | 1984-10-25 | 1985-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-25 | 1988-10-25 | 1989-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |