Wheel borne counter rotating disc alternator

Claim 1

A wheel for use in a motor vehicle having an axle, comprising a substantially circular main body with a central hub portion for journalling on said axle, a rim peripherally secured on said main body and being shaped to receive a pneumatic tire, a generally circular outer wall member, means securing said wall member in the outer portion of said rim, said wall member being constructed to rotatably receive the axle through its central portion, an alternator stator assembly in said rim, means supportingly securing said stator assembly to the peripheral portion of the wall member, an alternator field assembly arranged concentrically in the stator assembly, means to support the field assembly on the axle, a field supply conductor, first circuit means connecting said field assembly to the field supply conductor, an output conductor, and second circuit means including a slip ring on said means to support the field assembly, contact brush means slidably engaging said slip ring and arranged to connect said stator assembly to said output conductor, and means for rotating said field assembly relative to the axle in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the stator assembly, said means for rotating said field assembly comprising first and second bevel gears secured to said means to support the field assembly and the outer wall member, a coupling bevel gear between and meshing with said first and second bevel gears, and journal shaft means rotatably supporting said coupling bevel gear on a fixed axis perpendicular to the axle.