Center cap for a wheel

Claim 2

A center cap for a wheel hub having an open end and an inwardly directed annular protruding part on the edge of the hub open end comprising, in combination, a cylindrical cap body having an open end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elastically deformable joint ratchets on the open end edge of said body, the outer periphery of said body having an annular groove adjacent the inner end of said joint ratchets for receiving said protruding part in the assembled position of said cap on said wheel hub and the outer periphery of said joint ratchets having a beveled surface extending inwardly from said groove to the free end of said ratchets for sliding engagement with said protruding part and an axially movable restrict member means within said cap body for moving between an inoperative position remote from said joint ratchets and an operative position in underlying concentric relationship with said joint ratchets for preventing elastic deformation of said joint ratchets in an inwardly radial direction, said restrict member means comprising a circular member wherein the outer periphery of said circular member is provided with threads for engagement with a spiral guide groove formed in the inner surface of said cap body to permit said axial movement of said circular member and including a slit disposed centrally in said circular member accessible to a driving device from the inside of said wheel hub for moving said circular member axially between its operative and inoperative positions.

Claim 3

A center cap for a wheel hub having an open end and an inwardly directed annular protruding part on the edge of the hub open end comprising, in combination, a cylindrical cap body having an open end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elastically deformable joint ratchets on the open end edge of said body, the outer periphery of said body having an annular groove adjacent the inner end of said joint ratchets for receiving said protruding part in the assembled position of said cap on said wheel hub and the outer periphery of said joint ratchets having a beveled surface extending inwardly from said groove to the free end of said ratchets for sliding engagement with said protruding part and an axially movable restrict member means within said cap body for moving between an inoperative position remote from said joint ratchets and an operative position in underlying concentric relationship with said joint ratchets for preventing elastic deformation of said joint ratchets in an inwardly radial direction, said restrict member means comprising a circular member, a spring disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly urging said circular member from its inoperative position into said operative position, a joint member means disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly retaining said restrict member in said inoperative position, said joint member means comprising an elastic member connected at one end to said cap body and its other end being engageable by said annular protruding part during the assembly of said cap body on said wheel hub for releasing said circular member and permitting said axial movement of said circular member into said operative position.

Claim 4

A center cap for a wheel hub having an open end and an inwardly directed annular protruding part on the edge of the hub open end comprising, in combination, a cylindrical cap body having an open end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elastically deformable joint ratchets on the open end edge of said body, the outer periphery of said body having an annular groove adjacent the inner end of said joint ratchets for receiving said protruding part in the assembled position of said cap on said wheel hub and the outer periphery of said joint ratchets having a beveled surface extending inwardly from said groove to the free end of said ratchets for sliding engagement with said protruding part and an axially movable restrict member means within said cap body for moving between an inoperative position remote from said joint ratchets and an operative position in underlying concentric relationship with said joint ratchets for preventing elastic deformation of said joint ratchets in an inwardly radial direction, said restrict member means comprising a circular member, a spring disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly urging said circular member from its inoperative position into said operative position, a joint member means disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly retaining said restrict member in said inoperative position, said joint member means comprising an elastic member connected at one end to said cap body and its other end being engageable by said annular protruding part during the assembly of said cap body on said wheel hub for releasing said circular member and permitting said axial movement of said circular member into said operative position.

Claim 5

A center cap for a wheel hub having an open end and an inwardly directed annular protruding part on the edge of the hub open end comprising, in combination, a cylindrical cap body having an open end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elastically deformable joint ratchets on the open end edge of said body, the outer periphery of said body having an annular groove adjacent the inner end of said joint ratchets for receiving said protruding part in the assembled position of said cap on said wheel hub and the outer periphery of said joint ratchets having a beveled surface extending inwardly from said groove to the free end of said ratchets for sliding engagement with said protruding part and an axially movable restrict member means within said cap body for moving between an inoperative position remote from said joint ratchets and an operative position in underlying concentric relationship with said joint ratchets for preventing elastic deformation of said joint ratchets in an inwardly radial direction, said restrict member means comprising a circular member, a spring disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly urging said circular member from its inoperative position into said operative position, retaining means on the inner surface of said cap body for retaining said circular member, said retaining means comprising a lip adjacent the open end of said cap body and wherein said circular member is provided with a yieldable joint member means for engagement by said annular protruding part during the assembly of said cap body on said wheel hub to permit said circular member to be moved into said operative position by said spring during the assembly of said center cap on said wheel hub, said yieldable joint member comprising a deformable contact arm extending from said circular member toward the open end of said cap body wherein said circular member stresses said spring during the assembly of said center cap on said wheel hub by movement of said deformable contact arm by said protruding part and to permit said circular member to return to an unstressed condition when said protruding part is received within said annular groove.

Claim 6

A center cap for a wheel hub having an open end and an inwardly directed annular protruding part on the edge of the hub open end comprising, in combination, a cylindrical cap body having an open end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elastically deformable joint ratchets on the open end edge of said body, the outer periphery of said body having an annular groove adjacent the inner end of said joint ratchets for receiving said protruding part in the assembled position of said cap on said wheel hub and the outer periphery of said joint ratchets having a beveled surface extending inwardly from said groove to the free end of said ratchets for sliding engagement with said protruding part and an axially movable restrict member means within said cap body for moving between an inoperative position remote from said joint ratchets and an operative position in underlying concentric relationship with said joint ratchets for preventing elastic deformation of said joint ratchets in an inwardly radial direction, said restrict member means comprising a circular member, a spring disposed in the interior of said cap body for yieldingly urging said circular member from its inoperative position into said operative position, retaining means on the inner surface of said cap body for retaining said circular member, said retaining means comprising a lip adjacent the open end of said cap body and wherein said circular member is provided with a yieldable joint member means for engagement by said annular protruding part during the assembly of said cap body on said wheel hub to permit said circular member to be moved into said operative position by said spring during the assembly of said center cap on said wheel hub, said yieldable joint member comprising a deformable contact arm extending from said circular member toward the open end of said cap body wherein said circular member stresses said spring during the assembly of said center cap on said wheel hub by movement of said deformable contact arm by said protruding part and to permit said circular member to return to an unstressed condition when said protruding part is received within said annular groove.